Azaleas
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| Azaleas
are a perfect plant for Spring Creek Forest. Azaleas
provide beautiful spring color and are ideally suited
for the pine forest environment. Azaleas love the filtered
light of the tall pines and they do well in the slightly
acidic soil brought about by the falling pine needles. |
| Pruning
Azaleas: |
| In
most situations, Azaleas need yearly pruning and will
benefit from it. The one key factor to consider about
pruning your azaleas is timing. You should prune within
the first 2 to 3 weeks after the plants finish flowering
in the spring. After that point, the shrub will begin
developing the buds that will bloom the following spring.
Any pruning that takes place once the new buds have started
to develop will have a negative impact on the display
you will have in the spring. That does not mean you should
not do minor shaping of your plants throughout the growing
season. It does mean you should be very selective with
your cuts and be aware that every cut will impact the
flowers for the following season. |
| Planting
Conditions: |
| Azaleas
need good drainage. While they like moist soil at their
roots, they do not like waterlogged soil. An easy way
to be sure of proper drainage is to plant Azaleas with
the top of the root balls a few inches above ground level.
Soil can be mounded around the root ball. With the heavy
clay soil often found in our neighborhood, getting proper
drainage is especially important. |
| Water: |
| Like
most plants, Azaleas do better when they have adequate
water. While the amount of moisture can vary depending
on variety, soil and sunlight, you will usually see a
drooping of the leaves in plants that are stressed from
a lack of water. The best approach is to water azaleas
deeply and infrequently rather than applying water often
and in small amounts. Young plants with smaller root structures
are more likely to need additional water. |
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Fertilizer:
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| Once
azaleas are established, they do not need fertilizer.
In fact, fertilizer applied late in the growing season
can cause tender new growth to develop which can be killed
in a winter freeze. If you do decide to apply fertilizer,
apply it after the last chance of severe frost and before
the end of June. |
| Fungal
Control: |
| If
you notice small discolored dots on the petals of the
flowers, you should apply a fungicide spray to the flower
buds just as they are showing color. This will will control
the fungal blight and will keep the flowers from collapsing. |
| Mulch: |
| Azaleas
will do better with a couple of inches of mulch around
the roots. This will keep the moisture from evaporating
in the warmer weather and will protect the roots from
freezes in the winter. |
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