As with many flowering trees, it is advisable to plant rhododendrons under them with evergreen plants. A welcome companion here is ivy. In this article we will clarify whether these two plants actually go together as well as expected.
Ivy under rhododendron – does it work?
Ivy (Hedera helix) and rhododendron (Rhododendron)harmonize,due to their similar care requirements, verygood as a plant community. The alpine rose benefits from the ground-covering foliage of the ivy, while it thrives extremely well in the light shade of the flowering bush.
What does the ivy planted under the rhododendron do?
Rhododendronslove it when theearth is shadedand is therefore pleasant insummercool stays. This task is carried out by the evergreen ivy, which also collects fallen leaves under its dense foliage. In the protection of the ground cover, this is converted directly into valuable humus by microorganisms.
In addition, the leaves of the ground cover under the rhododendron reduce the evaporation of moisture from the soil. This is also important in the winter months, as frost-dry conditions often take a toll on rhododendrons.
How to water ivy and rhododendron?
So that therootsof the alpine roseare well moistened, the plant must bewatered regularly. Make sure that you apply the water directly to the soil between the ivy leaves. The leaves covering the ground ensure that hardly any of the precious water evaporates.
Rhododendrons do not tolerate hard water and should therefore always be supplied with rainwater. The ivy also likes this very much.
How to fertilize the rhododendron planted with ivy?
Fertilize the rhododendronwith a special liquid preparation,the ivy will also benefit from the nutrients applied. The reason: Both plants are shallow-rooted plants that root through the soil to a depth of around sixty centimeters and absorb the preparation applied on the surface.
The ivy also suppresses any weeds that would compete with the rhododendron for nutrients. Therefore there is no need to remove the ground cover.
Tip
Easy damage to ivy and rhododendron
If you discover holes and arch-shaped feeding spots in the plants, the black weevil has spread to your garden. Predatory nematodes, which you apply with irrigation water, help against the larvae of this pest. You can fight the beetles with neem press cakes that are placed in the ground. However, you should not use both preparations at the same time, as the neem oil also causes the roundworms to die.
