How to plant a garden camellia and take care of it?

Florists who first encountered this plant need to know that planting a camellia does not always lead to the desired result, since it most often dies with improper maintenance and care. Camellia is a bushy shrub with rich, rich green foliage and vibrant, lush flowers. She is especially appreciated for the opportunity to use her as a hedge and for decorating gazebos. Camellia is capable of braiding vertical supports and arched elements, creating shading and isolating the space. During the flowering period, this climbing shrub can turn the gazebo into a solid bright flower bed. However, to get the desired result, you should take into account a few simple rules.

Those wishing to grow this plant at home will have to face difficulties, since the camellia is a rather capricious pet. Caring for her is quite difficult, and it's not even a matter of feeding or watering. She needs a specific temperature regime, not too warm in the winter season. The flowering period of camellia falls just in the winter, when it is usually warm in the apartment, but this plant does not like it. The optimum temperature for him is 10 degrees above zero. Therefore, growing camellias at home often ends in failure.

However, you shouldn't give up the intention. There are opportunities to provide Camellias with proper care and a comfortable climate, even at home. A glazed insulated loggia or balcony is perfect for growing this plant. Of course, provided that the temperature in winter does not exceed 12 degrees above zero. The optimal temperature balance can be achieved by periodically airing the loggia. It should be noted that the flowering of camellia lasts from one to three months and falls on the dormant period of the plant, the phase of active growth will begin in the spring.

Growing camellia in the garden

Given the difficulty of maintaining the optimal regime at home, flower growers prefer to plant camellia on the street. The plant feels especially good in warm climates, where winters are not too harsh, since the sensitive root system can die if it freezes. Planting should be carried out at the beginning of winter, during a dormant period. It is important to remember that the roots cannot be buried in this case; the area (neck) between the root and the trunk must necessarily remain above the ground. In the future, care for the camellia should be carried out taking into account the characteristics of the root system: do not injure it, do not transplant the plant too often.

Reproduction of camellia is most often carried out in the following main ways.

1. First, by seeds - they are sown in boxes or singly in trays. However, planting in this way will lead to a loss of varietal traits.
2. Secondly, by cuttings - to preserve all the qualities of the varieties. When propagating in this way, a stalk with four or five developed leaves is cut from the upper part of the shoot. The optimal time for this is January or July.
3. Less commonly, the method of propagation by layering and by grafting is used.

Advice

To determine the quality of the seeds, put them in a container with water. The floating seeds will not sprout.

Growing garden camellia requires certain conditions. The area where the shrub is supposed to be placed in the garden should be sufficiently, but not excessively lit. It is best to plant it from the east or west side, the light should be both bright and diffused. Garden camellia loves acidic soil - when fertilizing the plant, you need to remember this.If the soil in the garden is not acidic enough, you can plant the plant in trays where the composition of the soil is balanced, and it will be easier to maintain.

Planting camellia in the open field requires preliminary mulching. Sufficiently moist, but not overfilled soil is a prerequisite for successful shrub cultivation. Therefore, good drainage is required. Fertilization is done only after the soil has been moistened, regardless of where the plant is planted - in the garden or at home, in the open field or in a tray.

Thus, caring for a shrub should include several basic principles:

• acidic soil;
• bright but diffused light;
• sufficient hydration;
• cool (no higher than +10 degrees during the day) temperature regime in the winter season.

If the climate conditions do not allow growing shrubs in the garden, leaving it to winter there, you should not give up this idea altogether. In this case, the plant is planted in a tub. With the onset of cold weather, the camellia should be brought into the house, on the balcony or loggia, and in the spring it should be taken out again and kept in the garden until the next frost. This method even has some advantages, since in summer the plant prefers a temperature of +25 degrees. In southern latitudes, it is usually much warmer in summer. In temperate or sharply continental climates, efforts will be required to ensure temperature conditions in winter, while in summer camellia will feel comfortable. If you follow these simple rules, caring for a camellia will not take much effort, and the result will bring a lot of joy.

Diseases and pests

Regardless of varieties, garden camellia is susceptible to a number of diseases and damage by pests. When carrying out care, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the plant in order to avoid, if possible, some problems. The most common of these are the following.

1. Rhizome decay. It occurs as a result of excessive soil moisture and stagnation of moisture in conditions of poor drainage.
2. Burns on the leaves. They arise with prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. That is why garden camellia is grown in areas with diffused light.
3. Dropping leaves. It is observed as a result of non-compliance with the irrigation regime. In this case, both overdrying of the soil and its overflow affects.
4. Damage by pests. Most often, the plant suffers from aphids or spider mites. Pests are removed with a soap solution, oil-based emulsion or special preparations.
5. Fungus damage. Spots appear, petals and leaves fall off. It can be treated with fungicidal agents, but it is better to destroy the diseased plant, since the fungus spreads quickly and can infect other specimens.

There is also a risk of damage to the root system by weevil larvae. If they are not destroyed in time, they are able to eat the roots completely. An adult insect destroys the neck of the bush. In both cases, the plant dies. To combat this scourge, it is necessary to spray the plant itself and the soil around it with a special preparation against this pest.

In general, caring for camellia is not too difficult. In a favorable climate, it grows and develops so actively that some gardeners compare it to a weed. In harsher conditions, some effort is required, but the result is worth it. The variety of varieties and colors allows you to create truly luxurious decorative items in the garden or at home. Dense dark leathery leaves will perfectly shade a veranda or gazebo.