How to grow azaleas in the north
Are you curious about the content of growing azaleas at home, how to grow azaleas in the north? Here is a comprehensive introduction.
Because azaleas prefer high humidity and shady conditions, it is difficult to grow them in the north. So how do you grow azaleas in the north? Let's take a look at the experience of a northern flower enthusiast to see how she cares for her azaleas.
In the summer, it's best to place azaleas in a shady spot (such as a north-facing balcony) to spend the season. If there is no north-facing balcony, let's look at the following tips.
Newly purchased azaleas usually have full flower buds or are in bloom. If you want to enjoy the flowers, do not repot them; instead, you can keep them in the original pot with normal management. Due to environmental changes, you can place them in a cool and well-ventilated area for 2-4 days before resuming normal management. My experience in choosing azaleas is not to pick those with too many open flowers and too many flower buds, as these are often hormone-induced and difficult to care for after flowering. It is recommended to buy azaleas in deep autumn and winter, choosing those that have already grown new leaves. If you must repot, do not disturb the original soil, simply cut open the nutrient pot, use a slightly larger pot (2-4 cm in diameter), and place it in a cool and well-ventilated area for about a week. If there are no abnormalities, you can return to normal management. If there is leaf and bud drop, immediately pinch off all flower buds and flower stalks to save the plant, spray with 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate and 0.1% urea, and observe for a few days to see if new leaf buds emerge.
The potting mix I use is: Northeast peat + pure decomposed leaf soil + sawdust (unripe), decomposed chicken manure, 1:1:1:0.1. Some people say that unripe sawdust can damage the roots, but after two years of planting, I have not found such phenomena. The reason for adding decomposed chicken manure is that although sawdust releases heat during decomposition, the heat is low and the process is slow, but it will consume the nitrogen fertilizer in the potting soil. Adding some chicken manure can prevent soil nitrogen deficiency. This type of potting soil has good water permeability and water retention, making it suitable for balcony cultivation. Many people say that azaleas need to be planted in clay pots and shallow pots, but I use plastic deep pots and have summarized some methods for filling soil in enclosed balconies. Using plastic pots is fine as long as the potting soil has good water permeability and ventilation. Why use deep pots? Because you need to add about one-third of the drainage layer, which is very important. I use large-particle陶粒 (陶粒) to fill about one-third of the pot depth, then add a layer of nutrient soil to compact it, ensuring that the nutrient soil渗透 into the gaps between the陶粒. Then add another layer of nutrient soil, plant the flowers, fill the gaps around the edges, make sure not to cover the top layer of roots, and leave a 2 cm gap from the rim of the pot. Soak the pot for 1 hour, then take it out and place it in a cool and well-ventilated area. The saucers should have some water. The reason for this configuration is that azaleas like moisture but fear waterlogging. However, on the balcony, it's hot and dry, and having water in the saucer not only increases humidity but also allows the water to slowly seep into the flower pot through the gaps in the nutrient soil, slower than without the drainage layer, but keeping the potting soil moist for a long time without causing root waterlogging. This has worked well for two years.
Watering: Azaleas are more delicate than other flowers, preferring acidic soil and water. The tap water in the north is alkaline and hard, which can cause poor growth or even yellowing if used directly. Soft water and slight acidity need to be used. How to get soft water? If you have a RO machine at home, it's simple. Otherwise, you need to boil the tap water and let it cool to soften it. To adjust the acidity, add 1 gram of citric acid or oxalic acid to every liter of water. I do not use ferrous sulfate, as it is difficult to store and too stimulating for azaleas. If you don't have oxalic acid or citric acid, you can also buy salt-free white vinegar in the supermarket, which is usually 30 degrees, dilute it 5 times, and add 3 ML of the diluted vinegar to every liter of water. You can also use rainwater and melted snow, which do not need to be acidified and work well. When watering, you can water when the surface is dry until the saucer is full of water. After a period of time, you need to remove the saucer and clean it to prevent the accumulation of salts from watering and fertilizing. Insufficient watering will cause leaf drop, which is brittle and crumbles when pinched, while excessive watering will also cause leaf drop, but the leaves are green and soft. Flower enthusiasts should observe and master this.
Fertilizing: I use Biwang, Biokaihua, and potassium dihydrogen phosphate. After flowering, use Biwang at 1500 times, water it once a month, use Biokaihua at 1500 times during the bud formation period once a month, and spray 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate every 15 days. Only spray fertilizer, not water, when newly potted and during winter dormancy.
Ventilation and lighting: In the north, ventilation and humidity are basically enemies. Ventilation greatly reduces humidity, so windows are only opened in the morning and evening for ventilation. When ventilating, spray water on the surface of the pot to increase humidity. Lighting is a very troublesome issue. Azaleas like shade but still need some light. I've read an article full of lux measurements, which is too professional for ordinary flower enthusiasts to master. I've summarized a method based on personal sensation: if the sun feels very hot and dazzling, you need to provide shade; if it feels warm and comfortable on the body, there is no need for shade, and it can tolerate direct sunlight. Shading can be done with a 70% white shading net, usually during late spring and early summer and late summer and early autumn. In the summer, there is no direct sunlight on the south balcony, but the temperature is high, so you can spray water on the leaf surface, open the windows, and use an electric fan to force-circulate the air, which is also a difficult season for managing azaleas.
Diseases and pests: High temperatures in the summer can easily lead to diseases and pests. Since they are grown indoors, pest infestations are rare, mainly bacterial diseases. The strategy is to focus on prevention over treatment. In the summer, use 70% methyl thiophanate, 800 times liquid, spray once a week for three weeks to achieve good preventive effects.
Here are some tips I've learned from growing azaleas on my indoor south-facing balcony. If there are any mistakes, please feel free to criticize and correct them.
The above introduction on how to grow azaleas in the north is hoped to be helpful to you. Don't forget to check out more flower care tips!