Camellias: Gilding the Winter Landscape
Some say that Koreans cultivated the first camellias around 1200 B.C., and Buddhist monks propagated (and were responsible for distributing) the flowering camellias throughout China, Korea, and Japan. Europeans in Asian ports are thought to be responsible for their adoption by that culture, and by the early 1700′s, tea began to turn a profit. America was introduced to its first camellia in 1797, and in the 1830′s plantations such as Magnolia Gardens and Middleton Place near Charleston found they could, unlike most yankees, grow them in the landscape.
Of the three major species of the genus Camellia, sasanquas are first to bloom, and they do so in profusion. Japonicas are more widely cultivated on the southern plantations, possibly because they extended the blooming season through March, the month when many plantation owners would head north.
Flower Gardening: How to Grow Camellia
Camellias grown in humid, tropical conditions with a definite rainy season and a definite dry season. Keep a camellia watered well in a warm climate with helpful tips from a sustainable gardener in this video on growing flowers.
It is not unusual for camellias to be quite long-lived, and some Asian specimens are reportedly 300 to 400 years old. Once established, they need very little pampering. Good choices from today’s cultivars can provide camellia bloom periods from October through May, and a substantial group of these plants are capable of withstanding comparatively severe winters.
January is a good time to plant camellias in mild climates, when many are in bloom, and you can actually see what you’re getting in terms of color and flower form. A healthy plant will have plenty of leaf and flower buds; the latter being very similar but somewhat plumper. Examine the underside of the leaves for disease and pests, and plant slightly higher than ground level. Camellias prefer an acid soil, and thrive in the dappled shade of tall pines; and pine needles provide an excellent mulch.
When you’re ready to cut your first bouquet, realize that most stems cut for bouquets will not produce blooms next season. With this in mind, think of the overall shape of the plant, taking care not to concentrate cuts in one area.
Time for Camellias – October Planting Planner Spring Bulbs
Oct. 4-10
Watch for aphids on your chrysanthemums. Ask a nursery professional for advice on the best non-toxic control. Thin camellia buds now so you have bigger and better blooms later. Most camellias set too many buds. Leave no more than one bud on a tip. Feed camellias and azaleas lightly during the winter months to develop their blooms.
Plant the following for winter color pansies, alyssum, primroses, stock and snapdragons. They will brighten your garden this season. Give your garden one last feeding of an all-purpose plant fertilizer.
Look for cool season color that can be planted now: delphiniums, primroses and columbine.
Oct. 11-17
Tend to roses now. This is a good time to remove dead wood, twiggy growth and leaves with spots or mildew. But do not prune for winter. To enjoy camellia blooms in the garden for a longer period of time, plant some sasanqua camellias along with the japonicas which bloom later. Don’t let dahlia bulbs stay in the ground during the winter. Lift them when the tops have dried.
Give camellias and azaleas a light feeding to develop their blooms.
As leaves start to fall, keep them raked off the lawn and out of flower beds. Decaying leaves are a haven for all sorts of pests and diseases.
If you need plant cover, plant it soon. This will help the root system become established before spring arrives and growth accelerates.
Water plants under eaves of houses on a regular basis throughout the winter because they may not receive any benefit from the rains. Snails and slugs will return with cooler weather. Set out bait.
Oct. 18-24
Plant bulbs in a variety of containers such as as clay pots, bushel baskets, half wine barrels or container to create splashes of color throughout the garden next spring.
Once the soil cools, plant daffodils every two to three weeks.
Dig up and divide daylilies, agapanthus and Shasta daisies.
Oct. 25-Nov. 1
Get rhododendrons and azaleas ready for winter by mulching heavily around their base. Two to three inches of organic compost should do the job.
Be certain the stalks on your dahlia plants are completely dry before you start lifting tubers out to store them in a dry place this winter.
If your nursery has them, pick up some paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Plant them now and give them as holiday gifts. These are easy bulbs to force into bloom for a fragrant holiday delight.
In the tradition of Classical Chinese flower arrangement, to properly appreciate the bouquet, “gaze directly at the flower composition while imbibing a cup of wine… to heighten one’s aesthetic appreciation of the object at hand”.
January 11, 2011
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