
Proper fertilization of your spireas, like Kaleidoscope Abelia will lead to healthier and more disease resistant plants, as well as provide you with many more enjoyable blooms. Although it is tempting to spend less time by not raking the mulch back during fertilization, the results will be less than desirable, if the fertilizer is applied on top of the mulch. When you have selected your fertilizer and are ready to apply it, be sure to rake your mulch back to the drip line of each plant. If the ph of your soil is not correct, it may affect the ability of your Abelia to absorb the fertilizer that is applied. Abelia such as Kaleidoscope Abelia generally do well in acidic soils with ph readings from 5.5 to 6.8.

If you do not have acid soil, soil tests may be necessary followed by ph adjustments. Generally, an application sometime during the first part of March, followed by a second application during the first part of May, and a final third application during the first part of July should be sufficient for you spireas fertilization needs. Be sure that these fertilizers have minor elements as well.

If your Abelia are younger plants, and you want them to concentrate their energies on growing for a few years, you may wish to choose a fertilizer that has a higher first number such as 12-4-8 or 10-10-10. For example, a 4-8-8 fertilizer with minor elements included would be a good choice for a well established plant. If your plants are well established, and you are not concerned about more growth, choose a fertilizer that has a smaller first number, and a larger second and third number. Slow-release fertilizer can help prevent rapid sucker growth that is vulnerable to diseases and insects. Follow this up with a early summer application. Apply an early spring fertilizer with a product such as Espoma Tree-tone or Plant-tone at the recommended rate this will give the plant a boost of nitrogen that will be needed for healthy abundant foliage. Abelia are considered to be light feeders.

In order for Abelia to give their maximum performance, certain fertilization requirements must be met. How do I fertilize Kaleidoscope Abelia?Ībelia is one of the easiest to grow and one of the most underused ornamentals available today. Its better to leave a one inch gap of space between the mulch and the stem or trunk of the Kaleidoscope Abelia. A 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch is sufficient but remember to take care not to cover any part of the stem of the plant with mulch. Mulching helps to keep weeds away which will compete with your new investment for water and nutrients. Any type of mulch will do but cypress or hardwood mulch will be of a higher quality and provide better nutrition overall as they breakdown. We highly recommend that you mulch your Kaleidoscope Abelia with either a ground hardwood mulch or a ground cypress mulch depending on your local availability. Soaker Hoses can also be used to water when planting a long hedge. can be used to help aid in this process and also provide plants with a good soaking due to the slow release of the water into the root-zone of the plant. Water using the counting method for the first few weeks. Check the plant daily for the first week or so and then every other day there after. For example a one gallon pot would be watered until you count to 5 a three gallon pot would be 15 and so on. A general rule of thumb is to count to 5 for every one gallon of pot size. Most of the water you put on the plant at first will run away from the plant until the soil is soaked.

How do I water my Kaleidoscope Abelia Shrub?Īfter back filling and lightly compacting the 50/50 mix of existing soil and compost give the Kaleidoscope Abelia a good deep watering.
#Kaleidoscope abelia install
We love this product and use it on all plants we install in our own gardens. It creates a barrier between the roots of the plant and fungus and pathogens that can cause root rot. Bio-tone starter fertilizer is a great starter fertilizer that provides plants with mycorrhizae fungus. A good rule is that you should still be able to see the soil the plant was grown in after back-filling the hole. The most common cause of plant death after transplanting is planting the new plant too deep. Adding compost or topsoil will help the young roots to spread through the loose, nutrient rich soil, much easier. We do not recommend using straight topsoil or compost as a back-fill soil for Kaleidoscope Abelia because more times than not these products will retain entirely to much moisture and will cause the root system to rot. Depending on the quality of your existing soil you may need to add a locally sourced compost or topsoil to the back-fill soil. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root system but not deeper.
