First Winter - Azalea Damage
brooklynbonnie
10 years ago
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brooklynbonnie
10 years agobrooklynbonnie
10 years agoRelated Discussions
Azalea snow damage
Comments (3)Healthy established azaleas will normally respond well to hard pruning - unlike rhododendrons, azaleas have growth buds all along their stems just under the bark surface and new growth should appear close to any cut you make. Prune in Spring, immediately after or even during bloom. They set their flower buds in summer for the following springs display. Dormant growth buds start to mature following pruning - if you have a stretch of mild weather before winter is truly over, you could lose the new growth buds, also cold damage is more severe around pruning wounds than on unpruned parts of the plants. Protecting them from a heavy snow load would prevent the shape you are objecting to now, but these shallow rooted plants (roots are wider than deep)are among the easiest shrubs to move. Post back if you are considering doing that and we can walk you through the steps....See MoreAzalea success in Winter sun, Summer shade?
Comments (1)Flower buds for spring bloom are formed in the summer and early fall. If this area is in really dense shade, bloom will be significantly reduced. Direct sun in the winter is pretty hard on rhododendrons and azaleas as well. Winter sun, especially when combined with low temperatures and wind, can and does do serious damage, especially to evergreen azaleas. It might be worth trying one or two azaleas in this area to see how they do - protection from winter sun and wind with burlap or other type of screen will help a great deal - but I certainly wouldn't commit to an entire hedge without a trial planting....See MoreHow do I protect our Azalea this winter?
Comments (4)I like the idea of burlap or evergreens. Yes snow is an excellent insulator, but 'heavy dense snow-pack' isn't. This gets snow off of the roof, and it becomes a solid glacier-like mass on top of it. Very heavy and it smashes the azalea against the ground and presses it. Everything is great for the few early snowfalls, but as the winter progresses the damage occurs. I have some scrap plywood around that I can add a couple of hinges and make an "A" frame type cover to protect it if I need to....See MoreEncore Azaleas and winter
Comments (2)Encore has a website with information about care for their plants. It is listed below. Encore does not rate any of their plants for Zone 6; Zone 7 yes, Zone 6 no. I would be very careful with the plants and go back and see if the nursery gives you a guarantee on these plants. Yours may do just fine, but there is little data from people who grew them in Zone 6. Your nursery may be the experts on this. Here are some factors that you must consider to protect azaleas in the winter are: Winter Wind & Sun: Azaleas may be harmed in winter by drying winds and bright sun; protect their shallow roots with a mulch of oak leaves or pine needles and their foliage with a loose blanket of evergreen boughs or specially built screens. Such screens must provide shade without capturing heat. A burlap screen will protect a plant while a black or clear plastic bag will cook a plant. Keep the mulch away from the trunk of the plant. This avoids bark split, fungus and rodent damage. Antitranspirants: Chemical antitranspirants effectively cover the stomata, the pores through which the leaves loose moisture. However they must be designed to naturally degrade so they don't interfere with the normal operation of the stomata during the growing season. This usually means the antitranspirants need to be applied at least twice during the winter, but not too close to the growing season. Dormancy: To insure that a plant has the ability to make it through the winter, it must be dormant. Dormancy is a normal process in which the plant goes into a rest state during the winter. Dormancy is caused by a number of things including short days, low temperatures and drought. Several things can break or prevent dormancy. * Too much nitrogen fertilizer after mid summer will keep a plant in a growth state when it should be going into dormancy. * Warm weather spells during the winter can break dormancy in a plant that has gone dormant. * A warm fall followed by a sudden winter, can expose a plant to the cold before it has gone dormant. * Too much light such as being planted under a spot light that is kept on all night. Here is a link that might be useful: Taking Care of Encore Azaleas...See MoreEmbothrium
10 years agoEmbothrium
10 years agoakamainegrower
10 years agoMFIX
10 years agoakamainegrower
10 years agoMFIX
10 years agoakamainegrower
10 years agoronniepuddle
9 years agoakamainegrower
9 years ago
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brooklynbonnieOriginal Author