Let me try again. Hopefully this will work.........

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:397555}}

The problem is probably not enough water or too much water.

If the plant looks wilted in the heat of the day but not in the morning, then it is still OK and should only be watered when it tends to look wilted in the morning.

If the plant looks wilted in the morning and doesn't respond to watering, it is either diseased or not getting water where it is needed. Your best bet is to carefully dig it up and examine the root mass. It is a light ball, then water is not penetrating the root ball. Soak it and replant it.

If the root ball is not light, but moist, then it is probably diseased and will never recover.

Good Luck!

Thank you so much for your response. I have not had a chance to dig it up, but hopefully by the weekend I can have a better look.

My rhodies (2) look dead. we had a really bad heat spell and although 1 was planted last year and has a companion that looks great, this one up and browned within a week! 2 other rhodies that my daughter got me for mothers day (rare yellow evergreen type) are doing badly. One looks dead and is near the other dead one and the other we replanted to another area of the garden with hopes it would recover. My gardener said it is lack of sun but I noticed it seemed 2 occur around the extreme heat spell (also I have an epimedium next this site and it looks burned so HELLO 2 much sun; however, the soil seems moist-maybe too so-we are in central northern NJ and i have been having an issue with rhodies in this one spot.. Could it be a blight, grubs,deer or other mammal urine or just the extreme weather? I put grub killer and blood meal around the area earlier and the yellow guy seemed to pick up a bit but then went AWOL. All my rhodies and azaleas in the other parts of the garden are doing well. In fact I nursed some old specimens when we bought this place to better heath HEEELP PLEASE!!

Yellow rhododendrons are extremely susceptable to root rot. They need a site sheltered from the afternoon sun with excellent drainage. In hot weather with moist roots they frequently succumb to root rot. It initially looks like wilt from dry conditions, but watering makes it worse.

In general, with a hot dry summer like we had this year, you need to be vigilant of your plants, especially younger plants. If they are wilted in the morning, they most likely need to be watered. If the leaves only droop in the heat of the day, that is normal and watering can cause more harm than good.

I never water more than once a week, but mine are planted with good drainage, partial shade, and a mulch to keep the roots cool. If the leaves don't perk up by the next morning after being watered, the plant most likely is diseased or dying of drought. I had one like that this year and destroyed it since it won't recover and can infect other plants.

Here is a link that might be useful: How to care for rhododendrons and azaleas.