When to fertilize azaleas?
Elaine J
8 years ago
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akamainegrower
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Recovery of Azalea plant after fertilizer burn?
Comments (2)If you are seeing the symptoms, the damage has already happened. Had you realized you had used too much sooner and acted immediately, flooding the planting site with water may have carried enough of the product down deeper into the soil that it might have been taken out of range of those roots. Less is more when it comes to fertilizing azaleas, they are not heavy feeders. My soil is the right acidity naturally and doesn't need my interventon for ph, but I've never fertilized azaleas or rhododendrons at all. They are given a top dressing of compost in Spring, nothing more....See Morerhododendron
Comments (2)There are a number of possibilities: First, I hope you didn't prune it back. The flower buds are formed in early summer, so any pruning after early June can remove the flower buds for the following year. Second, fertilizer usually promotes plant health at the expense of flowers. So I wouldn't fertilize and see if you get flowers 2 years from now. The buds for next years flowers will form in early summer, so if you fertilized this spring, you may have the same problem next spring. Third, the rhododendron may not be getting enough sun in early summer to form flower buds. Some varieties don't need much sun, but others are very shy about blooming in too much shade. Here is a link that might be useful: How to grow rhododendrons and azaleas...See Moreusing liquid organic fertilizers on azaleas
Comments (1)Hollytone is a good low pH organic fertilizer. Sulfur is the best thing going to lower pH. If you are in a limestone area, you need to use a raised bed. Otherwise the limestone affects the soil no matter what you use. Azaleas are not heavy feeders. They need very little fertilizer. So don't try to change the pH with fertilizer. Use sulfur. The recommended doses to change pH are listed in the reference below: Here is a link that might be useful: Lowering Soil pH....See MoreCan I use generic 12-12-12 fertilizer in place of 'Azalea Food'
Comments (5)Hi Shovelslave, I see a number of problems. First, if the grass band is growing up next to the older azaleas, the grass is competing with the azalea roots which is a very bad situation. But don't cultivate, just mulch to keep the grass and weeds back. Mulching is not just a good idea, it is essential to grow healthy azaleas. Second, the pine straw is about the best mulch you can get for azaleas. You don't need to compost it. Spread about 2 inches of pine straw under your azaleas. This will prevent the grass and weeds from competing with the roots and also provide a slow steady source of nutrients as the pine straw decays in place. You will need to add more pine straw each year to make up for the naturally decaying of the existing pine straw. It is a crime to destroy pine straw and not mulch shrubs and other plants. Even trees can benefit from pine straw mulch. Third, some shade is good, but to much shade tends to make azaleas tall and gangly and not bloom. The best thing to do is to remove the lower branches on the trees near the azaleas so they don't shade the azaleas. Then thin out the taller branches if you still have too much shade. Fourth, drought is a problem. The best precaution is shade and mulch. A properly mulched azalea with afternoon shade can take drought much better than an azalea with no mulch in full sun. I would recommend watering thoroughly about every 2 weeks in a drought, especially in your area where summer drought is not natural like it is in the Pacific Northwest. Fifth, a properly mulched planting not only is much easier to maintain and has healthier plants, but also looks much better. Commercial plantings have people come in to top off the mulch for these very reasons. It is much easier and safer to edge near a mulched bed than near a tree or other plant. One precaution, it is a good idea to pull the pine straw back from the stems of woody plants like azaleas and trees. Voles can tunnel under the mulch and chew on the stems and bark. This is mainly a problem in the north when snow is on the ground. I am not sure how much of a problem this would be in Georgia. Good Luck!...See Morerhodymam
8 years agoMike McGarvey
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoakamainegrower
8 years agodavidrt28 (zone 7)
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoakamainegrower
8 years agodavidrt28 (zone 7)
8 years agodavidrt28 (zone 7)
8 years agoMike McGarvey
8 years agodavidrt28 (zone 7)
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoMike McGarvey
8 years agotete_a_tete
8 years agoFrancesco Delvillani
8 years ago
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