Stop laughing..... I%26#039;m serious. It%26#039;s a pretty little plant, exploding with intermingled pink and white blooms and I would like to plant it in my front flower bed, come spring.
Is there anything I should do for the plant over the next few months to keep it healthy and get it ready to bloom again in the spring ?
Apologies if this is truly a novice question, but I usually buy my plants when they are in season, so I%26#039;m at a bit of a loss, as to what, if anything, needs to be done.
Azalea recieved for Valentine%26#039;s gift, what do I do with it ?
KARMA--check my second modificatiuon PLEASE!
I love azaleas. They are really nice plants that generally like part shade. You should get a soil test done first. A cheapy kit, if nothing else. Azaleas like soils that are acidic.
You can go ahead and plant it now and not wait until spring. The ground will protect it%26#039;s roots better than a plastic bucket. Get a bag of mushroom compost (NOT potting soil). Dig a hole that is about 3x the diameter of the pot the azalea is in now and no deeper than the pot is tall. Put enough compost in the hole to fill it about halfway. You will need to mix the compost with the original dirt. This will give the plant something to munch on when it is growing.
When you take the plant out of its pot, make sure to break up the rootball. Cut off any large roots that are growing in a circle around the rootball. If you do not, the roots will continue to grow in that manner, eventually strangling the plant. Also, don%26#039;t be afraid to use your shovel to make 4 (depending on the size of the pot) chops on the sides of the rootball. You will not harm the plant and this will make new feeder roots grow. The plant needs to know that it is OUT of that pot and FREE!!!!! When you put it in the ground, spread the roots out and make sure to leave the very top of the rootball above the ground. You can do this by leaving the top half-inch above the groundline. Add dirt in a mound to build up if necessary. Plants breathe through their roots and if the rootball is covered in dirt, the roots will suffocate. Pack the dirt down around the plant and water. You can add more dirt if needed. You can then put mulch around the plant, but make sure the mulch is about 3-5 inches away from the trunk of the plant. This will keep fungus and other crud from growing in trapped moisture and killing your azalea. The mulch will also help to both keep moisture in the ground for the plant and help keep the roots cool in the summer. Use something organic, which will have the added benefit of adding a minimal amount of humus to the ground for the azalea.
You will need to water it about once a week, to the equivelent (sp?) of one inch of rain. (Unless it rains a lot, then you won%26#039;t have to water.) I suggest drip irrigation as you can be sure the plant is geting the water it needs, but if you have a sprinkler, water it when it would normally get wet from dewfall. (Between the hours of 1am till 8am) This will keep exposure to moisture to a minimun and help protect it from different funks %26amp; cruds. But be sure to check the soil every now and then to make sure it is moist enough. Just stich a finger where its roots are and see how the soil is doing.
READ THE TAG. Put it where it can grow freely. Please don%26#039;t put a plant that grows 15%26#039; tall under a window that is 5%26#039; off the ground so you have to butcher it every year to see out of the window. That is just stupid.
A 10-10-10 fertilizer should be pretty good for it, but don%26#039;t fertilize until after the last chance of frost. Nitrogen encourages leafy growth and a hard frost can damage or kill a plant if it grows too early.
If you need to prune it, do so after it blooms, as they set flower buds in the late summer to fall, depending on the variety. There are quite a few. Read the tag.
Get in touch with your local Master Gardeners (where you can get a soil test done) if you have more questions, or find a reputable nursery/garden center in your area. Stay away from box stores. Most of them couldn%26#039;t find their faces with both hands if they got hit in the nose when it comes to plants.
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
I forgot! If you are going to have a freeze/frost once it is outside, then get a old sheet or blanket to cover the azalea with. Nothing that won%26#039;t breathe. (Plastic=bad.) This will help protect it from frost damage.
And you can%26#039;t really grow them indoors unless you have a sunny window. I asked around at work. It%26#039;s not really a good idea. They won%26#039;t bloom like they will outside, if at all. You may could just keep in indoors until it stops blooming. Don%26#039;t let the soil dry and don%26#039;t let it sit in water. Root rot sucks greatly for plants.
Once you plant the azalea, you CAN let the plant get established and cut flowering branches off to bring inside for arrangements in a vase or an old jar or whatever.
Don%26#039;t know where you live but go to hgic.clemson.edu and find the shrub section and look up azaleas. Good website for SC. You may could find a link to your state%26#039;s university?
Keep asking the questions. I like questioning my assumptions, especially the ones I didn%26#039;t know I had.
$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%%$%$
After modifying my answer to your question, another co-worker mentioned that the azaleas that are in bloom now have been forced in a greenhouse and may not survive if planted outside now. It depends on where you live. If in lower Florida you should be fine, but if you are in Virginia, then keep it inside until spring gets here.
However, I stand by my answer as far as planting when you do. You usually do not need to wait until spring to plant anything you buy. The fall and winter plantings are really good because the plants can set roots and get established without having to deal with heat and drought stress as well.
I am sorry that I was not entirely correct, and I hope you have not planted your gift yet. Keep it indoors in a sunny location and make sure it does not dry out. You could give it a quarter %26#039;dose%26#039; of a water soluable 20-20-20 fertilizer once a month until the temperature in your area warms up.
I tried to email you.....
Reply:Just a late comment here. Most of the time, holiday gift plants like miniature roses and azaleas are special miniature hybrids grown in greenhouses. Most of these will die if planted outside. Good luck with yours Report It
Reply:March begins the planting season for milder regions in the south and west. Azaleas are more widely adapted to warm summer temperatures and can grow in all regions of the U.S. except the desert southwest and areas with very cold winters. Most azaleas completely cover themselves with early spring flowers. They usually grow three to six feet high.
Choose a planting site with rich, well-drained, acidic soil.
Plant in area with light filtered shade. Avoid hot, dry or windy sites.
Before planting, generously amend soil with organic matter, such as compost. If it’s too alkaline for azaleas amend with sphagnum peat moss to increase acidity, or plant in raised beds or containers.
Plants will succumb quickly in poorly drained soil. Check drainage by filling the planting hole with water, let it drain and fill it again. If the hole doesn’t drain overnight, it is best to plant in raised beds or containers.
After planting, apply a thick layer of organic mulch and keep soil lightly moist, never letting plants dry out completely.
Continued care for your azaleas includes fertilizer and insect control.
You can check out this website for detailed information. I just gave you the basics. We have 3 large ones in our front yard.
Reply:Oh man, this is brave...
Right then. I had the same happen to me a few years back. STOP LAUGHING! I was as clueless as I was surprised when I received it, but I love living things and wanted to preserve it. So I went ahead and planted it in my garden and did all I could to nurture and protect it and... well, it died. I mean, it wasn%26#039;t even a near run thing; it just flat out DIED, as in doornail dead, as in you stupid MALE animal with the gardening technique of an orangutan dead, as in why the hell didn%26#039;t you get some expert advice? dead.
Anyway, I%26#039;m not trying to discourage you so... just take these good people%26#039;s advice and see if you can have better success than Mr. Blackthumb! :(
Update: Um... glad to be of *cough* assistance?
Reply:godsowndi has it right. Keep it in the pot and indoors until threat of freezing has passed. In our neck of the woods there is a LOT of clay in the soil so it%26#039;s recommended to use a good potting soil when starting a new plant and to dig your hole approx. 3 X the size of your pot
Reply:When the threat of freezing is passed go ahead and find a place in your yard for it that get strong, but indirect sun for most of the day. Your local nursery should have a good brand of fertilizer specifically made for azaleas, use this according to package directions and be sure and protect it well during any drop below 35 degrees.
Reply:I believe you can leave it in the pot til Spring comes. Water it regularly and leave it near a window with lots of sun. In the Spring, you can plant it outside.
Reply:Definetely wait to Spring to plant it. They are very, very beautiful plants and smell wonderful. I bought one for my Mom one year. I will see if I can find the photos and I will post them on the web for you.
Here are some good tips on planting them though.
http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/enviro...
Reply:Plant it.
yahoo finance
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment