Camellia – care, propagation, pruning and wintering

If you want to cultivate camellias, you should choose the right location for the plant very carefully. The plant does not feel comfortable everywhere. It doesn’t matter whether the plant is kept in a pot outdoors or as a houseplant – optimal lighting is the prerequisite for good growth. If the incidence of light is too low, fewer flower buds form. The location should be chosen in semi-shade overall, for example on the balcony or in the shady area of ​​tall conifers. The plant should be well protected from the wintry morning sun and the blazing summer midday sun. Young camellias in particular are prone to sunburn. In order for the plant to tolerate the sun’s rays better, the plant should be continuously accustomed to the heat from March. If the solar radiation occurs too suddenly and too intensively,

In this case, sufficient watering must also be considered. Exceptions are some autumn-blooming varieties (e.g. C. sasanqua), which need a lot of sun and warmth to form enough buds.

humidity

• High humidity allows camellias to thrive
• Humidity should be 50% in winter in a cool location
• Dry air in summer is tolerated if there is high soil moisture
• It is possible to increase the humidity by spraying the plant
• Do not spray directly on the leaves as stains are easily formed

In regions with mild winters, there is always the possibility of cultivating the camellia outdoors. But then the plant needs a sheltered location; In addition, the crop must be provided with a thick layer of mulch and wrapped with a protective plant fleece or straw mat.
In addition to the optimal location, the choice of substrate is also of particular importance. Overall, a soil should be selected that is both loose and permeable as well as slightly acidic.

Improved soil properties can also be achieved by adding rotted foliage.

In principle, rhododendron earth that contains little lime and has a low PH value is suitable. But you can also make the right substrate yourself. An optimal mixture consists of six parts white peat, which is mixed with one part each of green compost, expanded clay, sand and bark compost. Alternatively, you can also make the substrate as one part each of garden soil, compost and bark.

watering and fertilizing

The water requirement of the camellia can vary between the different varieties and also depends on the individual site conditions. Strong-growing varieties that are in a light-flooded place need a lot of liquid. A particularly large amount of water must also be added during the growth phase, which extends from the end of spring to autumn. Otherwise there is a risk of losing the buds.

Basically, it is important to ensure that the root ball is always kept evenly moist during the growth phase. However, waterlogging must be avoided at all costs, as standing water will quickly kill the fine roots of the plant. It is essential to ensure that the water penetrates to the bottom layer. If watering is always vigorous, it may be sufficient to water once a week. From October the plant is kept drier and any plant saucers are removed. The camellia is only watered when the root ball is dry. In the heated winter quarters, the camellia must be additionally sprayed due to the low humidity.

Targeted fertilization can lead to optimal growth and increased flowering. Various options are available for this. In principle, both mineral long-term fertilizers for rhododendrons and organic rhododendron fertilizers with guano have proven themselves. Under no circumstances should conventional balcony fertilizer be used, which usually has too low a nitrogen and too high a phosphorus content. In addition, a one-time fertilization with iron can be helpful, which prevents the formation of chlorosis. For optimal fertilization, certain aspects should be observed:

• fertilize from the end of May
• Fertilization is always done on moist soil
• Water well after fertilizing
• Stop fertilizing at the end of July, as bud formation is complete

When fertilizing camellias, it must also be noted that too strong concentrates can damage the plant. It has therefore proven useful to halve the recommendations given on the packaging. If the concentration is too high, the internodes often become too long and the plant shoots out of shape. – An increased susceptibility to diseases and pests can be the result.

Pruning camellias – hints

Like almost all evergreen shrubs, camellias tolerate pruning and can also be trimmed heavily if necessary. Pruning can be done on both old and young plants. Younger plants are pruned to allow for improved branching and the camellia to grow into a bushy plant. Older plants, on the other hand, sometimes need a topiary to bring bulky plants back into shape. In general, pruning should be done after flowering; the month of August is best for this. It is cut about two centimeters above the base of the leaf; in this way, the shoot dries up and not the bud, which is located in the leaf axis. In addition, it should be cut to display; this means that the eye over which is cut off must point outwards. In this way, all shoots receive sufficient light. Care must also be taken to ensure that the shoots are cut to the same length.

This is how hibernation works

Potted plants or tub plants that have grown well can tolerate temperatures down to -5°C even without additional winter protection. If the planters are wrapped in fleece, even -15°C are no problem. Overall, indoor plants should be kept outdoors for as long as possible during summer and autumn and only brought indoors when the temperature drops to -5°C. Because: camellias need the cold temperatures because the cold stimulus causes the buds to open. The flowers then last up to six weeks. In the heated living room, on the other hand, flowering only lasts a few days. However, a heated living room is not the right place for camellias to overwinter anyway; a cold house or a weakly heated conservatory that gets up to 15° C warm is better suited.

Plants cultivated outdoors can often be overwintered. Here are a few aspects to consider:

• Types that are declared as particularly hardy overwinter best
• The plants should already be four to five years old
• Camellias overwinter well in mild winter areas

Plants that overwinter outdoors need a sheltered location; in addition, the soil should be provided with a thick layer of mulch during the cold period. The warm layer of mulch protects the root ball and prevents frost from penetrating the soil. In addition, the plants should be shaded with straw mats or special plant fleece. For this purpose, the mats are set up like a tent around the plant. The camellia should also be protected from cold winds.

possibilities of propagation

There are a number of ways to propagate camellia. Lowering devices are used particularly frequently for this purpose. One-year-old camellia shoots are bent down in the spring and anchored in the ground after the bend has been scored with a sharp knife. It may be necessary to additionally fix the bending point with a small hook. The tip of the shoot is best tied to a stick. If the soil around the newly planted layer is kept moist, numerous roots will develop over time; then the sinkers can be separated and transplanted.

Propagation is also possible with the help of cuttings. For this purpose, young shoots are selected that have not yet lignified but have already hardened somewhat. Cuttings that are between 10 and 15 cm long and have two leaves are optimal. The shoots are cut just below the upper leaf base and 3 cm below the lower leaf base. The cutting is then placed in a mixture of soil and sand up to the lower leaf. Rooting takes about eight weeks, with future camellias thriving best at a temperature of 25°C. The cuttings root particularly well in a greenhouse with underfloor heating. An additional film hood ensures more moisture; this measure improves the rooting process.

In addition to propagation with the help of cuttings and layering, camellias can also be cultivated with the help of seeds; however, this turns out to be very difficult.

pests and diseases

The camellia got its reputation as a particularly difficult and particularly sensitive plant mainly because of the frequently observed bud shedding. This is often blamed on moving and turning the plant during flowering. However, this assumption has not yet been confirmed. On the other hand, unfavorable site conditions are discussed as the main cause, for example heated rooms.

During flowering, temperatures should ideally be between 10 and 15°C; higher temperatures will affect flowering and result in bud shedding. However, permanent air dryness can also lead to this symptom, as the buds dry up easily in this case. In some cases, a dry ball is also the cause of the symptoms; this may be months in the past. If the plant is affected by bud shedding, the care of the plant should be checked first.

In addition, the camellia is sometimes attacked by certain pests:

• White spots on the underside of the leaf indicate the tube scale insect
• If young shoots are attacked, it is often aphids
• The cause is often maintenance errors
• Wipe away individual lice
• Heavy infestations are combated with summer oil, soft soap or sprays
• Introducing beneficial insects helps with aphids

Conclusion
Camellias are one of the most popular plants in domestic gardens, as they fit into any green area due to their variety of shapes and colors. Even beginners can confidently approach the cultivation of the plant; Damage to the plant is often due to care mistakes, which can be easily avoided, for example, with optimal site conditions. Properly cared for, advanced hobby gardeners and beginners alike can enjoy the decorative plant for a long time!