Garden camellia is a luxurious flower that is admired by everyone, without exception, who sees it. But it is not so easy to grow this beauty: she is quite capricious and can dry out or shed the buds. To admire a beautiful flowering bush, you need to make an effort. And, of course, arm yourself with knowledge.
Types and varieties
Garden camellia (in Latin, camellia is spelled correctly, not kamelia) is very diverse, there are many species and varieties of this plant. Some of them are even used practically - for obtaining essential oils and as an additive to tea. And yet, we mainly know this magnificent flower as an ornamental one. The following species are most often grown in the garden:
- Japanese shrub. The leaves of the Japanese camellia are dark green, the flowers are very large, they are not located in inflorescences, but individually, the shades are very different - these are luxurious red, and pale pink, and white, there are variegated camellias, there are double flowers.
- Oilseed. This variety of camellia is the highest, tree-like, that is, it grows in the form of an evergreen tree. It can reach 8-10 meters in height. Begins to bloom in September-October.
- Mountain (miyagi). This garden variety is bushy, but the bushes are large, high, up to 5 meters. The flowers are not double, but still beautiful, with a diameter of about 5 cm. This species is good because it blooms very abundantly, the flowering period is from November to January.
- Balsam. Very often one of the types of balsam is referred to as camellia, this variety is called “camellia”. In fact, despite the external similarity, the plants are completely different, although both bloom magnificently.
How to grow
Since the camellia is not a frost-resistant flower, it comes from Japan, and the climate in Russia is harsh, we often practice growing this plant in large tubs. This is done in order to carry the camellia into the room with the onset of cold weather and thus save it from frost.
Among other things, planting in tubs or containers allows you to better maintain an optimal soil composition. In addition, every garden is lit differently at different times, so the plant can be moved from time to time to get more sunlight on it. Indeed, in the case of camellia, a long daylight hours are simply needed, at least 13 hours. In the shade, buds do not develop, therefore, camellia does not bloom.
However, direct sunlight is also harmful to the plant. If the camellia is planted on the south side, it will have to be shaded from the sun. It would be ideal to plant a bush or tree on the east or west side of the garden. North, of course, is not suitable due to insufficient illumination.
And it is also very important to remember that if you decide to plant a plant in open ground, it is better to choose a winter-hardy variety. Today there are quite a few such varieties, you need to contact the nursery and consult.
As for the temperature that is comfortable for this delicate plant, in summer it should be about 23 ° C, when buds are formed - 18-20 ° C, and in winter - 8-10 ° C.
Planting and transplanting
Every garden flower lover knows that it is very important to plant a plant correctly. In relation to camellia, this is doubly relevant, because it has very delicate and fragile roots. So replanting a bush or tree should be as rare as possible. In addition, in no case should the roots be allowed to freeze. And it is forbidden to deepen the growth point too much into the soil, to cover the neck located between the roots and the trunk with earth. This can lead to the rapid death of the plant.
But if you choose the best soil mixture, take care of the drainage system, give the camellia a lot of air and light, it will certainly thank you with lush flowering.
Keeping camellias, as mentioned above, is troublesome. Young plants are recommended to be transplanted annually to a new place, and adults, which bloom every year, once every couple of years. This is best done in very late autumn or in winter, when the camellia is resting. And in no case - during a period of active growth, that is, in April and from July to mid-November. Mistakes are fraught with the death of the plant.
Care should also include pinching the shoots during the transplanting process. This will result in abundant branching. In addition, to stimulate the appearance of new buds in the sinuses, you can prune the plant in the fall.
Correct soil
The secret of success when growing garden camellias is good soil moisture and drainage. But the composition of the soil is also very important. It is best if the soil is acidic, which means that it should have:
- peat
- perlite or vermiculite
- sand or crushed bark
Thanks to this, the roots, on the one hand, receive good and uniform moisture, and on the other, moisture does not stagnate, therefore, the soil is saturated with oxygen.
How to fertilize
You cannot do without fertilizers when growing camellia in the garden, the plant needs good nutrition. It is not necessary to buy products specifically for camellias, all those intended for plants in acidic soil will do. Most often they include:
- phosphorus
- sulfur
- nitrogen
- potassium
- zinc
- copper
- boron
- iron
- manganese
- molybdenum
If there is no or little magnesium and calcium, this is not a problem, because there are a lot of these elements in ordinary tap water, which will be watered to the plant.
Watering
It is necessary to water the camellia in the summer a lot, but evenly so that the water does not stagnate in the soil. It is best to water it after making sure the topsoil is dry. In winter, water should be done with caution, because in cold weather the earth can turn sour. But watering is not enough - it is also dangerous, the plant can dry out, throw off the leaves.
Water for irrigation should be soft, it is better to settle it for several days. If the flower grows in a tub, it is better to put it in a tray of water. If in the soil, spray it regularly, but very carefully during flowering so that drops do not fall on the flowers.
Reproduction
Camellia can be propagated in just two ways:
- With the help of seeds. To do this, take only fresh seeds and sow them in seedling boxes filled with suitable soil. Everything, as usual - moisten the soil, cover the top of the box with transparent film or glass and wait. When the sprouts have two real leaves, you need to dive them, planting them in pots one by one. This method is bad in that the varietal properties of the resulting camellias are not preserved.
- Vegetatively. In this case, the characteristics of the variety are preserved. It is necessary in July or January to cut off the cuttings from the tops of the camellia, which have not yet become stiff. The size of each is about 7 cm, the cuttings should have 3-5 leaves or buds. Then root the planting material in a substrate of turf, sand, peat and leafy soil. Rooting will take approximately 50 days. Then the camellia must be watered heavily, shaded, and a year later transplanted into a large container.
Difficulties
The following reasons usually lead to diseases of garden camellias and even to their death:
- unsuitable soil
- direct rays of the sun that hit the plant
- too much constant heat
- low air humidity
- waterlogging of the land in which camellia grows
Camellia can shed foliage from excessive watering or, conversely, great dryness. The sun can cause burns that look like brownish spots on the leaves. When there is a lot of moisture in the soil, the roots rot, this leads to wilting and dropping of the leaves.
In addition, pests - either aphids or spider mites - can kill camellias with poor care. Aphids are fought by applying a solution of soapy water to the plant. Ticks are washed off with special oil emulsions.
