Azaleas: Meet The Royal Family

By Almanac Staff on May 24

One possibility is soil fungi (Pythium and/or Phytophthora) which happens with azaleas in poorly drained or wet soil. Make sure the root ball is dried out--and the roots aren't mushy and rotting. Prune out affected areas, and spray with a copper based fungicide.

By Almanac Staff on May 16

Azaleas grow best in dappled sun in the summer with little or no early morning sun in the winter. They like filtered sunlight. However, some varieties, particularly deciduous azaleas, can handle more sun if they are given enough water. You will probably find that an azalea grown in full sun will have shorter stems, and may have more blooms which will not last as long, and which may fade in a few days. If the leaves show signs of being burned by the sun (round brown spots on the leaf tips and edges) or the blooms fade quickly, you may need to move the plant to a little more shade.

By Almanac Staff

Azaleas do require partial sun, so if you plant in an area that gets morning sun and afternoon shade, that would be best. Also, azaleas are acidic soil loving plants. You will need to amend the alkaline desert soil with composted cow manure and peat mixed with equal portions of your soil. And for best results, look for a variety that thrives in your zone: http://www.almanac.com/content/plant-hardiness-zones

By Almanac Staff

Ask your local garden centers about the "Butterfly Bush" or "Buddleia davidii" varieties for your area. It is a nice choice that blooms from summer through autumn. See more about how to plant, grow, and care for this plant: http://www.almanac.com/plant/butterfly-bush

By Almanac Staff

Covering your plants overnight to protect them from frost is a good practice. Using trash bags to protect the plants from freeze damage is OK, although it can trap moisture inside that might then freeze on the plant. With trash bags or other plastic, be sure to remove it, as you have done, in the morning before the sun warms the air, or it will get too hot inside the bag and will damage the plant. If you can, it is better to use fabric, such as blankets or sheets, or row covers or burlap (the last two are available at garden nurseries), all of which allow air to circulate but still help to protect the plant from cold.

The frozen petals indicate that those particular flowers are damaged; damaged flower buds may turn brown. If the other buds look OK, then those should bloom fine, and more buds may develop later. The plant itself should be OK; if you see dead, brown or black areas or splitting along some branches, you can prune the dead branches back to healthy wood, just after the plant has finished blooming.

Bloom time depends on the type of azalea you have, as well as your location and growing conditions. Some are early bloomers (such as in February and March), others bloom mid-season (such as April through June), and others are late-bloomers (such as in July through September). You might check with the place where you bought your azaleas to find out what type you have and its normal bloom period.

By Almanac Staff

The problem might be that your plant is in shock, from transporting it to its new home. Or, it could be receiving too much water, not enough light, and/or be suffering from cold/hot drafts.

For shock, provide the best conditions possible (see below), and wait for the plant to recover--it usually will.

You might have a florist azalea, which are bred as houseplants. These can exhibit leaf drop if they receive too much water (or too little, which doesn't seem to be the case here). With too much water, the roots will begin to rot, which causes leaves to drop. Be sure that you are letting the water drain between waterings; remove any foil or other wrapping that's around the pot, so that it is not sitting in a puddle of water. Keep the soil evenly moist, but not saturated.

Also be sure that the plant is away from cold or hot drafts, which can also stress the plant. A cool (not cold), bright location in indirect light is ideal in winter, away from heat registers and drafty windows/doors. Mist the plant every so often to maintain a humid environment.

For more information about indoor azalea care, see this advice from the Azalea Society of America:

http://www.azaleas.org/newsite/faq.php#flo

To check the acidity of the soil, you can purchase a soil pH kit from a local nursery. Aim for a soil pH of about 5.0 to 5.5.

Hope this helps!

By tseten bhutia

Hi i mite be months late but i had the same situation... after a major earthquake hit our place my aunt moved out of her place and left her azalea, wen i took it in it was just a dry stem with not a single.leaf..i am not a professional nor do i have much experien e in gardening, my mom used to do it after she pased i am tryng to learn... anyways back to the topic i replanted it...and now.it bears white flowers... :))) i am sure by now yours must have revived and in full bloom... enjoy :)))

By Almanac Staff

If it was a florist azalea, first make sure that it is hardy in your area before planting outside. You can check the Azalea Society of America web site for more information:
http://www.azaleas.org/newsite/faq.php#flo
As for its dying back and then showing signs of life, I’d say that it would be worth continuing to care for it and see what happens. Perhaps, though, allow it to leaf out a bit more before stressing the plant and putting it outside or repotting (if needed). Keep in mind that some azaleas are deciduous and will go dormant over winter. If this is the case with your azalea, it will come back totally, given proper care, for the growing season. If some of the plant has been damaged, and it is clear that certain stems have died, then you can prune them back to the base (trunk), or to the first healthy-looking bud along on the stem. If there is any green in the inside of the twig, just under the bark, then there is still life there.
Azaleas prefer moderate temperatures (although there are some exceptions), and moist but not wet soil. It’s possible that the heat from a sunporch may have stressed it, if it was a variety that does not tolerate heat well (above 86F for a prolonged period can damage them). Many prefer at least partial shade. Here is more information on the ideal conditions for azaleas:
http://www.azaleas.org/index.pl/azculture.html
If it is OK for the azalea to be planted outdoors, and it is already hot in your area, then choose a cloudy day, after a rain, or in early morning/late evening, to avoid stressing the plant as much.
As another option, bring your azalea to a knowledgeable nursery for them to make a diagnosis. It’s possible that it is only just breaking winter dormancy and all will be well. Hope this helps!

By Almanac Staff

If it was a florist azalea, first make sure that it is hardy in your area before planting outside. You can check the Azalea Society of America web site for more information:
http://www.azaleas.org/newsite/faq.php#flo

By Almanac Staff

One issue you may have is poor soil. Azaleas thrive in acidic soil that is ideally pH 4.5–5.5. Azaleas also do not tolerate deep planting, so make sure they are shallow planted. They require lots of moisture, so remember to water your plants regularly. You can also try deadheading (removing the dead flowers from the plant), but be careful not to damage or remove young growth.
I hope this helps!

By Almanac Staff

The best time to prune azaleas is in the spring after flowering. The best way to trim azaleas is deadheading, which is cutting off dead flowers and branches and other damaged or diseased branches. You can also just cut off a few twigs from your plant. Usually azaleas need little pruning and they are only pruned to retain their shape, so I wouldn't cut them back too much. You don't want to damage too many flowers or young growths because then your plants will die.
Good luck!