Azalea flower: care, transplantation, circumcision, diseases and their treatment. Professional care for azaleas in winter: rules and useful tips

Plants come to stores from nurseries. It's no secret that azalea is a rather whimsical flower. Manufacturers prepare plants for flowering and sale artificially.

In nurseries they are treated with special synthetic substances that put the flower into a state of sleep. The plant has a presentable appearance and is able to bloom for several months thanks to fertilizers applied in the nursery.

But at this time, the azalea root system is in a state of sleep and does not receive any development. As a result, the plant may become sick - the roots will begin to die from a fungal infection. This is one of the reasons why azalea disappears immediately after it was brought from the store and placed on the windowsill of the house.

approximate cost

Prices for azaleas in Moscow and St. Petersburg vary from 250 to 2500 rubles per flower. There are several factors that influence the cost of a plant:

1. variety of azalea (home and garden);
2. the size of the flower and its root system (the taller and bigger plant, the more expensive it is);
3. number of buds.

Most online stores have sales consultants who are ready to help not only with choosing a variety of shrub, but will also tell you in detail about caring for an azalea at home after purchase.

Photo

What to do after purchasing and how to preserve the plant?

Decide on the future location for the flower. Recommended settings:

• well-lit space out of reach of direct sunlight (eastern or north side);
• temperature from 16 to 18 degrees Celsius - quite cool;
• high level of humidity.

ATTENTION! Inspect the soil of the plant by carefully removing the flower from the flowerpot.

Very often to give fresh look In stores, azaleas are filled with water. If the soil is too wet:

1. Take the flower out of the pot and wrap it root system with primer and well-absorbent paper.
2. Repeat until the soil is dry enough.

If the flower is dried:

1. It should be placed directly with the pot in a container of water for an hour. The liquid should reach the edges of the flowerpot.
2. Afterwards, remove the plant from the water and allow excess moisture to drain, placing the pot on a plate or tray previously laid with expanded clay so that the soil no longer touches the liquid.

Adaptation period for an indoor flower

A plant can be considered adapted only when, after being moved to a windowsill from a store, the azalea fades and produces new shoots. During this nervous period, you should especially carefully care for and monitor the plant.

Azalea does not tolerate heat, so do not place the flower on windowsills above radiators.

Low humidity is also detrimental to them. The cooler the room is during the adaptation period, the greater the likelihood that the plant will not die. Do not rush to fertilize the plant. In nurseries, azaleas are planted in overfed soil for further transportation and preservation. If all the rules are followed, all that remains is to take a wait-and-see attitude.

Spraying with Epin will help with adaptation. This is a biostimulant for plants created artificially. It helps activate the plant’s individual defense functions, increases its resistance to stress and immunity. You can read the dilution instructions on the packaging, and you can spray it once every 10 days.

You can find out more about fertilizing the plant as an essential part of caring for azaleas, about the fertilization procedure and other nuances.

How to care for a purchased plant so that it does not wither?

Azalea must get used to the room in which it was brought after purchase. Due to its capriciousness, the once beautiful flowering plant After a few days it may drop flowers and leaves. If the leaves on the branches of the trunk have fallen off or the plant is withering, then these are harbingers of the inevitable death of the bush, so you need to know what to do in such a situation. To enjoy this plant for many years, you must adhere to the basic and important rules care for it and know about an indoor flower in a pot bought in a store.

ATTENTION! After purchasing the azalea, it is recommended to transship it, but not replant it.

The transshipment process is simple:

1. carefully remove the earthen ball along with the plant from the purchased flowerpot;
2. place the flower with soil in a new spacious pot;
3. fill the free space with a special substrate;
4. do not over-wet the soil.

How to store azalea bought in a store? Under such conditions, azalea tolerates adaptation better. The fragile root system is also preserved. To the soil itself too special requirements. Special symbiont mushrooms live on the roots of azaleas, providing nutrition to the flower. Symbionts die in alkaline soil, and after them the plant itself. This is another reason why you should not wash the roots of azaleas.

The substrate must be acidic and allow moisture and air to pass through well. It is better to purchase ready-made soil specially prepared for azaleas. young flowers should be grown annually. Older generation once every 3 years. At the same time, the top layer of soil is replaced without touching the delicate roots of the plant.

Temperature

The ideal temperature for the favorable development of azaleas is 10-15 degrees Celsius. However, in summer heat It is very difficult to provide a flower with such a regime. But in the summer months, azaleas enter a period of sleep and rest.

In autumn it is time to lay buds. During this period, it is necessary to lower the temperature of the azalea to 6 degrees. As soon as the buds begin to bloom, increase it to 15. We wrote about caring for azaleas in the fall in.

IMPORTANT! Azalea does not tolerate heat. But it is not recommended to water the flower cold water. This can lead to fungus. In summer, place ice around the plant on a saucer. This will save the flower from the heat and humidify the air around it.

Humidity in the pot

This factor is one of the most important. Dry air is harmful to azaleas. For supporting high level moisture, you need to perform several manipulations:

1. choose deep tray for a flowerpot;
2. place pebbles and moss on the bottom of the tray (sphagnum moss is ideal);
3. make sure that there is always liquid in the pan;
4. During the flowering period, the leaves should be sprayed;
5. Avoid large drops when moistening with a spray bottle; the drops should be small to prevent stains from appearing on the leaves.

Light

This plant loves bright light. But it can die when exposed to direct rays of the sun. The eastern and northern sides are perfect for azaleas. It is possible to place an azalea in the south, but for this it is better not to use a window sill, but to purchase a stand and install it in front of the window.

Watering

Another important factor that helps protect the azalea from death. Play a big role:

• water quality;
• temperature;
• abundance of watering;
• periodicity.

It is strictly forbidden to water the azalea with ice or cool water. A sharp change in temperature puts the plant in a state of stress. This also serves as a kind of signal that autumn has come and the azalea can shed its flowers and leaves (it says how to care for an azalea in the fall). It is best to use a liquid at the same temperature as the azalea.

Use soft water:

1. boil;
2. let cool;
3. use only the top layer of liquid;
4. Do not disturb the sediment.

When watering with plain water, the soil will turn from acidic to alkaline, since it contains magnesium and calcium salts. And when boiling they precipitate. Lemon can be used to acidify the soil. 3 drops of juice are dissolved in a liter of liquid. If you transplant your azalea outside in the summer, rain moisture will have a beneficial effect on it.

The flower does not tolerate drought. If the leaves and flowers droop, you should immediately water the azalea. It is better to prevent this and maintain constant substrate moisture. At the same time, excess liquid can also damage the delicate roots of the azalea - they can rot.

What is unacceptable to do?

• heat;
• drought;
• waterlogging;
• sudden temperature change;
• direct exposure to sunlight.

If the flower begins to fade:

If an azalea drops its leaves, this may be the first sign of plant death. What to do if the leaves have fallen?

1. Carefully inspect the soil to see if there are pests, mold or rot in it.
2. Spray the azalea with Epin or zircon. This should be done during the period when the plant is not blooming.
3. After 2 days, water and spray the azalea with phytosporin (10 drops per 250 ml of liquid).
4. Alternate procedures for 2-3 weeks. This will help the dying plant survive stress.

Azalea requires increased attention and strictly consistent care. Very often, even after carrying out rescue procedures, the plant cannot be saved and it dies. Therefore, it is better not to bring the flower to a dying state.

With proper and careful care for your azalea, the plant will delight you with its magnificent flowers for many years. An inexperienced gardener may think that it will take too much time. this type flower. However, the rule quickly becomes a habit that brings only pleasure.

Video on the topic

The lush, amazing flowering of azaleas will not leave any lover of home flowers indifferent. Azaleas bloom during the period when other plants usually rest. Beauty connoisseurs will definitely want to replenish their home garden such a flower.

Azalea is somewhat capricious, so you should learn all the intricacies of caring for this plant before placing it in your home.

It is believed that the flower first appeared in India and China. Azalea refers to evergreen shrubs. The flowering time of the plant lasts from November to May. There are many varieties of azaleas, differing in color, leaf shape, and flowering. Depending on the timing of the appearance of flowers, plants can be divided into three types:

• plants with early flowering;
• with an average flowering period;
• late flowering plants.

Collected all together they bloom for six months. Azaleas are found among both domestic and garden crops . It is considered to be one of the most beautiful indoor flowers.

The necessary development of the plant is ensured, first of all, by appropriate care for it and the creation of favorable conditions for the plant.

In what conditions should azalea be kept?

Temperature

For correct height flower a temperature corresponding to 20° is required, its fluctuations can be 1-2° up or down. From October the temperature is reduced to 5°.

Such conditions are required for the formation of buds for future flowering.

Before flowering, the temperature is increased to 15°, and when the flowers begin to open, the temperature is set at 18°.

Cold conditions are created for the plant by covering it with pieces of ice. Water and spray the flower with cold water. In the absence of frost outside, the azalea is placed in glass loggia or placed on the windowsill near the open window.

Watering and humidity

The plant likes high humidity conditions. The soil underneath needs to be slightly moistened and not allowed to dry out until the next watering.

The flower is at risk of disease and death if water stagnates in the pan underneath it. The crop should be watered especially carefully during flowering. It is preferable to water the plant once for 2 days with small doses of water.

You can achieve the required amount of moisture by regularly spraying the plant with cool water, especially in winter time when working heating batteries; by pouring water into the tray under the container with the planting for some time. The water will saturate the soil, and when it evaporates, it will humidify the air. This is often done this way: containers with flowers in a tray are placed on bottle caps or on gravel or expanded clay poured into the tray.

Water is poured into the pan so that the bottom of the container is located approximately 3 mm above the water level. The roots are nourished in this way and do not rot. Only periodically you need to wash the contents of the tray(stone, lids) and check for insects that can harm the plant.

Most effective method maintaining humidity - using a humidifier, decorative fountains, containers filled with water next to the flower.

When watering, you should alternate it the usual way and pouring water into the pan. In the roast summer time The flower should be watered up to 2 times a day and sprayed frequently. During the flowering period, the flowers are not sprayed, otherwise they will rot.

Water for such procedures should be taken from rain, boiled, melted, settled, filtered. Azalea loves sour soil, therefore, when watering, a liquid obtained by dissolving 1 tsp is sometimes used as an acidifier of the soil. citric acid in 2 liters of water. Sometimes the need to water a flower is checked using an original method: by the weight of the pot with the plant, if it is light, then water it, if it is heavy, then do not water it.

Light

Azalea loves a lot of light, but the sun's rays should not directly fall on the flower. The scorching sun has a detrimental effect on the plant. If necessary, it is better to create additional lighting. More often it is required in winter due to the short duration of daylight hours.

Pot

Azalea has surface system roots. Therefore, it is better to choose a low, wide container as a planting pot.

The soil

The soil for the plant must be acidified. The soil most suitable for the flower is loose, light and nutritious heather, which is taken from places where dense heather grows. This soil can be replaced by a prepared mixture of 1 part coniferous soil and 2 parts peat. The soil called coniferous soil is considered to be humus formed by the fall of spruce and pine needles, as well as needles, fir and larch. The result is acidic and light soil, but with a small amount of nutritional components.

The best option for planting azaleas is to purchase special soil with all the necessary components from a retail chain.

In this case, you should look at the composition and shelf life of the soil, which plays an important role for the further development of the plant. The soil must contain useful additives, and its expiration date has not expired. You need to ask for what purposes the soil is used. It can be intended for propagating a plant or replanting it.

Top dressing

A flower in a pot must be fed regularly. In the spring months, summer, until the cold period of November, complex mineral fertilizers are applied every 20 days, consisting of ammonium sulfate, superphosphate, and also including ammonium nitrate, potassium sulfite. Before the flowers appear, superphosphate, a type of phosphorus fertilizer, is added to the soil to obtain high-quality flower buds. The plant can be fed with pine bark, which oxidizes the soil, charcoal, moss - sphagnum, which disinfects the soil.

Trimming and pinching

The correct development of azaleas is accompanied by both timely pinching of stems and their pruning. Pinching is necessary to stimulate the flowering process and add fullness to the bush.. Trim the plant in May, when flowering stops. At the same time, the most frail and overgrown shoots are removed.

Young shoots are pinched, elongated shoots are trimmed a little, leaving up to 4 or 5 leaves on them. Young sprouts formed near the flower buds are removed. After pruning, new leaves form on the branches after 2 or 3 weeks. A similar approach to the formation of an azalea bush is mandatory, otherwise over time the plant weakens and the number of flowers on it becomes smaller.

Planting and propagation

Azaleas are propagated mainly by cuttings. Pay attention to the fact that the cuttings are older than six months. The cuttings are cut after the flowering period, then they are planted in soil intended for azaleas. The top of the container with cuttings is covered with film. Plantings are watered regularly. Rooting of the shoots occurs in approximately 1.5 months, and then they are placed in separate containers.

There must be holes at the bottom, and drainage (expanded clay) at the bottom of the pot. Transplantation is carried out when flowering ends. Transplantation is carried out carefully so as not to damage the thin roots of the crop. Young azaleas are replanted once a year, and adults - once every 3 or 4 years.

Video about propagating azaleas by cuttings

Regular care of the beautiful azalea is not too burdensome, therefore, with a little effort, and most importantly, desire, everyone can decorate their home with such a wonderful flower!

Azalea is a decorative indoor flower that is distinguished by its charming, very delicate flowers. It attracts the attention of many flower growers not only with its beauty. The time for flowering occurs in the winter season, when most indoor plants do not bloom. Its homeland is the territories of India and China. In its natural environment it grows in mountain forests of the northern hemisphere. In Japan, the flower is popular in bonsai culture. Keeping him in the apartment is a real joy. But he definitely needs care and proper care. Only in this case can abundant, long flowering be achieved.

Common types and varieties of indoor azalea plants and flower photos

Ever green, low-trunked, decorative flower. It is grown only in small pots. Flower growers often give preference to the white azalea, which is a neat ornamental shrub and a mix when several species are grown in one pot.

This look is so different abundant flowering that the foliage is sometimes almost invisible behind bright colors inflorescences. Grows in the form of a small ornamental shrub. It is better to plant it in groups along garden paths. Compositions that combine low-growing and tall shrubs look very impressive. This species is frost-resistant, so it is well suited for growing in our region.

Heat-loving, decorative, evergreen. Blooms profusely, brightly and tenderly. The flowering period lasts more than two months. Belongs to the heather family. On this moment There are more than 800 species of rhododendron that are grown indoors.

How to care for an azalea plant at home

Watering the plant

• Azalea loves wet soil, so the soil should always be slightly moist and not dry out completely until the next watering. The best option- water once every two days with small portions of water.
• There should be no water in the pan. A flooded plant may begin to hurt and even die if unfavorable conditions. You should be especially careful with watering during flowering.
• Tap water is not suitable for irrigation. It needs to be given time to settle so that the lime can settle to the bottom and the chlorine content decreases.
• If the soil is very dry and the azalea dries out, it is recommended to immerse the pot in water for 1-2 hours, and then allow it to drain and place it back on the tray. This will help the roots become saturated with moisture and the plant will come to life again.
• During flowering, it is not recommended to spray with water.

Lighting Features

Azaleas should be placed on those window sills where there are no direct sun rays

Although azalea loves good light, it does not tolerate direct sunlight. The best option is to create diffused lighting conditions. In warm spring and summer it can be taken out open air or a balcony so she can breathe and get enough oxygen. But do not forget to protect from the bright sun.

Optimal temperature for the plant

The plant is sensitive to temperature.

• In the cold season, she needs coolness. It is recommended to keep it in a room with a temperature of 12-16 degrees.
• In the warm season, the temperature should be moderate, that is, within 20-25 degrees.
• If in the summer the azalea was at the dacha, it needs to be taken to warm house before the onset of cold weather.

Air humidity

For azaleas, a room with high humidity air. This is worth paying attention to during the onset of cold weather and the heating season in apartments. It is at this time that the air in many homes becomes dry. The flower needs to be regularly sprayed with water, and it is better to purchase special humidifier air. It will be useful not only for flowers, but also for health.

Soil and fertilizing for indoor azalea flowers

When purchasing soil for azaleas, pay attention to its acidity.

What should the soil be like?

The flower is also capricious regarding the choice of soil for growing. It is best to purchase a ready-made special substrate “Terra Vita” or “Azalea” with the addition of sand (1/5). You can use regular garden soil with the addition of sand, coniferous soil. But, in this case, additional feeding is required, because this land is not at all rich in nutrients. You should also pay attention to the acidity of the soil. It should have a pH reaction of 3.5-5.

How to feed azalea?

• Experienced gardeners recommend purchasing fertilizer designed specifically for azaleas (fertilizer for rhododendrons).
• Fertilizers can be used for different decorative flowers(Lux, Fertika and others). The main thing is that the fertilizer does not contain alkaline reactions.
• The plant is fed in the warm season, starting from mid-spring and ending in September (before the onset of cold weather).

How to properly replant an azalea

Choosing the right pot

The container should be wide and flat, since azalea has a superficial root system. The bottom must be lined with drainage.

Care after purchase

Many people do not pay attention to the choice of pot when purchasing. Some do not even replant and continue to grow in the container in which the flower was located. It is not right. Containers are completely unsuitable for normal development and growth, and soil even more so. Plants in stores are in shipping peat soil, which grows so close to the roots that it is sometimes even difficult to clean before planting at home. The containers are very small or narrow and elongated. The root system does not develop correctly. Try to pay attention to young plants that have just begun their life. It will be easier to transplant them at home and adapt them for further cultivation at home.

Watch the video about why you can’t replant an azalea after purchasing it.

Reproduction of indoor azalea flower

• Most often, propagation is carried out using cuttings. The process is painstaking and time-consuming, but the most common among all methods. Cuttings are prepared only from healthy, mature plants. This can be done no more than once a year and only in the spring. Remember that young cuttings quickly wither, and old ones take too long to take root.
• Sometimes propagated by grafting. This method is more often used in greenhouses where indoor flowers. You need to have professional skills and abilities to properly vaccinate.
• It is extremely rare to resort to growing azaleas from seeds. The process is too time-consuming and difficult. It is chosen by professionals in order to develop new varieties.

Secrets of abundant flowering

Diseases and pests of azaleas and care for them during this period

Problems appear with improper care. It is better to carry out disease prevention in advance to prevent the appearance of diseases and pests. For example, once every two weeks you can spray the plant with a one percent Bordeaux solution. The flower can attack spider mite or mole. These pests are controlled using a soap solution. To prevent their appearance, the soil should always be moist and the air in the apartment should not be too dry.

Very complex flower for growing, before buying this flower, you should study how to care for it.

Very common in our apartments, we would recommend this plant for beginning gardeners.

Note to the florist

Why do the leaves turn yellow and fall off?

This may happen due to improper watering. Too dry or wet soil is detrimental to the flower. Due to direct sunlight, azalea leaves may also fall off and turn yellow.

What to look for when buying an azalea?

In the store you should give preference to a flower with unopened buds. Check for pests and dry leaves. Test the soil with your fingers. It should not be too wet or dry.

I gave my friend an azalea as she had been dreaming about it for a long time. But not even a month had passed before the same flower ended up in my apartment. A friend was sent on a long business trip, and she brought her pet to me - they say, you gave it to me, which means you know what to do with it...

I was out of touch, because before that I had only seen azalea in pictures. But there was still no one to look after the beauty. And, having secured the magic phone number of the saleswoman of our flower shop (a woman very knowledgeable in her craft and simply in love with flowers), I became a kind “stepmother” to the flower.

The azalea is an indoor version of the rhododendron. Interestingly, if "rhododendron" is " pink tree", then the word "azalea" is translated as "dried tree." The point is that in wildlife this is not the most attractive shrub (unless it blooms, of course).

Biologists can list more than 300 species of wild azaleas and only a few indoor ones. These are Japanese (rhododendron obtuse) and Indian azalea (also known as Sims' rhododendron), as well as varieties descended from these species.

They came to us from the East (in Asian countries it is a symbol of peace and joy, as well as a frequent “hero” of bonsai bushes).

Azalea looks like a small bush no more than 50 cm high, with a large number of branches, small leaves and lush flowers. It blooms with simple and double, fringed and ruffled flowers, colored pink, purple, red and white.

Flower buds form from October to December. Flowers bloom in winter- at a time when most domestic flowers are resting during their dormant period. True, if you care for your green pet incorrectly, the plant will bloom a little, and then shed its petals and leaves, and begin to dry out inexorably.

Subtleties of caring for this flower

• Room temperature. To be happy, a flower needs cool a room in which the temperature is constantly kept from 10 to 15, maximum 18 degrees. In winter, the pot can generally be placed on glass balcony, where the temperature drops to 5 degrees. And when the plant blooms, the regime can be improved a little: move the pot to a room with 16-17 degrees. Remember: if the room is warmer, the flowers will please you for only 2 weeks, but if you achieve the desired temperature, they will last longer than 2 months.
• Selection of window sill. Don't have a cold balcony? Keep the pot on a western or northern windowsill. If all the windows in your apartment face south, the window can be shaded with frosted plastic sheet- this way the azalea will not get sunburn.
• "Spa treatments" for a flower. In the summer, you are unlikely to keep the plant in the refrigerator, and lowering the temperature in the room to 15 degrees with the help of an air conditioner is inhumane to your family. Therefore, it is easier to cover the flower pot with ice, and also frequently spray the azalea with cool water. Remember: it must be boiled or distilled.
• Light. It should be bright, but not straight, otherwise it will spoil the leaves (the tips will begin to dry). In winter, buy a lamp with a fluorescent bulb for your pet.
• Top dressing. Mineral fertilizers must be paid twice a month. You can buy "Azalea", this fertilizer is specially designed for this flower. During the formation of buds, you can add “Uniflor-bud”, “Superphosphate” (1.5 g per liter of water) or “Kemira-lux”. In general, take mixtures rich in potassium and phosphorus. And when flowering ends, buy nitrogen-containing fertilizers: “Zircon” (a drop per 10 liters) or “Uniflor-micro”. They will help the plant grow branches and roots. And if the leaves begin to turn yellow, give a preparation with iron - say, “Ferovit” or “Iron Chelate” (1 g per 2 liters). Avoid overdoses!
• Insect enemies. These are spider and strawberry mites. Try a soap solution (weak), and if that doesn’t help, buy an acaricide like Neorona.
• Diseases. The leaves turn yellow, wither, fall off: this sunburn or insufficient watering. Flowers turn yellow and wither: you do not defend the water. This is wrong? Try boiling it + buy a bag of fertilizer. Azalea is also afraid of mosaic, fusarium, gray rot, powdery mildew. Such diseases are a reason to buy a special medicine at a flower shop.

Buying an azalea

Many people easily give money after seeing the magnificent flowering bush. This is wrong - most likely, the beauty will fade very soon (after all, the store probably didn’t keep the plant in cold room). It is better to choose a bush that has just begun to bloom - with many buds and only a few flowers.

Many flowerpots brought into the house are immediately replanted. Not so with azalea. This flower needs to be kept in a purchased pot for a longer time, allowing it to first take root in a new place.

What kind of watering does this plant like?

Since azaleas grow “in the wild” in a humid climate, the soil in the pot should also be moist. But of course not wet. If you missed it and all the soil in the pot has dried out, place the entire pot in a basin for 4 hours. Do the next watering no sooner than 3 days later.

Watering a flower is simple: the hotter it is in the room, the more often you need to take out the watering can.

In the summer, when it’s hot, you can think about watering twice a day, supplementing the procedure with frequent spraying.

What water should I use?

• If you take it from the tap, be sure to boil it or at least let it sit for at least a day.
• It’s even better to use melted water, rain water or distilled water.
• From time to time (to normalize the acidity of the soil in the pot), you can water the flower with acidified water. To do this, dissolve 1 teaspoon of citric acid in 2 liters of water.

A flower pot must have a tray. It will flow here excess water. As soon as you see it, drain it - this will protect the azalea from root rot.

Reproduction

Your favorite plant can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, grafting, rooting cuttings and dividing the bush.

• Seeds. The choice of professionals cultivating new variety. There is a lot of work here, it takes a long time to wait for results, so it makes sense to start only if you have a “sports” or professional interest.

• Cuttings. Cut stems that are semi-woody and at least 5 cm long. This can be done from mid-winter to the first half of summer. Root babies in acidic soil (sphagnum peat, coniferous land). Use “Kornevin” (it is used to treat the cut of the cutting) and growth substances. Planting depth is about 2 cm. The pot is covered with a jar, forming a greenhouse. It needs to be lifted often and the ground sprayed. Keep the “greenhouse” warm - at 25 degrees. The cuttings will take root within a month.
• Dividing the bush. If he is an old man (from 3 years old), be careful not to damage tender roots, divide it into several parts.

Trimming and pinching: differences between these important procedures

Pinching- a technique thanks to which you form a crown, allowing the plant to bloom even more intensely. Do not feel sorry for your pet, he needs pinching - if you do not tame the crown, it will “pull” in all directions, forgetting about flowering.

Remove shoots that have grown near the flower buds. When forming a crown, remove young branches. About 2.5 weeks will pass, and the shortened shoots will be decorated with new leaves.

Trimming produced after flowering has ended. Cut off weak and overly “runaway” shoots, and of course, remove wilted flowers.

Pruning is carried out in May.

You don’t have to stand on ceremony with this flower even during the flowering period. Turn it, move the pot, trim the crown - it will forgive everything.

Proper transplantation of your pet

The flower does not really like this procedure.

A young azalea (up to 3 years old) needs to be replanted every year, an “old one” - once every 2 years. And even then - only if you see that the roots are frankly cramped, or the soil has “worn out” and begun to rot.

Flowers need acidic soil. It can be a mixture of coniferous (2 parts), peat soil(1 part) and sand (a little).

You will learn more about transplanting this flower from this video:

Azalea is one of the most impressive beautiful flowering shrubs, which in spring and early summer turn the garden into a bright colorful show.

From year to year, the culture is becoming more and more popular, and breeders are creating more and more new and unusual varieties. Today, there are more than a hundred hybrids and varietal forms of garden azaleas, caring for which in open ground is not as difficult as many people believe.

Popular types and varieties

Among the highly decorative species, large-flowered and Japanese azaleas are popular.

Deciduous (large-flowered) varieties are characterized by tall growth and large flowers different shapes. Flowering period is late May and early June. Most Popular winter-hardy varieties: “Chanel”, “Freya”, “Klondike”, “Tunisia”, “Sonya”, “Starus”, golden “Golden Lights” and “Golden Sunset”, one and the most beautiful varieties late flowering bright orange 'Gibraltar'.

Variety "Gibraltar"

Japanese azaleas are characterized by slow growth and more compact shape bush not exceeding 60-100 cm. There are dwarf varieties no more than 30 cm in height. The shrub grows wider than upward, so it can be used as a ground cover. Flowers delight gardeners in all shades of pink, lilac and purple. The leaves usually fall off in the winter, but not on all varieties. Several popular varietal forms: “George Arendes”, “Kermezina”, “Rosinetta”, “Silvester” “Rubinstern”, “Marushka”, “Blue Danube”.

Variety "Blue Danube"

The duration of flowering, depending on the type and variety, varies from 3 weeks to 2 months, and the crop blooms for the first time in the 3rd year.

Growing rules

Choosing garden soil and planting azaleas

Cultivation of azaleas requires the creation of appropriate conditions and an important factor necessary for successful cultivation, is, first of all, a substrate that provides proper development shrub and flowering intensity. The plant belongs to acidophilic crops that require increased level soil acidity, approximately 3.5 - 4.5 pH.

Before planting azaleas in garden soil, you need to prepare it correctly. After digging a hole to a depth of 40-50 cm, the extracted soil is mixed with components that increase acidity - peat and compost based on pine needles or crushed bark coniferous trees, taken in equal proportions.

For good water permeability, add 2 parts of coarse sand and lay out a high drainage layer of expanded clay and sand on the bottom. Can be purchased immediately ready soil, intended for azaleas and rhododendrons.

When planting a plant, be careful with the roots so as not to damage the beneficial mycorrhiza (a fungal root with a symbiosis of fungus and roots) that lives on the root system of azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas, etc. Mycorrhiza greatly facilitates the cultivation of plants, increases the absorption of nutrients, and allows plantings to better withstand bad weather conditions. soil and climatic conditions.

The plant is planted in the prepared hole using the transfer method so that the surface of the root ball is only slightly below the soil level. The earth around is compacted.

After planting the azalea in garden soil, water the bush well and cover the ground around with a thick layer of garden mulch. pine bark, which has a beneficial effect on the development of shrubs: maintains soil acidity, improves its structure, protects the root system from drying out, and prevents the growth of weeds.

Before planting a shrub, read the information about the height and width of the selected variety. Garden azalea is a long-lived and slow-growing plant, so consider the future size of the plantings, providing them with sufficient space to grow. Usually the distance between large bushes is 1-1.5 meters, and between small ones Japanese varieties– 0.5-0.7 m. You can plant container plants from the nursery all season – from April to early October.

Selecting a location

In caring for garden azaleas It should be borne in mind that plants love partial shade and react poorly to midday sun, which causes flowers to fall off, foliage to wilt and flower buds to decrease. Shrubs grow best under the canopy of trees, especially coniferous species: pine trees, spruce trees, larches, as well as near any bodies of water that provide air humidity.

The best place for them will be a place protected from the wind. Windy areas increase the negative effects of low temperatures and dry out the soil, often leading to the death of plantings.

Variety "Silvester"

The crop has a shallow root system, so it cannot extract water from the deeper layers of the soil and quickly floods with poor drainage. For this reason, it is important to choose a position where the plant will not be severely affected by drought and heat, and at the same time will not be subject to flooding of the roots.

How to water

Caring for azaleas in open ground involves frequent but moderate watering and spraying of foliage in hot weather. The shrub loves slightly moist soil and does not tolerate it drying out.

It is better to water in the early morning or late evening, not too much, using non-cold rain or soft water. The frequency of watering is approximately once every 2 days as the top layer of soil dries; in hot weather, water every day. From September, the frequency of watering is reduced.

Preparing for winter

To prepare for winter, especially for azaleas with evergreen leaves, it is very important to moisten the soil well in the fall, before frost sets in. After watering the substrate, place a layer of 10 to 30 cm (depending on the height of the bush) around the bushes of composted pine bark, peat and oak leaves to protect the roots from drying out and temperature changes. In spring, such mulch will enrich the soil with valuable humus.

In regions with harsh winters, choose deciduous varieties that are resistant to very low temperatures. In cold-sensitive varieties, the ground part of the bushes is insulated using agrofibre or special frames insulated with spruce branches or roofing felt. When spring heat sets in, the shelters are immediately removed.

How to apply fertilizer

In the first year after planting, the plants do not require additional fertilizer, but in subsequent years the plantings should be regularly fed with fertilizers for acidophilic plants (, camellia, rhododendron) in accordance with the instructions.

Since azaleas are sensitive to substrate salinity, it is better to use granular fertilizers with a delayed effect, lightly dripping them around the bush at a distance of 20 cm from the center. Feed with conventional liquid fertilizers for the first time. in early spring, and then every 2 months, dilute them in water for irrigation.

The last dose of fertilizer should be applied by the end of July. IN spring feeding elements such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus should be contained in equal proportions; after flowering, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied.

It should be remembered that azaleas are not able to absorb iron, as a result of which they begin to suffer from leaf chlorosis. This is a very common phenomenon for acidophilic plants, so it is important to maintain the acidity of the substrate.

Nitrogen deficiency is manifested by yellowing of the leaf and a decrease in size, while phosphorus deficiency is manifested by darkening of the leaves, loss of shine, and appearance in the area of ​​the central vein. brown spots. If we observe yellowing of the edges of the leaves and their curling upward, then this is a reaction to potassium deficiency.

Azalea chlorosis

Azalea pruning

Garden azalea does not require radical pruning - it is enough to remove diseased, deformed, damaged and too long branches. If the bush is very thick, then it is thinned out to provide access to light, air circulation and improve appearance. It is important that pruning is carried out no later than 3 weeks after flowering, before the formation of flower buds.

Topiary figures from azaleas

To ensure abundant flowering, you must also regularly get rid of faded inflorescences. For decorative purposes, azaleas, especially Japanese ones, are great for creating topiary figures.

How to propagate azalea in open ground

The most common and effective methods are cuttings and layering.

Propagation using azalea apical cuttings

Evergreen varieties take root best. The process of rooting deciduous forms is limited in time, since cuttings taken from young shoots of the new season that have not completed their development are suitable for the procedure. The leaves on such cuttings are still small and light green, and the growing bud continues to grow. Rooting will not occur on old shoots. Cuttings are harvested at the end of June. For evergreen varieties, the tops of shoots can be taken until the end of July, immediately after flowering.

Dip cuttings into powder to form roots

The length of the cut cuttings is 15-20 cm. We remove excess leaves and side branches and faded inflorescences. Before burying the cuttings in the substrate, we dip them in powder, which stimulates the formation of roots.

Then we plant it in a mixture of equal parts of perlite, peat and humus soil. Water well using a shower head and place the pots in a clear plastic bag to create greenhouse conditions.

Water the cuttings well

We place the pots in partial shade so that the sun hits the cuttings in the morning or evening. Periodically remove the bag for watering and ventilation. The substrate must be moist, not wet, otherwise the cuttings will rot.

Greenhouse for cuttings

The formation of young leaves is a sign of successful rooting. In mid-September, young seedlings can be planted in open ground and for the first 2 years cover them for the winter with a layer of foliage, spruce branches and big amount snow.

Reproduction by layering

Most suitable for this method propagation: low bushes with long side shoots. In spring, we tilt the shoots to the ground and secure them in a special shallow hole in the form of a trench. Let's fall asleep fertile soil and water regularly. The next year, the cuttings should produce a new shoot, after which we cut it off from the mother bush and plant it as an independent young plant.

Problems in caring for garden azaleas in the open ground

The crop, like other plants, is vulnerable to pests and diseases. The most common fungal diseases that develop are caused by excess moisture:

Leaf spot, where brown spots appear on the leaves different sizes, carrying fungal spores;

Powdery mildew;

Late blight, which manifests itself by drying and dying of shoots;

Gray rot;

Rust.

In case of disease development, the plant must be treated with fungicidal preparations, which work well as preventive measures.

Garden azaleas are often affected by such pests as: the dangerous rhododendron bug, aphids, strawberry mites that damage flowers, buds and young leaves, weevils and their larvae, and azalea moths. Plants need to be treated for pests special drugs insecticides.

Application in garden design

Azaleas are ideal for decorating gardens in Japanese and Chinese styles. They look impressive against the background of the lawn, creating picturesque groups. They can be planted in large gardens, and in small areas. Plantings look great in company with any conifers, heather, camellias, decorative deciduous trees, euonymus, Japanese maples, hydrangea, .