Is it possible to prune an azalea, a plant with rich flowers. How to carry out the procedure? How to prune a garden azalea? Should I prune my azalea after flowering?

Azalea was discovered by a Dutchman named Brainius at the end of the eighteenth century during one of his travels in England. She amazed him with the beauty of her flowers, and he brought her home, where she died due to the unsuitable climate. Then another scientist, Conners, also undertook unsuccessful attempt tame this beauty.

Only at the beginning of the nineteenth century was it possible to bring azalea from India, which was able to take root and bloom, giving rise to the emergence of many varieties and hybrids.

Temperature

Azalea, like any northern plant, is very capricious. Even after traveling from the store to the house, it can wither away within a couple of days. The main component for its successful growth is the temperature regime. Azalea loves cool rooms, with temperatures around fifteen degrees Celsius. Yes, it is extremely difficult to create and maintain such a temperature, but there are a couple of tricks:

1. A pot of Azalea can be covered with ice.
2. Water and also spray with cool distilled water.

In winter, Azalea can be displayed in closed loggia until the temperature drops below five degrees. It is in the fall - from October to December, that the plant begins its flowering period, which means that the temperature should not exceed seventeen degrees for the flower buds to form normally.

Lighting

Azalea loves bright light, but prefers diffused light, since direct sunlight causes its leaves to burn. If you place it on a windowsill, any side except the south will do. If you still want to place the azalea on the south side, cover it frosted glass to diffuse light.

In winter, Azalea suffers from a lack of light, so do not forget to install lighting in the form of fluorescent lamps.

Watering

Azaleas grow in humid climates and their soil must be kept moist at all times. The rule for watering Azaleas is simple: the lower the temperature, the less water you need to pour. If it happens that the soil dries out completely, you need to place the pot in a container of water. The main thing is that the time of his stay there does not exceed four hours. And you can return to normal watering in three days.

If the weather is hot and sunny, then Azalea should be sprayed, watering twice a day. It is not recommended to water this flower with tap water. It is better to infuse it or boil it. In order to maintain the acidity of the soil, you should water it with lemon water based on the calculation: for two liters of water - a teaspoon citric acid. Excess water should always be removed from the pot.

Top dressing

Azaleas need to be fed every two weeks. mineral fertilizers. When buds form, Superphosphate is recommended (fifteen grams per ten liters of water). The ideal fertilizer for feeding is a fertilizer with the same name as the flower, and during the flowering period it is recommended to use Uniflor-bud.

During the growing season, fertilizers containing nitrogen are needed, as well as Zircon, a fertilizer based on plant raw materials. Be sure to read the instructions for use. Azalea is sensitive to overdose. If its leaves turn yellow, you can apply iron chelate.

Bloom

The secret to successful flowering is several things: proper watering, temperature and light. In warm weather, Azalea blooms less, sometimes the buds completely fall off, but at the right temperature it blooms for two and a half months, delighting you with its beauty.

If you buy a plant, make sure that in addition to the opened flowers, there are buds on it - this way you can control its care and ensure that they bloom.

Reproduction

Azalea propagates by cuttings and its propagation is a long and painstaking work. It is worth pinching shoots for cutting in July, at next year cut them off. Their length should be approximately nine centimeters, cut off the lower leaves, make an oblique cut from the bottom. It should be remembered that cuttings need to be harvested once a year.

We tie the cuttings into bundles and immerse them in a heteroauxin solution, with the lower cut, for six hours. Then we plant it in a greenhouse to a depth of no more than three centimeters. At the bottom of the greenhouse there should be gravel, then three centimeters of coarse sand, and on top a mixture of coniferous soil and peat. The top of the greenhouse must be covered with film and sprayed periodically.

The temperature in the greenhouse should be twenty-five degrees and eighty percent humidity for the formation of a strong root system in two months. From time to time the greenhouse needs to be rotated to warm it up on all sides.

Azaleas can reproduce from mid-July to mid-October inclusive. The cuttings need to be ventilated a week after planting, carefully avoiding drafts.

As soon as the root system has developed sufficiently, the cuttings will begin to grow. Then you need to remove the film and start watering them with melt water.

As soon as they reach twelve centimeters in height, they can be transplanted into a pot with a coniferous substrate, and after three months the top can be pinched to form an oval crown. After three months, repeat pinching and start pruning new shoots, and the young azalea needs to be transplanted into a larger pot. The process of growing cuttings lasts up to three years.

Transfer

Young plants up to three years old are replanted once a year, after three - twice. The reason for replanting must be compelling - either the narrowness of the pot, or rotting of the substrate. When transplanting, use a special substrate for rhododendrons.

Trimming

Pinching is important for azaleas because it improves the intensity of flowering. After flowering, the azalea is pruned, removing weak or overgrown shoots. The plant is also pinched to form a crown, and the shoots growing near the flower buds are pruned. If this is not done, the azalea will become spreading and the number of flowers will decrease.

Diseases

All azalea diseases are the consequences of improper care. Here are some of them:

• If the leaves of an azalea turn yellow and fall off, it means that it either has an excess of direct contact sun rays or lack of water.
• If azalea flowers wither and fall off, the quality of water for irrigation is poor. You can try watering it with boiled water and fertilizer.
• Azalea struck spider mite– cobwebs on the leaves, the leaves fall off and turn yellow. It appears when the air is extremely dry. You can fight it by washing the plant with a mild soap solution and then under water from the shower.
• Strawberry mite is a terrible disease that can affect your beauty. It affects flowers and shoots with buds. Many small buds are cut off, instead of 1-3 large ones, the leaves curl up. The buds take on a bizarre shape. Although it is difficult to defeat him, it is possible. Neoron works especially well against it, which must be used strictly according to the instructions.

Video lessons

Features of caring for azaleas after flowering

If you have ever watched an azalea bloom, then you will agree with us how beautiful it is. During the flowering period, azalea brings summer, warm colors into the house at a time when most of the plants in our flower garden are dormant. Early varieties of azaleas bloom from December to January. Mid-late azaleas - bloom from January to March. Late varieties azaleas - bloom from February to April. But alas, period The azalea bloom does not last long and the moment comes when our beauty sheds her magnificent outfits, and we ask ourselves: But as How to care for an azalea after flowering? Let's talk about this today.
The first thing you need to do is collect not fallen dried flowers with pedicels. Then remove dry brown leaves. That's all for now. After some time, they will begin to emerge on young shoots. new leaves, and we will need to pinch the top of the shoot.

Pinching- This mechanical removal growth points of a growing shoot.

Pinching urgently needed for azaleas, this technique will increase the intensity of flowering. They pinch the azalea 3 times a year, starting in May and ending at the end of July. New buds will form at the tips of young shoots and your task is to get as many of these shoots as possible. By preventing them from growing too much, you can form a lush crown for your azalea. If you don't pinch the azalea will turn into a bush that will not be aesthetically attractive, and besides, it will bloom very rarely. Next in line is trimming.

Trimming azaleas correctly

Take a sharp knife or pruning shears. Disinfect them with alcohol. First you need to trim long shoots, the length of which exceeds average length all shoots, then pruning is subject to densely growing shoots. If your azalea has weak, poorly growing shoots, they can also be removed. The more branches you cut, the better they will be covered with greenery. The main thing is not to overdo it, common sense must always be present. After trimming, disinfect the cut areas with RanNet paste. After pruning, new leaves will appear within some weeks

By trimming you can form crown, the most attractive is considered to be a spherical crown with a bare trunk (ideally, if everything is done in a timely manner and correctly, the azalea will look like a miniature tree). After trimming not for long leave the azalea alone until transplanting (if required).

PS If you have young specimen, it is better to engage in crown formation with early age.

And we gradually got to the most difficult thing - replanting the azalea after flowering.

Preparing azalea for transplantation

Transplanting an azalea is not a process lungs. It is not easy, in the sense that if you have ever seen what kind of root system it has, you understand what we mean. To transplant an azalea, first of all you need to be patient. The first and most important thing to understand is that azaleas cannot be replanted in winter; chances are high that you you'll lose.

After the azalea has bloomed, we can safely replant or transship. The best time there will be a period for transplantation growth young shoots.

• Well, now let's take it in order.

First of all, let's choose priming. Earth mixture for azaleas can be bought in a store, it will cost approximately from 30 to 50 rubles. But if you have the opportunity and desire, you can prepare it yourself at home. For this we need: leaf soil, coniferous soil, heather and peat. Mix everything based on calculations (1:2:1:1). Can be used as a leavening agent fine-grainedriver sand. The resulting soil should be well-drained. If you are replanting a flower for the first time, we advise you to buy soil in the store, since it is not expensive. Well, the ground situation has become more or less clear. We move on, and next in line is the pot. Special requirements for choosing a pot No, you can take either clay, ceramic or even plastic. Perhaps it’s worth just saying that if you had not standard flat but wide pot - take the same one. The main thing is that it is one size larger than the previous one. Let's move on. For transplantation we will need:

• Pelvis with clean water, room temperature.
• Garden secateurs or scissors.
• Ready soil.
• Drainage (expanded clay can be used).

Take a pot and add a layer to the bottom drainage approximately 2 - 3 centimeters high. Zetas carefully remove the azalea from the pot. Remember, at the very beginning we wrote about what kind of root system azaleas have, now you have seen this for yourself. Next, immerse the earthen lump in a basin of water for 30 minutes. After that we take it out. We look at how much the earth has separated from the roots if we immerse it a little more. And so on until we have washed no more than a third of the land. Possible for acceleration process of watering the lump from a small watering can. The last time we wash the soil with clean water. After a third of the earth is removed attentively inspect root system for rotten roots and other ailments. If there are any, we eliminate them.

Next, we immerse our azalea in a pot and carefully fill it with new soil. Do not fill the azalea above the level that was before transplantation, otherwise you will fill the root collar. If you think that your soil is still normal and not affected by fungus, mold and other diseases, then just do the transshipment. It is less painful and better tolerated by the plant.

After replanting, water the azalea a little with zircon - it helps grow roots. We put the flower in a warm place, but not in direct sunlight. We start watering only on day 3 with the addition of zircon. If all is well, return to your normal watering schedule. Handled or transplanted azalea do not water with fertilizers for two months.

Azalea care after flowering video

Now you know how to care for an azalea after flowering. And all your labors from now on will not be in vain. Believe me, when your azalea blooms again, you will be shocked and rewarded for your efforts with a wonderful mood and amazing mood.

Azalea bloom - amazing sight. During the bud blooming period, the bush brings a feeling of summer and warmth to the room. Azalea blooms in winter period, when there is so little bright colors and lush greenery. But, unfortunately, the flowering period of the beauty is short. And there comes a time when the gardener should think about how to care for the plant so as not to ruin the crop. If the azalea has faded, what to do next becomes an important question to ensure stable development.

Caring for rhododendrons after flowering is simple. The florist should:

• Collect all dried flowers, trim off faded buds and dry shoots.
• Form a bush by trimming the elongated branches.
• Place in a cool place.

After 3-4 weeks, the bush will again be covered with delicate green leaves. During this period, the shoots require pinching - mechanical removal of the tops of the branches. The procedure is very important for future flowering(). It is this that enhances the formation of flowering buds. Pinch the bush 3 times a year, thereby shaping it. If the grower does not pinch the plant, then it will soon lose its decorative effect, and the flowering will become poor and uninteresting.

In addition to pinching, azalea also needs other procedures.

Trimming

Indoor azalea, pruned at home incorrectly and untimely, refuses to bloom. The procedure also affects the bush’s immunity and helps increase resistance to diseases and pests. It is very important for a gardener to know how to prune an azalea after flowering for its next lush appearance.

So, azaleas are pruned annually after the end of the flowering period. For each variety, the time for carrying out sanitary procedures is individual. Varieties with early period Blooms are pleasing to the eye in December-January. This means they are pruned in February. Varieties with an average flowering period delight with colors in January-March. They are pruned in April. Late varieties that bloom in February-April are pruned in May.

Step-by-step pruning of azaleas after flowering:

The gardener should remember that the more branches are removed, the more luxuriant the green crown of the bush will be. But don’t get carried away and overdo it. Everything should be in moderation.

Sanitary pruning will help not only stimulate flowering, but also form the individual shape of the bush. The most popular is a spherical crown on a trunk. From a distance, this plant resembles a miniature tree.

Transfer

It's not an easy task. The bush is replanted immediately after flowering during the formation of young leaves.

Algorithm for replanting azaleas after flowering:

In the first period after transplantation, water the plant carefully, allowing the soil surface to dry out a little.

Important! Azalea endures the transplant painfully. It is recommended, whenever possible, to use the transshipment method, in which the earthen ball remains practically undestroyed.

Watering and fertilizing

Watering and fertilizing after the transplantation procedure are very important for a rejuvenated bush. Immediately after the “move,” the azalea is watered just a little, adding a drop of zircon to the water. Then the plant is not watered for 3-4 days. Keep in a bright place without direct sunlight. After a short period of rest, watering is restored. Azaleas should be watered with a weak zircon solution.

In the first 2-3 months you should not feed the bush. Fertilizer can burn tender young roots. And there is enough nutrition in fresh soil. The first food is given in a minimal amount. Only special nutritional formulations should be used.

Important! At the time of flowering, the azalea is replanted only if absolutely necessary. If it is possible to wait, then this should be done and wait until all the buds wither.

Having created for this crop, the gardener will not have to study why the azalea sheds its leaves. The plant will survive the “move to new house"and will please abundant flowering already next year.

Pruning plants is the main procedure. This is done to ensure that the plant is healthy and does not get sick.

It is necessary to prune almost all types of plants that are fertile. Pruning for plants is very important, since it is thanks to it that you can regulate the size and growth of the plant. In addition, it becomes possible to adjust and change the shape and the ability to influence the processes of fruiting and the qualities of already ripening fruits. There are several types of pruning.

Reference! It is not necessary to remove all branches, but only those that have stretched quite far. Before you start pruning your azalea, you should check the lunar calendar.

This plant can not only be trimmed, but also pinched. This is done so that the plant grows and develops better, in order to be able to adjust the shape of the azalea. This is also done to ensure that the plant produces many flower buds.

Proper pruning of the plant is necessary so that azalea flowers grow and develop faster, as well as bloom well and intensively. Pruning should be done only after the plant has finished flowering.

Since azalea blooms from late to late spring, the pruning procedure can begin from the beginning of June. In addition, at this time the plant enters a dormant period.

Under no circumstances should you prune the plant while it is flowering.

How to trim after flowering?

It is only necessary to prune the azalea after it blooms, only the long shoots of the plant., if their length reaches the middle of the length of the remaining shoots and is densely growing. In addition, there is a need to trim weak or diseased shoots.

How many times a year is the procedure necessary?

Azaleas should be trimmed once a year as there is no other need for pruning. It can be carried out before flowering only if some of the shoots begin to hurt, grow poorly, or if pests appear on them.

Step-by-step instruction

1. Preparing tools. For trimming of this plant a knife is used that will be very well sharpened, but pruning shears are best suited for this procedure. In any case, the knife or pruning shears must be treated with a solution that contains from 70 to 90 percent alcohol.
2. Choosing a cutting location. The place where the plant is cut can be anywhere, since you can adjust the shape to your taste. Therefore there is not much difference.
3. Cutting part of a plant. First you need to remove the largest and largest branches. To make the plant beautiful, it is better to give it a ball shape. Some gardeners remove shoots in the middle of the plant, particularly those that grow inside the bush.

   Next, diseased and weak azalea shoots are removed. To determine which shoots of the plant are weak and which are not, you need to look at the leaves of the azalea. If there are no buds on the leaves, there should be two or one of them on healthy shoots. If there are a lot of buds on a leaf, then they will interfere with the other leaves receiving sunlight.

   Large pruning will harm the plant itself and it will hurt for a long time. Also, if severely pruned, the azalea will not be able to bloom, since it simply will not have the strength to do so.

   Attention! Weak pruning of the plant can also greatly harm it. As a result of this pruning, the azalea will produce only a small number of inflorescences.

4. Treatment of the cut area. After pruning, it is necessary to disinfect those parts of the plant where the pruning procedure was carried out. For disinfection, you can use a special paste for this purpose, called “RANNET”. It will help save the plant from pathogens. In addition, it will help in rapid growth leaves and twigs.

Plants must be pruned at least once a year. There are twelve most common mistakes in pruning shrubs:

Look what it looks like indoor rhododendron after the pruning procedure.

If you have ever seen an azalea in bloom, then you will agree how beautiful it is to see. A blooming azalea brings the soft colors of summer into the home, when many plants are in this period are in hibernation.

Flowering of early varieties of azaleas lasts from December to January. Mid and late azaleas bloom from January to March. Late varieties bloom from February to April. But, unfortunately, the duration of azalea flowering is not long and the time comes when it sheds its beautiful flowers, and the question arises: how to care for the plant after it has bloomed? Let's discuss this issue.

First, you should collect dry flowers with stalks that have not yet fallen. Next, you need to carefully separate the dried leaves. Let's leave it at that for now. After some time, leaves will begin to appear on the new shoots, after which you need to pinch the top of the shoot.

Pinching is the mechanical removal of the growth point of a young shoot.

Pinching is very important for this plant; this method will increase the intensity of flowering. Azaleas should be pinched about 3 times a year, from May to the end of July. Young buds will appear at the tips of the shoots and your goal is to produce as many shoots as possible.

You should not let them grow too much; try to form a lush crown for your plant. Without pinching, the azalea will look like a bush, deprived of aesthetic appeal, and you will rarely see it bloom. Next comes pruning the azalea.

Azalea pruning

Pruning is very important for this plant. Azaleas should be trimmed in a timely manner, as this affects the intensity of flowering. An excessive amount of greenery on the shoots will interfere with the appearance of new buds. Azaleas should be pruned every spring after they finish blooming.

Use a sharp knife or pruning shears. Disinfect them with alcohol. To begin with, you should cut off long shoots that exceed the average length of all shoots. Next, you need to trim off shoots that grow too thick.

Weak shoots that do not grow well can also be removed. The more shoots you cut, the more leafy they will become. The main thing is not to overdo it. After pruning, use rannet paste to disinfect the cut area. New leaves will appear within a couple of weeks.

Pruning makes it possible to form a crown; the most popular is a spherical crown with a bare trunk (this is how the azalea will resemble a small tree). After pruning, you should leave the plant alone until replanting.

P.s. if you have young plant, the crown should be formed from an early age. The most difficult stage in the process of caring for a plant is replanting the plant after flowering.

Flower transplant

This stage is quite difficult. If you have seen the root system of an azalea at least once in your life, then you will understand what we mean. The process of replanting an azalea requires a lot of patience. The first and most important thing to remember is that you cannot replant the plant in winter, as there is a high chance of losing the plant.

After the azalea has finished blooming, you can start replanting or transshipping it. A good time for replanting it will be the time of growth of young branches.

First you need to select the soil. The soil mixture for the plant can be purchased at the store; its cost is approximately 30-50 rubles. If you have the opportunity and desire, you can prepare it at home, yourself. For this you will need: leaf, coniferous, heather and peat soil. It should be mixed based on calculations (1:2:1:1).

Fine-grained river sand can be used as a baking powder. The resulting mixture should be well drained. If you are transplanting a flower for the first time, it is better to buy an earthen mixture in the store; it is not expensive. Next, let's proceed to choosing a pot.

There are no special requirements here; you can take clay, ceramic or plastic, at your discretion. The only thing worth noting is that if you had a wide pot, take the same one. The main thing is that it should be one size larger than the previous one. Go ahead.

To transplant an azalea we will need:

1. A basin with clean warm water.
2. Garden pruners or scissors.
3. Priming.
4. Drainage (expanded clay can be used).

At the bottom of the pot, pour a layer of drainage about 2 - 3 centimeters high. Next, carefully remove the flower from the pot. So you saw what kind of root system an azalea has! Then we immerse the plant in a basin of water for half an hour. After that we take it out. If not enough soil has separated from the roots, add more.

You should continue until no more than a third of the soil has been washed away. To speed up this long process, you can water the lump with a watering can. Be sure to wash the soil with clean water one last time. If you are done with removing a third of the soil, take a close look at the root system. If there are rotten roots and other ailments, eliminate them.

After this, immerse the plant in the pot and carefully cover it with new soil. You should not fill the flower above the level that existed before replanting, otherwise you can fill up the root collar. If you think that your soil is still good, not affected by fungus, mold or other diseases, then simply reload.

It is not as painful and is more favorably tolerated by the flower. If you are replanting for the first time, then it is better to do a transshipment; when you have enough experience, study the nature of your plant, and replant.

Having finished replanting, you should water the azalea with zircon to build up the roots. Place the plant in a warm place, avoiding direct sunlight.

You can start watering only on day 3, adding zircon. If the flower is developing well, you can return to your normal flower watering schedule. An overloaded or transplanted plant cannot be watered with fertilizers for about two months.

So, we learned how to care for a flower after flowering. From now on, all your efforts will not be in vain.

Video: Azalea care after flowering