Camellia

Question

I have a large camellia bush (10 feet high). Last year and this year it did not bloom and has ‘powdery mildew’. I treated it several times. Should I prune it way down to make treatment easier or replace it?

Answer 1

I would prune it, but not down. I would prune it to allow for better air flow. Cut away stems that are crossing or close together. Powdery mildew thrive on plants that are growing too compactly and pruning away some of the interior branches can fix this and then make the powdery mildew treatable.