Caring for some Sickly Azaleas in the Garden














April 18,1998
Lisa wrote:
Hi! Help, I live about 100 miles inland from the Oregon Coast, I purchased
about twenty azaleas last spring and planted them just as the directions
said to. They are getting some morning sun and shade in the hot afternoon.
The soil is pretty full of clay around my home though I have never had
it tested. Most of my azaleas look very sparse. They are spindly and
have few leaves, I see the blooms are starting but they look sickly
also. The leaves that are on the plants have a sort of rust color to
them. What is happening? Not all of them look like this but most do.
The weather was very light during the winter, it does rain a lot here...
Please can you help me?
Sincerely, Lisa
Growing requirements of Azalea Plants
Azaleas can be very fussy about their growing conditions.. They
MUST have
acid soil with a Ph of 5.0 to 6.5. They do
NOT like clay soils. The
first thing I would do would be to get your Ph tested. There are inexpensive
test kits available, which will easily and quickly tell you the Ph of your
soil. Many nurseries will test your Ph for free. If the soil is alkaline at
all, your Azaleas will be unable to access the necessary nutrients and elements
vital to their health. It will be necessary for you to add a considerable
amount of peat moss, and other organic matter to the soil. The addition of
the course builders sand,peat moss, ground bark, sawdust,
compost,
or other organic amendments will also help to break up the clay texture, and
help to aerate the soil. Be sure to feed your Azaleas with an acid type Rhododendron
fertilizer..
When you plant Azaleas or Rhododendrons, they should be placed in the ground
so that their root ball is
slightly higher than the surrounding
soil. They will not do well if soil is pushed up against the trunk.
(Could
this be the problem?)
For more information about planting and growing Azaleas,
CLICK
HERE
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