Like all evergreens, she lives a long time. For example, in Germany, in the old Dresden park, there is one very old bushy camellia. For 220 years it has grown to six meters in height, but there are no signs of old age – from February to April it blooms and … No, unfortunately, it does not smell. However, with her beauty, she can afford it. Not everyone is reckless to smell fragrant left and right – the camellia is a serious flower.
Camellia is a floral aristocrat. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Joe Brantley
Camellia is a symbol of heartlessness
As far back as I can remember, a curious bush always grew along the fence in my grandmother’s garden. All year round, it stood green, and with the onset of cold weather, bright double flowers flashed on its wax leaves. Many times I asked my grandmother: what kind of miracle is this? And she smiled slyly and invariably said: “Oh, my boyfriend gave me one. It looks like a camellia. That was a long time ago…”
So I never got to know my grandmother’s story. But I guess it’s all about unrequited love. After all, camellia is a symbol of heartless women who attract, not love, and easily break men’s hearts. Be that as it may, a camellia bush is now growing in my garden. In memory of grandmother’s secret.
Camellia care
At first I tried to grow a camellia in the room. But it didn’t take root. Later I found out that this plant is difficult to grow at home, because it loves coolness. In summer – not higher than 15 ° C, and in winter not higher than 10 ° C. Yes, indeed, cold-blooded beauties! Therefore, camellias grow best in the open field. Moreover, she is not afraid of even twenty-degree frosts.
Perhaps my first indoor experiment was also not successful because I planted camellia in the spring, like all my seedlings. But it turned out that at this time the plant begins to grow actively and it practically does not tolerate transplantation. But when the period of rest comes, you can’t think of a better time. And what is surprising, from November to February the camellia is all in bloom, but at the same time … it is already asleep. And therefore, she is not afraid of any transplants.
I learned all this from a camellia specialist. On his recommendation, I purchased a seedling and planted it in November in the most shady corner of the garden. When planting, I made sure that the root collar was not covered with earth. If this happens, the plant dies. We have a fairly acidic soil on the site.
Most plants do not like this, but such soil is very suitable for camellias. It is also important that the planting site is sufficiently moist. Camellia loves water.
And one more secret. The same specialist advised me to pour under the bush the earth collected near the oak, which I did. I must say, the camellia liked it very much, and in its very first winter the bush shone with scarlet flowers.
Camellia. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com A. Barra
Camellia fertilizer
I fertilize my camellias only in spring, as a rule, in April, when she wakes up and begins to actively grow. In general, the root system of a plant is designed in such a way that it does not require a large amount of fertilizer. Moreover, in no case should you feed camellias with manure and other organic matter.
Such fertilizers can cause excessive salinization of the soil, which is detrimental to the plant. Therefore, I use a complex mineral fertilizer for acidic soils, which includes nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, sulfur. And I repeat once again, you can only fertilize in spring, and not too generously. I make the concentration of the nutrient solution half what is indicated on the label.
Camellia. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Lee Coursey
Place for camellia
Camellias suffer most from high temperatures, heavy soil and excessive moisture. Once I noticed that the bush wilted, the leaves began to wither and fall off. We had a very rainy summer that year. With my misfortune, I again turned to a specialist. I must say, he did not give me hope. Said, if the roots began to rot, then say goodbye to the camellia. And then suddenly he advised: try to transplant a little higher (my bush grew in a lowland). Transplanted.
Not immediately, but the camellia came to life, and for 10 years it has been alive and well. As for pests, they are not very attracted to it. A couple of times I noticed that I had settled on the leaves of aphids. So I just washed it off with soapy water, it never appeared again. But they say that the most dangerous enemy of the camellia is the spider mite, however, I never had a chance to see it.
