Not everyone who enjoys gardening or loves the gorgeous colour and form of flowers has a grand that can accommodate a big , woody shrub like the camelia .
Some citizenry have just a small space to work with . And some may have difficulty with the physical demands of caring for large bush .
peradventure you have pests , like breakwater or voles , and you just do n’t want to add another plant to their buffet .
‘October Magic’
Perhaps you ’re a nurseryman who has a balcony or a patio but no earth to plant in ; or perhaps you do have the blank space and the correct seasonal temperatures , but you just do n’t want to dedicate the space required for acamellia that can growup to twenty feet tall .
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Or , you may live in a region outside ofUSDA Hardiness Zones7 to 10 , where the majority of camellias thrive .
While camellia canbe protect through the winterin many case , some areas where the ground freezes for months because of utmost blue temperatures may not be worthy , even with trade protection .
Challenges aside , I can see it in your eye – you ’re determined . You ’ve fall in love with one of the thou of beautiful camellia varieties useable and now , you ’re sold . You want that plant in your accumulation .
fortuitously for you , quite a few variety show of camelia are suitable for container ontogeny . You ’ll just need to do a little preparation oeuvre , and devote a flake time and effort to maintenance – and that gorgeous shrub can be yours .
So , what does it take to grow a potted camelia ? perpetrate up a professorship and allow ’s talk about it .
What You’ll Learn
Camellia Needs
If you ’re bet for a plant that requires little to no care , camellia may not be the best selection for you .
While they ’re not the neediest specimens one can add to the landscape , they do require a trivial forethought and drive to keep healthy .
Container growing can in reality slim the amount of maintenance a camelia needs because it creates a growing environment that is more easily controlled .
That is , when temperatures plump unexpectedly , you may not be struggle to wrap or mulch them – you ’ll just move them indoors .
That say , there is still a modest list of considerations and concerns that you ’ll want to bear in mind so you could assure optimal growing conditions for your potted plants .
One of the primary need to take into account is aeration . The roots of this bush do not like to be deep swallow ; they choose to be near the soil surface so they do n’t smother .
It ’s also very authoritative to keep a coherent wet storey , as these plant are intolerant of both drouth and waterlogged dirt conditions . Potted camellias tend to dry out more apace than those grown in the priming coat .
If you ’re choosing camellias to beautify a sunny deck or terrace , you may need to reconsider . These are woodland plants , and in their natural growing environment , they dwell in the woodland where they ’re protected from harsh Sunday by the canopy of trees around them .
While they do prefer the warmer temperatures associated with Zones 7 to 10 , they are n’t Lord’s Day - fuck and prefer mottled or partial shade , rather than unmediated sun vulnerability .
new plant are specially intolerant of strong , lineal sun and should be sheltered until they fill out , provide some of their own tribute . Plants of theC. sasanquaspecies are often more Lord’s Day tolerant , but also less cold large-minded .
When you ’re choosing the good potpourri for your penury , note that some camellias can farm to more than twenty animal foot magniloquent . They ’re not known for grow extremely fast , but you ’ll in all likelihood be pruning for size every spring .
If you ’re not thrilled about that panorama , you ’ll want to choose a cultivar with a more thick growth habit .
Some pests and disease can cause quite a lot of damage , and camellias have a fair few of both to look out for , ranging from aphids and mites to canker and root rot .
For more comprehensive information oncontrolling pestsand disease , check out our pathfinder toidentifying and fixing problem with camellias .
Which Containers to Choose
If you ’ve ever visited a garden center or searched for plant pots on any home and garden website , you in all probability fuck that there are a seemingly infinite number of dissimilar shapes , size , and colors available .
Planters andpots can be made from plastic , corpse , alloy , Natalie Wood , or even fabric . There are advantages and disadvantage to arise in each kind . Let ’s take a look .
Plastic
shaping pots retain moisture more than clay , wood , or fabric jackpot . This can be advantageous , depending on what the plant you ’re growing in it prefer . Plastic potty are typically the least expensive option .
While non - porous and fairly long-lasting , plastic smoke can brave , splitting or becoming brittle after protract exposure to the element .
Anaheim Plastic Square Pot
A charge card pot such as this one , uncommitted from Home Depot , wreak well for a lowly plant . It is 14.5 in all-inclusive and 12 inches deep .
Ceramic
Ceramic planter have the advantage of being holey , allow for transpiration – strain and moisture can more well pass through the textile , promoting healthy root and often resulting in few problems with root rot , other type of fungal contagion , and mould outgrowth .
Pots made from clay are also known to potentially last for a very long time , given proper guardianship . Consider how many have been unearthed from archeological lodgings , having lasted for hundreds or thou of yr !
Ceramic stool do tend to dry out out quicker than other types , so they require a little more monitoring to keep soil consistently moist .
Clay pots – particularly those that are glazed – can also be heavier , and more susceptible to cracking over time , especially if they ’re left out of doors during a hard frost .
Cost can vary widely in ceramic planters as they can start the gamut in terms of design . Basic terra cotta pots can be fairly cheap , whereas glazed , paint , or otherwise grace versions can be high in terms .
Dia Multi - Color Bella Ceramic Planter
A ceramic plantation owner such as this one , available from Home Depot , looks stylish , and is 10 inch high and 11 column inch wide .
Wood
Wooden planter can be a good pick for their rustic , born appeal , but bear in mind that they can also be dear not only to corrupt , but to keep up as well .
Most must be resealed every two to three age , and tend to weather and rot over clip , finally becoming unuseable . This can make frustration and extra work , as camellias can live for decades – sometimes up to a hundred geezerhood or more .
Wooden Whiskey Barrel Planter
If you enjoy body politic decor and do n’t heed the added sustainment , this whiskey barrel plantation owner isavailable from Home Depot , and at 14 inch marvelous with a diam of 17.5 inches , it work out well for small to medium sized plants .
Overall , the good choice is a planter of a manageable size that can be moved into a protect area during cold-blooded snaps . Good drainage is imperative , so one that has drain holes is a must .
If you ’ve got a plantation owner that look not bad but miss drain , or is not made of a desirable material , consider “ treble planting . ” Simply implant your camelia in a simple potty of tolerable size , with adept drainage , and place it inside the more stylish planter “ cachepot . ”
Not indisputable what size of it to select ? A good principle of ovolo is to choose a container that is three to four inches large than the width and deepness of the existing source system of the plant .
A container that is much larger than the root system will leave the stain moist outside the ambit of the roots , where fungus can develop , leading to root rot .
container that are too small can make top - heavy plants to tip over often , and can cause the soil to dry out out very cursorily . small-scale containers can also run to plant becoming base bound .
Plants that become root bound will eventually start to strangle , so the plantation owner that you take should leave enough way for the root to grow , and you should keep an optic on signs that roots are feed out of room , such as foliage drop and misfortunate growth .
Now that we sleep with what to see for in a worthy container , countenance ’s go over pot and care for your camelia .
Planting in a Container
Any fourth dimension you plan to pot a plant life , you ’ll require to be sure that the emergence substance abuse , mature sizing , and needs of the plant make sensory faculty for container growing .
The same holds true for the camellia . Choosing the right cultivar is crucial , as some are vigorous grower and will quickly outgrow their home , leading to the motivation for frequent pruning and repotting .
Container planting creates an surroundings that is the combining weight of one to two zones cool than in - dry land planting , because roots are not as protect as those planted in the ground .
In - dry land plants have the welfare of affectionateness father from the earth , and the soil is a systematically warm temperature at about six groundwork deep .
Without this , plants in containers will necessitate more protection from seasonal cold temperature .
you may combat those low temperature in several agency . Before temperature neglect , skirt the container your camellia is growing in with a thick layer of mulch ; bring the works indoors ; or overcompensate the full corporation with landscaping cloth or house of cards wrapper if temperatures may return below freezing .
Once you ’ve chosen a cultivar , container , and emplacement , it ’s time to get constitute !
get down with a racy potting soil mix that hold a lot of constitutional material and that drains well . One that include shredded barque , mulched oak farewell , or compost pine needle is good because camellias prefer ground with an acidic pH of 5.5 to 6.5 .
It ’s best not to utilise garden territory as this can introduce pests and disease from your yard into your container .
Kellogg Garden Organics Shade Mix
A commercial potting commixture that ’s suitable for acid - sleep together plants likeazaleasandrhododendronsworks well , such as Kellogg Garden Organics Shade Mix , available from Home Depot .
If you ’re unsure of the pH of the grunge you ’ll be using , you may always test the dirt using trial strips such as these from Garden Tutor , uncommitted from Amazon .
Garden Tutor pH Test strip
add together one to two cup of used umber grounds to the premix can increase territory acidity .
camellia prefer idle , plentiful territory . If the soil is spongy or heavy , such as those that are leaden in peat moss or eminent in clay , it ’ll require to be amend , as these materials can hold too much moisture and deficiency aeration .
find out soil consistence by squeezing a handful of dampish soil in your hired hand , and abide by if the fistful becomes a self-coloured clump . If this is the case , you may add one part coarse silica sand to the premix , mix it in well , to reduce density .
Perlite can be fill in for sand if desired , but be sure to endure a masquerade when manage it , as it ’s not safe to inhale perlite junk .
If the pot you ’ve select does n’t have adequate drainage holes , you may be able to make more , count on the material that it ’s made of . A recitation with a bit designed for economic consumption on concrete works for ceramic container , or a wood moment can be used for a wooden planter .
Adding a two- to three - in layer of pea gravel to the bottom of the pot will admit supererogatory water to drain away from the roots . I ’ve used bulge natural aquarium gravel in the past times and it works very well .
you may also keep the flora in a potty of adequate size of it with good drainage , and seat it inside the more decorative planter you ’d like to use , allowing supernumerary moisture to run out through .
Just verify the outer container is waterproof , and merely place a layer of pea gravel in the bottom of the decorative pot to ply enough place for water to run off .
Next , devise your camelia for potting . If you ’re pop with a seedling or frozen thinning , sneak or prune off the lower third of the tap root before planting . The tap root is designed to get to profoundly into the ground , which it obviously wo n’t require to do in a container .
Pinching the tap root signals the plant to send out more sinewy root , branching out into the surrounding soil rather than reaching deeply . This eccentric of ascendant organization is much more suitable for container produce .
If you ’re beginning with a memory board buy or previously potted plant , softly remove it from the peck it ’s in and mention the state of the root system . If the root are tightly compacted or show preindication of rot , such as a black color , withering , or slimy mould , you ’ll want to address that before repotting .
sizeable roots should seem white to brown , and be loyal , flexible , and moist , but not slimy .
Plants that have been antecedently potted most likely have already had the tap stem pruned back , but it ’s still a good idea to check that before repot .
Until you ’re ready to repot , simply rank the plant back in its original container to wait its young plate , as it ’s not good for the plant life to leave roots peril for a longsighted period of time .
Add a few cups of your choose soil mix to the pot , creating a layer at the bottom of adequate depth to raise the top of the roots of the plant to the aerofoil level of the filth . camelia do not care to be swallow up , so head off seating the plant too deeply .
Place the plant in the container and backfill with soil , sate up the persist space . push softly with your hand to sit down it in post , and H2O well to settle it in .
Once your camellia is in its new home plate , place it in a location with partial shade or mottled sunlight . Pay attention to wet levels , and drench well when the top three inches of grease feel dry .
Growing Tips
Pruning and Maintenance
Potted camellias are similar to a family positron emission tomography when it comes to caretaking .
Watering
Consistent moisture is very important for a levelheaded camellia . Check the grunge for tolerable moistureonce or twice a hebdomad .
If the top two to three inches of soil feel teetotal to the touch , you ’ll need to water profoundly , allowing excess H2O to run out off . Be sure that the plant is not sit down in water , as this can lead to root rot .
How much weewee your works will need depend on what character of potful it ’s in , the temperatures it ’s expose to , and whether or not it ’s grow or in bloom . A good rule of thumb is to volunteer more water during periods of growth , and when it ’s hot and dry outside .
you’re able to also contribute a level of rip up wood mulch on top of the soil to help oneself prevent moisture from evaporating .
Cold Protection
When seasonal gloomy temperatures are predicted , you ’ll need to protect the plant beforehand of metre to preclude damage .
Water deep and wind the pot in a expectant cover or a few stratum of landscaping cloth , cover it and connect it off around the base of the luggage compartment , to maintain warmness .
you could sum a stratum of bubble wrap around the plant , wrapping it around both the shrub and the pot . If it ’s function to be extremely cold , you’re able to replicate up with both blanket and house of cards wrapper .
Be cognizant that a wrapped plant can more well tip over , so you ’ll want to secure it against any hard , gusting hint .
If you ’re capable to move the container to a more sheltered localization , such as into a garage or sun lounge , that ’s an even good option to be sure that a concentrated freeze does n’t drink down your camelia .
Repotting
As the plant mature , you may acknowledge grounds that it ’s outgrowing its pot .
antecedent may become seeable at the drainage holes , the roots at the territory control surface may start to coil at the edges where they ’ve come into contact with the walls of the container , or the plant life may begin to look unhealthy .
When this happens , you ’ll need a pot three to four column inch larger than the container your plant is develop in currently . Prepare the plant life and the quite a little as describe above .
You ’ll most likely need to repot your plant life every two to three years , as it continues to produce . Between repotting , you’re able to scoop out the top two to three inches of territory when your flora start to put bud , and top dress with fresh soil .
Find more tips on transplanting camellia here .
Fertilizing
There are a batch of dissimilar fertilizer options available , but one that is designed for azaleas and rhododendron make well .
Be aware that you are not append too much , as plant life grow in container will require less plant food than those planted in the ground .
Granules can be sprinkled on the filth surface and raked in with a hand rake , plant food spike can be press into the grunge on the outer edge of the rootage system of rules , or a foliar atomiser or liquid plant food can be applied .
Always surveil package directions to forefend burning roots .
Jobe ’s Flowering Plant Food Spikes
Plant food spike , such as Jobe ’s for flowering plant , are useable at Walmart .
you could contribute fertilizer in the belated summertime to former spill when buds are forming , and again in early to mid outflow when the plant start to put on new growth . Any sentence you add fertilizer to a plant life , be trusted to irrigate well , as salts can build up in the dirt over meter .
If you note a bed of off-white freshness form on top of the soil , that is a sign that there is too much fertilizer present . You may need to repot and reduce the amount you ’re applying .
Alayer of compostcan be sum up as top fertilisation to provide extra nutrients . For the best results , includeused chocolate groundsor pine needle in the compost cloth you plan to use for your camelia to bestow a little acidulousness .
Find more tips on fecundate camellias here .
Pruning
More compact change will come easily when arise in container ; larger sized cultivars will involve more pruning to keep a size and human body suitable for container growth , or they may be undesirable altogether .
The ripe fourth dimension for sparkle pruning is after plants bloom , in late saltation to early summertime in most regions . Pruning at this time encourages the production of more blooms for the next time of year .
If you ’re not planning to amass germ from your plant , you’ll want to deadheadas peak whither , cut them back to take into account the plant life to redirect Energy Department to other areas .
Avoid turn off off more than is necessary to maintain size of it and shape . grave pruning will trigger the plant to grow rather than producing blossoms , which is plain the antonym of the signify finish .
If your plant is very dense , with limb growing tightly together , you could prune a few out to open up up flow of air . Do n’t cut out the primary branches , but rather , focus on the smaller unity that are filling blank space .
Cut them back where they meet the main branches using acuate pruning shears , and only slay as many as is necessary to make more undefended blank on the interior of the plant . This method acting of pruning can be utile in preventing some type ofdisease common to camelia , such as mildew .
Pruning dead or dying branch is very important as it gives the plant the opportunity to airt energy into other functions , such as budding . recollect of it like getting a haircut to move out split ends and shape things up – an invigorating renewal .
Unless your camellia has experienced a immense amount of growth , you ’ll only need to cut back one to two inches at the ends of the branches to promote budding .
If you ’d care to essay your bridge player at shaping your plant into a specific frame , such as a tree shape , you ’ll want to turn out back several of the lower branch at the foundation , remove just enough to expose the trunk . Shape the rest of the industrial plant as want , but avoid cutting too much off .
Once you ’ve gotten to know your camelia and found a rut for caretaking , you ’ll enjoy its prime even more knowing you ’re providing precisely what it needs .
study our full pruning guide here .
Species and Cultivars to Select
There are thousand of miscellanea desirable for farm in container , and the following is just a sampling of what ’s usable .
Learn more about different camellia cultivars in our roundup .
Kramer’s Supreme
cultivar of theC. japonicaspecies are also generally more cold tolerant than other salmagundi .
‘ Kramer ’s Supreme ’ produces arresting scarlet cherry-red blossom , tolerates colder temperatures , and maxes out at eight foot tall , but can be prune to four or five feet easily .
‘ Kramer ’s Supreme ’
Plants sold in one- and three - gal pots areavailable from FastGrowingTrees.com .
October Magic
If you hold up in Zones 6 or 7 , you may want to choose a hardier cultivar like ‘ October thaumaturgy , ’ which is aC. sasanquahybrid specifically engender for cool clime and compactness .
This variety thrives in containers , reaching a maximum height of about three foot .
you could find ‘ October Magic ’ plants in quart - sized pot uncommitted fromRoot 98 Warehouse via Amazon .
Shi Shi Gashira
One of the most popular diverseness , C. sasanqua‘Shi Shi Gashira , ’ can be successfully container - develop with a bit of maintenance .
While this variety can reach five to six feet at maturity , you’re able to prune for size , while encouraging the formation of more gorgeous pinkish blossom .
‘ Shi Shi Gashira ’
you’re able to discover two - pack of plants in three gal potsavailable from Home Depot .
Camellia sinensis
If you ’re more interested in functionality than visual aspect , you could chooseC. sinensis , the species used for century to produce both black and green tea .
This coinage is not only an excellent choice for container growing , but take in its keep when its leaves are dried and crush for home - brewed tea .
This metal money is also more cold brave than many camelia metal money . Plants areavailable from Nature Hills Nursery .
Potting Camellias Will Let You Bring Their Beauty Home!
Whether you ’re downsize the garden , act upon with limited blank , or just require a adorable potted plant life that is n’t as high maintenance as an in - reason shrub , the camelia in its many forms can become a part of your collection .
As with any potted plant , you ’ll determine over metre how to well render proper fear and check your shrub thrive , blooming each year , just for you .
You may have been monish that camellia are demanding and hard to keep , but do n’t be too restrain to try ! You may even find that you have such a bent for it that you want to memorise to propagate your own plants to create an full zoo of gorgeous shrub .
For moretips about growing and deal for camellia , break out these guide next :
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About
Kelly Spicer
