Azalea Help

[hqueen13]

I need a bit of help with my azaleas... They don't seem to be doing quite as well as I'd like, and I'm not super familiar with what to do for them.

They are growing in pretty dense shade, and these are a dark pink variety. I've been giving them coffee grounds tossed on top of the leaves which were never cleaned away from the bases of them. I've been playing with the Crepe Myrtles for so long that I feel like the azaleas are choked up. It seems there are lots of suckers in the middle and around the base of the plants. They look very dense toward the bottoms of them. I don't know if I should trim this back and open up the lower area of the bush or if they are supposed to be like that. The leaves are also coming in rather rust colored instead of green this year, and that doesn't seem right.
Anybody got any suggestions?? I'll try to take pictures and add them to the post.

Thanks!

 

[baymule]

I don't have azeleas, but I know they need an acid soil. They grow like weeds around here, they like shade. I have seen them thinned out at the bottom and also trimmed to be rounded and full. It sounds like they have a soil deficiency.

 

[nelson castro]

Because of the acid soil required, aluminum sulfate has probably spelled the doom of more azaleas plants than any other single thing. True, this chemical acidifies the soil, but at the same time, it eats up the roots of the plant. For a timeperhaps a yearthe azalea will seem to thrive. Then is will die for reasons not apparent to the unknowing gardener.

 

[Wannabefree]

Acidify the soil, mulch with oak leaves, pine needles or the like. Mine thrived in the shade, they got compact as well, but that is fine for azaleas. I'd do a soil test. Maybe get some plain sulfur to dig into the first inch or so of soil. The brown leaves aren't a good thing, they should be bright green. Mine never had issues, but were in pretty acidic soil to begin with.

 

[hqueen13]

Well, now I am wondering if they were just a little under watered when they started to leaf out. We've had a few days of good rain (spaced apart, the nice kind for the most part!!) and now they're nice and green and about ready to bloom!

Now I just need to figure out a little more information on how they should be pruned, and if the thick growth style is ok for them, or if I need to open them up to a little more air.

The coffee grounds I dump on them should be helping to acidify the soil, though I have no idea how much is needed. Its not worth the cost/effort to do a real soil test, I just sort of attempt to limp along with what I have.

I did take a photo of them, but I don't know how well it turned out. I'll have to post it so everyone can see.

 

[~gd]

Because of the acid soil required, aluminum sulfate has probably spelled the doom of more azaleas plants than any other single thing. True, this chemical acidifies the soil, but at the same time, it eats up the roots of the plant. For a timeperhaps a yearthe azalea will seem to thrive. Then is will die for reasons not apparent to the unknowing gardener.

Breakdown products are sufuric acid [acidifies] and aluminum hydroxide [usually in a gel form] aluminum hydroxide does not eat up the roots it just slowly blocks water to them. Agree that it is a killer just disagree how it kills.

 

[hqueen13]

Well, they certainly like the coffee grounds! This is as beautiful as I can remember them in a long time (and that would be 6 years we've lived here!)
Now if I can just make sure that I do a good job of pruning them once they're done blooming...

 

[so lucky]

I like the natural look, and don't see any reason to prune them. They're perfect the way they are!

 

[hqueen13]

so lucky - yes, this is one of the best looking bushes. The trouble with them is that they have a lot of suckers down on the inside of the bush which are choking the bushes. They need a little more air flow around the inside. There are also one or two that got damaged 3 years ago in the big snows, and then eaten down to nothing by the deer, and they are growing back really crowded, so they need to be thinned in order that they'll grow strong branches and bush out more. Just a little tidying up, really, not really massive pruning. Thankfully azaleas don't really need that kind of thing unless they get TOO big, and these have a long way to go before I'd consider them too big!
I'm just thrilled with the blooms this year! So gorgeous!