How come the buds from my rhododendron plant didn flower instead it became new shoots of leaves?
Rhododendron plants sprout next years flowers after they flower this year. In order to insure a successfull bloom the floowing year it is essential to “Deadhead” the plant. You do this by simply twisting off the dead flowers from this years growth. If you pruned your rhody last year and cut off a major portion of the new growth the plant will not flower untill next year because you also cut off all the flowers. Unlike most plants that will flower before the new growth cycle, rhodys flower the after the growth season, they produce next years buds this year, and if you cut off the limbs witht the buds you will not have flowers. You also want to get yourself some acidic fertilizer for your rhodys, they require it to thrive.
