Growing Tips

ARE YOUR CAMELLIAS SUNBURNT?

With the historically high weather temperatures experienced in Victoria in and around the horrific bushfire period of the 7th of February, 2009, many gardeners have the leaves on their camellias sunscorched.

REMEDIAL ACTION

• Do not prune your plants until the end of their normal flowering period (late winter). You do not want to promote any form of new growth while the threat of hot weather is still present.  Just put up with a little ugliness and enjoy what flowers you're going to get. Refer to 'Culture' (Pruning) tab for normal pruning advice.
• Keep the watering up to your plants.  Do not give up on them. Scratch the bark, if it's still green underneath then the plant is alive.
• Don't feed your damaged plants until March and then with a proprietry camellia fertiliser.  However, an application of a root tonic such as Seasol would be beneficial now.
• Make sure the plant's root zone is protected by a generous covering of mulch.
• If more heatwaves come over the hill protect damaged plants from more damage by using artificial shade eg. shadecloth.