List of recommended camellia varieties for Orange County These are plants our members report doing particularly well in Orange County.  Growers may find that certain formal double varieties have difficulty opening their blooms in gardens seven miles or less from the ocean.  Some varieties take more sun than others, or are particularly suited to being kept in pots. Find out about them here. Caring for your new camellia You've already got a camellia in your yard, or you've purchased a new camellia, here is how to plant it in your garden or care for it as a potted plant. Fertilizing It is especially important to know the root and the growth cycle of the camellia when considering fertilizing. Because they are comparatively light feeders and surface rooting, more camellias are lost by fertilizing mistakes than by lack of feeding altogether. Read more... Pruning Most older camellias that have not been tended need extensive pruning. Remove cross branches and weak, twiggy growth. Also selectively remove enough growth so that light penetrates into the interior of the plant. If shortening a branch, cut just beyond a growth bud that will grow in the desired direction. Consider the weight and size of the expected blooms when pruning and try to achieve branches that are both sturdy enough to support their weight and spaced to allow sufficient room for the blooms to open unhindered. Most growers do major pruning just after the blooming period, but pruning can be done any time, as needed.  Disbudding - VIEW THE VIDEO Disbudding is the practice of removing extra buds so that the remaining buds will produce larger flowers.  Short instructions and photo. Gibbing Gibberellic acid is a plant growth hormone.  It is applied by twisting off the dormant growth bud located next to a promising flower bud and applying a few drops of the hormone.  It can increase the size of the flower significantly.  Did you see cabbage-size camellia blooms at a show?  They were probably gibbed.  You can purchase a gib kit and directions from the American Camellia Society for about $12.  It will gib hundreds of flowers.  Click here, then scroll down the page to Gib kits. Soil Testing Camellias prefer a soil pH of about 6.5.  But, they will do fairly well at higher or lower soil pH levels.  If you are planting a new garden, or you have a camellia that is not doing well, and you have ruled out over and under-watering as a cause, you might want to try soil testing.  Tests kits cost about $5.  New to Camellias? Check out the Primer