How to grow an azalea at home?

The magnificent azalea captivates at first sight. As a true beauty, whims are inherent in her, taken by conquered flower growers, because the effort spent on care is rewarded with the onset of a period of lush, beautiful azalea bloom.

As you make efforts, be busy, remember the future joyful reward. The flower is also called the alpine rose: indeed, the proud beauty resembles the queen of flowers, sometimes surpassing her in her perfection.

Azalea at home after purchase

Immediately after the purchase, the azalea seedling needs to be transplanted into a suitable land, because the soil in transport pots is completely unsuitable for the constant maintenance of the plant. It is best to purchase land for azaleas, ideally suited to the requirements for growing capricious beauties. It is necessary to transplant, trying not to damage the roots, since the plants recover for a very long time after this procedure.

Remove the root from the pot, place in a new, larger pot and cover with nutritious soil.A small drainage layer can be arranged at the bottom of the new pot to keep the plant from overflowing.

How to transplant an azalea after purchase, the video will tell:

Azalea rhododendron care at home

Often, received as a gift or purchased in a store, a magnificent azalea blooms magnificently for a long time, pleasing the eye, and then, unfortunately, dies - they decide to throw out the plant. In vain! Azalea is just going through a period of adaptation to living conditions. Show patience and attention: the bush will gradually regain strength and release new leaves. Having mastered the basic rules of care, you will make friends with a magnificent beauty for many years, who blooms throughout the warm season.

Site selection, temperature and lighting

Azaleas need diffused lighting or weak partial shade along with cool air, the scorching rays of the sun will kill it. It is difficult to keep cool in summer: put the plant in the shade, preferably on the west or north window, ventilate the room more often.

It will be good for the summer to dig in a pot of azalea in a shady part of the garden, protecting the beauty from direct sunlight. Even if you just put the azalea on the balcony, summer rain will be very useful. It is necessary to return the plant to the room before the start of the heating season. The ideal climate for an azalea can be compared to a warm, foggy autumn - 10-14 ° C during the day, 6-8 ° C at night, combined with high humidity. The plant feels comfortable enough even at 18-20 ° C, if you do not forget to constantly moisturize the leaves.

How to water an azalea

The fundamental requirement for caring for an azalea is to water regularly, but not to overmoisten, to avoid stagnant water, drying out the soil. The ground should not be wet, but slightly damp. To prevent the earth from alkalizing after watering with tap water, alternate watering with plain water and acidified water - sometimes add 2 g of citric acid per liter of water and water the flower, but not often).

With the onset of autumn, after flowering, slightly reduce watering. If the flower is in peat soil, poorly absorbing moisture when dry, sometimes place the pot in a bowl of water for up to two hours. It is important to remember that heat and dry air are detrimental to the plant: the azalea will begin to shed flowers and leaves.

During the heating season, constantly spray the leaves of the plant using a fine spray from a spray bottle. You can place the pot of azalea on a tray of damp pebbles, but do not allow the pot to come into contact with the water. Ideally, water and spray with rain, melt or river water, but at least softened - it should settle at room temperature, cold water should not be used.

Transplant and feeding of rhododendron azalea

Azalea prefers acidic soil. A mixture for azaleas, heather soil is ideal, peaty is possible, a mixture of coniferous in two parts and one part of peat with a small addition of river sand is good, hydroponics is a good choice. In flower shops they sell a special soil intended for acidophilic plants, also suitable for azaleas. The pot should be chosen not high, since the roots of the flower are of a superficial structure.

It is strictly forbidden to loosen the soil while caring for the flower in order to avoid the destruction of the root system, for this reason the plant is overloaded, and not transplanted. Young flowers need reloading only once a year in spring, adult plants - once every 2 or 3 years. Transplant without disturbing the earthy coma, with the addition of a large amount of new soil.

For top dressing in spring and summer, use azalea fertilizer once a week, in autumn and winter for planting buds - a solution of 15 g of superphosphate per 10 liters of water every 2 weeks.

How to transplant an azalea, we look at the video:

Pruning and shaping the crown of an azalea

Azalea pruning can be described as shortening last year's shoots, removing weak, close-growing branches in order to create a neat crown with an even distribution of flowers. For a beautiful crown, constant cutting and pinching is necessary. Remember, excessive branching of the bush can interfere with flowering.

To late varieties of azalea, the removal of excess shoots is carried out from the beginning of May, to early varieties in March. Pinching the tops, leave 4-5 leaves on them, cut off the shoots next to the flower buds too. At the end of summer, when the plant begins to lay flower buds, it must be properly pruned; if pruning is delayed, the buds will not form. At your discretion, the azalea can be decorated as a tree, bush or bonsai.

If you want the azalea to form a uniform crown without distortions, constantly rotate it around its axis.

How to form an azalea bonsai?

Azalea bonsai how to form a photo

• To form a bush, pinch the azalea at the cutting stage, leaving 10-12 cm in length, arrange the side shoots in the same way.
• To form a tree, first remove absolutely all shoots, with the exception of the central branch, growing it strong, even, use a support, regularly rotate the flower around its axis. When the desired size is reached, pinch the top, which will give rise to branching, constant turning of the flower, trimming the side shoots will help create a tree with a rounded crown shape.
• To form a bonsai, form the central shoot, then pinching - the side ones. To give the plant a curved shape with horizontal branches, tie small weights to the branches or tilt them with thick wire, wrap the shoots with it and bend it down as you wish.

Blooming azalea

The prolongation of flowering is promoted by keeping it cool and regular moderate moisture. Remove faded buds, seed bolls. Azalea can be safely turned, transferred during flowering, without fear of dropping new buds. With proper care, flowering will be more luxurious with each new season.

Azalea after flowering

After flowering, the rhododendron needs rest. This is the best time for pruning and transplanting: remove all excess shoots, cut off the flower tips of the branches and carefully transplant the beauty using the transshipment method, only partially replacing the soil. This procedure will allow the plant to gain strength for the next season. Remember that you can only trim the azalea before the end of summer, so that the plant has time to lay flower buds.

When the plant is accepted, watering begins to be reduced, putting the azalea into dormant mode until about February.

How to propagate an azalea by cuttings

Azalea cuttings photo

Propagation of azaleas by cuttings is the simplest and most successful way.

• In March-June, the apical semi-lignified cuttings 5-8 cm long are cut and rooted in coniferous soil, having previously treated the cut of the cutting with a growth stimulator, it is necessary to plant it to a depth of 1-2.5 cm.
• Build a greenhouse using a glass jar, be sure to ventilate, irrigate, water, keep a temperature of 25 ° C.
• When new shoots appear, it will become clear: rooting was successful. Continue watering and irrigation, do not forget about acidified water. After a couple of months, the plants can be opened and accustomed to the conditions of the apartment.

With due attention, almost all seedlings are accepted.

How to cut an azalea, the video will tell:

Growing azaleas from seeds at home

Sowing seeds is a rather difficult method used for breeding new varieties and is not recommended for home use. However, many enthusiasts are successful in growing rhodendrons from seeds.

Azalea seeds photo

Armed with patience, begin sowing azalea seeds in January-February. Fry the prepared soil in the oven and cool it down, this procedure will protect the plants from many diseases.Seeds are spread over the surface of the substrate at a distance of 1.5-2 cm, sprinkled with water and covered with a transparent lid or bag. The optimum temperature for germinating azalea seeds is 18-22 ° C. The containers are initially shaded with an opaque material.

When seedlings appear, they are provided with good lighting, but the shelter has not yet been removed. Thin shoots after a while need to be strengthened: with a leg height of 2-3 cm, peat is carefully poured between them. So new roots will form, and the seedlings will not thin out and will not grow.

Seedlings of azaleas from seeds photo

When 3-5 true leaves appear, the plants are seated separately in cups, still providing greenhouse conditions (they cover the glasses with bags). Only when the bushes grow up and get stronger, it will be possible to gradually accustom them to an independent life without shelter, removing it first for a while, and then for good.

Video about sowing and growing azaleas from seeds:

The successful experience of enthusiastic florists confirms: it is really possible to grow an azalea from seeds, you just need to put in a little more effort. The process is not difficult, but it requires patience and diligence.

How to transplant an azalea and divide a bush

How to propagate an azalea by dividing a bush photo

Azalea bushes grow over time, they become cramped in the allotted pot. So it's time to start transplanting and dividing. Water the plant well and let sit for a few hours. After that, carefully remove the pot from the earthen clod and try, without damaging the roots, to divide the bush into separate parts. Azalea roots are superficial, rather fragile. We try to choose a wide, stable pot, in which the plant will have room to grow wider.

Diseases and pests

Diseases:

Unfortunately, azalea is prone to many diseases of indoor flowers: powdery mildew, gray rot, rust, etc., but everything can be cured with appropriate drugs that are easy to buy at a flower shop.

Pests:

Greenhouse whitefly, with an accompanying soot fungus covering the leaves, viral infections that come with the pest; mealybug leads to almost death. Moths, caterpillars - eat leaves; strawberry mite - leads to curling leaves, buds shrinking; flat red mite - coloring the leaves in a brown color, falling off.

Azalea is quite picky and troublesome to care for, but having mastered the nuances, providing favorable conditions, you will receive a plant of unique beauty, covered with outlandish flowers. With proper care, the plant will not undergo diseases, it will acquire a beautiful shape and will delight with magnificent flowering from year to year.

Types of home azaleas with photos and descriptions

The enchanting azalea, called Azalea in Latin, is a representative of the rhododendron genus, the heather family, and constitutes a group of species that was previously only a separate genus of plants.

Giving flowering in cold winter, filling the house with spring mood, azalea, also called rhododendron - "rose tree", enjoys overwhelming success among flower growers.

In its natural environment, azalea rises in Japan, China, southern Europe and North America, including Southeast Asia. Revered in the East as a symbol of joy and peace, popular for composing bonsai. Flowering is striking in its beauty and variety: simple or double flowers, corrugated or fringed, white, red, all kinds of shades of pink, purple or variegated. This miniature, compact, well-branched bush is distinguished by a flowering period that occurs earlier or later.

The ancestors of home breeding of azaleas were two original species:

Indian azalea or azalea rhododendron sims Rhododendron simsii

Indian azalea or azalea rhododendron sims Rhododendron simsii photo

Shoots are covered with bristles, charming flowers 3.5 cm in diameter, funnel-shaped, two-colored, may be speckled.

Japanese azalea or rhododendron blunt Rhododendron obtusum

Japanese azalea or rhododendron blunt Rhododendron obtusum photo of flowers

It has glossy casting, funnel-shaped large flowers with a diameter of 3-5 cm. Along with sakura, it is a national plant of Japan, constantly used by Japanese gardeners.

The two described species - dwarf bushes, reaching 30-50 cm, are often used not just as a houseplant, they form popular bonsai-style compositions of them.

Growing and caring for an azalea at home is not easy. This very whimsical plant requires a special attitude towards itself and adherence to special conditions of detention. However, all your efforts will be rewarded. Azalea blooms very beautifully and magnificently, it is distinguished by a variety of appearance of inflorescences and a wealth of colors and shades.

Description

Azalea belongs to the subspecies of rhododendrons. Growing at home can be done in any part of the world with the necessary care. Asian countries (southeastern Asia, Japan, China) are considered its homeland, but you can find this flower in the north of America and southern Europe.

In Greek, azalea means "rosewood". This is almost the most beautiful of all ornamental indoor plants. It blooms during the period of cold and frosty weather, when the rest of the flowers are resting. The flowering is lush and long-lasting, the variety of shades is impressive. Leaves are rounded oblong in shape. The plant looks like a small shrub, has a large varietal variety.

Advice

Be careful when handling the flower at home and in the garden. Keep it away from pets and small children, as azalea is poisonous enough.

Growing azaleas is possible both on the window of the room, and in the country in the open land. Indian azalea is suitable for home, it is easiest to grow it here.

A beautiful flower is often bought at a flower shop in winter as a gift. But, as a rule, such a gift does not serve as a decoration for the house for long, the azalea quickly crumbles. Why? Adequate care of a sensitive, pampered plant is not followed.

Conditions for growing azaleas

The main rule is that the entire content of a capricious flower should be as close as possible to the natural conditions of life in nature. This requires special care.

Azalea naturally grows in cool climates where there is plenty of light, but not in direct sunlight. She loves water and a constant supply of fresh, moist air. Dryness and heat are destructive for her.

Based on the named natural needs of the decorative culture, a number of basic conditions can be distinguished under which the azalea will be successfully grown in an apartment.

• Air temperature.

Ideally, it should be just below twenty degrees, or one to two degrees higher. In October, it is desirable to maintain a special temperature regime (about five degrees above zero). This is necessary for the buds of future flowers to form. When the time for flowering approaches, raise the thermometer to +15. During the period of opening of flowers, set a constant temperature up to +18 degrees. You can artificially create cold for azaleas: cover the flower with pieces of ice, watering is done with cold water, like spraying. If there is no frost outside, you can keep the plant at an open window or put it on a glazed loggia.

• Watering and humidifying the air.

You can moisten the air and dried soil by regular spraying and watering through the pallet (put the box in a pallet filled with water for several hours). The water will saturate the earth and make the air moist by evaporating. Regular watering is alternated with sump watering. In the summer, in the heat, you need to water the azalea twice a day and spray more often. Water for irrigation and spraying is recommended taken after rain or melting snow. You can pour boiled cool water, but it must first be defended.To acidify the soil (this flower loves exactly acidic soils), you can sometimes water the plant with water with the addition of a teaspoon of citric acid (two liters).

• Lighting mode.

There should be plenty of light, but don't let it be in direct sunlight. Protect the azalea from the scorching sun, it will ruin it. If necessary, create an additional light source, especially during the winter months when there is so little sun outside.

• Earth.

Sufficiently acidified is taken, consists of a peat layer, leafy, heather land and earth with needles, you can add a little river sand. It is better to buy a special composition of soil in the store, there will be everything you need for azaleas. The bottom of the drawer should have holes to drain excess water.

• Top dressing.

Azalea care involves regular feeding. It should be carried out in two decades throughout the summer and spring with a special complex of mineral fertilizers (ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, potassium sulfite and superphosphate). They continue to fertilize the azalea until the November cold weather. In the period before flower formation, choose a phosphate fertilizer for application to the soil (superphosphate) to improve the quality of flowering buds.

How to propagate an azalea?

Cultivation can be done by seed, cuttings, dividing bushes, as well as grafting.

The seed method is used to breed new subspecies, it is very laborious and suitable only for specialists. It is necessary to plant seeds in early spring in the soil from a peat substrate and a layer of fallen needles. The planting should be shallow, the seeds are covered with a polyethylene film. The container with future seedlings is placed in a bright place.

Advice

• Keeping the planting container clean is essential. To do this, you need to disinfect it with bleach or potassium permanganate.
• The soil for planting must be disinfected in a water bath or in an oven.
• Place the seed containers in a pan of water to maintain constant moisture.
• Overmoistening should not be allowed, otherwise mold will start. To do this, ventilate the seed containers.
• After 21 days, the sprouts that appear must be fed (a mixture of ammonium sulfate, potassium plus superphosphate).
• Seedlings dive twice: when two weeks have passed after planting and the second time in August.
• Care: watering, weeding, loosening the soil.

At home, it is easier to breed an azalea with cuttings. You need to choose a half-stiff stalk about 10 cm, cut it off (this is done in the middle of winter or from March to June). Next, root the shoot in the soil with coniferous or peat soil. The cutting should take root in a warm place (temperature +25) for a month. Care must be appropriate. To maintain heat, the seedlings are covered, but regularly sprayed and ventilated. When the azalea grows up to 4-5 cm at home, it is transplanted into coniferous soil. After three months, the plant is pinched to form a crown, it is not allowed to bloom, removing the buds. With the arrival of spring, young seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place. The transplant is carried out by transshipment together with a clod of earth in order to protect the roots.

A four-year-old azalea bush can be divided. This must be done carefully, without damaging the roots.

How to prune and transplant an azalea?

Pruning and replanting is also caring for the plant. To get a good flowering azalea, it must be pruned. To do this, the stems that have already bloomed are cut off, and the tops of fresh shoots must be pinched. Weakened stems are removed. Cut off brown leaves, as well as flowers that have dried up and did not fall off after flowering.

Pruning is done after the next transplant of the azalea. It is necessary to transplant it every year. Adults are transplanted at home less often. In this procedure, overly long roots must be cut off. The transplant container should not be deep, have drainage holes. The land is selected sour from peat and coniferous layer.Of course, it is necessary to continue proper care of the young transplanted azalea: to make timely watering and feeding.

If you do not transplant on time, the roots will grow, forming stagnant moisture and causing soil to rot. As a result, diseases and various parasites will appear.

Caring for an azalea at home is very laborious, but if you are ardent fans of it and dream of having it on your windowsill, then this should not stop you.

Create conditions for the plant that are similar to their natural habitat, and you can get a long and colorful bloom.

Azalea is a highly branching shrub from the Heather family, which blooms lush in winter. An ornamental plant with a huge number of bright flowers captivates the hearts of almost all gardeners, including beginners. However, it is necessary to study the nuances of how to care for an azalea at home in order to extend its life cycle and flowering.

Azalea: adaptation period after purchase

Often, the new owner of an azalea, purchasing it in a store or receiving it as a gift in a blooming state, after a short period of time observes how a gorgeous "bouquet" in a pot begins to dry, dropping flowers and foliage, and then dies.

In order to prevent the development of such a scenario, it is necessary to acclimatize the plant in new conditions:

1. When a flower enters the apartment, the condition of the earthen coma is examined.
2. If mold is detected, the soil is treated with a fungicide or manganese solution.
3. If the lump is dry, then the flower pot is placed in a bowl of water for 20-25 minutes.
4. Then the azalea is located in a semi-shaded place with a temperature not higher than 18 ° C and gradually gets used to the new lighting regime.
5. With the help of a spray bottle, an artificial increase in the level of moisture close to natural for a flower is carried out.

Quarantine conditions

To avoid the possibility of contamination of other indoor plants with infections and pests, the azalea is kept in quarantine for 14 days, the main conditions of which are:

• constant monitoring of the condition of the plant;
• timely processing of a flower, in case of detection of pathogens or pests.

Do I need an azalea transplant after the store?

The azalea flower must be transplanted into a new substrate after flowering and acclimatization to new conditions.

The reasons for this need are:

• a high concentration of macro- and microelements in the old soil, which stimulate the splendor of the bush and abundant flowering;
• rotting of the earthen coma due to the frequent overflow of the plant in the flower shop to maintain the elasticity of the leaves and extend the flowering period.

Requirement for soil and pot

Because of the culture's love of acidic soils, it is better to purchase a substrate for cultivating azaleas at a flower shop. However, if you wish, you can prepare it yourself by mixing rotted needles, moss and sand in a 2: 1: 1 ratio. The pot is selected low and wide, at the bottom of which a drainage layer is placed, preventing stagnation of water.

Due to the fragility of the root system, a representative of the heather is transplanted by transshipment in such a way that the root collar remains half a centimeter above the ground level.

How to take care at home?

Caring for indoor azalea, which will provide the flower with a long life and abundant flowering, provides for the creation of growing conditions similar to natural ones.

Lighting

To provide azaleas with diffused light without access to direct sunlight, the pot is placed on the windowsills of the eastern or northern windows. In the second half of autumn, when the budding phase of the plant is noted, artificial lighting is organized using a phytolamp.

With a lack of light in the autumn-winter period, the flower can shed its foliage.

Temperature regime

The parameter plays an important role, since it is rather difficult to ensure its optimal level.

• In summer, the temperature should not exceed 20 ° C, which is quite difficult to achieve without an air conditioner.
• In the winter season, optimum values ​​range from 15 to 18 ° C.
• During the budding and budding phase, the temperature should drop to 10-12 ° C.

Humidity

A representative of wet forests needs a high level of humidity, which can be provided in the following ways:

• installation of a humidifier in the room where the azalea is contained;
• daily spraying with a finely dispersed spray gun, excluding the flowering period;
• placing containers with water next to the flower, which will humidify the air and reduce the temperature in the room by several degrees, which is very important in summer.

Watering a flower

An important event for the care of a room azalea, during which there are a number of rules.

1. The flower is watered only with well-settled or filtered water, which does not contain chlorine.
2. Moistening is carried out regularly to prevent the soil from drying out by spraying the substrate or placing several ice cubes on its surface.
3. To stimulate flowering, 3 drops of lemon juice are added to the water for irrigation twice a month.

If overdrying did take place, the pot is placed in a bowl of water for several hours so that the root system absorbs the required volume of liquid.

Top dressing and fertilization

For the full development of an azalea, macronutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are required, which it can get from weekly feeding.

• In the spring-summer period, when the green mass grows, the plant is fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers.
• In the autumn-winter season, when budding and flowering are noted, fertilizing is carried out with phosphorus-potassium agrochemicals.

Post-flowering care rules

After the flowering phase has ended, the time comes for such events:

• Trimming and pinching. All faded inflorescences, weak and overgrown shoots, which will negatively affect future flowering, are removed, and new shoots are pinched over the second pair of true leaves.
• Transfer. For a young plant, it is carried out annually. As the bush matures, the interval between procedures increases to 3-4 years.

Pests, diseases and methods of dealing with them

The delicate flower is often attacked by harmful organisms. Among the diseases on azaleas, there are manifestations of powdery mildew, rust, fusarium and other rot, often caused by overflow. To combat such diseases, chemical preparations and transplantation into a new substrate are used.

The following pests stand out:

• azalea moth;
• greenhouse whitefly;
• mealybug;
• aphid;
• mite.

When populated by these pests, the crop must be immediately sprayed with an insecticidal preparation according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Reproduction of azaleas at home

The most common methods of flower reproduction are vegetative - cuttings and dividing the bush.

Cuttings

The procedure is complicated by poor rooting of cuttings, especially lignified ones.

If the florist still decides, then you need to follow the following algorithm:

1. With the arrival of spring and until summer, cuttings are cut from semi-lignified stem shoots.
2. The cut sites are treated with charcoal for disinfection, and then with a growth stimulant that promotes rapid root formation.
3. A substrate with an acid reaction is prepared from a mixture of peat and moss and is calcined in an oven to destroy pathogens.
4. The prepared cuttings are placed in the substrate to a depth of 2.5 cm and covered with glass, which is periodically removed to moisten the plantings.
5. If the temperature is kept at 25 ° C, the cuttings take root in 3-5 weeks.
6. Upon completion of rooting, young specimens are seated in separate containers.

Dividing the bush

The most popular and easy-to-use method, in which:

• a bush that has reached three years old is removed from the pot;
• the freed rhizome is carefully divided into parts so as not to break the roots;
• Delenki with several roots and shoots are planted in prepared pots with a substrate special for azaleas.

The main problems when growing a plant

The cultivation of azaleas due to the flower's demands for creating almost natural growing conditions, even for experienced florists, can be fraught with various difficulties and questions:

• wrinkled leaves - insufficient watering or moisture;
• yellowing of leaf plates - clay soil or watering with tap water;
• short flowering - insufficient watering, dry air and high temperature conditions.

So, it is possible to cultivate an azalea at home, but for this you need to be patient and put in a certain amount of effort.

Azalea is an evergreen and abundantly flowering plant that is capricious and requires a lot of effort to grow it at home.

This flower of unusual beauty requires special care.

In its natural habitat, the climate is quite cool, the temperature during flowering does not exceed +12 degrees, with high humidity.

In residential premises, it is very difficult to achieve such conditions, but it is quite possible.

Reproduction of azaleas at home

Having obtained such a beauty, sooner or later, many flower growers, even beginners, have a desire to purchase another one. And often you want to grow it yourself. But, how to properly propagate such a capricious flower, while not harming it?

There are several methods for propagating azaleas:

• Seeds

This method is considered the most difficult, which is why it is not very common among flower growers. When deciding to grow an azalea from seeds, be prepared that most of it may not germinate. But most importantly, do not forget to create the necessary conditions for her.

Before sowing, it is necessary to select the right soil. You can buy it ready-made, but it may not contain enough nutrients for the flower. Therefore, we suggest that you compose the soil yourself. To do this, take peat, sand and coniferous soil. Make sure the soil is loose and free of water. The seeds must be sown not deep, almost on the surface. Then cover the flowerpot with clear wrap and provide adequate lighting. This will promote better germination.

• By dividing the bush

This method is usually used when the plant reaches the age of 3 to 4 years. At that age, it has grown enough that you will not harm it. You can only divide a plant if it is completely healthy. When dividing, it should also be remembered that the roots of the plant are very weak and thin, and you need to be extremely careful not to damage them.

After dividing the plant into several parts, plant them in low pots (these are best for a flower, since the roots of the azalea do not go deep into the ground) and do not forget to carefully feed it.

• Cuttings

This method is the most common, but very troublesome. You can propagate an azalea in this way only once a year, and provided that the plant is completely healthy. It is best to do this in spring, cuttings cut during this period take root perfectly. We cut off the semi-lignified stems (they are great for this) 5-9 cm in size. We cut off the three lower leaves on them, leaving only 0.5 cm cuttings, the rest of the leaves are cut off only by half. We make an oblique incision under the lower kidney, after which we process the cuttings with a growth simulator and plant them to a depth of 1-3 cm (according to the 4x4 cm scheme). (The land is used the same as for the seeds). Then cover the planted cuttings with plastic wrap.

At a temperature of 25 °, they will germinate and take root in two months.As soon as the growth of shoots begins, we remove the film, and every day we spray and water them with boiled water, the soil must be constantly moist. After the shoots reach 2-3 centimeters, we transplant them into new pots with coniferous soil. We remove the first buds to allow the flower to grow stronger and gain strength, and after 2-3 months you can begin to form a bush.

• Vaccination

Any bush of both wild and varietal azaleas is suitable for this method. On the prepared bush, during the period of active movement of the juice (during this period, fusion is more effective), an oblique incision is made, as well as on the branch that you will graft (a cut off stalk from the azalea flower that you want to grow). After you make an incision, insert the cutting into the incision on the bush and wrap it tightly with foil. It is necessary to build a small greenhouse over the plant - this will improve fusion.

The composition of the soil for growing azaleas at home

Growing azaleas requires acidic soil. It grows best in heather soil - it is very light, loose and quite nutritious. It is harvested in dense heather thickets. But you can replace it with a mixture of peat and coniferous soil (2: 1). Coniferous land is humus from fallen needles of pine, spruce, larch, fir. It is light and acidic, but contains few nutrients.

If you decide to buy a ready-made mixture in a store, pay attention to the composition and date of packaging. This is an important factor for the further growth of your flower. The soil should be fresh, with good additives, and not expired and lost all its properties, which will harm the plant, not benefit. However, be careful, even the required soil is varied, there is one that is intended for transplanting, and one that is best used for reproduction or sowing seeds. As a top dressing, you can use pine bark, which will oxidize the earth, and sphagnum moss or charcoal to disinfect the soil. Do not forget about drainage (about 3 cm of expanded clay), excess moisture will be removed from the ground through it.

Watering and moisture azaleas at home

A newly purchased flower should be immediately checked for watering. The soil in the flower should be moist. In the future, it is necessary to water the flower either from above or from the pallet, and sometimes you can even completely immerse the pot in a container with water, only you cannot abuse the last method, otherwise you will harm the flower. And after using the immersion method, the flower should not be watered for a long time (at a high temperature for about a week).

There is another interesting way to check when it is time to water the azalea. You need to take the flowerpot in your hands, and depending on its weight, watch whether you need to water it or not. If the flowerpot is light, water it, heavy - no.

When caring for a beauty, many make a common mistake, believing that the earth should be constantly wet. But this is not the case. Your main task is to ensure that the soil does not dry out. Do not overuse watering so as not to harm the flower.

Water the azalea only with soft water! To do this, infuse water for several days or use filtered, boiled water is also good. To increase moisture for it, place the flower on a pallet with gravel or expanded clay, filled with water. Most importantly, do not forget to wash the stone from time to time and check for foreign residents that can harm the flower.

In the heat, you can use a moisturizer, then your beauty will be like in paradise. You can spray it, but not during flowering - this will ruin the flowers and buds. Also, to increase humidity, use decorative fountains or place containers of water next to it.

Lighting for azalea

These capricious women really like bright lighting, but in no case direct sunlight. So from the south window, the flower should be placed at a distance of at least a meter, or the window should be covered with paper.If you see that the flower has dry tips or red spots, it means that it received burns and the azalea urgently needs to be removed further.

But in winter, on the contrary, it can be very dark for it, and to fix this, use additional lighting, for example, fluorescent lamps. It is also good to use phytolamps if the flower is in a greenhouse, as they are unhealthy. But the safest lighting is fluorescent lamps, they will give the flowers the necessary amount of light and will not do any harm.

Feeding azaleas at home

The soil in which azaleas grow well is quickly depleted, so from time to time it needs to be fed so that it grows better and to maintain the life of the flower. But you shouldn't do this all the time, you need to know exactly at what periods the plant requires fertilizers, and when not. For example, in winter, the plant is dormant and hardly grows, so during this period you should not fertilize it and stimulate growth or flowering, this can cause exhaustion and shorten the life of your pet. But in the spring, when the flower begins to wake up and prepare to bloom, it needs to be fertilized to help get the necessary nutrients. Azaleas should be fertilized with nitrogen fertilization at least once a month. But in the summer, do not be afraid to put your beauty in a thunderstorm pouring rain, this will provide all the necessary components for good growth.

When choosing a top dressing, carefully look that chlorine is not present there (this is a poison for a flower that kills the root). An excess of it can lead to not very pleasant consequences, so make sure that it is present in minimal quantities. In summer, it is good to water them with mineral fertilizers, but during flowering it would be nice to use phosphorus and potassium. If a huge number of fast-growing shoots appear during flowering, then they must be removed, otherwise they will draw out all the nutrients from the flower, and this will negatively affect flowering.

When it's warm, it is also good to feed the flowers with microelements, the best for them is iron and magnesium, which are very scarce in peat soils. The lack of these substances is reflected in the flowers, and they become stunted, and the leaves acquire a yellowish tint. The leaves of a healthy flower are dark green, glossy and with a metallic sheen.

Diseases and pests of azaleas

Unfortunately, like all other flowers, azalea is very susceptible to disease and attracts various pests. And if you take into account her capriciousness, then any wrong actions can cause the beauty's illness.

There are such types of diseases and pests:

• Spider mite... A small insect of red or yellow color, is under the leaves and feeds on their juices. After which they turn gray and fall off.

Control measures. The plant is wiped with a soapy sponge and washed under a warm shower. Sprayed regularly. Often, these procedures alone are enough to make the pests disappear. If the azaleas are very strongly affected by the tick, and regular moistening does not help, Neoron can be sprayed, it even kills the tick larvae.

• Rhododendron bug... He is most often encountered. This insect is approximately 4 mm long, it leaves small colorless spots on the leaves, but multiplies under the leaves, laying eggs.

• Furrowed weevil... It is impossible not to notice this beetle, since its length reaches 10 mm, it itself is black. It eats the entire top of the flower, and its larvae also harm the root.

• Mealybug... A tiny pest up to 4 mm in height and reproduces very strongly. It can usually be found on veins or in buds and buds. Can be identified by the curvature of leaves and buds.

Control measures. Wipe the plant with a soapy sponge and wash it under a warm shower. Spray regularly. In case of very severe damage, the plant can be sprayed with 0.15% actellik solution (1-2 ml per liter of water).

• Plowed slug... It feeds on the leaves of young plants. Able to destroy it in a few days.

• Black thrips... Black midges that feed on leaves, you can understand their presence by the fact that the leaf begins to turn yellow. Because of them, the ugliness of the flowers occurs.

• Rhododendron fly... Lives under the leaf, its presence can be identified by small light spots on the upper side of the leaf.

• Greenhouse and bean aphids... It feeds on the plant with everything it can and diligently leads it to death.

A number of diseases are also distinguished that negatively affect the entire flower. For example, root rot. Leaves and buds begin to die off. The former curl up before falling off. It develops at very high temperatures and humidity.

Many diseases are reflected in the very condition of the plant. As soon as the leaves begin to change color, the plant begins to wither, or new leaves and flowers take on an irregular shape, or various spots appear on them, this suggests that either a pest has started, or your beauty is sick. To do this, check it for the presence of insects on it, and if there are any, then sprinkle it with special poisons that kill them, but do not harm the flower. If they are not there, then see what you are doing wrong.

In most cases, diseases begin to develop due to excessive watering, an overdose of fertilizers, or a lack of any substances. So carefully follow the instructions for the use of fertilizers, their expiration date, and also do not overuse watering, and your beauty will grow in pleasure and delight you with a beautiful exuberant flowering.

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