Rhododendron help please

[RingoFlamingo]

I inherited a rhododendron when I moved into my house 8 years ago. I have ignored it so far but have started trying to make my garden look nice in the last few months.

It's currently in a corner at the bottom of a gently sloped, raised lawn; the soil (clay) was very wet in winter/spring. It gets pretty much full sun at this time of year but some shade from the house when the days are shorter.

I need to dig it up because we're having the railings replaced and there will be a fence post where it currently is. I'm thinking if moving it to the shady side of the garden along a fence where it only gets morning sun? Is that worth a try? I don't really have a space in dappled shade which is what my googling suggests they like. Its leaves are very yellowed and I noticed when deadheading it this morning that the leaves that are covered by others are much greener and more healthy-looking. Any tips welcome!

Thanks!

Yes, worth trying along the fence. It won't like full sun. They also need an acid soil - the yellowing leaves may simply be that it doesn't like your soil. Do rhododendrons grow successfully in gardens and parks near you? If not, you can either attempt the difficult job of lowering the pH of your soil, or just accept that your garden can't grow rhododendrons.

As Rhododendrons are usually evergreens, they shed leaves all year round, so I wouldn’t worry about the occasional yellowing one.
They do like to grow in dappled shade, but I have a bed of them facing south west and they’re fine.
It is important to have the right soil, so when replanting dig a big hole and fill it with ericaceous compost, then make the smaller hole for the plant. Next spring before flowering give it an ericaceous feed. It should be fine.

Great, thanks. I'll see how it gets on in the shadier spot, with some ericaceous compost. Since it has to come up anyway I've got nothing to lose.

We've got rhododendrons on neutral clay soil, we use iron sulfate to lower the pH in their area.

Sorry for resurrecting this old thread but in case anyone is interested, my rhododendron seems to love its new surroundings. It has doubled in size since I moved it and the new growth looks so much healthier. Thanks for the advice.

It looks very happy there. Look forward to the lovely flowers next Spring. Don’t feed it until next spring and with ericaceous plant food.