PRUNING
We will be publishing a detailed post on pruning rhododendrons soon, but here are a few basics to keep in mind:
1) It’s nearly always better to thin and open up a rhody shrub rather than cut it back and make it more dense. An exception would be an older, leggy plant in need of restoration.
2) If you do any major cutting back, such as to reduce size, do so within a month or two after it blooms. This will give the plant time to regenerate bloom buds for next year. Unlike many woody plants, you can cut a healthy rhody branch back to where there is no foliage, and it will sprout again from latent buds. But we don’t recommend this on a regular basis, because there will be less blooming and an unnatural shape.
3) Deadheading (snapping off spent bloom trusses) redirects energy into next year’s blooms rather than seed production. Also, it visually cleans up the plant. But on a large, mature plant, deadheading takes a lot of time and might not make a big difference in future blooming.
TRANSPLANTING
Because rhododendrons have such dense, compact root balls, they tend to tolerate being dug and moved better than many other woody plants. The outer perimeter of an established rhody root ball is often well-defined; digging is typically easy (depending on soil) outside of it, very hard within it.
But keep in mind, the root balls of large rhodies can be quite heavy, requiring strong tools and strong backs. Even small ones can be surprisingly heavy. Recruit some strong friends, and/or take heavy-lifting precautions.
Rhododendrons and azaleas can thrive and look beautiful for a long, long time with the right care. Please contact us if you have any questions!
Dan Gilchrist
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