Japanese azalea garden planting and outdoor care

To plant a Japanese garden azalea to be successful, you need to heed the advice and provide proper care. The reward will be luxurious flower beds or tastefully decorated corners of a shady garden. Growing various types of azaleas creates the effect of a bright cloud hovering low above the ground. Or a marvelous oriental carpet thrown casually on the grass.

What varieties are suitable for garden decoration?

Why is azalea attractive? Lush flowering bush, the shoots are so densely covered with buds that you cannot see the leaves. And they are good for the plant: dark green, velvety, miniature. In Japan, the cultivation of azalea bushes is practiced to produce hedges up to two meters high. In our country, several types of shrubs are bred, the sizes vary depending on the varietal affiliation. The flower beds can be decorated with specimens from 25 cm, and meter-long giants can be planted along the garden paths.

Advice! Before purchasing seedlings, it is worth studying the basic rules for breeding. Garden azalea will wither under the scorching sun, and some varieties prefer bright lighting.

If the care of the bushes is carried out at the proper level, then the abundant flowering will not keep you waiting. Some azalea species begin to bud as early as May. Flowering lasts from 1.5 to 3 months before the onset of autumn cold snap. Flowers differ in size and shape - they are small and graceful, large and double. The color of the blossoming buds is varied:

• white with a cream shade;
• lilac;
• purple;
• rich pink;
• bright burgundy.

When buying seedlings, you need to pay attention to the frost resistance of the species. There are those that can only be grown in the south of the country. Fortunately, Japanese azalea was also bred for middle latitudes. This happened thanks to crossing with the northern rhododendron. The resulting plants can even tolerate 25-degree frosts, planting and caring for them is not difficult.

Which breeding method should you choose?

An easy way is propagation by cuttings. Cut the cuttings about 8 cm at an oblique angle and remove the bud, as well as unblown leaves. A cut of the cuttings with a couple of leaves are treated with a growth stimulant, and planted in pots. Sufficient drainage holes must be made to prevent root decay. The pots are covered with foil and placed in a well-lit place at a temperature of 20-22 ° C.

Advice! The film should not come into contact with the seedling. Part of it will rot, which will spread over the entire surface. For this, one should not forget about daily airing for an hour.

Rooting will take place in one month. The first sign that the Japanese beauty has grown roots and that the seedlings were properly looked after is the formation of new leaves. A month later, the young azalea is ready for planting in flower beds. The soil can be composed of the following components:

• leafy land;
• coniferous earth;
• calcined sand;
• peat.

Growers don't often use seed growing. Even rooted cuttings of azalea bloom only in the 2-3rd year, and planting and waiting for adult plants from seed postpones this process for an even longer period. Some azalea lovers in the fall in the garden divide the bush into two parts. With a knife, they cut it in half and coat the cut off points with garden pitch. This method is not popular due to the formation required in the future.

What is required for a successful landing?

If there are conifers, then you do not have to decide on a place for planting azaleas. In the shade of their branches in diffused light, caring for the bushes will be easier. Under the bright sun, the Japanese guest begins to ache - the leaves wrinkle, shoots cease to form. Garden azalea does not like strong gusts of wind and sudden changes in temperature. Growing and caring for seedlings in the open field begins in late spring. The holes should be made shallow (about 45 cm), but wide.

Advice! In order for the plant to bloom well, experts recommend laying a layer of drainage under the flower bed. The top layer of the soil is removed, and broken brick is poured onto the bottom. The main thing is that it does not have the ability to leach the soil.

High-quality plant care is possible only when it grows in soil with a PH value below 4.7. Planting requires acidification of the earth with a food acid solution (a pinch in a bucket of water). For lush flowering of azaleas in spring, organic fertilizers are applied to the soil. Finishing planting in the open field, mulch the flower bed with the following materials:

• needles or bark of conifers;
• peat;
• oak leaves;
• chopped straw.

Mulching is necessary to preserve moisture in the soil, to protect it from possible frost. Despite the fact that caring for an azalea requires abundant watering, the place for the flower bed should not be swampy. Root decay cannot be avoided. The final stage of planting in the garden will be watering the land with settled tap water.

What do you need to know about grooming?

So that the Japanese azalea does not get sick, it is necessary to take proper care of it. The root system of the plant is almost on the surface of the soil, so watering at the root will not work. Moisture should spread throughout the entire area. Water should be watered in the morning or evening after sunset.

Advice! Garden azalea responds well to spraying. You can arrange a shower for her every day. An exception is the flowering period - flowers can become covered with ugly brown spots.

Japanese azalea does not need constant feeding. In the spring, it is worth fertilizing the soil with a strong infusion of mullein. After the end of flowering, caring for the shrub requires helping the weakened plant by introducing complex fertilizers. It is important that it does not contain chlorine.

Growing will be required:

• Remove dried flowers permanently. This will serve as an excellent stimulation for the formation of new buds.
• Cut dry branches with pruning shears, which will facilitate the establishment of new shoots.
• Acidify the soil regularly.
• Identify the presence of pests.

Advice! If the plant has stopped blooming, and the leaves have lost their turgor, then it is painful. From spider mites and thrips, insecticide treatment will help. When discolored areas appear on the leaves, it is worth acidifying the soil. Brown spots on buds and leaves indicate the development of putrefactive processes. In such cases, spraying and watering the soil with fungicides (Fundazol, Oksikhom) will serve as salvation.

Caring for Japanese garden azalea involves autumn pruning. Long shoots are removed by a third, dried branches are cut out. Gardeners lay the shape of the bush, act according to the rule - the more you cut off, the more it will grow in spring. The earth on the flowerbed is poured, and laid on top:

• spruce branches;
• straw;
• peat.

With the help of a wire frame, the azalea branches are bent to the ground and also covered. The cover material must be breathable.If the winter has turned out with a small amount of snowfall, then you should build a snowdrift yourself. In the spring, the material is removed after establishing a positive temperature.

Despite the fact that Japanese azalea grows slowly, it is rapidly acquiring new shoots. The bush increases in volume, begins to bloom and from a distance resembles a bright ball. If the care of the plant in the open field was correct, then in a couple of years many balls will be scattered around the garden. What else does a florist need?

Experts do not consider azalea to be a capricious shrub. It takes root easily, loves water procedures and requires a transplant every three years. In addition, it is a perennial, that is, planting does not require autumn digging. And it will not be difficult for such a beauty to acidify the soil.

Many summer residents are sure that growing such a flower as an azalea is possible only on a windowsill. Of course, if you take Indian or deciduous varieties, then they are unlikely to be suitable for open ground. But the Japanese species of this delicate beauty grow well in personal plots. Opinions about this garden culture are divided: some consider it capricious, therefore they avoid planting in the country, others believe that caring for a fragile and beautiful azalea is not so difficult. To be convinced of the correctness of these or those will turn out only on our own experience.

Description: varieties and varieties of Japanese azaleas

The Japanese azalea is an evergreen shrub that, in its beauty, can quite compete with the recognized queen of flowers - the rose. Photos with the works of landscape designers from Japan demonstrate: in their homeland, this culture is used not only to decorate flower beds, but also as a hedge, reaching a height of 2-3 m.However, on the territory of Central Russia, the garden azalea will not overcome the 0 mark. 5 m - the climate affects.

The Japanese beauty blooms profusely, but not for long. If you choose varieties with different phases of flowering, in total you will be able to admire the beauty of the azalea for up to 1.5-2 months. Different types of culture differ in the size of flowers and their shades, for example:

• grade Marushka - red;

Marushka variety

• Petticoat - pink

Petticoat cultivar

• Ledikanense - purple

Ledikanense grade

• Schneeperle is white.

Schneeperle cultivar

Planting plants in open ground

You need to start planting in the spring, when the snow melts. The site must be not ventilated, light, but not exposed to direct sunlight. The best part is partial shade or diffused lighting. The soil is fertile, well loosened. Buy a mixture for azaleas or make it yourself by mixing the soil from under the conifers with peat, sand, compost. The roots of the plant are about 0.5 m, so only the top soil layer can be replaced.

Advice. Drain the azalea with broken brick or gravel.

The width of each hole is 0.7-1 m, the depth is 0.5 m. The thickness of the drainage layer in this case should be 15-20 cm. After rooting, the seedling is abundantly watered and mulched. To do this, take a mixture of peat and pine needles. You can take moss and bark. Adding mulch, the root collar of the plant is left on the surface.

Japanese beauty care

• Watering is abundant, especially during the flowering phase. It is necessary to monitor the topsoil and moisten the entire area near the azalea in the morning or evening. Water - only settled. In August, watering is stopped.
• Spraying - all the time, excluding the flowering period.
• Removing dried inflorescences and dry branches is one of the main conditions for care. Stimulates the emergence of new buds and shoots.
• Pruning - begins 2 weeks after the azalea has fully bloomed. The branches throughout the plant are shortened by about 1/3. The bush is formed, focusing on the rule: the more you cut in the fall, the more it will grow in the spring.

The azalea bush needs pruning and shelter for the winter

• Shelter for the winter. Without this, complete care is impossible, because the roots of the azalea can die from the winter sun.At the end of autumn, the soil is poured with water, coniferous branches, peat, and straw are placed on top. The branches of the bush are bent to the ground, fixed with a wire frame and covered with a material that allows air to pass through.

Advice. When growing azaleas outdoors, regularly acidify the soil near the flower.

Fertilizing and feeding azaleas

In spring, young plants need fertilization with a solution of cow dung. Adult bushes at the same time should be fed with complex preparations. After flowering, the azalea is fertilized with phosphorus-potassium compounds (proportion - 1: 2). All this must be brought in not at the root, but at a short distance from it - about 0.2 m.

Some types of dressings are good not only as a basis for care, but also as prevention:

• nitrogen helps the plant to develop "immunity" and cope with diseases and pests;
• copper-containing fertilizers in the initial phase of the growing season reduce the likelihood of fungal infection.

Attention! Azalea does not tolerate fertilizers with lime and chlorine, as well as ash.

Plant propagation. The most popular way

When growing garden azaleas in the open field, the seed propagation method is rarely used, because in this case you have to wait a long time for the result. A faster, and therefore popular, method is cuttings. Shoots up to 10 cm long are cut from the tops of the mother plant. Do it at an angle of 45. Each cutting should have 2-3 healthy leaves.

Attention! The apical bud and underdeveloped leaves on the process should be removed.

For effective reproduction and acceleration of root formation, the lower cut of the shoot is treated with a growth stimulator. Cuttings are placed in peat or disposable cups with peat, in which a hole is made for draining. The cut should be at a depth of 2-3 cm. Further - watering and covering the containers with a film (it should not touch the processes).

It is most convenient to propagate azalea by cuttings.

Shoot care should include:

• maintaining the temperature regime - in the region of +22 C;
• regular airing (you need to start a week after planting);
• sufficient moistening of peat.

With this method of propagation, cuttings take root in 1.5-2 months. After that, they can be planted in open ground.

Diseases and pests of azaleas

Of the insects on this garden culture, you can find:

• aphids;
• shield;
• ticks - red, spiderweb, rhododendron;
• mealybug.

To combat them, you need to choose the right insecticide. Also, azalea can be overcome by fungal ailments:

• late blight;
• sooty mushroom;
• fusarium wilting;
• chlorosis.

In many cases, fungicides will help, but with strong reproduction of fungi, it is unlikely that it will be possible to save the flower.

Azalea is quite resistant to pests and diseases

In general, garden azalea varieties are considered disease and insect resistant. However, the plant can be damaged due to improper care:

1. The lack of flowering indicates that the site for planting was selected incorrectly. Transplant will help.
2. Drying is the result of insufficient watering. Combined with an unsuccessful growing area with too much sunlight, this can lead to the death of the flower. If the azalea withers, pour it with water and vinegar or citric acid.
3. Falling leaves in Japanese species are a signal of unsuitable soil. There may be too much lime in the ground. Transplant the flower.

Attention! Don't confuse the Japanese azalea with the deciduous one, which naturally sheds foliage.

Combination with other plants in landscape design

Azalea is good for both single and group plantings in the open field. If you like the second option, decorate the site by planting several copies at a distance of 2x2 m (maximum - 10 pcs.). Conifers are a good background for Japanese species. Judging by the photo, a wonderful composition is obtained in an ensemble with perennials, which have beautiful decorative leaves: funkia, ferns, rogersia.If they bloom at the same time as the azalea, choose plants that have white flowers.

A fragile culture looks beautiful in combination with heather and other varieties of rhododendrons. They have the same preference for soil composition. Remember that azalea is a short flower. Therefore, do not plant bright, tall plants nearby in order to fully enjoy the short flowering of the Japanese beauty.

How to grow Japanese azalea: video

Japanese azalea: photo

A couple of decades ago, garden azalea was considered a greenhouse or indoor plant, but in the last decade in our country, gardeners began to grow the plant in the open field. Blooming bush azalea is incomparable - the branches are abundantly covered with delicate buds of a simple or double shape and various shades.

Where does the garden bush azalea come from?

In addition to white, pink, yellow, purple, red or orange color, there are varieties with multi-colored buds, which makes the plants even more decorative. Lush flowering subject to the rules of agricultural technology lasts 3 to 10 weeks.

The basis of hybrid varieties that can withstand the moderate winters of the Central Russian zone in the open field is Japanese, which is considered a national plant in its homeland. The ancestors of the greenhouse varieties are the heat-loving Indian azaleas.

Site selection: open ground in the Moscow region and other regions

Planting a seedling begins with choosing a suitable place in the garden. For those who are interested in planting a plant in the Moscow region, there are no fundamental differences. Azalea will not grow in a randomly selected area.

The choice of place depends not so much on the region as on the microclimate.

When transferring a seedling to open ground, the several conditions:

• A large amount of light is required without direct sunlight. Otherwise, the grown bush will begin to shed its buds, the flowering period will be significantly reduced, and the leaves will wrinkle.
• Evergreen species are recommended to be planted in areas with diffused light or partial shade.
• Deciduous varieties grow well in bright areas under the shade of large trees, provided that the roots of the plants do not interfere with each other. Best suited as companions yew, thuja, spruce, oak, larch... Alder, poplar, maple are not suitable for the neighborhood - their superficial root system takes moisture and nutrition.
• When landing near buildings, any side, except the southern one, will do.

It is worth giving preference to areas with flat relief, where water does not stagnate in spring after the snow melts.

• Protection against gusts of wind and drafts is required, they cannot be planted at the corner of buildings and between buildings.
• Closeness to a natural or artificial body of water is perfect - moist air will prolong flowering and keep the foliage fresh.

When growing a garden azalea for normal development, the air temperature during the growing season should be + 20 + 25 ° С - almost all regions of central Russia correspond to these conditions. In winter, garden varieties are able to withstand a cold snap down to -27 ° C, with more severe frosts, the plant will die.

Too cold winters, typical for the north of Russia, are destructive for the bush

Group plantings look the most decorative. When located in the garden, do not plant evergreen and deciduous species next to it, set the center of the site for tall varieties, and the near edge for undersized varieties.

Choose plants taking into account the color of the buds: yellow with orange, purple with white, pink with purple, red with white are best combined.

Soil and planting

Azalea will grow well only on loose and acidic soils, which contain sand, peat and coniferous soil. The acidity of the soil is necessary constantly maintain at the level of 4.0-4.5... For planting a seedling, early spring is suitable before the juice begins to move or the beginning of autumn - the bush will have time to take root in a new place before the cold weather begins and will normally endure the winter cold.

Garden azaleas have a shallow root system, so they don't need a deep planting hole. However, planting seedlings has some nuances:

• Dig a landing hole 0.5 m deep and 0.6-0.7 m in diameter.
• Lay a 15-20 cm drainage layer of sand, expanded clay and broken brick at the bottom of the pit - it will acidify the soil. It is undesirable to use limestone materials (crushed stone, crumbs), otherwise alkalization of the soil is inevitable, which azaleas do not tolerate.
• Mix the soil taken out of the pit with peat, humus and coarse sand to increase looseness and soil permeability.
• Pour the soil mixture onto the drainage layer and place the seedling on the hill, controlling the level of the root collar - after planting it should be slightly above the soil level.
• Gently fill the root ball with soil, compact the soil around the seedling, add soil and water if necessary.
• Mulch the soil around the bush with moss, peat, pine needles or crushed bark - mulch will prevent the growth of weeds and retain life-giving moisture in the soil.

Plants in containers can be planted throughout the summer, when removing from the container, the earth must not be crushed from the roots. Seedlings purchased from nurseries or garden centers should be watered abundantly before planting.

It is highly recommended to water the plant bought from the nursery abundantly

You can dip the root ball into the water for a while until air bubbles stop appearing from the water.

Purchase seedlings in a large container, the size of which corresponds to the total size of the plant - in small containers, the roots do not develop well.

When buying, check the agrotechnical characteristics and check the viability of the bush: its branches should be elastic, healthy and strong. Sick and weak seedling it will not be possible to leave.

Mulching and feeding

For mulching the bushes, crushed pine bark, fallen needles, steamed sawdust, small expanded clay, peat or tree foliage (except for chestnut and maple trees) are used.

Mulching retains moisture in the ground, prevents weeds from growing, protects surface roots from overheating in summer and from freezing in winter. When mulching, the root collar should be free.

Without feeding, there will be no abundant flowering, and for the normal growth of azaleas need additional food... There should be several dressings during the summer:

• In the spring, add a solution of mullein (humus) in a ratio of 1:10.
• At the time of bud formation, a second mullein feeding is carried out with the addition of phosphorus-potassium fertilizer.
• When the last buds fall off, carry out the third feeding with phosphorus and potassium in a ratio of 1: 2.
• Top dressing is applied at a distance of 0.2-0.3 m from the center of the bush.

When applying complex fertilizers, it is necessary to ensure that they do not contain chlorine and lime... Also, you cannot use wood ash - it changes the acidity of the soil, reducing it.

Watering, weeding and spraying

Watering the azalea should be abundant throughout the summer season. A slightly dried soil surface is a signal for the next moisture. Water the plant with rain or settled water, adding citric acid to the irrigation water once a month (1 tsp for 2 liters of water) - it increases the acidity of the soil.

As with any plant, it is highly recommended to take into account the seasonality when watering the bush.

With the beginning of autumn, watering is reduced so as not to provoke the growth of new shoots, which will not have time to ripen and freeze before winter. Before the beginning of winter, the plant is watered abundantly - water-charging watering will allow it to endure frosts with minimal losses.

Besides watering, azalea loves sprinkling - humid air is favorable for the decorativeness of the plant and is a prophylactic agent against insect pests. However, during flowering, this procedure must be abandoned, otherwise spots will form on the flowers, spoiling the appearance of the plant.

Do not forget about weeding - during the entire growing season, you need to weed the area several times. Only this must be done carefully so as not to damage the surface roots of the azalea.

Transfer

The transplant is carried out according to the same principle as the landing. The best time to transplant a plant is early spring. Considering that azalea considered a capricious plant, it is recommended to choose a suitable day for transplanting according to the lunar calendar.

The planting depth must be kept at the same level.

Around the transplanted bush, it is recommended to make a side of moss or earth, it will help trap snow in winter and protect the roots from frost.

Pruning

Pruning bushes is carried out in three stages:

1. In the spring, they do sanitary pruning, cutting out diseased and dry shoots. The rest of the shoots do not touch - flower buds have been laid on them since autumn.
2. During flowering regularly remove wilted flowers.
3. After the last buds wither, formative pruning is carried out - remove dry peduncles, shorten shoots that are too long, cut out branches that strongly thicken the bush.

The remaining shoots are shortened by no more than 1/3 of the total length - the next year the azalea will branch out and take the form of a lush and abundantly flowering plant.

When pruning a bush, keep in mind that the types of pruning depend on the season.

With any pruning, the places of the cuts are covered with garden varnish or any paint based on drying oil. Work is carried out in protective gloves to avoid skin irritation - the sap of the plant is poisonous.

Azalea is a slow-growing plant species and reaches maturity at 3-4 years of age. Therefore, young bushes do not form, but only carry out sanitary pruning.

Diseases and pests

Gardening can suffer from fungal infections and insects. The most common diseases are rust, leaf spot, rot. In the fight against diseases, spraying with fungicides or copper sulfate is effective.

As a prophylaxis of diseases, it is recommended to treat the bushes at least once a season before flowering with Oxyhom or after flowering with Fundazol.

Potential pests
Aphid	They will come to the rescue insecticide solutions - help to get rid of pests that interfere with the full growth and development of plants
Black thrips
Spider mite
Mealybug
Whitefly

Lightening leaves on azalea bushes, the color of which turns yellow over time, indicate a characteristic disease - calcareous chlorosis. It is treated by introducing solutions under the bush that help increase the acidity of the soil:

• table or apple cider vinegar - 100 ml per 10 liters of water;
• citric or oxalic acid - 2 tbsp. l. 10 liters of water.

For watering 1 sq. m. will require 10 liters of solution. Peat (1.5 kg per 1 sq. M) is suitable as a soil acidifier.

Lack of flowering

Florists are often faced with the fact that the garden azalea does not bloom... There are several reasons for this:

• alkaline or neutral soil;
• lack of scattered light;
• moisture deficiency;
• high air temperature;
• insufficient nutrition or, conversely, frequent and abundant feeding.

Subject to all the requirements for planting and caring for the plant, it will delight with lush and long flowering.

Reproduction: growing street Azalea from seeds and not only

The garden azalea is propagated by seeds, cuttings, layering and dividing the bush.

The choice of breeding method depends on how quickly you want to get the result.

The easiest way is to lean the side shoot to the ground, fix it with wire, sprinkle it with earth and water it regularly. After a while it will take root, and next spring the young bush can be separated from the mother plant.

Divide the bushes with a vein before the start of sap flow. Using a sharp object (spatula, spatula), part of the bush is separated and transplanted to a new place. In this case, the mother bush should have a well-developed root system and several healthy shoots.

Propagation by cuttings takes from 1.5 to 4 months from the time of cutting the cuttings to their rooting. To achieve the result, you need to follow the recommendations of experienced gardeners:

• Cut the apical cuttings 10 cm long. The apical bud and lower leaves removeleaving 2-3 healthy leaves.
• Treat the sections with a growth stimulant. Embed the cuttings 2-3 cm in individual pots or cups filled with a mixture of peat and sand. Moisten the soil.
• Cover the cups with cut-off plastic bottles to create mini greenhouses. A week after planting the cuttings, begin airing by unscrewing the lids or removing the caps daily for 10-15 minutes.

Micro greenhouses help maintain the right temperature

• For successful rooting, maintain an air temperature of + 20 + 24 ° C and water as needed, not forgetting to drain excess water from the trays.
• After rooting, transplant the cuttings into a container with fertile acidic soil.
• Plant in a year to a permanent place in the garden.

Propagation by cuttings is a troublesome and time-consuming process, but it has its advantages. If a neighbor in the country cuts cuttings from his bushes, you will immediately see which plant will bloom in your garden in 3-4 years.

The seed method of reproduction is practically not used by gardeners - with this method of reproduction, you will have to wait a long time for the first flowering.

Lovers of growing plants from seeds can try to germinate them in an impromptu daily ventilated greenhouse, keeping an eye on behind the substrate moisture.

Winter preparation and spring care

The buds of the next year are laid in the fall. Therefore, it is important to preserve the plant during the winter and help it survive the frosts.

Despite the relatively good winter hardiness of many varieties, it is more reliable to cover the shrub for the winter in order to ensure that flower buds, young branches and superficial roots are kept healthy:

• After water-charging irrigation, the ground under the bushes is mulched 5-10 cm thick.Under tall azaleas, the mulch layer can be increased to 30 cm.
• The branches of deciduous varieties are gently bent to the ground and fixed with wire... A multilayer shelter is made of corrugated cardboard, covering materials and spruce branches.

When organizing winter protection, polyethylene and other airtight materials are not used, otherwise the buds and shoots will mate and rot.

• For evergreen varieties, a frame is preliminarily made, which is installed before the ground freezes, the covering material is pulled onto the frame only with the onset of stable cold weather.

Do not use materials that are not breathable, otherwise the bush will rot

The frame is insulated with durable materials or roofing felt so that a distance of 20-25 cm remains between the walls of the shelter and the bush. To drain moisture under the structure lay flexible hose, the other end of which is taken out.

With the onset of the first spring days, you should not rush to open the azalea bushes, you need to wait for the complete melting of the snow cover on the site. Plants that have become unaccustomed to sunlight over the winter should be gradually accustomed to the spring rays, opening them briefly in the morning and gradually increasing the time.

Plants tolerate winter differently and must be cooked accordingly. For example, there is a procedure for how to prepare gloxinia for wintering and a dormant period.

The first time it is better to open the bushes on a cloudy day.

Azalea is a demanding outdoor plant. She needs to create certain conditions under which she will feel good. In response, the shrub will thank you with a huge number of flowers that will delight you for a long time.Planting several varieties of azalea with different flowering times at the same time allows you to enjoy a riot of colors throughout the summer.

Garden azaleas or, as they are commonly called according to the modern classification of species, rhododendrons are a huge family of flowering shrubs that can seriously differ from each other in size, shades and shape of flowers and even lifestyle.

Numerous varieties and varieties of cultivated rhododendrons can:

• be evergreen and deciduous plants;
• reach a height of 3 meters and rise above the soil by only 50-60 cm;
• differ in terms of flowering.

But all of these plants have common features. Garden azaleas have rather graceful shoots, covered with light bark and slightly elongated oval leaves. The leaf plates are small, dense, with a noticeable pile. When the time for the flowering of azaleas comes, from late April to almost mid-summer, flowers with flat or funnel-shaped corollas appear en masse on the tops of the shoots of last year.

Depending on the species and variety, you can enjoy a lush cloud of white, yellow, pink, lilac or purple flowers from three weeks to 2.5 months.

Deciduous varieties of garden azaleas have been successfully grown in Russia since pre-revolutionary times, and at the beginning of the last century they were actively used for landscaping and decorating parks near Moscow and St. Petersburg. Today, the selection work of botanists from all over the world has made it possible to easily select plants that, with good care, are very winter-hardy and bloom magnificently, grow in the middle lane.

Growing conditions for garden azalea

Garden azalea refers to perennial plants with rather slow growth. This should be taken into account when choosing a place for planting a plant and organizing care for a young bush. For the first time, azaleas bloom only 3-4 years after planting, growing up and reaching full development.

The ideal temperature for growing a garden azalea in the summer is 20-25 ° C, which is quite acceptable for most areas of the Russian middle zone. In winter, many varieties and hybrids can withstand temperatures as low as 27–32 ° C.

Yet the plant needs protection and year-round support. When planning the planting of a garden azalea, you need to be very careful about choosing a suitable place. In nature, rhododendrons are photophilous, but when exposed to direct sunlight:

• lose decorativeness faster;
• worse form flower buds;
• reduce flowering time.

Therefore, for an azalea, it is better to find a flat area protected from wind and flooding by spring waters in partial shade, where the bush will not suffer from summer heat, frost and gusts of cold air. For planting shrubs near the house, a north, east or west wall is suitable.

Rhododendrons grow well in the vicinity of larger trees. True, it should be borne in mind that the roots of the plants do not interfere with each other. Spruces with a taproot system, small-leaved lindens and oaks feel good next to the garden azalea.

For azaleas, the proximity to garden and park ponds is useful. Here, thanks to the natural humidification of the air, the plant blooms longer, and its foliage remains fresh.

Planting a garden azalea

The best time for transplanting or planting garden azaleas is early spring, when the plant has not begun a period of active sap movement. If, for some reason, rhododendrons are not planted at the beginning of the growing season, this can be done in September. For the remaining warm days and weeks, the shrub will have time to acclimatize and successfully overwinter.

Azaleas growing outdoors have a superficial root system. Therefore, a deep planting hole for the shrub is not required, but the preparation of a loose fertile substrate is necessary:

1. The depth of the pit may not exceed 50 cm.
2. In this case, the width should be 20-30 cm greater than the depth.

At the bottom, a powerful drainage layer is made from fragments of red brick, large expanded clay and sand. It is impossible to use limestone chips, since this mineral gradually changes the acidity of the soil and can cause withering and death of an already established bush of a garden azalea.

The soil removed from the planting pit is cleaned of turf, and then they add to it:

• peat cleared of coarse inclusions;
• humus;
• sand and other components necessary to ensure the looseness and structure of the substrate.

Before immersing the seedling in the pit, a small amount of prepared soil is poured onto the drainage layer in the center. The roots of the bush are carefully laid out on it so that the root collar of the azalea, when backfilled, must remain above the soil level. The soil around the plant is compacted and moistened. If the soil has settled, it is poured over, and the surface is abundantly mulched on top.

If you plan to plant a garden azalea purchased from a nursery or store, its root system should first be revived by lowering it into water or watering abundantly before planting.

Seedlings with a closed root system are easier to transplant, while their roots do not need to be cleaned of existing soil, but it is worth checking the health of the roots and removing the damaged ones.

Caring for your garden azalea after planting

During the entire growing season, garden azaleas need abundant watering. The soil should be moistened immediately after the surface layer has dried. Rain or settled water is best suited for irrigation. To maintain the increased acidity of the soil, citric or other food acid is added to the irrigation moisture once a month.

On hot days, in addition to the azalea flowering time, the shrubs can be sprayed with warm water to be a good support for the decorative effect of the shrub and prevent insect pests and fungi.

At the end of summer, watering is reduced, provoking the completion of the growth of the shrub and improving its preparation for winter. For the same purpose, the application of dressings is stopped, especially if granular agents of prolonged action were used for this.

Caring for a garden azalea includes mulching, which is designed to protect the roots of the plant from drying out in the summer and frost in the winter. Under such a shelter, weeds develop worse and slower, moisture is saved. A layer of mulch from pine needles, steamed sawdust or shavings, chopped cut grass or even fine expanded clay is replenished and restored as necessary, but does not cover the root collar of the plant.

It is impossible to support a flowering shrub with one watering. Therefore, the azalea is fed at least three times a year.

• In early spring, plants are watered with infusion of mullein or humus.
• Before the beginning of the flowering time of azaleas, in addition to nitrogen, the shrub needs potassium and phosphorus in equal amounts.
• After wilting of most of the inflorescences, the plant is watered with a mixture of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers in a ratio of 1: 2.

Plants of garden azaleas are extremely negative about the introduction of fertilizers into the soil, which contain chlorine and lime. You should not use ash, which is popular with gardeners, for feeding.

Watering and feeding during the care of azaleas is carried out not at the root, but at a distance from the center of the bush at least 20 cm.This technique allows you to bring moisture and nutrients to the most active areas of the surface root system of this garden culture.

Pruning azaleas in the garden

The plant begins spring with already formed flower buds, therefore, after wintering, only sanitary pruning of azaleas is carried out in the garden, when dry and diseased shoots are removed.

The formation of a shrub is carried out after the flowers have wilted. During the procedure, both dry peduncles and overly elongated branches are cut off.If you do not remove attention from pruning azaleas for several years, the bush gradually overgrows, the shoots block the access of light and air, which leads to the development of diseases and insect pests.

When pruning azaleas, it is important to remember that the buds are laid on annual shoots, so this year's growth is not affected. After pruning, large hemp is treated with garden pitch.

Young shrubs up to 3 years of age can not be formed, carrying out only the removal of dead shoots.

Winter care for azaleas

Future flowering depends on the care of the azaleas throughout the year, as well as how the plant overwinters. Certain varieties of garden rhododendrons can survive Russian winters without shelter, but in this case it will not work to guarantee the health of the shrub:

1. Flower buds at the ends of the shoots are the first to suffer from the cold.
2. With a lack of snow, sometimes not only young branches but also the root system freeze out.

To protect the plants, autumn starts preparing for winter with abundant watering of the soil under the bushes of garden azaleas. Then the root circle is covered with an additional layer of mulch, for which pine needles, peat or fallen leaves are taken. A layer of such protection for small plants can be 5-10 cm, up to 30 cm of insulation is poured under tall bushes.

Branches of deciduous varieties of azaleas growing in open ground:

• gently tilt to the soil;
• fixed with wire;
• covered with corrugated cardboard, special materials or another layer of spruce branches or peat.

It is not worth covering azaleas with foil or other airtight materials, since there is a high risk of developing rotting and rotting buds and young shoots.

Azalea evergreens are covered with a pre-made frame so as not to damage the shoots and future buds. Inside the shelter, the plant should not be constrained. And it is necessary to insulate the structure with roofing material or non-woven materials only in the established cool weather, if this is done on warm days, next spring it will not be possible to avoid the loss of some of the flowers.

Caring for azaleas in winter is to protect plants from wind and moisture condensing during thaws. If the winter is with little snow, the bushes need to be additionally protected by creating man-made snowdrifts at their base. During the rainy season, azaleas are loosely covered with a film, leaving the possibility of moisture escape.

With the onset of spring, the shelter is removed only after the snow cover melts and the establishment of positive average daily temperatures.

During acclimatization and care of azaleas, they are constantly monitored to avoid sunburn of delicate tissues and wilting of a plant that is deficient in nutrition and moisture.

Garden azaleas are a rewarding culture. Shrubs always respond with lush flowering and growth to adhere to the agrotechnology of growing azaleas in the garden and competent, regular care. No matter where the gardener lives, today you can find many amazing varieties of azaleas that have different colors and different flowering times.

Video about rhododendrons - azaleas in the garden