How to plant a Rhododendron

Rhododendrons are icons of the PNW, and require just a little bit of care when planting. Horticulturist Tobey Nelson shows us how easy it is in this quick tutorial.

[bluejay]

Container rhododendrons are my kryptonite. I was warned to go with b&b. Lost 3 of the 5 containers to some type of wilt.
For the replacement plantings I tried to wash off all the existing potting mix in and around the root mass. Then I tried to flatten the mass gently so as to get the roots moving laterally.
My hole backfill was a combination of peat moss, aged wood compost, pine fines, native soil, and a bit of worm castings.
Top dressed with about an inch and a half of composted pine bark.
So far the little beasts are looking good. No signs of the wilt and stem dieback.

[ethanboyd]

ine was out of sight and had been it's 10 inch pot for 2-3 years outside, it forgot to plant itself even though I tild him where the shovel was. Typical rhododendron lacadasical attitude and he'll be smug here when I give him a sooack. I'm not quite gonna have to deadhead it as they're one 2' branch with some small leavesbut the base will need all of the dead wood pruned and help me here please: I read somewhere reputable that the root balls do not absorb water very easily at all, and that active tx and capillary action for a low energy plant is gonna be slow. Any Idea how long I should soak it? I mean they will stand in feet of floodwater locally here for days so I don't think I'll hurt it. And fertilize it upon planting?

[christined]

I understand that one should shred the root ball before putting it in or the success is very low