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14 Tips on Taking Care of Azaleas

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Azaleas come in numerous colors, and some are evergreen while others are deciduous. They can be grown indoors and outdoors, so follow these easy tips on how to care for azalea plants for healthy specimens that produce colorful displays.

Planting Location

Azalea plants look good planted on their own or in groups when you have a large space to fill. As the flowers cover most of the plant, place them in front of a row of trees or green climbers to add a colorful contrast.

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Time of Year

The best time of year to plant your different azalea bush varieties is in spring. Azaleas thrive in areas with light shade as opposed to being in the full sun, which can actually damage their leaves. Full shade, however, is also harmful as it prevents them from receiving the full oxygen intake, promoting weak growth.

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Best Soil

Your azaleas need acidic soil to keep them happy, and this needs to be well drained as they have shallow roots. If your planting area doesn't have good drainage, plant your azaleas in beds that are raised.

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Fertilization

Give your plants a boost before planting by incorporating compost into the soil. For soil with low nitrogen levels, add fertilizer between late spring and early fall. This prevents stunted growth and early leaf drop.

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Protect Against Disease

Add mulch to the soil to conserve water and add drainage. This, along with good drainage, helps prevent root rot and leaf blight.

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When Do You Trim Azalea Bushes?

When the blooming period has ended, it's best to trim the bushes to promote fuller growth. As new blossoms form at the start of July, make sure you prune your plants before then. You can also trim your azalea plants if you simply want to keep them more compact in shape. Plants that are overgrown benefit from having their branches cut back.

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Indoor Azaleas

Greenhouse azaleas, as opposed to hardy azaleas, are suitable to grow indoors. Place them in a cool, well-lit area but make sure they're not in direct sunlight. Always ensure the soil is kept moist.

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Feed Your Azaleas

Azaleas don't require fertilization during the growing season and must never be fertilized when there's a drought. Only apply fertilizer if your plants show signs of being deficient in nutrients, such as yellow leaves, smaller leaves than normal or leaves that start dropping.

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Root Your Cuttings

Cuttings ensure you get plants that resemble the parent plant, as opposed to growing from seeds. Use stem cuttings that are semi-hardened and bend slightly. Take them from healthy parent plants that have been irrigated a few days beforehand. Trim the ends, remove any flower buds and remove the lower leaves. Dip the stem in a rooting hormone, and plant in a medium that's well draining.

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Grow Wild Azaleas

Known as mountain azaleas, either propagate cuttings in late spring or sow seeds in late fall. Mountain azaleas prefer partial shade or full sun as well as moist, acidic soil that's well drained.

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Fashion Azaleas

The evergreen shrubs known as Fashion azaleas provide you with colorful blooms during spring, fall and winter. They're happy in either partial shade, full shade or sun with well-drained soil that's rich in nutrients.

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Grow a Potted Azalea

Choose a potting soil suited to acid-loving plants, and ensure there's ample of space around the roots in the container for healthy growth. Make sure there's at least one hole for drainage to prevent root rot.

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Watering and Feeding Potted Azaleas

When the soil feels dry on the top, keep the azalea plants hydrated with rainwater. Feed them with a specially formulated fertilizer each month from spring until late summer.

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Deadhead Your Azaleas

Deadheading not only keeps your azaleas looking tidy but it promotes growth. This should be done regularly to ensure the goodness goes back into keeping your plants healthy rather than into producing seed heads.

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