Growing Rhododendron in neutral soil?

robin 435

Hello
I have neutral soil but have successfully grown Camellia and Pieris over the years by making the soil a little more aciding.  A couple of times each year I add some ericaceous fertiliser and iron sulphate around the plants.

Using the same approach do you think I could grow a dwarf Rhododendron, or do they require naturally acidic soil?

Thanks for your advice
Robin

Fairygirl

No - neutral is fine @robin 435  

derekseymour

Ya you should be fine. If you can get Rhododendron Cunninghams White or Rhododendron Decorum which both tolerate neutral soil. Or you can choose a Inkharo Rhododendron. These will grow in PH 7.5.

Yviestevie

I've always grown Rhododendron's in neutral soil.  I feed them occasionally with an erricacious plant food and try and water with rain water rather than tap water and they do really well.

Fairygirl

Like @Yviestevie - I've had rhodies in every garden I've had, by accident or design, and they've all been in neutral soil, and they've all been different varieties.
They need very little attention if they have the right conditions. 
The problems arise when people want to grow them and they don't have those conditions. There's plants I'd quite like to grow, but my climate isn't suitable. There are plenty of other plants though, so it really comes down to growing for your conditions.

We can water from the tap here, because our water is suitable, although watering is also something we don't have to do very often. 
If you don't have that, collect rainwater. 

robin 435

Thank you for your replies which are encouraging, I will give this a go when the garden centres reopen. Have a lovely Easter in the garden :-)

Silver surfer

derekseymour said:

Ya you should be fine. If you can get Rhododendron Cunninghams White or Rhododendron Decorum which both tolerate neutral soil. Or you can choose a Inkharo Rhododendron. These will grow in PH 7.5.

Rhodo Cunningham White is a beauty,  but just a word of warning will grow HUGE.

https://www.google.com/search?q=rhododendron+cunningham+white&client=firefox-b-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwji0-Sp_N_oAhVvQxUIHdL4DBcQ_AUoAXoECAwQAw&biw=1920&bih=944#imgrc=YVplMCN1X2R5eM

Fairygirl

Yes @Silver surfer - we had three in a corner of  a large garden, to hide an ugly area of banking where the previous owners had just been dumping all the grass clippings - and that was a very large amount too!
They look very impressive in full swing though.