It’s the best to fertilize camellias with a proper amount and right time. The instructions below will teach you when and how to fertilize camellias in order to help them develop normally.
What is Proper Method to Fertilize Camellias
You should mulch carefully the area which is around camellias before starting fertilizing to prevent runoff. Camellias need a proper amount of fertilizer, if there is too much nitrogen, the leaves will be burned and easy to fall off. Spread 1/2 to 1 pound of 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 slow release fertilizer over the root zone. You should water deeply the area that you put fertilizer on to make them sink in soil.
You can use only special fertilizers for feeding azalea and camellias if they are established landscape plants instead of container plants. Camellias will grow normally in soil with pH decree from 4.5 to 6.5. The fertilizers used for azalea and camellia will acidify the soil to feed the plant. Special fertilizers of different brands will contain different percentage of nutrients, so you should read and follow the instruction written on the cover to gain the best use.
If camellias leaves become yellow and fall down that means the fertilizer is insufficient and the soil pH is too high. Check the pH of the soil before adding more fertilizer to your camellias.
When Is the Proper Time to Fertilize Camellias
Spring is the best time to fertilizer camellias, especially when the flowers are fading away. Remember to take away all the faded flowers before starting to fertilize. This keeps the bush looking neat and prevents the formation of seeds. Seed formation drains energy from the plant so your camellias can not reach its full potential. You can also control blight – a problem for camellias – by removing the death flowers.
Midsummer is also a proper time to fertilize camellias. You should fertilize camellias at least two months before the first frost of the spring because fertilizer will promote the growth of sprout which is sensitive to cold temperatures. If the sprouts are not strong enough they will be destroyed by the frost.
