Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Capistrano Rhododendron

 

Some of you may remember  this winter when I
told of the snow and wind breaking off my Capistrano
Rhododendron. The poor pathetic thing that had
lost one of its limbs to drought and disease also
lost a big limb or section to the onslaught of winter.
It is a sad looking specimen now and needs to visit
the land of lost plants or pruned up and moved
to a hidden corner somewhere in the shade.

 

Rhododendron_C_Broken

The section that is left did have a few buds left
on it from last year and is now blooming.

Capistrano_Rhododendron

I love this Rhoddy for its beautiful yellow blooms
with its stamens touched with purple.

 

Capistrano_Rhododendron2

 

While my other two Rhoddy’s are just starting to burst
their buds open Capistrano is already in full bloom.
What is left to bloom I should say. LOL!
Close ups do not always tell the whole story and you
would have never known that these beautiful blooms
were off of the two remaining branches.

Capistrano_2010

Since Capistrano seem more fragile than my other
Rhoddy’s maybe moving her to a more sheltered location
away from the winds that blow between the house and the
garage in winter would be an idea.
I need some advice from you Master Gardeners as to
when would be the best time to move it and how severely
can it be pruned back?
Can I move it after it blooms or should I wait until fall?
I would really like to save the beauty if I can.

 

Capistrano_Rhododendron3


It is cooler this week and we have had some frosty mornings
after our mini summer heat. The lilacs are fading now and the
blooms are falling to the ground. The heavenly fragrance is
waning with the disappearing blooms and I am sad to see
them go.

Lilac_OldBush

The butterflies are looking for other flowers now.
So the creeping phlox is a good substitution for the
time being.

 

BlackSwallow_Phlox

 

BSwallowtail2_Phlox

Also a reminder that the drawing for the Gardening
Grab Bag will be tomorrow Wednesday April 21st
so if anyone wants it please let me know today.

 

IMG_6646

Happy Gardening Everyone and Good Luck!!!

Until Tomorrow, Lona

25 comments:

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Lona, that Rhododendron is a beautiful yellow. I seem to be stuck on pink. But now that mine have bloomed, I should try some new colors in the back garden.

Eileen

Helen said...

That Rhoddy has turned out to be beautiful. Sorry your Lilacs are fading. I know you hate to see them go with that delicious smell. Helen

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Oh Lona, when I read the title in my blogger list I held my breath...I am so glad it is still alive and blooming!! I am a MG but my knowledge may be off as I am in southern Virginia. I would say prune it after it blooms (but no more than a 1/3 of what is left or maybe even less--just shape it gently) and for my locale I would wait and move it in the fall. Check with someone closer. I am so glad that beauty is blooming--love the yellow with purple tipped stamens!!!!

Carol said...

Beautiful blooms Lona! Love the contrast shots.

Darla said...

Oh Lona, can't help with the Rhoddy, it has a very nice flower. Your lilac bush is nice and wow on the phlox..frosty mornings? Good grief..congrats on getting Bilbo, he's a handfull.

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

I don't think I've seen a rhodie with yellow flowers before.
I'm still waiting on my lilac, although I noticed a couple of little flowers open yesterday. Yours looks so big and has so many flowers, love it.

Anonymous said...

Hi Lona~~ Wow, that box looks mighty interesting!

If it were me, keeping in mind last winter's wrath, I would prune, dig and replant your Rhodie as soon as possible--before summer's heat kicks in.

My fingers are crossed for its success and my winnings. Ha, ha!

Bangchik and Kakdah said...

Plants are so used to survive in the most adverse condition. Even a broken limb may decide to have a life of its own!

~bangchik

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Of course I would love to have things for gardening! Please enter me in your drawing...or did I already do this? I think I must be getting old because I did post about your drawing..but not sure if I entered myself. Did I? :)
If I did, just ignore this request. Ok?
(LOVE exploring your blog!)
Mona

Patsy said...

me,me I am down but not out.
Patsy

Anonymous said...

Oh what a sad story for the beautiful Capistrano. I hesitate to advise you when to move it, but have moved damaged rhodies, the ones that survived here and that is very few, about now, giving extra water and TLC in the way of the best soil the property has to offer. We have switched from the rhodies to the deciduous azaleas. The Lights series would work for you and they offer many in the yellow color range. Good luck with your patient. :-)
Frances

Jeannie B. said...

Well, yes. I would like to be in the drawing for the Gardening Grab Bag!

I love your poem.

Lona said...

Eileen. The Capistrano sets in front of a deep red rhoddy I have and I had this bright idea of the two blooming and contrasting against each other. Wrong! LOL! The yellow one blooms before the red one. Chalk it up to failed plans.

Helen: The lilacs put on such a show this spring. I hate to see them go.

Janet: It is hanging on girl LOL! Thank you so much for the advice. I think I will wait until fall and see how it does this summer. May not be anything to move by fall.I hope so though. Thanks!

Carol: Thanks. The sun was trying to move away from the blooms so it made for a great photo opt. LOL!

Darla:I hope we have no more frosty morns here but it is Ohio and anything can happen and probably will. Bilbo will have to behave when he gets here.

Catherine: It is old and very big. I let the shoots from the roots come up around it to make it a wide bush. It has the habit of limbs dying from the middle so this keeps new growth on it.

Grace: But it is not pink!!! LOL!

Bangchik: I can always hope it gets new shots around it too I guess.

Mona: Your in girl!!Good luck.

Frances: I only have one azalea. It is Golden Lights and still a baby so it did not bloom this spring. I do not see many around here so I am not sure how well they do.

Patsy: It is trying to hang on for me. Poor sad looking thing.

Jeannie: You are in, good luck. Love your roses!

LeSan said...

Oh, it's so pretty. I hope you can and do save it. I hate to see anything with so much fight to live and bloom lose the battle. I don't have the experience or skills to offer advice but I am rooting for your lovely rhody. May she bloom another day!

Rebecca @ In The Garden said...

Beautiful Rhodo, maybe it will like another location better, after a rest in a sheltered spot. I keep a few pots for rescue purposes. As your lilacs fade mine are just forming buds. What an interesting symphony of bloom times.

Unknown said...

Hi Lona - glad to see your baby survived. So far as moving it is concerned, I would wait until the fall. But don't wait too long into the fall because you want it to get some roots established before the hard frost sets in. For now, enjoy the blooms.

And yes, please put me into your draw.

Skeeter said...

I am so glad your Roddy survived the wrath of winter. I lost some branches to a few azaleas but they all look as though they survived the 7 inch blast we had for a day. They are late to bloom but giving quit a show now…

A Garden of Threads said...

Yes, put me down for the draw, have I already entered my name...my mind keeps forgetting.

Rhododendrons should be pruned after blooming. Because of their relatively shallow and fibrous root systems, they are easy to move. After blooming would be the best time, but before the heat of the summer. Give it lots of TLC over the summer and it should be fine. Good luck with the move.

debsgarden said...

Your yellow rhodie is gorgeous and definitely worth saving! It is already too late in the year for me to transplant anything, but if you have a couple of good months yet before summer heat arrives, dig it up ASAP and then keep it well mulched and watered through the summer. Prune it when you transplant it, as much as needed to give it a pleasing shape.

If not too late, you can put me in the drawing for the grab bag. That would be wonderful!

pogonip said...

I sucessfully moved a rhodie last Spring--just dug it up and moved it to a better location. No pruning or anything special other than decent soil and regular watering until she was established. I'm looking forward to blossoms sometime soon this spring.

Good luck with your Capistrano!

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

p.s. After I left I realized that I hadn't commented on the way your beautiful plant came back. It's such a joy when that happens..and for some reason I never fail to be surprised and extatic. Those flowers are just gorgeous as are those beautiful butterflies! What pleasure you must get from all you've created. I know I do and it's nothing like yours.
I built a garden like that once..and lost it all when I lost my second husband. It was hard to put my heart back into gardening again..but visiting you and people like you, I am once again becoming inspired. I just wanted to say that and thank you!
Mona

Farmgirl Cyn said...

Hope I'm not too late for the giveaway, but even if I am...I'm hangin' around your beautiful blog and will be back often! (Found you thru Mona!)

Cindy

Adrienne Zwart said...

How nice that your rhodendron bloomed even after such hardship. Good roots, I'd say. :) Oh, if we could all be like that!
Blessings,
Adrienne

Susan said...

Hello!

I'm visiting from Mona's Cottage. My husband and I love the Hocking Hills area. We hike there all the time (we live in Marysville). I can't wait to explore more of your blog when I have more time!

Your rhody is gorgeous! That color is so different from the ones I'm used to seeing.

Susan

www.bearswampreflections.blogspot.com

Sue Catmint said...

good luck with the move. I won't give you advice because I think plants I move survive in spite of me not because of me.