Growing Azaleas in Shade & more Q's
the_pumpkin_queen
18 years ago
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morz8 - Washington Coast
18 years agoIris GW
18 years agoRelated Discussions
Growing azaleas from seed -----
Comments (1)Your azaleas are beautiful, I've seen the photos :) Here's the directions for your talented DH, he might just get some interesting crosses. It looks a little wordy but is fairly straightforward, just some warmth and moisture, along with a little patience for these slow growing shrubs needed. Don't cover the seeds, just wet them down to make good contact with the sowing medium. And I'm glad to see you able to turn your thoughts back to gardening, dear friend! Azalea Society of America - Azaleas grow readily from seed. The seed pods are plainly visible soon after the flowers drop, and become larger over the summer, eventually turning dark brown, splitting open, and dropping the seed on the ground. Only very rarely will the conditions be right for the seed to germinate and grow in the garden. Instead, collect the seed pods before they open, and grow the seed under controlled conditions. Collect the seed pods as they begin to turn brown, usually around the time of the first frost in the fall. Put the pods of one variety into one container, such as an envelope or a small paper muffin cup, and mark it with the variety. After a few weeks, the pods will split and begin to spill out their seed, as many as 500 seeds per pod (My note: they are almost like dust!). Clean the seed by separating it from the pod and other debris. Prepare some flats by putting a mixture of sand and peat or leaf mold or perlite to within about an inch of the top, and covering it with a half inch or so of milled sphagnum moss. Soak it until it is thoroughly wet, and let it drain out the excess water. It may be convenient to soak it separately in a tub of water, and fill the flat with handfuls of the mixture squeezed free of excess water. The plastic containers used by supermarkets for pastry and salads, about three inches high and various widths and lengths, are ideal for small quantities of seedlings. Sow the seed in the winter, indoors, to give the seedlings as much time as possible before being subjected to outdoor winter temperatures. Broadcast it over the flat and mist it lightly to settle the seeds. Cover the flat tightly with plastic, and put it under artificial lights or on a north window sill. The seed will germinate in two to six weeks, depending on the variety. When the seedlings have developed two sets of leaves, carefully transplant them into other flats filled with a similar mixture of sand and peat or leaf mold or perlite. Use a toothpick or similar fine instrument to remove a seedling, and to plant it into the new flat. Use a two or three inch spacing, as they will probably stay in this flat for a year or more. When the flat is filled, water the seedlings with a fine spray to settle the soil around the roots. Cover it with plastic, and place it under lights or on a north facing window sill, or outdoors in the shade if the weather is reliably above freezing. After a few days, the seedlings should be established and the plastic can be removed. Fertilize with very weak solutions of liquid fertilizer to maintain active growth. After they have grown a year, the seedlings are ready to be potted up or planted out. The soil should be almost a solid mass of fine roots, and the soil can be cut into squares rather than trying to find out which roots go with which plant. They are quite tender, and should be given ample water and ample shade....See MoreHow much shade for rhodies/azaleas in Zone 7b/8a in central Alaba
Comments (3)The oaks and your liquidambar are both compatible with azaleas and rhododendrons. They generally provide filtered shade not dense, their leaves decompose slowly providing a long lasting acid mulch, and they are normally not surface rooted. I can't answer your questions on specific spacing though - here in this maritime climate I can grow rhododendrons in full sun. Is rainfall normally an issue for you or is it just this year in particular? Ideally, open sky above them would allow them to benefit from what rainfall you do have, while still receiving enough shade from adjacent trees as light patterns change during the day....See MoreDoes anyone successfully grow Northern Lights Azalea?
Comments (10)Growing azaleas is not a carefree, low maintenance activity. I amend my clay soil with 6 inches of pea gravel and then 18 inches of loam, sand, peat moss, and pine bark, with additions of granular sulphur, and early spring Holly Tone fertilizer and again in October. Each year I top dress with compost, granular sulphur, and pine bark (many garden leaves have a pH too high for azaleas). The site has good air drainage, strong easterly sun, afternoon shade, and strong wind protection from the west and northwest. Many of my northern lights azaleas are over 25 years old and about seven feet tall, newer additions such as electric lights and candy lights are smaller, but gaining height. In the winter I protect the azaleas from white-tailed deer and rabbits. Some winters may be warm (+50 F.) and dry for a week or two and then back to -20 F. and lower. I check the soil which is well drained, if it is dry I get our the hose and water the soil, it saved my azaleas and evergreen Rhododendrons, as many in Michigan lost theirs because of dry desiccating winters. This happens about once very ten years. From July 10 until September 15 I monitor the soil water carefully and at the earliest signs of wilting, I water heavily. Azaleas need water but good air drainage in the roots too, so that is why they get easily desiccated in winter or suffer from drought in mid to late summer. Each spring I must remove the canker worms on the leaves or they will consume a big plant in a week and a small plant in a day. As I have large shrubs now, the show is spectacular. People within two counties come by to see the yearly show and enjoy the fragrance. It is certainly very beautiful, but it takes a dedicated gardener-- I have killed lots of plants, but I make sure my azaleas have survived. I am a life member of the American Rhododendron Society and I knew the breeders of the azaleas, as they were my professors when I was an undergraduate at the University of Minnesota. I see many people install azalea beds, even in arboretums where the azaleas are neglected and look shoddy. It takes real dedication to grow them in the upper midwest and northern great plains. I lived in Edmonton in my youth-- very little grows there but the hardiest pine, spruce, fir, and aspen. In Edmonton, cool season annuals add color. By late summer the azaleas can look ragged but many have an interesting fall color similar to blueberry plants or some juneberries. I enjoy the architecture of the shrub in the winter and the large flower buds. In the spring, bumble bees work the flowers. I grow blueberries, bunchberries, huckleberries, lingonberries and cranberries in my azaleas gardens, as they all need an acid soil, plus my Magnolia virginiana tree which is way out of its range of the eastern shores of the USA, but flowers and has grown over 15 years to a height of 12 feet and one rare Asian maple that prefers/tolerates highly acid soil. When I first saw pictures of azaleas, I could not imagine them, as they looked like abundant daylily flowers on a shrub. But finally in the spring of 1975, I saw my first azalea in full bloom on the University of Minnesota St. Paul campus. I grow the plants in honor of the professors who bred them and Dr. Leon Snyder who initiated the breeding program in Minnesota. I even call my path by the azaleas-- the Snyder Walk. I live in the county where Leon Snyder was raised as a youngster. So indeed I am passionate about hardy azaleas, but they are not for the casual gardener and it takes about 10 years before the show to truly becomes impressive. I do not wish to discourage anyone, but the comments on these pages from others I can sympathize with and the reality of their experiences is very reasonable. For many, flowering shrubs/perennials such as spiraea, mock orange, lilac, peonies, viburnum, lillies, daylilies, and iris may be a better choice. Yours in communications, Jon...See MoreSuggestions for Shade tolerant azaleas
Comments (6)As a general rule, I'm told that the large varieties can tolerate sun, whereas the dwarfs must have shade. However, I've had problems with Red Ruffles too. I planted 40 around a large oak, added 6 inches of topsoil plus generous amount of mulch, kept watered well the first year, but two years later only had about 7 or 8 still living and they were rather pitiful. In another area I have one growing that's been there 20 years and never gets watered. The difference isn't lighting, but proximity to tree roots. Unfortunately, I can't recommend another dwarf azalea for you. The ones mentioned above are large varieties--both are favorites of mine and easy growers. George Taber is especially beautiful paired with Formosa....See Morerhodyman
18 years agomorz8 - Washington Coast
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18 years agothe_pumpkin_queen
18 years agoFrankie_in_zone_7
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