What do I need? - Pruning shears
- Garden peat, compost and potassium-enriched fertiliser, if possible
MaintenanceWater the Camellia a little when it is very dry, preferably with rainwater (if you have a rainwater basin), because it contains less lime. Once a week is plenty during summer, while once a month is enough during winter.
In March, plant your Camellia in the garden and, if in a pot, sprinkle a layer of compost or soil from the garden around the plant.
Halfway through the summer you can give the plant some potassium-enriched fertiliser. Water the plant afterwards.
If it is very cold, it’s a good idea to protect the budding branches by covering them with horticultural fleece.
PruningCamellias are not fast growers, so you only need to prune them for aesthetics. In May, you can cut back the branches that don’t look very nice. If the Camellia has grown too large, you can prune it dramatically. After it blooms, cut all the branches back to 50 centimetres off the ground. If you do this the shrub will need a year to recover, but once it has, it will thrive like never before.