Camelia Shrub

[malana3]

I have a (so far) healthy potted camelia shrub with plenty of buds on it. To protect it from frost I have moved it into my garage and have been keeping the soil moist. I have today noticed that it appears to be shedding a lot of its leaves. I am anxious to preserve it through to the spring and I am wondering if I am doing something wrong. Any advice would be gratefully received.

[EcclesCake]

It really isn't very natural for a plant to live in darkness.

Can you not find a protected spot in the garden where it gets daylight but is protected from frost?

If not some fleece may give it some protection.

[mazie]

It's missing the light and air. Leaves are the lungs of a plant.

[Chipchopper]

I agree, a sheltered spot outside would be favorite, next to a south facing wall maybe.
You should be able to get a fleece bag to cover the crown of the shrub.

[boxtops]

We keep our potted camellia out all year, just put a frost fleece over it in the winter. It'll hate being in the dark, no rain or sun, and you might inadvertently be overwatering it indoors. Go and get a covering for it, and put it back out in a sheltered spot.

[woofgang]

get it out of the garage pronto, camellias are himalayan plants and tough as old boots, just wrap the pot in some insulating fleece so the roots don't freeze....poor thing kept in the dark, i bet it would make your leaves drop off lol.

[Canary42]

Why is everyone assuming malana3's garage is dark ? Mine's not, it's got windows.

[woofgang]

canary, I bet its still dark compared to being outside.

[Ann]

I leave mine out in a pot even with no fleece around - it withstood temps last Winter of at least -10 deg. They are usually tough plants.

[woofgang]

Mine are big now and they and the pots would be expensive to replace so I take extra care.

[boxtops]

It's not open to the elements, shut in the garden, mine never complained and we are in a north-facing garden.

[nungate]

Ours is planted outside the living room window, it stood in feet of snow when we had that last winter when the entire country was covered in snow, I don't worry about it now it seems very hardy.

[woofgang]

nungate, snow is a brilliant insulator. The weight of it can break branches, but once it has fallen and is laying, it protects plants from freezing. The big killer of specimen plants in tubs is wet weather followed by freezing temperatures, The wet earth freezes in the pot and can freeze the rootball and kill the plant, also the wet earth expands and can burst the pots