<£Answers to your Questions 
About the Planting and Care of Rhododendrons, Azaleas 
and Other Native Plants 
What Location Shall I Select ? Plant Rhododendron Maximum and Leucothoe 
on the north and west sides of buildings and slopes, and protect from strong 
winds. The other Rhododendrons, Pieris, Leiophyllum and Kalmia will do 
well in either sunny or shaded locations. Azaleas prefer sun or plenty of light. 
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What Type of Soil Do They Lil(e ? Provide a loose, light, fibrous soil, as is com¬ 
monly called woods-soil. Good drainage is essential and necessary, so that 
water will not stand about the roots. Nearly all soils except heavy clay are 
suitable, but are improved by adding peat moss, decayed leaf mold, old hard¬ 
wood sawdust, or acid humus. Your soil must be acid, and if it contains lime 
correct it. You can easily do this by adding /i to 1 pound of Aluminum 
Sulphate to each square yard of soil surface. 
Hou> Deep Shall the Plants Be Set? Rhododendrons should be planted very 
shallow with practically no soil over the earth-ball, and none over the crown of 
the root. Dig a hole large enough to admit the earth-ball without cramping and 
press the soil firmly around so there will be no air pockets. 
How Often Shall I Water ? Because Rhododendrons are often found growing 
along banks of streams many people think Rhododendrons require a lot of water. 
This is not true and a lot of water is not necessary. They should be watered 
immediately after planting and several times weekly until they become estab¬ 
lished, but after that only during dry seasons. When watering saturate the 
ground, as one good application is better than several light sprinklings. 
Is a Mulch Required? A mulch of three to five inches of hardwood leaves, or a 
lesser quantity of peat moss, leaf-mold, or old hardwood sawdust is very desir¬ 
able and should be left on throughout the year. During the winter it will pre¬ 
vent freezing and thawing and in the summer will keep the soil cool and moist. 
Shall I Fertilize My Plants? Rhododendrons may be fertilized by a very light 
application of well rotted cow manure covering ground to a depth of 1 to 1 /i 
inches. Information covering fertilization of large areas will gladly be supplied 
upon request. 
Is Pruning Necessary ? Pruning other than the cutting out of dead wood which 
may appear, is not advisable as new branches will not break from the old wood. 
To conserve the strength of the plant and encourage the growth of new leaves, 
the flower clusters may be pinched off as they begin to wither. The energy which 
would ordinarily go into producing seed is thus diverted to producing new foliage 
and flower buds for the following spring. 
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