Mulching rhododendrons »With what and how is it done?

Young plants

In the first few years, rhododendrons appear grateful for a layer of mulch on the ground. Apply organic material like lawn clippings, oak leaves, or pine needles about three to four weeks after planting. Depending on how much mulch material you have available, you can cover the planting disc or the entire bed over a large area. The latter variant ensures a neat appearance. The mulch layer should not be higher than two inches.

Advantages for ingrown specimens

The rhododendron is one of the shallow roots that gets its nutrients from the top 20 centimeters of the soil. This property makes weeding difficult, as garden tools can quickly damage the roots. A layer of mulch not only prevents excessive water evaporation from the soil, but also suppresses the growth of unwanted weeds.

Suitable materials

With the right substrates, a low pH value can be created in the soil, which offers the rhododendron optimal growth conditions. Mushroom manure is a popular mulch material. Due to the high pH value, it is not suitable for rhododendrons. Since the nitrogen consumption is high during the decomposition of organic substances, deficiency symptoms can occur. You can prevent stunted growth by doing before

MulchingHorn meal work into the ground.

The rhododendron can tolerate:

• crushed pine bark and needles
• collected and finely chopped autumn leaves
• dried cuttings from mowing the lawn
• shredded twigs and branches from pruning

Apply mulch

The thickness of the mulch layer will depend on the size of your rhododendron. While large specimens can handle a ten to 15 centimeter thick layer, the material should not be piled higher than five centimeters in the case of small varieties. Spread the substrate in autumn, it will protect the soil from the winter sun and prevent frost damage. A mulch cover applied in the spring supports the growth of the ornamental plants during the summer.