I planted it last year and it bloomed., This year and has grown larger but instead of blooming it’s turning into leaves . We had one week of a very cold winter in a Seattle . Could that be the cause? Will it blood next year if I add fertilizer? Please see attached photo. Thank you
I too have a few rhodos that are not blooming as well this year as they have in the past. I attribute the poor blooming to the lack of water during the time of year when they need it to set buds. I remember hearing from ages ago that August is a critical time to keep rhodos well hydrated; I don't know if that is widely believed but it makes sense to me. If the cold we had last winter was the cause of your plant not blooming, you would see dead buds . . . not visible in your photo so I doubt that is the problem. Another thing to keep in mind is that some varieties of rhodos such as R. 'Horizon Monarch' and R. chrysanthum bloom well only in alternate years. Your rhodo looks healthy; just keep it well-mulched and watered enough to ensure the roots are moist. The fact that you planted it only last year suggests that it is still settling in to its new environment. You could give it a sprinkle of rhodo fertilizer if you like but fertilizing does not directly create blooms.
For good future development including strong shoots that bloom get that bare soil mulched at least 4 in. deep with a coarse organic material such as wood chips or hog fuel, keep your rhododendron well-watered during the growing season. I did some planting and hand watering for a friend in Seattle yesterday and already much of his ground was hard and dry.
