Rhododendron question.

[Braetac]

Hi, just out giving the rhoddy a wee water this morning and noticed a few leaves with yellowing and spots on them (see photos) is this a fungal issue or overwatering issue? I've chopped the offending leaves off in the meantime, but how do I ensure it doesn't keep happening.
Thanks in advance for any plant saving advice.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

First off, how old is the plant? I have a huge Rhoddy section, probably 7 full size ones in a big circle under two trees, been there about 35 years. I never bother watering them, mother nature does it all. Don't get the yellow whatever your talking about.
You should see the hillsides abounding with them up in the Poconos its amazing. What I am saying is Rhoddy do not need to be babied .

 

[Braetac]

First off, how old is the plant? I have a huge Rhoddy section, probably 7 full size ones in a big circle under two trees, been there about 35 years. I never bother watering them, mother nature does it all. Don't get the yellow whatever your talking about.
You should see the hillsides abounding with them up in the Poconos its amazing. What I am saying is Rhoddy do not need to be babied .

Rhoddy seems fine. Had him 2 years now. Just transplanted into a bigger pot. There were less than 10 leaves like that. Fairly new to gardening, so there's still loads I have to learn.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Rhoddy seems fine. Had him 2 years now. Just transplanted into a bigger pot. There were less than 10 leaves like that. Fairly new to gardening, so there's still loads I have to learn.

Oh, A pot, yeah, don't do pots for shrubs.

 

[Braetac]

Oh, A pot, yeah, don't do pots for shrubs.

Nowhere else for it to go unfortunately

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Nowhere else for it to go unfortunately

what made you want to pick that type of shrub for a pot?

 

[Braetac]

what made you want to pick that type of shrub for a pot?

I like them as they look nice, and my reading up on the internet said they do well in pots. Still new to the whole green finger life, so a lot to learn still

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I like them as they look nice, and my reading up on the internet said they do well in pots. Still new to the whole green finger life, so a lot to learn still

I am glad you said that, "a lot to learn still" . So I was asking myself if I only had the ability to have plants in a pot what plant would I pick. So my answer is, a plant that offers fragrance when blooming, that stays blooming for a long time, can handle a pot, and when out of bloom has lovely leaves and an interesting growth pattern, or one I could prune it into over time.

 

[Sheal]

Rhododendrons become big shrubs and will always struggle in a pot. if it must stay in a pot it should be in something like a half barrel or bigger and planted in ericaceous soil. At the moment yours it struggling through what I think is a lack of nutrients. It must be fed regularly to keep it healthy as watering is not enough and also washes the nutrients out of the soil.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Was just now thinking of a trip we took last year in October, up to the Poconos area of PA. We went to Jim Thorpe and visited about seeing all the waterfalls. It was unbelieveable all the Rhodo shrubs lining road sides, mountain areas, clift side areas around the waterfalls, very very dense with them. At first I thought seed droppings etc. but now thinking rooting . Anyway, had hope to return when all is in bloom, they say end of July. But unfortunately scheduled to be some where else.