Rhodo Questions from Earth; Answers from MARS

Mount Arrowsmith Rhodendron Society (MARS) tackles your most pressing rhododendron questions!  Check this page regularly to see the latest and greatest.

Have a question about growing or caring for rhododendrons?  Contact us and ask.  Once per month, we will choose a question or two from our list and post the answer here. (Please be patient if your question isn’t answered immediately — we’re all volunteers who do this in our spare time.) 🙂

Please remember:  Gardening is part science, part art, part skill, and a large part luck.  Sometimes even if you do all the “right” things, a plant still won’t thrive.  We offer the best advice we can, but we can’t guarantee that your plant(s) will thrive… or even survive.  MARS assumes no liability for any damage that may occur to your plants, person, or property as a result of or coincidental to our advice.

Maintenance and care
Q:  Should I deadhead my rhododendrons?  If so, how?

Q: We have a large rhododendron collection and I am trying to improve our curatorial notes and tagging system. Can you suggest good quality and plant-safe tags that will stand the test of time?

Planting and growing
Q:  Planting rhodos in a forested area: Dig in or mound on top? Plant mainly in mulch or mix in with soil?

Q: How can I grow rhodos from seed, and will the seedlings be true to the parent plant?

Troubleshooting
Q:  Why does my rhodo only put out one or two florets per bud instead of filling out the whole flower truss? 

Q:  What should I do about weevils eating my rhodos?