Even though our nurseries are located in the vicinity of Lake Maggiore, they are in fact situated at the end of the valley where winters are long and cold. Nevertheless, we are able to cultivate our plants outdoors and use greenhouses and artificial heating sparingly, thus our plants are extremely healthy and hardy.

The following advice and suggestions will help you to care for your plants so that they will continue to thrive and grow successfully in your own garden:

[WATERING] - [SOIL] - [FERTILIZING] - [PRUNING] - [SELECTING PLANTING SITES] - [PESTS, DISEASES AND OTHER PROBLEMS] - [WINTER PROTECTION]

WATERING GUIDELINES
Water is especially key to healthy plants. When and how to water? Our plants are naturally understory plants protected by a tree canopy, grown in soft spongy, soil rich in humus which exists naturally in a wooded environment. Successful watering means avoiding excess, too much or not enough, the goal being to keep plant roots moist but not wet, making sure that they never completely dry out. The plants themselves tell us when they need water by their appearance but unfortunately have no way of communicating when they have been overwatered. It is extremely important to monitor your plants; if you see that the soil looks wet wait for it to dry out a bit before watering again. If the pot is completely dried out immerse the entire container in a bucket of water for at least 10 minutes until the soil has become dark, more compact and consistent again.
Remember that plants, especially container grown, need water when you are away on holiday so it is important to make provisions. A supply of water under the pot or a plastic bottle filled with water and stuck into the dirt can substitute an automatic irrigation system.
Regular watering on a limited basis during the winter is also important.
Remember: Plants will usually die of over or underwatering before they die from disease.

SOIL
Our plants do not like limy ground or soil: when replanting or changing containers use peat that is a mix of sand pumice or other drainage material or a soil mix specifically for acidophiles. We feel that it is important to add some sort of drainage material or organic matter to the soil to guarantee an aereated environment. For healthy growth it is enough to change the container and add to the soil in alternating years, breaking up the root ball of the old roots if they have become too compacted.

FERTILIZER
We have made disastrous mistakes ourselves with over fertilizing or misdirected use of fertilizers, like placing it too near the neck of the plant. Our plants require a minimum quantity of fertilizer. Never give more than 2 grams per litre of vase size – a teaspoonful is sufficient for a small plant and a tablespoonful for larger pots. If available use slow-release formulas: they have the advantage of being applied only once, they dissolve slowly and can last up to a year. If you choose to use a traditional fertilizer it should be applied twice a year, just after the blooming period and again at the end of the summer.

PRUNING
Our plants do not need pruning after sale but owners are free to thin, shape or train plants to create a certain effect as they see fit; the best time to do this just after blooming. It is also advisable to groom plants to keep them healthy and attractive; deadheading spent flower heads and clipping off dead leaves and branches prevents damage from insects and disease.

SELECTING A PLANTING SITE
These are all plants that grow naturally in wooded glades with a watercourse nearby. A bit of shade, especially during the hottest time of the day in summer is preferred, and will also facilitate the job of keeping the soil fresh and damp. In the ground plants can resist full sun exposure but some shade is still recommended. If the ground cover is clayy, heavy and calcerous it is a good idea to create a small raised bed for your acidophile plant instead of digging a hole; this will guarantee the plant a good drainage system. Adding peat or acid soil to the bed will give the plant a perfect environment to develop a healthy and hardy root system.

PESTS, DISEASES AND OTHER PROBLEMS
Even though our plants are rarely subject to aphids, powdery mildew, blight or mites these can all create problems in a plant’s colouring and general appearance. Only in serious cases is treatment recommended as problems are often resolved naturally by the plants themselves in time for the following season. Often it is enough to spray a plant with a strong jet of water to rid it of parasìtes. Serious enough to kill a plant can be an attack of weevils (oziorrinco sulcatus), an insect that as an adult feeds on leaves, leaving telltale notched edges while the grubs, or larvae, feed on the neck or stems of smaller plants, cutting off nutrients which will cause wilting. In the presence of a lot of nibbling of the leaf edges it is advisable to apply a geo-disinfectant in winter, distributed in the zone of the neck where the larvae burrow.

WINTER PROTECTION
All our plants can support temperatures a few degrees below zero. Only Camellias with white roots having high water content risk serious damage if the cold lasts and if the soil in their container freezes. We suggest protecting containerized plants, especially if they are still small, with straw or insulating material. In extremely harsh conditions they should be moved temporarily indoors into an unheated area.

Over the years the CONSORZIO FIORI TIPICI DEL LAGO MAGGIORE has published useful care and instruction sheets generally available in garden centers. For other questions please contact via e-mail paolo.zacchera@chaeapnet.it