How many times have you thought about growing Camellias and when going to a Nursery or Garden Centre you were asked these questions? :- What colour do you want, what type of flower, what type of bush, etc.?
That is the easy part, but where and how we grow them and in what type of soil are the two most important factors which need to be determined first. I have made up a small section of the main things you need to know to help you plan a position in the garden for Camellias.

CAMELLIA FLOWER FORM
We have listed a few forms to try and help you decide. There are variations between these flower forms we have listed. The colour range is vast and some varieties have multiple colours on the one flower.

SINGLE
There is one row of not more than eight regular, irregular or loose petals and noticeable stamens.

SEMI-DOUBLE
Two or more rows of regular, irregular or loose petals and conspicuous stamens.

ANENOME FORM
There are two or more rows of large outer petals lying flat or undulating with the centre of a convex mass of intermingled petaloids and stamens.

PEONY FORM
A flower deep and rounded of the following forms:-
Loose Peony Form - Loose petals that may be irregular, intermingled stamens and sometimes with intermingled petals, petaloids and stamens in the center.
Full Peony Form - Mass of mixed irregular petals, petaloids and stamens, or, irregular petals and petaloids that never show stamens.

ROSE FORM DOUBLE
Imbricated petals showing stamens in a concave center, seen when flower fully open.

FORMAL DOUBLE
A fully imbricated flower, showing many rows of petals, though never showing stamens. This type inclines to be more popular when people buy their first Camellia.

POSITION
The Camellia plant is a semi-shade loving plant and needs to be protected from the sun in all areas where there is low humidity. Do not plant close to walls where there is excessive heat reflection. In warm to hot climates, planting Camellias on the east side of a metal fence where the afternoon sun sets on the opposite side will cause the foliage to burn, dry out and the end result, possible death. When planting under large trees do not plant too close to the trunk, or this will cause the plant to become weak and die through lack of moisture. Heavy roots growing near the surface of the soil cause too much interference. It is most important to remember that Camellias will not tolerate the north wind.

SOIL TYPE
Sandy type soil structure is the worst medium for growing these plants in, as the soil will not retain the moisture or fertiliser. The nutrients leach out very quickly. In warmer climates Camellias need good rich well drained soil, with a lot of peat type compost dug into the ground and a good thick mulch placed on top of the ground is essential.
The photo on the left shows what can happen to Camellias when planted in poor conditions.
Camellias must have a slightly acidic soil condition
(pH 5-6), good drainage and the roots must be cool and moist. Quite often Camellias are killed by over-watering or bad drainage. If they are planted in a large pot be sure there is good drainage with large pieces of broken pots in the bottom, covering the hole area. Each year check the bottom hole of the pot to make sure that the hole is clear. Most people prefer to grow Camellias in tubs because it is easier to give them better drainage than in the ground. Where the soil is heavy, dig in Gypsum Clay Breaker (500g per square metre) to help break up the clay.
Where there is excess water moving across the surface area of the soil this can be controlled by planting above ground level and retaining with timber, stone or brick walling. Another method is to make a mound and plant on top or place a GreenWell around the base of the plant. When planting Camellias in the ground, the soil should have large quantities of Garden compost and well-rotted Cow Manure worked in.
REMEMBER Cow manure that is too fresh will burn the roots.

PLANTING IN HANGING BASKETS.
Did you know some varieties of Camellias can be grown in hanging baskets?
You will need to select smaller growing varieties with soft hanging foliage. The branches can be helped to hang furthermore by adding small lead fishing sinkers weights onto the ends of each stem while you are training and pruning your plant into shape

POTTING MIX
Most Nurseries have a special potting mixture ready for planting Camellias in tubs or containers.
These plants should not be planted too deeply and the soil should be lightly firmed down and well watered after planting. The average person tends to pack the soil too loosely around the plant and later on the roots are exposed after the soil has settled down.

PLANTING IN TUBS
Stand the containers off the ground on bricks or pot legs and this will allow the water to drain away from the soil. I can't stress enough how important it is to make sure that the Camellia plants do not become under or over watered especially in container grown plants.
A self-watering pot is the good way of growing camellias in pots to ensure that the plants are supplied with the correct amount of water all the year round. These pots can be connected to an automatic or manual drip watering system.
Empty the water out of the bottom storage area once a month and leave for several days before refilling. This will help to prevent algae and mosquitoes breeding in the water. It will also let the roots that are growing through the drainage plate die. If the roots are left to penetrate through and grow they will fill the area below and take up vital water storage room.

WATERING
The correct amount of moisture for the Camellia plants are very important and it is impossible to tell you how much water to give each plant. Sandy soils need more water than heavy loam soils and plants in areas protected from winds need less water than plants in unprotected positions.
Camellia plants need to be kept moist, but not waterlogged.

The most important point to remember is that a Camellia plant should never be allowed to become dry during the summer months, otherwise the buds and flowers will not open. Always check your plants regularly to make sure the soil is moist. If the plants are on a drip system, regularly inspect the drippers while the system is working.

For a long time people have been planting out medium sized trees and shrubs in their gardens and watching them die. One of the main problems is usually lack of water. It is very hard to soak water deeply into the soil around the plant's root system when the water keeps on running away across the top of the ground.
GREENWELL is the gardener's answer to water saving and healthy new Camellia shrubs. The design looks like a top section of a compost bin. The top diameter - 430mm, base - 495mm, height - 490mm. First the camellia is planted into the ground and staked. Next the Greenwell is placed around the tree.
The Greenwell has a special water proof join in the side allowing the ring to be pulled apart and apart and joined together after being place around the Camellia. With the Greenwell placed around the base of the new plant and the sides pushed into the ground to a depth of three to four inches, the container can now be filled with water.
The Greenwell directs the water and fertiliser down into the soil to the root zone. The deep sides hold 26 litres of water when 20% full of water, thus eliminating water run-off. During the Winter months it will prevent water lying around the root zone.

SOIL WETTING AGENTS
These agents, when applied to the soil are long lasting and help the water to penetrate deeply and evenly increasing the moisture retention in the root zone, saving water by reducing the run off.
FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE Easy Wetta

MULCHING

Once the hot summer weather arrives the bushes should be well mulched. First cover the ground with an inch of well-matured Cow Manure, then place on top 2 inches of compost. Next cover the compost with Organic Garden Mulch, red gum chips or bark, this will act as a main top mulch.
As we all know, mulch is ideal to reduce weeds and keep moisture in the soil.

FEEDING
Camellias are slow growing and need an acidic soil type. The Cow Manure will act as a mild feed, but they also need Azalea and Camellia food. The right amount of fertiliser that is needed depends on the richness of the soil and whether the Camellias are in pots or in the ground. The soil must be moist before applying and the manure should be spread evenly around the plant (not too close to the main stem).

The first feed should be applied between the end of March and the second week of April. A light application of Blood & Bone is then applied again in June. This last feed will give larger, stronger buds and flowers. Another feed should be applied again in August. Never feed a sick plant and if there is a problem with your Camellia plant, bring a small branch to the Nursery so that the ailing plant can be diagnosed.
PLEASE PLACE THE SAMPLE IN A PLASTIC BAG so that it will not spread to other plants in the nursery.

DISBUDDING
Camellia varieties which have heavy crops of buds should be thinned out, this will then allow the buds that are left behind to grow stronger and larger. Flowers that hang upside down will drain the water off, giving undamaged petals. White Camellia flowers will bruise more than colour varieties, so if you would like to grow white shrubs, grow the bushes in tubs under the verandah or the house eaves.

PRUNING
Like most plants they need pruning. This should be done in the dormant season prior to the first cycle of growth. The long spindly growth should be tipped back to help thicken out the side branches. Pruning out the old dead wood and weak spindly growth will help to develop a strong healthy bush. Cut out the low growing and crossing branches inside the bush.
This will let the air and light in, helping to control disease and pests. Where large branches have been broken off, the wood should be cleaned off smooth and painted with pruning paint.

SUBMERGING CAMELLIA POTS INTO THE GROUND
This method is often used to try and keep the plant's root system cool.

PROBLEMS
By placing the pots into the ground can cause a few problems:-
1/ Roots from the surrounding trees can enter the drain hole preventing excess water from escaping and the roots probing into the pot will rob the goodness out of the soil.
2/ The soil beneath the pots can stop the excess water draining out of the pots.
The leaves will turn yellow/brown and this is usually a very good sign that the plants have become too wet.
3/ The roots of the Camellia plant can grow through the drainage holes and block of excess water from escaping.
4/ The Camellia plants can be affected due to the roots growing through the drainage holes and growing into poor soil below (soils containing limestone).
RESULT
The Camellia plants could suffer with wet feet and the plant?s root system will begin to decay, caused by the soil being too wet. This will put the plants under great pressure to survive, causing them to be weak and very vulnerable to diseases.

FUNGUS PROBLEMS
The Camellia plants which are infected by fungus should be treated as soon as possible. See our fact sheets for help on Fungus Diseases.

IRREGULAR WATERING
PROBLEM
Looking at the leaves you will notice the 'seashore wave' marks which form on beach sand at the edge of the water. These patterns are found along the edge of then leaf or across the top edge of the leaf. This indicates that the plants are not kept at an even moisture content.
The main fault could be that when you dug a hole into the clay ground and mixed in a better mix, you have formed a bowl in the ground. The new soil will create a separate barrier from the clay area and prevent immediate draining causing the new area to contain the excess water.
This problem can also be caused by over watering and under watering. When the weather is hot for a time and then it becomes cooler for a period, you keep on watering in the same manner.
PREVENTION
This dilemma can be overcome to a certain extent by watering in around the plant liquid clay breaker just before the beginning of the Autumn. At the commencing of the summer months place around the plant a wetting agent so the soil will hold the moisture. These wetting agents will help keep the plant root system moist and not allowing the plant to dry out at a fast rate. This way the plant will need less watering and at the same time help prevent the plant from being too wet.