I have a very large rhododendron in a huge pot

You can plant it in the ground whatever your soil type as long as you make the soil it will be growing in acid rather than alkaline. Dig a bigger hole than you need for the pot, and line it with ericaceous compost. If you dress the soil in future years with sulphur or an acidic fertiliser, and mulch with pine needles or similar it should be fine in the ground.

I’m interested because I have the same thing. I have had the plant for more than 20 years. It is too heavy a pot to shift but it is made of black plastic and is starting to split. I changed the flowers to blue with a pool chemical, can’t remember what now.

I know you can change hydrangeas nanna8* I don’t think you can rhododendron? Happy to be educated.

Just remembered- it was alum.

Oops- it was a hydrangea, you are right. Must have had too much wine 😀

Casdon is right. We have one in the ground and we add ericaceous compost around it every year to keep the soil acid. Seems to work well.

I do the same with a previously potted camellia and since also adding tea leaves it's really coming along. Read tealeaves help to make the soul acidic. Just break open the teabags first and dispose of them.

Soul not soul

Oh blimey - soil !

Maybe I need a cuppa

I've got an unhappy potted rhodedendron too. I would try it in the garden as acid-lovers seem to do well here, but it's a lovely "Ali Baba" shaped pot & I'd have to chop its rootball to get it out.
I think I'll choose to save the pot rather than the plant, but keep delaying because, as for OP, it does have gorgeous flowers in spring.

I had a rhododendron in a pot for years. Once I thought it was dead but it resprouted. This year dh transplanted it into a pot carefully using ericaceous compost and watering with rain butt water. Sadly it has dead definitely. Perhaps we killed it with kindness. It thrived on neglect before.

Hi everyone, I am happy to say my husband and daughter managed to replant the rhododendron into this enormous new plant pot.
It is looking a lot happier, I am having to water though even if it rains as the canopy is so large.
Thank you everyone for your comments.