In search of some rhododendrons

[cosmos05]

Hi does any one know where I can acquire any rhododendrons from please, in in South Yorkshire so as local as possible or on the web. Also cheaper the better thanks.

[JDog]

Before you get them just make sure that the soil where they are going will suit them. They need slightly acid soil.

[cosmos05]

Yeh I have looked in to all the ph levels and done some simple soil tests and they all look good.

[Greenhorn]

Invasive species

 

Some species (e.g. Rhododendron ponticum in Ireland and the United Kingdom) are invasive as introduced plants, spreading in woodland areas replacing the natural understory. R. ponticum is difficult to eradicate, as its roots can make new shoots.

 

don't know for sure but a lot places near me are trying to get rid of them as they not native.

[Fisheruk]

We are getting rid of ours and grant to remove them.

[Dekers]

Good luck, they really can take some effort to establish, but a wonderful plant!

[philm]

Just been to Lidl's, they are for sale in there.

[islandgun]

you could always go to where there trying to eradicate them and ask if you can have some plants or choose a native shrub

[cosmos05]

Islandgun what native shrub would you recommend to do the same job,, I'm open to advice.

[islandgun]

Evergreen would be a problem apart from holly, I'm far from being an expert for game cover, should be a few gamekeepers who have recently been to college who could advise, there are several native spp that could be used, willow lots of varieties can be planted close together and coppiced, easy to propagate from cuttings (stick in the ground) allowing new planting every year from original planting, Hedgerow plants all deciduous include hawthorn, alder (wet ground) hazel,elder,box,broom,buckthorn,honeysuckle,holly, Larger spp trees ash, horse chestnut,whitebeam,yew, sycamore. to name but a few. Of the smaller shrubs, many can be cut down (coppiced ) to make new bushy growth, prepare the ground now and buy bare rooted from a native tree nursery as local to you as possible, get their advice, some of these plants can be as cheap as 10p each, all will be good for the native wildlife with a good mix being desirable.

cheers IG

[islandgun]

Box, broom, gorse, holly, are evergreen, not sure you should plant buckthorn as also invasive, box is poisonous to livestock just read again it;s Yew that poisonous

Edited March 3, 2014 by islandgun

[Blackpowder]

I Islandgun I noticed last year that there seemed to be a big programme of rhody removal in the castle grounds at Stornoway. We have it on a Shoot and its a menace, old , hard and impenetrable, shot birds which fall on the canopy seldonm reach the ground, its a menace.

 

Blackpowder

[islandgun]

I Islandgun I noticed last year that there seemed to be a big programme of rhody removal in the castle grounds at Stornoway. We have it on a Shoot and its a menace, old , hard and impenetrable, shot birds which fall on the canopy seldonm reach the ground, its a menace.

 

Blackpowder

Yes mate there is, huge sums of money are changing hands throughout Britain to eradicate, another problem is that it's not recommended that you burn when green as it's considered carcinogenic. cheers IG

[Brad93]

Holly is a much better ever green game cover for wood land and native. Bramble, conifer, lopped trees are a much better alternative.

[Ferretboy111]

I've planted all manor of species on my shoot here. In regard to non natives I think a lot of it depends on the nature of your woodlands. I've 30 year old native plantation woodlands here- with some larch and Norway spruce for roosting areas and I won't hesitate to plant laurels, shrubby honeysuckle, and snowberrys under them as the ground flora is bare due to not being managed in the past. I tend to do a mix of natives and non natives and use common sense as to where to plant them.

If I had semi ancient or ancient woodlands I'd go down the route of planting only natives like- hazel, privet, hawthorn, guelder rose, blackthorn, spindle as a shrub layer and manage the exsisting woodland appropriately to encourage brambles. Yew, box and holly are good but take donkeys years to be any benefit to game, are expensive, and take more looking after regarding watering than others as they are prone to being picky with where they are planted.

 

A

[islandgun]

Ferretboy111

do you ever plant willow,some are very quick growing and will grow densely if wanted, easy to plant and could make a good nurse crop for slower spp Iv'e no idea about suitability for pheasants, I have quite a few that I coppice and have noticed woodcock use it in winter, As an aside and of no relevance Iv'e even had corncrake calling from new coppice in the spring . cheers IG

[Ferretboy111]

I've planted some from cuttings in the past but have found plenty of other better alternatives to plant instead for what im looking for. I think if I were on a tight budget id use it more, for a small shoot I can see their use due to ease of propergation. I've a few pollards for windbreaks by some ponds which work well. I'd only ever plant it now for v.wet areas- in conjunction with alder which benefit pheasants more due to their roosting ability via straight branches unlike the majority of willow.

 

Cheers A

[subsonicnat]

Pain in the backside when established, you cannot beat through them, take you all day.

Had some on a hillside, you cannot walk through them, as stated if bird falls in a dense part of them, even the dog cannot retrieve them..

Best Avoided I think..

[thepasty]

Horrible stuff and I've been told it carrys a fungus/disease that attacks some of our native trees.

[The Mighty Prawn]

Round here the runaway Rhodies are having to be individually injected with pesticide, takes ten guys all day to hack into a plantation and do the work, then a couple of weeks later they have to come back and do it again! It's not knotweed but it isn't far off - avoid at all costs, otherwise you might get clattered for the clean up if they spread beyond your boundarys