Winter Blooming Camellias!
November and December in Williamsburg bring beautiful fall colors to my backyard which include my blooming camellias. There are two popular types that are late fall/winter bloomers, sasanqua and japonica camellias. Although caring for them is easy, there are a few things I recommend you do to encourage healthy plants. Your efforts will be rewarded with beautiful flowers and luscious greenery.
Mulch
Add three to four inches of natural mulch to protect your plant from the cold winter winds. Mulch is also a good source of nutrients. You can use straw, bark, or shredded leaves. Just be sure when you use leaves that they are shredded so they won’t smother your plants. The simplest way to shred leaves is to run over them with the lawnmower. (FYI: Turn Fallen Leaves into Gardener's Gold, https://youtu.be/8gfpOo6QbQQ)
Water
Make sure you water your camellias. This will protect them from the freezing temperatures that can be drying. Watch out for too much water as camellias don’t like wet feet.
Look for Insects
Tea Scales and Mites are the most common. If you see any of these insects get control of them with horticultural oil or organic neem oil.
Fertilize
You don't need to fertilize if you're planting in good soil. Hold off until the spring at the end of the blooming season. Also pruning is not always necessary. If needed it's best to prune in the spring after the plant flowers but before it sets new growth.
Containers
Camellias will thrive in pots but will require more care including repotting every two to three years in a well-drained container, using a good camellia potting mix and fertilizer (add it only during the growing season between April and September). For more information on growing beautiful camellias see the American Camellia Society’s website (americancamellias.com).
Photo Credit: Annie Spratt, Unsplash.com