I had one large rhodie moved along with planting several new ones. The lady who did this put cedar chips around all the plants from a tree service company. I am noticing that all the rhodies are turning sort of yellow. What should I do about this? I wouldn't want to lose them.
Have they been getting watered? Rhodos need a surprising amount of water, but good drainage. The mulch can help keep weeds down and reduce too frequent watering.
We have had a lot of rain so I don't think that is the problem. A friend told me the cedar chips takes nitrogen out of the soil so that will affect them. The person who did this work for me did take training at UBC so I am taken back by this problem. How would I get nitrogen back into soil. What would I buy or do?
Wood chips L CS: One of the most frustrating myths is that wood chip mulches rob your soil of nitrogen. Absolutely not true! The microbes do use nitrogen right there at the soil surface – but not underneath where roots are. http://www.therealgardener.com/blog/building-soil/mulch-myths-with-dr-linda-chalker-scott
Thanks for your email. It sounds like it is not the cedar chips causing the yellow leave so what would the problem be. I always thought rhodies were easy to grow as the roots are not deep so that is why I planted quite a few. I don't want to lose them. Should I add some extra rich soil or fertilizer?
I have been mulching my rhodos with seaweed I gather from local beaches. I would scratch the soil under the leaf line and get hands on feel for the soil, they like cool peaty moist - not wet earth in my experience. I do not recommend fertilizer, though some I have purchased had those beads of slow release stuff in soil. These have been a problem for me in the past when over used in potted rhodos. Good Luck
The problem could be too wet soil. Have you moved/planted your Rhodos in the area with poor drainage? Dig around to see how wet the soil is. Removing the wood chips could help the soil to dry quicker and at the same time bring more oxygen to the root zone.
I don't think it is that wet there but I will try your suggestion and move some of the chips away from the rhodies. Thanks Marie
Hello Miry, I just stumbled upon this little article on the Cornell University website: Beware of toxic mulch. I also recommend for you to learn more about your soil and do a percolation test.
