Rhododendron won't flower

I have been in my current house for five years and have the aforementioned in my front garden. The first year we were here it flowered, but then my mother-in-law pruned the plant fairly heavily, and it has never flowered since. Is there any way I could encourage it to flower again? Any thoughts most appreciated.

 

As far as i'm aware begoodian it really shouldn't have been cut back especially as drastically as you've mentioned unless it was becoming totally unruly....if it's still looking healthy i'd give it a good mulch of Ericacious compost and only water it with rain water....hopefully this could be the year it springs back into flower...fingers crossed
Welcome to GC

 

Thanks. It has kind of been left alone over the last few summers and consequently the ground beneath it is pretty compact. Is this a bad thing?

 

I don't think so....they are a pretty tough shrub....after all it's survived a good hair cut

 

Can you post some photos of the Rhododendron so we can see if it is otherwise healthy?

 

Not sure where you live but certainly in Northern England/Scotland many (not all) Rhododendrons do seem to flower better when South facing. I have quite a few and certainly the South facing ones do flower best.Some Rhododendrons are quite shy to flower, especially the species ones and certainly if yours was pruned severely it will take time for the plant to recover enough strength to flower again. If the ground around the plant is very compacted I'd tend to mulch it with organic material which will break down improve the structure and help to conserve moisture,( not that that was needed last season!) . Rhododendrons are shallow rooted so don't think it would be a good idea to dig over the ground close to the plant.

 

Are there Rhododendrons and Azaleas in gardens near you? (Just want to check that you have the right soil type, and that it isn't needing some special "treatment" to be growing in an adverse soil)

 

Thanks all. I am in Glasgow. I will take a picture in daylight tomorrow and post. It had occurred to me that the plant isn't in peak condition but I don't have an expert eye! Can't say I've noticed an abundance of rhods close by now you mention it, but will take a closer look.

 

Most likely a soil issue, the soil may not be acidic enough. If your Rhody leaves are often yellow or pale, this is the case. Otherwise it may be a moisture thing or something similar.

 

Yup, I wondered that as because it did well in the first season maybe that was because the previous folk had given it some special treatment.

But if it is a soil issue I think its pretty much certain that the leaves would be showing it - the yellowing that Stephen has described .

 

I suggest a ph test on your soil...easy n cheap to do...then you will know. Sequestered iron spray is very effective. The rhodo may simply be reacting to pruning by growing at the expense of flowers. Is soil dry there? Despite the rain last summer at bud forming time your plant may have been too dry? I have a feeling this may be the problem, viz., a hard dry, compacted soil surface throwing off water. I agree about not digging around the roots but I would mulch with acid bark chips after a thorough soaking with water

 

As you are in Glasgow (lived there for 18 months) it would be very unlikely that you have limey soil. If you/neighbours can grow the likes of Heather, Camellia, Azalea, Pieris with no problems that is a good indication that your soil is acid unless of course the house is fairly new and the builders have left behind "nasties!" No harm in getting a kit tho.It could be that the variety you have isn't that suitable for our Scottish climate (flowers too early/ not that hardy) and it might have formed flower buds which then get too frosted and fall off. I have 2 "mistakes" which produce buds but they seldom actually break unless we have a kind early Spring which we are NOT getting atm!

 

Here is a pic. It's not great but you can hopefully see it's kind of scraggy at the top.

 

Looks pretty healthy to me and as I suspected not suffering from an overdose of lime (leaves would be pretty yellow). How much sun does it get? We in Scotland don't follow the same "rules" as in England ie shrubs which might do ok in England in semi shade need full sun in Scotland. If your Rhododendron is in a shady spot move it. The rule of thumb with Rhododendrons is if you can physically move it, it will move. I actually had a few moved with a JCB!!!!

 

I thought that looking at the photo too. Looks like it has recovered from the pruning too.