ou’ve heard the expression: “April showers bring May flowers.”

Well, for some gardeners, this season’s heavy rainfall has been a thorn in the side.

If the leaves on your rhododendrons are browning, the branches are brittle or the buds are struggling to bloom — the monthslong rain that has been falling over the Pennsylvania might be the cause.

“I would say that some of this probably could have actually started last year,” Dr. Rick Bates, professor of horticulture at Penn State, said.

Last year was the wettest year on record for the commonwealth, according to the National Weather Service. In fact, in 2018, Pennsylvania’s average annual rainfall was surpassed by 26 inches.

“That I think is definitely the link,” Bates said.

“Rhododendrons themselves are really kind of finicky plants, because they like really good drainage,” he said. “If the soil is wet all the time and they don’t have that drainage, then what happens is the very fine roots start to rot and die off, and that provides an entry point for some disease organisms.”

Once that process begins — and diseases start to spread — Bates said typically, it’s too late to save the plant.

“They tend to be finicky anyway, and very site-demanding, but then you add to that an extremely wet period of time, and that usually is enough to do it,” he said.

So, how can gardeners prevent that fate for their rhododendrons?

It starts with the soil.

“They (rhododendrons) like moisture, but they need the good drainage, and the only way you get both of those things happening — good drainage but still kind of a moisture-retentive soil — is when there is a lot of organic matter in the soil,” Bates said.

Here are some other tips for caring for your rhododendrons, per the Old Farmer’s Almanac:

Rhododendron shrubs shouldn’t be planted in the deep shade or full sun. Their ideal placement is in a sunny spot that provides the large-leaved plants with at least 6 hours of sunlight, as well as a few hours of shade.

The soil must be well-drained, rich in organic matter and acidic, having a pH balance between 4.5 and 6. Rhododendrons have shallow root systems, which means they need moist soil to help prevent their drying out.