The Camellia prefers a moist soil that is not too wet. The right type of soil will contribute to this. A surplus of water will result in yellow-green leaves and stagnant growth. The plant will then look a bit sad. When new flower buds are developing, the plant requires plenty of water if conditions are dry. Should a Camellia become too dry in such a period, it could lose its buds in spring.
After flowering, the Camellia could use some light fertilisation. (Lime-free) organic fertiliser is ideally suited for this purpose. As the year progresses towards summer, additional fertilisation is recommended for good budding and to retain the dark green colour of the leaf. Again, do not use too much fertiliser. As the new shoots will push aside the flower buds, this could lead to a surplus of leaves and very few flowers. In extreme cases, a surplus of fertiliser could even cause the plant to die.
The Camellia hardly requires any pruning due to the slow growth of the plant. A light pruning to reshape the plant can be given after flowering. The Camellia can, every once in a while, develop long shoots. To preserve the plant, it is recommended that these shoots be pruned. One can also apply drastic pruning to reduce the size of the Camellia. This should be done after flowering. Prune the plant back to the desired height. After pruning, provide more compost than normal and increase watering. This will be of benefit to help the Camellia recover. In the first year after drastic pruning, the plant will produce few to no flowers at all.
