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Azalea & Rhododendron

azalea bush doesn't look healthy...should I have pruned??

17 years ago

I planted an azalea bush last spring. This year, it isn't looking all that good. Lots of the stems/leaves/buds are brown or are turning brown. Other stems look healthy. I only see one bud that is open, and that is at the base of the plant, so that tells me that there is some life. I'm wondering if I should have pruned, and can I prune all the dead looking stems now without killing the plant? Seems there are more dead looking stems than healthy ones. Just looking at the overall plant, it's not as green as it should be. Did it get too cold this winter for them? I'm wondering if the frost may have gotten them, as I did not cover them on cold nights. Thanks.

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Comments (4)

luis_pr
17 years ago
Hello, Donnas. Yes, sudden cold weather, after spring temperatures have been around for a while, can cause the bark to split if it freezes. You can look around to see if you notice this bark split, although some people report that it may not be visible sometimes until June or so. Some form of winter protection is needed when the weather does this.

Can you also make sure that it is getting adequate moisture? Insert a finger to a depth of 3-4" inches and see if it feels dry, moist or wet. If it is dry, it needs more water. If it feels moist, it is doing fine. If it feels wet, it is getting too much water amd this can cause root rot so tweak your sprinkler system.

Also, check for borer damage. If a borer got into the plant, parts of the plant above the entry point will die so ck in areas where the dead branches meet live branches.

Luis
donnas_gw
Original Author
17 years ago
It is wet. I think more wet than moist. Also, I think I planted it in the wrong spot because our yard slopes toward where I have it planted. It is up against the house in the corner where the basement step foundation is (if that makes sense), so there's nowhere for the water to go, just in that little corner against the concrete blocks. I did prune pretty much of it back, and I'm not that great at pruning. Will see if it lives, or if I've totally killed the plant.
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Azaleas have growth buds all along their stems just under the bark surface - new growth will sprout from just below any cut you make. I think you'd be happier with these in their setting if you didn't attempt a formal sheared hedge approach, better would be to selectively prune stems to the height you want. Cut back a little lower than you want the plants to grow, healthy well established azaleas will quickly return to their pre-pruning height. Your azaleas have set their buds for next Springs blooms, so be aware that while it won't damage the plants, pruning now will remove most of the flower display for next season. The ideal time to prune is immediately following Spring flowers.
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luis_pr
17 years ago
Try watering only when the soil feels dry to the touch. Do this daily and notice how often you have to water. After a while, you will not need to ck the soil.

If the soil feels wet, that too can be bad as it promotes development of fungi in the azalea roots and that could kill the plant quickly. Consider another spot that has better drainage and transplant it before the heat of the summer starts.

Good luck, Luis
niptrixbop
17 years ago
Donna,

I agree with all that has been said before. I also have one more point to consider, how close the azalea is to the foundation of your house. (Blocks, with time, dissolve a bit and raise the alkalinity of the soil close to the foundation. Azaleas need low ph.)

I planted 4 azaleas and a rhododendron on one side of a house, and the closest one to the foundation died; the others are doing very well--years later. While the others were growing, this plant was getting smaller every year, until one spring it did not make it. Sometimes the difference is just a few inches from the foundation.

In retrospect, I should have moved my azalea a few inches father away from the foundation; I guess, now, I know--I checked the ph!
Good luck.

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