Planting and Care of Camellias 
HERE ARE A FEW SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS TO FOLLOW WHEN 
PLANTING YOUR CAMELLIAS 
1. Do not plant Camellias too close to the house on the sunny 
side of the house; or next to anything that throws off a reflection as it 
may burn the foliage. Allow at least three feet distance from object. 
2. Camellias will grow in any soil; but you can help them to grow 
faster and to set more buds by building up the soil with peat moss, 
rotted vegetation or leaf-mold from the woods. 
3. Do not over-fertilize. If you use well-rotted barnyard fertilizer 
use only on top of ground. Do not ever use any lime as they are an 
acid loving plant and lime sweetens the soil. Since the war we have 
been using Vigoro and we have had great success with it. If you use 
this be very careful not to use too much as it is better to fertilize twice 
a year than to burn the roots by over-fertilizing all at once. Be sure 
to water fertilizer in well. 
4. The watering of a Camellia is very important. The fiber roots 
grow close to the top of the ground and therefore will dry out if not 
watered during the dry months of the year. The peat-moss you put on 
top of ground around your Camellias will help a lot. Remember, the 
care you give your Camellias will tell the following spring. If your bush 
has a yellowish colored foliage, then it either needs fertilizer or you 
have let it get too dry during the summer months. In this case the 
blooms may not develop to their normal size. Do not cultivate around 
a Camellia as you may disturb the fiber roots. 
5. Planting instructions. . . . Leave burlap on plant as it holds 
the roots all together and keeps the wind from whipping it back and 
forth in the ground. This applies to any shrub. Plant the Camellia so 
that top of the ball is about one inch under the ground. This is important 
because a Camellia does not like to be planted too deep. Always before 
covering with dirt pour a couple of buckets of water around the ball of 
the plant in the hole and let dissolve before covering with top dirt. This 
helps to set your plant firmly in the ground. When you get your Camellia 
planted add either peat-moss or any other rotted vegetation to hold the 
moisture and this also allows the fiber roots to grow close to the top 
of the earth without drying. 
THESE INSTRUCTIONS ALSO APPLY TO RHODODENDRONS 
AND AZALEAS. THEY ALL LIKE THE SAME KIND OF CARE. 
(See Inside Back Cover for Further Helpful Suggestions on Planting) 
Page Two 
