It's a good time to select acid-loving garden plants

By Tony Tomeo

Although the weather may still be somewhat cool and damp, this would be a good time to get out to nurseries to find any rhododendrons, azaleas or camellias you have been wanting to acquire. It is much easier to choose Camellia japonica while they are still in bloom. The best descriptions, labels and photographs just do not compare to the genuine flowers. Well-rooted camellias may be carefully planted while in bloom to avoid damaging new stem and root growth which begins immediately after bloom. Azaleas may also be chosen based on their newly emerging flowers and planted prior to new growth.

Rhododendrons are still waiting to bloom, but nurseries have their most complete stock this time of year. If you are after the more standard cultivars, and would rather wait to see them in bloom, the rhododendrons will not mind, but prefer to be in the ground prior to active growth. Like camellias, growth begins immediately after bloom. The large floral buds are very fragile, so they should be handled gently.

When making your selections, remember that the flat-topped, densely budded rhododendron plants make the best show during their first spring, but have more difficulty getting established in your garden. This is because they are subjected to artificial growing conditions and growth regulators to force them into bloom. Most are field-grown in Oregon, where the summers are milder and the soil is dense. Field-grown plants are either canned or balled and in burlap in their original soil, which is fine for Oregon, but not for California.

In a less than adequately irrigated garden, the soil may dry faster than the soil around it. Conversely, if water is too generous, the Oregon soil may hold too much, promoting rot. (I have nothing against Oregon.) If you purchase a rhododendron in field soil, be very careful when planting. Field-grown plants lack the profusion of fibrous roots common with container-grown plants, so much or most of the soil may fall away from the root system. With any rhododendron, it is important to check for a firmly attached root system at the base of the plant. Wobbly plants will likely have problems later.

As much as I enjoy bargains at home-improvement centers, it is usually best to spend some extra money to get the best-quality rhododendrons at reputable nurseries, most of which will be well stocked. A nursery I recommend for its happy and hefty rhododendrons (#5 and #15) is Los Altos Nursery at 245 Hawthorne Ave., just north of El Monte Avenue. I also recommend attending the open house at Bay Laurel Rhododendrons in Scotts Valley. (I will have the dates for this event and more information for the next Gardening column.)

Azaleas, rhododendrons and camellias will enjoy a complete acid fertilizer after bloom as new growth begins. Anything else in your garden which is fertilized should also get its first dose as new growth begins. Various species break dormancy at various times, so it is best to be observant. Early fertilizing does not generally harm plants, but nutrients will simply leach through inactive root systems. Spring-blooming annuals and perennials may not be so obvious with their new growth; nor are they so critical with the timing of fertilizing. They can be given their share any time. Lawns should also get theirs if they haven't already.

This is also a good time of year to clean up house plants. Most tropicals (house plants) enjoy being left out in light rain to wash dust off their foliage. Be careful not to leave them out when they may be damaged by wind or heavy rain or if the rain is unusually cold. It is also advisable to bring them in at night to avoid cold air. When I put my tropicals out, I prefer to put them where they will be shaded if the clouds suddenly break. While the plants are outside, you can do all the messy work which you don't want to do inside. Flushing fresh water through the soil a few times helps leach salts accumulated from fertilizing or evaporating water (if not distilled). Scale on the pots and saucers may be scrubbed off and any pruning or re-potting may be performed.

Plant of the Week: Japanese Boxwood

Japanese boxwood, Buxus microphylla japonica (a.k.a. Buxus japonica), which was so overused in the 1950s, seems to have gained popularity again in the '90s. Its tolerance of dry summer weather and alkaline soil make it a good choice for small formal hedges. It is also commonly sheared into various other formal shapes including multiple tiered standards (referred to by those of us who don't like them as "poodles"). The small round leaves are about 1/2 inch to 1 inch wide and glossy bright green. Those planted in the '50s are usually brighter and more yellowish green than the modern cultivars, which are darker green and vary in form.

Because they are usually used formally, it is very important to use plants of the same cultivar and not to confuse them with English boxwood. If dark green plants are added to an old hedge, the older plants will always seem yellow and chlorotic. I often see such hedges which remind me of an old botany professor who wore a very old toupee matched to his once brown hair which had since turned gray. If you have an older hedge that needs additions, it is worth the trouble to find the unimproved species, which may be difficult, but is possible. If you like the glossy green of Japanese boxwood, but not formal shearing, they may also be used as small informal shrubs.

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Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be reached at 408.358.2574.

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