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Florist Azalea care

23 Comments on Florist Azalea care»

1. I have an azalea plant that has dropped all of its leaves. If I prune this plant will it survive? Can you please offer any advise to save this bush. Thank you

   You can cut it back, it will take pruning to as much as 6-12″ to the ground. Best time to head back your azalea is before spring growth begins. By mid summer you should have new growth. Mulch and keep the shallow roots moist but not wet during this time. As you new growth emerges, pinch or cut back any new shoots that are 6-12″ long to get a bushier plant.

   Comment by Pat — 3/26/2005 @ 12:05 am

2. Can I split an azalea plant into more parts, if it has been grown in a pot?

   You can split your azalea if you clearly see two separate main stems - that is if two seedlings that were planted together.

   Comment by k — 3/28/2005 @ 12:19 pm

3. How far apart should I plant Azalea’s and I have red clay soil, also how deep should we plant them? thanks

   To plant your azalea dig a hole the same depth as the rootball and twice the width. If you have clay soil add peat moss into the soil and plant the rootball higher than the original grade to allow for better drainage. Additionally, add good soil on top of mound and add 2-3″ of mulch. Don’t pile the mulch against the trunk of the plant. The spacing should be determined by the mature size of the azalea. Some can be 4 ft wide other more or less.

   Comment by Kary Niehaus — 4/25/2005 @ 8:10 pm

4. I have many Azaleas planted in my garden but find that the leaves are going white although I have added iron and also acid to the soil. The back of the leaf has lots of tiny dark spots and I am wondering if these plants have a chewing insect on them and they need to be sprayed with something. Can you tell me what and many thanks.

   You may have some kind of sucking insect such as spider mites. Check for web in the leaf axils and on the back of the leaf. Google http://hgic:clemson.edu they have a good list of insects problem that can occur on azaleas. Another possiblity is that it’s not insects but sunburn. During sunny weather the center portion of the leaf turn to a tan, off-white color. If that is the case you need to move your azalea to a more shaded/protected spot.

   Comment by Yvonne Brajevich — 5/1/2005 @ 12:35 pm

5. My azaleas have been severely cut back and now have spindly shoots coming out instead of a bush effect. How can I fix this problem or are they too damaged?

   azaleas can take pruning, be patient and they should fill in and get bushy. Pinch back the spindly shoots once they are 6-12″, that will encourage bushier growth as well.

   Comment by holly — 5/1/2005 @ 7:48 pm

6. my azalea is an indoor plant do the flowers fall off or do I pinch them off ? any help would be great

   The flowers usually dry up and come off, you don’t need to pinch them unless you like to tidy up the plant.

   Comment by Marg — 5/17/2005 @ 9:24 am

7. The flowers on my Azalea have dried up and fell off…but the leaves are drying up and falling off too !!! The soil is damp and seems ok. Some leaves are still held on pretty strong. Should I cut back the branches to conserve it’s energy ?

   According to the Azalea society when leaves turn brown,die and drop in the summer is an indication of too little water, too much water or too much fertilizer. Check the root ball for moisture and the condition of the roots. They should be firm. Crisp-brown mushy root indicate too much water or a type of root rot. Cut back any dried branches below the dead zone. Sterilize your tools with a bleach solution(1 part bleach 9 parts water) or wipe tool with alcohol between each cutting as not to spread the disease.

   Comment by Orlando — 6/12/2005 @ 7:46 am

8. I HAVE A AZALEA BUSH AND IT IS GROWING BEAUTIFULLY, IT BUDS BUT IT DOES NOT BLOOM. THE BUDS ARE EMPTY. CAN YOU HELP ME?

   Buds that are empty and dried out are victims of either a disease( botrytis) or an insect (thrips) both indicate the same symptoms. Eliminate overhead watering to see if it is botrytis. If that doesn’t work then it may be thrips. These are tiny insects that feed on the flower bud. They are difficult to control. Try spraying with Orthene or Sevin when the buds start to develop. You may have to repeat the spraying in 10 days.

   Comment by ROBIN SMITH — 7/8/2005 @ 12:38 pm

9. My Azalea’s are about 10yrs. old. I need to transplant them, because we had to cut some trees, and now they will be in full sun all day.When and how is the best time to transplant them.

   The safer time is in the Spring but you can move it in the Fall before the ground freeze and when the plant is dormant.

   Comment by Mary Hamm — 10/5/2005 @ 5:16 pm

10. All of my white azaleas have brown on the edges of the flowers, also the buds. Is it because they get wet from the sprinklers?

    Yes, your sprinkler probably helped with the problem. The buds are less cold hardy than the plant and with any slight freeze will turn brown. Flower buds can develop petal blight in cool, damp weather which is caused by a fungus. .

    Comment by Janet Simmonds — 4/1/2006 @ 9:28 am

11. i bought some azaleas back in december and planted them in an area where they only get sun from sunrise to about 11am. if they do flower its only about 1 or 2 every couple weeks. they have new growth on them but they are not flowering. do you know what the problem may be?

    Some azaleas are prolific bloomer whereas others are not. Some factors that may affect blooming is : if this year’s buds were pruned last year. They form a few months after blooming. Less than 3 hrs of sun will reduce the number of buds, lack of moisture and poor plant nutirtion. Generally, Azaleas will bloom in the spring and when they do its all at once which lasts about 2 weeks.

    Comment by Ross Currie — 4/2/2006 @ 10:50 am

12. i just bought an old home and the azaleas bloomed but there is alot of dead wood i am removing, but they are spindly and tall( 10′ or so) should i cut them all back? if so how much should i cut them?please help me thanks

    There are two ways to prune an Azalea. Thinning-remove the dead wood, leggy stems by cutting back to the main trunk or other branch. This will reduce the size of the plant. You can thin anytime but it is better when done right after flowering-so it won’t affect next years flowers. The second is heading- which is cutting back athe branch to reduce the size of the plant. This is used to renew an overgrown old plant. Cut back 6-12 ” to the ground which should give you new growth by midsummer. Best time to do this is before Spring growth begins because it will give the plant time to form next years buds and new growth to mature and harden before winter. After renewal pruning, trim the new growth to get a bushier plant. Be sure to keep it well watered and when new growth emerges(late spring) fertilize it. You can do this now but if done later in the season you may sacrifice next years flowers. For additional info on azalea care go to http:// hgic/clemson.edu

    Comment by jordan — 4/24/2006 @ 2:15 pm

13. I have received a small Azalea for a gift and would like to keep it indoors, we have nice lighting along with skylights, could you tell me what kind of pot to plant it in referring to size and where it should be kept in the house, it is simply beautiful….thank-you

    Indoors-keep it in a bright filtered light-no direct sun. If you need to replant it put it in a pot that is one inch larger and use a well-drained soil mix with peat moss. It might be happy in the container it is in for now. Fertilize with an acid loving fertilizer(Muracid)in the spring and during the growing season. Be sure not to let it dry out too much. They like to be kept moist but not wet.

    Comment by Jan — 5/13/2006 @ 4:24 pm

14. What is the maximum life expetancy of a grocery store azalea.
    #1…if kept indoors
    #2…if set outdoors over the summer in a northern climate
    #3…what is the maximum blooming time
    #4…what about repeat blooming
    Thanks if I receive answers to these questions it would be wonderful!
    Rose

    Store azalea if kept indoors can survive several years if you are dilligent in maintaining moisture and fertilizing. If set outdoors it will enjoy the summer shade and should be brought indoors for the winter as they are not hardy in Northern climates. An azalea’s flowers an last 4-6 wks. depending on how tight the buds are when you buy it and how you keep it. IF it is allowed to wilt, the blooming time will be reduced and flowers damaged. Hot temperatures will also reduce blooming time. Repeat blooming is triggered by short days and long nights so when you bring it indoor in the fall(before frost) it will start to set its buds and may rebloom in the winter.

    Comment by rose habschied — 5/19/2006 @ 1:09 am

15. My husband just picked up some fisher pink azaleas a couple of days ago. Is it to late to plant them in the ground. We live in south texas. Thanks

    Azaleas can be planted all year and the fall is a good time. Be sure to plant in a well drained soil with the top of the root ball level or just above the soil line-not lower. When taking out of the container, check the roots. If the are growing in a circle around the outside of the rootball, you will need to make 3-4 evenly spaced 1/4 “cuts to encourage the roots to spread out.

    Comment by Stacey — 8/9/2006 @ 4:22 am

16. I have a huge bush of Azalea out side. I collected quite an amount of seeds. Can I start with the seed for new plant or can I cut branches from the bush and grow inside during the winter and plant in the spring. i would like to propagate the plant and use it as border on front of the house. Thank you for attention. Prabhakar.

    You can sow the seeds in the winter in a moist sand/peat or perlite mix. Broadcast the seeds on the surface, mist lightly and cover with plastic. Seeds should germinate in 2-6 wks, depending on variety. Cuttings should be taken in the spring (softwood cuttings) for deciduous Azaleas, whereas with evergreen Azaleas semi-hardwood cuttings can be taken from June on. The cutting should not break when bent and will take 6-8 wks to root.

    Comment by prabhakar Hosanagara — 10/11/2006 @ 1:56 am

17. I received a florist Azalea for my birthday a week ago. The pot it is in is very small but I am afraid to repot it. I live in Indiana and don’t believe I can plant it outdoors. Do you think I can leave it in the pot it is in until spring?

    Yes, leave it in the pot till spring. Winter is not a good time to repot.

    Comment by Linda Turner — 11/28/2006 @ 1:52 pm

18. we have a beautiful white azalea plant that came with the house (so it is at least 20 years) and it is important to me as it blooms exactly on our anniversary every year…and until the past couple of years has really given a beautiful showing of blooms. I have pruned dead branches back here and there but this year there is major dead branches (60-70%)…meanwhile there is growth, new leaves and buds in other areas(30-40%). my husband wants to get rid of it but I have an attachment to it and want to try and save it. can the major part of the plant be cut back to the base of the plant and then can I expect re-growth next year??? the plant is also rather miss-shaped now from the branches from the past few years I have pruned out. would cutting it back to the base give me a new start at a better shape? any help would be appreciated. thank you.

    Since you have so much damage this year, prune away the dead branches only and leave any growing stems. The plant needs to make food via leaves to survive. Feed it with some Muracid and just prune lightly after blooming to encourage new growth.
    For heavy pruning try renewal pruning which is done over a period of 3 years. Cut back 1/3 of all stems(including dead and diseases branches) to ground level the first year, 1/3 the second yr, and 1/3 the third yr. so that all branches will be cut back over 3 years. This will promote new growth. Renewal pruning (hard pruning) should be done in the early spring before new growth emerges.

    Comment by Marge Bernard — 5/7/2007 @ 5:04 am

19. I recently bought an Azalea plant and noticed a little too late that the water was not draining from the pot it came in. Nothing has dropped off yet, but the flowers have become limp and wilted. About a day after I noticed this I re-potted it in a larger pot that has drainage holes. Will this help bring it back or is it too late? What else can I do to heal it?

    Hopefully, your plant’s roots were not waterlogged and have the start of root rot-which can happen if it was overwatered with no drainage. It isn’t the best time to transplant when the plant is in bloom. Keep your azalea in a cool, shaded spot for a few days so that it can recuperate. Either keep it as a houseplant or let it spend the summer outdoors in the shade (North or east exposure) when the weather permits. Allow the soil to slightly dry between watering and don’t let the plant sit in water. Fertilize it with muracid (formulated for acid-loving plants) during the active growing season. As long as the leaves are healthy, the plant should be fine.

    Comment by Stephanie McCall — 5/14/2007 @ 7:46 am

20. Very informative- I never had an azalea plant before this gift of one. Thank you

    Comment by Dorothy Gruszka — 6/4/2007 @ 10:09 am

21. 2007-5-12
    Miniature azalea bush. Could you please tell me how tall and wide they grow? thank you.

    I’m not sure what kind of azalea you have. Are you referring to the green house azalea plant? The average height and width of an outdoor azalea bush can get 6 ft tall and 4 ft wide.

    Comment by Cheryl — 8/17/2007 @ 12:45 pm

22. I have an 4 azalea bushes in my yard. One of these bushes has started dropping leaves from the center of the plant and looks like it is dying.This is a large plant by my home entry and i don’t want to lose it. Any suggestions?

    Some leaf drop on azaleas is normal in the fall. Leaves that turn brown and drop during the summer can be a sign of too much or too little water and too much fertilizer. If single branches are dying and dropping leaves you may have dieback (fungus). Are the leaves curling inward and dropping? Do they have spots on them? Are the leaves wilting and then dropping? Azaleas like a low ph and will decline in alkaline soil. If your front entry is constructed of concrete or has gravel-that can leach into the soil and affect the soil ph of your azalea. Best you can do is take a branch to your extension office to analyze the problem.

    Comment by DAVID CIRILLI — 9/27/2007 @ 6:02 am

23. I fertilized my azaleas with a fertilizer designed for azaleas. Now, the tips of the leaves are brown and the flower buds aren’t blooming, they are just dry and brown. Did I over fertilize? Will they recover? What else can I do for them?

    I would suspect that watering is the problem more than the fertilizer. If allowed to get too dry or too wet the leaves & buds will turn brown. Not enough humidity can also be a problem. Hold off on the fertilizer and wait till new growth start to show. When watering your azalea let the water drain from the bottom of the pot. If the plant was really dry (when the pot feels light), let it soak up water for 1 hour and then drain it. Don’t let the pot stand in water for a prolonged period of time. Overhead watering (getting water on the flower bud) can cause botrytis which will result in the buds to turning brown and dry up.

    Comment by D — 3/15/2008 @ 4:47 pm

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