Should I prune Rhododenron buds?

[Halloween Jack]

Hi folks,

Our Rhododendron grew flower buds last year but they never flowered, they're still there.

Not sure why, maybe lack off sun?

I've moved it to a sunnier spot now but should I leave the buds or prune them off?

I don't suppose they'll open this year, being so old now, will they?

Cheers

 

[Jackrae]

Unlikely but they may be leaf buds, if old flower buds they will probably be brown by now. Rhodies are best pruned immediately after flowering (in the spring) but you will lose the following year's flowers. And you can prune them really hard - in fact the harder the better.

 

[Halloween Jack]

They're not brown, they look exactly as they did in spring and summer.

Quite big for leaf buds but maybe that's it.

Anyway, too late to prune so I may as well leave them, see what happens

Thanks

 

[Deleted2797112]

Rhododendrons prefer an acid soil so that may be why they're not flowering. They don't like full sun, they're a woodland plant so dappled sun is better. They don't really need much in the way of pruning, just removal of spent flowerheads and any dead or diseased wood. I'd only consider hard pruning if it had really got out of control and needed renovation. They flower on the previous year's wood so you'lll probably get few/no flowers if you prune. I'd also not prune while the weather is freezing - you risk frost damage.

 

[Jackrae]

Also, flower buds are usually single, quite fat and short whereas leaf buds are usually in pairs and tend to be half as fat as flower ones and about twice as long.