Practical camellia care from two decades in the garden
Helen Pritchard · June 26, 2026
Most camellia growers don’t realize tea scale is already on their plants. I didn’t either—not until I zoomed in on the underside of a leaf from my ‘Yuletide’ one February morning and found what looked like tiny cream-colored bumps arranged in neat rows. That’s when I understood why my otherwise healthy japonica had started dropping … Read more
Helen Pritchard · February 13, 2026
Most camellia growers don’t realize they’re hosting a pest problem until leaves start yellowing or flowers arrive stippled and bruised. That’s when panic sets in. After 20+ years tending camellias across three zones, I’ve learned that knowing which insects actually threaten your plants—and which ones you can safely ignore—saves you time, money, and unnecessary spraying. … Read more
Helen Pritchard · February 5, 2026
Last spring, I walked out to my back garden and felt my stomach drop. A dozen of my most treasured camellias — plants I had nurtured for over two decades in my Zone 8b garden — were coated in what…