By Bella4
United Kingdom 
I have a 25 year old rhodendrom which seems to be slowly dying.
Half the plant is in bud,the other half I’d dead branches.i put erinaceous compost round it every summer,water with rain water etc. I was recommended to feed with a dilute solution containing vinegar.
I plan to prune the deadwood,put more erinaceous compost on and to cross my fingers!!
Please can anyone tell me if I could plant an outdoor azalea where the Rhoda is,if the worst comes to the worst.
I want to keep the rhodi,if poss,as it was propagated by a friend. Thanks
On plant
Rhodendron pink
10 Apr, 2018
Answers
If the plant is in the ground just wondering why you water it with rain water? That's normally used for container plants in hard water areas where tap water is too alkaline.
You clearly know that rhodos and azaleas need acid conditions and mulching with ericaceous compost is a good thing to do if your soil is not very acid, but if the plant has been happy for 25 years it doesn't sound as though the pH of the ground is the problem. If the ground has been very wet in recent months that could be a contributory factor.If you do want to feed any other rhododenrons in future it would be better to use an ericaceous feed rather than vinegar.
Perhaps you might have Phytophthera root rot - lots of info on line that might help you to decide. If that's what it is dig it up and burn it. It would be unwise to plant a susceptible species on the site for a year or two after removing the rhodo.
11 Apr, 2018
Hi, welcome to GoY, if half the shrub is in bud, and the other half dead, I think it's unlikely to be either soil ph or any problem with the roots, have a look for a break from the main stem, it sounds as though it's more likely to have been damaged some time between the last time it was healthy on both sides of the plant, and now, Derek.
13 Apr, 2018
Previous question
Can you provide a photo and describe the position. Azaleas have specific requirements to thrive.
10 Apr, 2018