Even if azaleas are ordinarily on a smaller exfoliation than other rhododendrons , pruning azalea is essential to keep them healthy and in figure , rejuvenating the plant and even promote their generous and beautiful blooms year after class .
Coming from the Himalayas , China , and Japan , they do best in the South East of the USA and are mainly self - sufficient . However , light pruning and trimming can help azalea bushes along , but you must do it correctly .
The interrogation is , how to trim an azalea bush , and when is the near clip to prune azaleas ?
Like each plant , the artwork of trimming azalea has specific methods and times , and this easy - to - follow guide will show you when to cut down azaleas and the skilful techniques when pruning azalea bushes .
Reasons Why Pruning Your Azalea is a Must-Do
The main head is , do you really require to prune your azalea shrubs ? Some gardeners actually let them develop of course , and they only utilise the secateurs or pruners when it is rigorously necessary .
There can be a few reason why your azalea take a passementerie , and these are :
Now , these may be the reason you have to prune your azalea shrub , but be very measured when you do it !
When You Should Prune Your Azaleas
It is best to prune azaleas in springiness or early summer after the blossom is pass and before they protrude new buds . This could be as early as March or as belatedly as May , bet on the type of azaleas you ’re growing .
In fact , with these unfolding shrubs , we can talk about “ the clip ” to rationalize them , not the “ times . ” Unlike other shrubs , you do n’t have two pruning season with azalea .
And this time can poke out a moment , but you should never sheer back azaleas afterward than July . There is a reason for all this : azaleas begin developing buds betimes and keep them on for a long time .
If you cut cut back azaleas branches in former summer , descent , wintertime , and spring , you end up cutting the buds as well .
Do n’t worry if it sounds antagonistic - intuitive because we prune other bush when they are dormant – with azaleas , you must do it soon after the first florescence , without hold off for the 2d wave of heyday buds to total .
So , write a note in your calendar , and waitress for the right moment . And now on to the main point … how to prune them .
What You Need to Prune Your Azaleas
Unlike roses and other shrub , azalea do n’t require and do n’t postulate heavy pruning most of the time . We will depend at this case later in this section , but first .
And we will see all the unlike way you may use to do this because they look on your reasons and aims , but fortunately the equipment you will postulate is always the same .
This is the list of all you need to prune azalea with success :
This is all you will take to procure yourself , and now , allow ’s go through the unlike techniques .
How to Trim Leggy Branches on Azaleas
One of the most common pruning intervention is to cut foresighted and long-shanked branches , which grow within one year and give your azalea an open habit and an unbalanced figure . This is quite simple .
While you do this , however , you’re able to also look at the teetotal and sick branches …
How to Prune Dry and Sick Branches from Your Azalea
Dry and sick outgrowth are not just unsightly , do your azalea look a muddle , they can also cause infections , so , sheer them freely .
How to Trim Azaleas to Thin Them
If you want an opened habit , you will need to be fairly drastic as well , and here is how .
But how about if your aim is the precise opposite ?
How to Prune Your Azaleas to Thicken Them
So , if you are look for a dense azalea shrub ; here is what you need to do .
So far , as you’re able to see , we have not take any really drastic whole step , as we do with rose , but it is also potential to cut down azaleas quite a lot , and we will look at how right now …
How to Prune Azaleas for Rejuvenation
Drastic pruning for azaleas is on the golf hole something you should forfend . They do not take well to heavy intervention , unlike rosebush or forsythia . However , if the shrub is very old , or if it has some serious health problems , you may test to rejuvenate your azalea with ultra pruning .
This is a more complex operation , and it is also the exception with timing ; you should do rejuvenation pruning of your overgrown azaleas in wintertime or early spring . And you will sacrifice blooms for this too ; they will blossom again the yr after .
And for this , you will need shunt loppers .
This mode your old or very ill azalea will restore , but it will take it a whole class for the azalea to search full , untried , healthy , and flower again . If you do not feel well-situated with this , you may wish to employ a professional to do it for you .
And from the heaviest to the lightest intervention … let ’s look at deadheading !
‘Why’ and ‘How’ of Azalea Deadheading
We deadhead many efflorescence to advance Modern bloom , but this is not truthful of all azalea : if you do it with deciduous azaleas , you will indeed prompt them to blossom again .
But evergreen azaleas wo n’t . So , in most cases , we can lead these last ones alone , however …
If you live in a place with slopped and rainy summers , the spend azalea flower can get mushy and hold on to moisture , which can stimulate disease , and it does not look good either . If this is your case , then go ahead and deadhead evergreen azaleas as well .
And it is very dim-witted :
And this is all you need to do , apart from two tips I have left for you …
What To Do After You Have Pruned Or Deadheaded Your Azalea
Once you have pruned or deadheaded your azalea bush , there is one matter you really can not draw a blank :
You ca n’t go out them there ; the branches will impoverish the grunge from nitrogen ; both branch and blooms may then moulder and cause infection .
So , a turn of tidying up can go a prospicient way !
If you require to encourage novel growth and new leaves , then you could also course it with an organic fertilizer with NPK 15 - 15 - 15 .
And lastly , this is also a good time to mulch at the base of your azalea , because you have a tidy bush .
If your mulching needs some topping up , the best choice is a mix of pine needle and chop oak leaf , but even regular wood microprocessor chip will do perfectly well .
What Is The Best Shape For An Azalea Shrub
Do n’t even attempt to rationalise your azalea into a geometrical , regular figure . They are not at all shrub you may use for topiaries , formal invention , or even geometric hedging . Your design is to make your azalea take care natural , but you have some scope here .
A small asymmetry is also adept , but avoid excesses , which indeed bump when your bush receives luminance on one side only . And in this grammatical case , you will get the “ leggy branch ” problem .
Pruning Azaleas: Less Is More
Now you make out when how and why you should cut back your azalea shrub . Be very particular about using the given methods we have described here to accommodate the precise purpose of your pruning .
Each operation is not very unmanageable ; it does not even liken to the complexity of pruning rose or European olive tree trees , for example , so , what is really important is that you have your final goal clear in your mind .
Having read this , azaleas are quite self - sufficient plants in this esteem , and it is very unlikely that you will need urgent pruning or even radical intervention .
But permit me leave you with a very final tip : do n’t go heavy with pruning your azalea , in case , you’re able to always retouch ; with these fab oriental flowering shrubs , the main rule is “ less is more . ”
write By
Amber Noyes was bear and evoke in a suburban California townspeople , San Mateo . She hold a master ’s degree in horticulture from the University of California as well as a BS in Biology from the University of San Francisco . With experience go on an organic farm , piss preservation inquiry , farmers ’ marketplace , and flora glasshouse , she understands what produce plants thrive and how we can well sympathize the connection between microclimate and plant wellness . When she ’s not on the commonwealth , Amber loves informing people of novel ideas / things relate to horticulture , specially organic gardening , houseplant , and growing plants in a small space .
