Rhododendron 'Praecox' syn. R. x praecox

26 years in this garden and the #vine-weevil has finally found me 😡 The rhododendron praecox was looking a bit stressed a month or two ago, when it was quite dry, but seemed to have perked up but I thought perhaps it needed repotting…which is when I found these, at all stages from grub to pupa to juvenile to adult. It was a positive biology project! #weevil #vineweevil #vineweevilgrubs

😲

They are pesky blighters I hate them

Do you use biological control for them Joan? @joanboston

Yes Jacqueline I use nematodes but my neighbour has a problem with them but does nothing so it’s a recurring battle @awomanonabike

Oh dear, that’s not good Joan but thanks, will get googling! @joanboston

They are the bane of my life! Where did they come from? Is it to do with chemicals that aren’t allowed to be used anymore? I’ve started using nematodes twice a year, but they still seem to do some damage to some 🤯🤔

It’s heartbreaking, but nematodes definitely help the matter and I’ve kept most of mine so far🤞🏼. A few causalities still as I said 😬

Yuk, so very interesting though to see all the stages 😜

Sadly they can arrive in pots from garden centres, I have had that happen Jacqueline

I read that they are the commonest pest in British gardens, so I think I’ve just been very lucky @helsrh @joanboston

I thought so too, once I’d got over the anger! @churchfarmgarden

Goodness knows what this will look like by the morning 💨💦 but yesterday it was looking fantastic 💜 #rhododendron-praecox

It’s been so wet that I have hardly been in the garden at all but the plants are just getting on with it without me 🤷‍♀️ #rhododendron-praecox 💜

Wet and windy. I've given up picking up fallen pots. I'm going to wait until the weather improves 😅 Enjoying the garden from the kitchen window instead ☕

Goodness that's an early one @awomanonabike mine are still tight buds

Getting windier again here too. Good idea Urszula. I’ve broken three pots this winter with them being blown over. It’s never happened before 💨💨💨 @ublaszko

I think it’s the earliest Sue. ‘Praecox’ is latin for ‘early’ 🤓 @churchfarmgarden

Aha, that'll be it then @womanonabike 👍

I lost one big pot, only bought it last summer. I noticed some of the other pots cracked but they're from Wilko so perhaps they're not quite frost resistant. Very windy again today.

Mine don't usually flower before April. @churchfarmgarden

My son pointed out that if I had put more than three pot feet under them they might not have blown over 🤷‍♀️ Serves me right for being a skinflint 😉😂 @ublaszko

😂😂😂 Cheeky son!

He is! Takes after his mother sadly 😉😂

19 Feb 2019 • The first flower buds have now opened 💕💜

Wow that’s early isn’t 💜💖

It’s the earliest one I know of Sue. Praecox means early too 🧐 @suerichards

Such a delicate, beautiful flower and it's pink 💗💗💗

It is Jane! 💕💗💕 @pelly

Blooming gorgeous 💗💗💗

Well isn’t that just luvverly 🌸💕🌸

Thanks Elaine @wagsmomthompsonbtinternetcom

Thank you Rachel 💕 @rachelbrooks

7 Feb 2019 • Nearly there 💜

Wow that’s early Jacqueline 💜💜

I think it’s the first. Praecox is latin for early 🤓#keepbinomialnomenclaturealive

How exciting, that’s very similar to my Ginny Gee which has lots of buds 💗💗

It is soooo exciting Jane 😃😃😃 @pelly

19 March 2018 • This is both wonderful and sad. My original ‘praecox’ which was the first thing I planted in my garden, does not look like it is going to recover from whatever has ailed it...So I have replaced it 💕

Oh what a shame, I have my fingers crossed for it Jacqueline. It must hold a lot of memories 😘💕

It does Jane. My M-in-Law has one in her garden that she has had for 40+ years. I keep looking at mine, willing it to do something. I just can’t bring myself to chuck it 😱 @pelly

It’s a gorgeous colour and flowers very early too @gjones

Oh no! Is there any green when you scratch the stem Jacqueline? This one is a fab colour though 💕

There was Rachel which is why, though it has looked dead since this time last year 🙄 I dug it up and put it in a large pot with fresh ericaceous compost but nothing... 😢 @rachelbrooks

Oh what a shame lovely 😔 you tried 😘

Just went and had another scratch 😬😢😢 @rachelbrooks

Oh! Anything? 😬

Nope, just a dirty nail 🙄 @rachelbrooks

Oh, sorry lovely. I was so hoping there’d be something 😩

Thank you for your sympathy 😘 @rachelbrooks

I think I have to admit defeat. I’ve dug it up and put it in a large pot of ericaceous compost but the only bit of this that is showing any sign of life is the #lichen RIP

So now I have a large pot to fill... I remember seeing some posts of a lovely small white rhododendron but I don’t seem to have wishlisted it & cant find it now 🤔 Was it you Rachel? @rachelbrooks Or you Justin? @justin Any suggestions gratefully received 😊😊

Oh no! 😔 don’t think it was me Jacqueline...unless it was one I saw somewhere...in which case I don’t remember! That’s helpful isn’t it?! 🙈 hope you find it 🤞🏼

I do have a dwarf white flowering rhodo which also has the most amazing scent... I’ll tag you in a pic of it 👍🏼

It’s called ‘Tinkerbird’ and would be ideal in a large pot or container 👍🏼

The reason I ‘liked’ this is because I thought I was alone in losing a rhododendron. Always thought they were indestructible but I lost one last year. No idea why ☹️

What a shame, but a good excuse for a shopping trip Jacqueline 😊😊

That’s the one Justin! Thank you so much 😘😘 @justin

Success already! Perhaps you saw Justin’s Rachel? @rachelbrooks

I’d had it for 20 years Val and it was just about to flower last January when it just curled up its toes & dried up 😢😥😢 I don’t know why either. I dug it up (as my soil is slightly alkaline) & potted it up as it was still green under the skin but no good... 😱 @valjones-hughes

I’m a bit sad tbh Jane. I get very attached to some plants (& my lovely M-in-L has this one too). I’m going to look for ‘Tinkerbird’ though but given where I live I think I’ll be making DPD busy...for a change 😉😂 @pelly

Isn’t the internet wonderful?! https://www.glendoick.com/shop/tinkerbird.html ‘Tinkerbird’ was bred by Glendoick nursery - just outside Perth - & I have to go to St Andrews at the end of the month 🤔😂😂

😢😥😢 What do I do? Give up & dig it out? Cut it back? Wait a but longer? Cry?

@plantlover96 ?

Thanks Liz @Hellebore It looked fine until it was just about to flower, when it didn't! 😥@plantlover96

I'd cut it back and hope for the best...😬

Cut it back and pray.... is it small enough to dig out? If it is put it in a pot with some ericaceous compost. Let it recover and next year replant in a different location. I hope this helps

Thanks Rachel. It was one of the first plants I put in when we moved here...😢 @rachelbrooks

Thank you @plantlover86 It's 20 years old so no, it's quite large. It was covered in blooms then suddenly they all died. There is a bit of green under the bark so where there's green, there's hope?!

I know Suzanne, I've been ignoring it hoping it would suddenly spring back to life when I wasn't looking... @suzyw

😂😂⚔️⚔️

Oh it's good there's green! 😬 maybe an ericaceous feed once you've trimmed it would help too? Good luck 🍀 it'd be awful if you lost it 😔

I think I might see if it's dig-up-able Rachel. I have a lovely large pot I could use. I suspect it's do or die! @rachelbrooks

Well it's got to be worth a go! Hopefully if you can it will rejuvenate it! Let us know how it goes! 🤞🏼

Happy Wednesday! This has been a long time coming but so worth the wait 💜💚💜

Going to be gorgeous 😊

It is Jayne. It's quite small and very slow growing but brings amazing colour early in the year @jaynehynesburton

I put mine in 2yrs ago when we made the garden, it's not been brill, if it's no better this year it's coming out. Love yours, waiting to see it when it opens 😊

Looks promising 👍

Oh you're a harder woman than me!! I'm a big softie in the garden & struggle to remove anything. Fingers crossed it does more for you this year 🤞🏻🌸 @jaynehynesburton

I know! It's very exciting Susie 😁😁@susieg

Beautiful colour 😍 and the frost looks like a sugar coating!

So it does Elisa 😊😊 @riakat

Gorgeous! 💜💚👌🏼

It's a beauty isn't it? I always get excited when it finally decides to declare itself @rachelbrooks

Oh it is 👌🏼👏🏼 and I'm the same when my mystery Azalea/rhododendron flowers - the colour is amazing...almost ultraviolet 💜

So exciting! No sign of colour yet but it won't be long... #wintergarden

Beautiful #frost picture 👌❄️❄️

Thank you Pauline 😊 @pauline33

#praecox #rhododendron