I am still being a lazy blogger and I am feeling a bit guilty about it too! So I decided to post the column I wrote for The Cook/Editors magazine. It is for the July issue, so you are getting a preview!
Mature camellias like a light annual trim after
flowering. Trim off any protruding
or untidy branches to keep the shape you want. They happily withstand quite heavy pruning when required, so
don’t be afraid to bring out the loppers, or even the chain saw. Following a
severe haircut, don’t expect flowers the next season, but you will be well
rewarded the following year.
One of the
greatest winter delights, in a cool climate garden, must be a Camellia.
Originating in the mountains of East Asia, there are several hundred species
with different flower forms, ranging in size from small bushes to tall trees.
Gardening
wisdom states, Camellias grow best in a sheltered position, which receives
plenty of morning sun and good dappled shade in the afternoon. However, different cultivars have
different needs.
-
Camellia japonica prefers
dappled shade and will even flower in quite dense shade.
-
Camellia sasanqua
grows equally well in dappled shade and full sun.
-
Camellia reticulata
(a newer variety with the biggest and most spectacular blooms) grows fast and
strong possibly reaching eight metres, needs protection from frost.
As a rule
of thumb, camellias with lighter coloured flowers do better in a more protected
site, whereas the darker coloured ones can withstand more direct sunlight. My
advice is to read the label, carefully, and choose a variety to suit your
situation. If your camellia isn’t thriving because it is in a bad position,
remember they will tolerate being transplanted. Springtime is best, but they
can be moved successfully at other times too.
I suggest
you don’t bother with specially formulated camellia and rhododendron food.
Camellias do just as well on a bit of decomposed organic matter or rotted
leaves. Preferring acidic soils,
they enjoy a dressing of well-composted pine needles. Never use lime, or empty
the ash from your fire, around your camellia. If the leaves on your camellia
turn yellow, it is probably due to the soil being too alkaline, which prevents
the plant from taking up iron. Counter this by adding some chelate of iron to
the soil – available from good hardware or nurseries.
Left to
grow, with just a bit of tip pruning, you will end up with a small, bushy
flowering tree. Just use your
thumb and forefinger to pinch out the tips after each flush of growth. Camellias also make great hedges and
can, with careful pruning, be kept quite short or even shaped. Another option
is to prune off the lower branches to create a tree, as a specimen in a lawn or
to allow planting below. Camellias
can be trained as standards.
