Good for you. Keep us posted on your Camellia. That's a good find. Blessed are the scavenger hunters for they bring out the beauty in bargains. :-)

Love your will power about not buying what you already have. My problem is that just when I think I have it all, I forget where I put it.

Haha! This has been me as of late. Used to, I couldn't walk out of a store without a handbag or pair of heels. Now, I can't walk out of a plant nursery without picking up something! Would love to hear more about your camellia as it grows! You may have seen a post I made about having 2 camellia shrubs. Even though they aren't suited for beginners, I just couldn't pass them up. They're so beautiful!! So far, I think I'm doing alright with them. They've had a mild case of mold that's diminishing now and someone decided to snack on a few if the lowermost leaves but I read that wasn't detrimental. Aside from that, they have some new growth and leaves all look glossy and healthy.

I confess my thoughts wander back to that bag. I just try to remind myself that it was too heavy. Summer is great for putting that into perspective.

The camellia is a hybrid called Gay Baby. I will dig a big hole, put some peat based potting soil and composted manure in it. I'll also put some food for acid loving plants in it that I have left from fertilizing the others in my camellia bed. Yes, I have a camellia bed. I've got it bad.

These are slow growing plants so the bigger the better to begin with. This one is already about 3 ft tall. I don't have a hybrid. If my meanderings through the internet are right, it should bloom between the sasanquas and japonicas

The two I picked up are called White By The Gate. I used a granular fertilizer for camellias when I planted them. Mine are also about 3 feet tall. I read they can last for decades with proper care. I may be hooked...

The clearance plant section at Lowes always gets me too. I picked up a six pack of Purslane and a red Echinacea today, both 75% off.

Ok... me too! I went to Lowe's today and picked up four Silver King Angel's hair (Artemisia Rey Plata). Each pot was $1.00! Woo hoo! They look good, too!

I can pass up shoes and purses but not Lowe's clearance section. It'll get me every time!

It's good to know I'm not alone. :=)

Para. I love that flower on White by the Gate! My first camellia has that flower but it is an Italian name I can never remember and will remain short. I love the flower so much that even though it is in a protected area on the east side of my house, I have run out there to toss a blanket on it when several January days and nights got really cold. I couldn't bear the thought of missing those flowers for a year. c

Cynthia- I'm so excited to see if I get any buds this fall! It is fall/early winter when these shrubs bloom, yes? I went to Archie's and saw these. Glad I picked them up because they were sold out the following week. I went solely by the photo on the tag. I'm eagerly awaiting those double blooms!! And hey, if my novice status means it doesn't bloom the first year, so be it. I'll wait!

I hope those camellias thrive for you! My friend in Keller finally removed hers - but she didn't have them in a well-amended camellia bed.

Here in east Texas they grow almost sinfully easily - my vet has a sasanqua for a hedge in front of his building that gets trimmed like a hedge and blooms beautifully!

From what (little) I know of camellias, the large-leafed ones (e.g. japonica) do well in the shade, while the small-leafed ones (e.g. sasanqua) can take full sun. I only have high shade here, so I lean towards getting japonicas, but I will buy any on sale! (yes, it is a sickness!!!)

I read on the camellia forum that White by the Gate starts to bloom in late December in Alabama, so you may have to cover it to enjoy the blooms. From the photo, it looks like it's worth it!

Lin

I use the azalea gardenia food from Redenta's. I'll get the name on the bag if you like. I've seen it other places. According to a camellia site we should fertilize 3 times: right after flower, late spring and May/June. This is a slow release blend and I added some extra phosphate because for me it's all about the flowers.

I did not know that sasanquas want more sun. I have my japonicas in more suns than my sasanquas, but none in anything remotely like full sun. They are in a bed that gets some morning sun and maybe some afternoon sun. This may be the reason I have fewer flowers than I expected.

I have now fertilized twice and then will have to wait and see and hope. c

Lin
You might find this interesting. This is one of the variets I planted late last fall. I went for the biggest plants I could find because they stay small. This nursery says only morning sun. I hate it when they give conflicting info. The Gay Baby I just bought is still in his pot because I read one place that says it really likes Sun. But Sun here or somewhere else? Sorry to ramble....c

Here is a link that might be useful: Sasanqua needs shade

if you have a chance, go over to Hodges Gardens, I think it is in Many, La. I think late Feb early March would be best- they have the most fabulous camillas I've ever seen
apparently they can easily live over 50 years, many were
tree sized - bigger than the biggest crepe myrtle I've ever seen....