If a little of something is good, a lot must be better, right? Not so when it comes to camellias and fertilizer. Commonly grown in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 9, camellias are evergreen shrubs with glossy, green leaves and elegant, roselike blooms in white, pink, red or yellow. They are widely known to be acid lovers, but not as many gardeners know about their low nutritional needs. When fertilizing camellias in zone 7, or any other zone, moderation is key to keeping the shrubs healthy and attractive in your landscape for years to come.
Plant your camellia in well-drained soil or in a raised bed or mound with plenty of organic matter. Do not add any fertilizer. North Carolina State University Extension notes that you may add a superphosphate -- a fertilizer high in phosphorus, but with no nitrogen or potassium content -- at planting time.
Apply 8 ounces of cottonseed meal around each new camellia plant after it has flowered in its first season. Camellias bloom in late fall to early winter or in spring, depending on cultivar. Cottonseed meal is acidic, which camellias like, and the nitrogen in the product releases slowly, so it cannot burn the plants.
Water in well. Lay down a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic mulch around the plant.
Camellias in Their Second Seasons and Beyond
Rake the mulch away to the drip line of the plant in March in zone 7 or after your camellias finish blooming.
Water the plant well. Wait 24 hours for the plant to absorb the water. Avoid fertilizing a thirsty plant, as it can draw in the nutrients too quickly when the fertilizer is watered in.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon per foot of plant height of a granular fertilizer around the drip line of the plant. For a camellia that has not yet reached its full height, choose a fertilizer with more nitrogen than phosphorus or potassium. The three-digit number on a package of fertilizer represents the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the product. For instance, the American Camellia Society recommends a 12-4-8, high nitrogen fertilizer when you want to encourage a younger camellia to grow taller. Fertilize mature camellias with the same amount of a low nitrogen fertilizer, like a 4-8-8, to encourage flowering and healthy root systems.
Water the fertilizer in and replace the mulch.
Repeat steps 1 through 4 in the beginning of May and at the end of July in zone 7.
Things You Will Need
- Cottonseed meal
- Superphosphate fertilizer (optional)
- NPK fertilizer
- USDA plant hardiness zone 7 primarily occurs in a band across the upper portions of the Southern states, the Southwest, in a sprinkling of eastern areas in Northern California, and in eastern portions of Oregon and Washington.
- In zones 9 and 10, fertilize established camellias in April, July and September, according to the Napa Valley Camellia Society.
- Have the pH level of your soil tested, as its acidity level is important to the health of camellias and can influence how fertilizer is absorbed.
- Choose a fertilizer that lists the minor elements it includes in addition to nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron, manganese, copper, zinc and boron are all minor elements important to camellias.
- Too much fertilizer causes camellias to lose their compact shapes and develop unattractive, leggy growth.
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