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Landscape Design Ask The Yard Doctor

Remove 10ft+ Heritage Rhododendrons from Yard?

27 days ago

We have 4-5 giant (10ft+) rhododendrons at the center of our front yard (previous owner planted them a couple decades ago). They are healthy but significantly reduce the amount of light coming into our yard. When I look out the window, rhododendrons are the only thing I see as they are in the center.

I’m considering removing them to open up the space and plant food producing plants (smaller grape vines) or build a pond.

On the flip side, I’m concerned that I’m making a mistake (maybe they are what makes this house unique?)

What do you all think?

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Comments (7)

HU-187528210
27 days ago
I personally like the privacy it adds. But I think I’d clean up the rest of the landscaping. It seems a bit messy to me.
I’d want something more symmetrical and neat to make up for the big trees…
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
27 days ago
While rhodies are not my favorite shrub - too much of the year as a big green blob - they are ubiquitous here and I lived for many years in a garden that had massive ones the size of a school bus. And although they can be transplanted relatively easily, size matters, and those will be very difficult to move and re-establish elsewhere without professional help.

One suggestion would be to thin them out and limb them up so there is more of a structural, tree-like form that will allow light to penetrate through more easily.
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On such big established plants, the roots are probably not very compact and fibrous for moving. They really should be root pruned several months to a year before you attempt to move them unless you can assure a large root ball and maintain the integrity. You have several options. 1) You could prune them back to size after they finsh blooming. Since they are healthy and get lots of sun they should come back very quickly no matter how much you cut them back. 2) You could move them, but I would recommend root pruning several month before moving. They should be root pruned and top pruned now to be moved in the fall. Fall is the best time to move them since there is less moisture stress. You just need to mulch them well after moving. They have shallow roots, so the root balls only need be about 8" to 10" deep and as large as the drip line. 3) I recommend you prune them way back after they finish blooming, and then take lots of cuttings from these clippings to root for plants in the back yard. It sounds like your mother-in-law has mastered the art of rooting the cuttings. Here is a link that might be useful: How to grow rhododendrons and azaleas.
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I have been reading about lacebugs and it is a big concern here. Apparently the "hairier" leafed varieties (Impeditum??) are less susceptible. I was talking to a woman last week and she said that she has managed to keep them at bay by keeping a close watch on the leaves and washing the undersides of the leaves if she sees evidence of their presence. A rhododendron garden in Portland is using some type of sprinkler system to spray upward from underneath the leaves.
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Comments (32)
congrats on getting it done ... not a great pic ... but i think you should bring in some soil.. and create a moat ... so you can lay down some water.. and it will stay around the plant.. while it soaks in ... its a HUGE transplant .... and you have to insure.. that the root mass .. stays MOIST ... thru the entire root mass ... not just some surface water that runs off ... you will have to use a hand trowel... once in a while.. to check soil moisture down 3 or 6 inches .... you will need to perfect watering for at least 2 years ... and perhaps drought in the third year ... watering is the key to life ... i dont know if i gave you this link before.. but check the section on proper watering ... ken https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub
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raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
27 days ago
What will be your view with them gone?

PS: IME grapevines don't want to stay small.... and take a deal of care to have them produce, and not be eaten by the local wildlife...
Sigrid
27 days ago
You can prune them pretty significantly. You can remove one (finding someone who wants it might be good) and see how things change. I'm a fan of taking it slow, because you can always do more later if you start relatively small.

Personally, I'd love them and keep them and if you were removing them, want them for my yard.
PRO
HALLETT & Co.
27 days ago
They could be trimmed up into small trees and under planted if you wanted. Seems a shame to rip them out if you aren’t sure.
Tish
27 days ago
last modified: 27 days ago
You are not planting food producing anything, including grapes, in the shade of those larger trees. It isn’t the rhodies that are making things dark. Rhodies are understory shrubs, and enjoy the shade of those trees. Food crops need blazing full sun.
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
27 days ago
Step one should be to find an aesthetic pruner (a good one) and try to shape the form to open up the space. If that still fails to give you the view you want, then I might spend a year trying to find an organization that would pay to have them moved. Those are too nice to just kill off.

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