How to care for azaleas
Do you know about these? An introduction to azalea care and the techniques for growing azaleas as green plants and flowers. Let's get to know more about it together.
Azaleas are also known as rhododendrons, one of China's top ten famous flowers, often used in landscaping, and many friends also enjoy keeping a pot at home. Their leaves are lush and green, and when in bloom, the flowers are abundant and colorful, capable of lasting many years. When cultivated into an old stake bonsai, they present a graceful posture and stunning blooms. If the potted azalea drops leaves, has black leaf tips, or yellowing leaves, flowers sparingly, or doesn't bloom at all, it's definitely due to problems in the maintenance process. There are reasons for this, so attention should be paid to the following maintenance tips:
When caring for azaleas, remember these 5 points to prevent leaf drop and yellowing, ensuring lush foliage and blooming every year:
1. Moderate sunlight
If the new leaves of azaleas have black tips and are prone to falling, it might be due to excessive sunlight. As the temperature rises, azaleas should not be placed in direct sunlight during the middle of the day, especially during the hot summer. Both spring and autumn can have some sun exposure, but summer requires shading to achieve a 70% light blockage. Moreover, if the potting soil is short of water and has not been watered for many days, coupled with compacted soil, it can also cause leaf drop. Therefore, it's important not to neglect watering for extended periods.
2. Maintain ventilation and air flow
If the location of the potted azalea is poorly ventilated, has accumulated water in the soil, and is severely lacking in sunlight, it can lead to blackened leaves and leaf drop in a weakened state. Therefore, maintaining ventilation and ensuring at least some scattered light is necessary. The potting soil should not be extremely dry nor should it be watered excessively.
How to care for azaleas
3. Maintain a certain level of air humidity
If the air is dry, it's important to water the plants promptly and also spray water to maintain a certain level of air humidity, as an overly dry environment can also cause dry leaves with black tips.
4. Control pests and diseases
If the tips of azalea leaves are black and the leaves are falling or drying, it might be due to anthracnose. Therefore, fungicides such as common carbendazim or thiabendazole can be sprayed for prevention and control. When growing azaleas, the soil should be slightly acidic, with good ventilation, a certain level of air humidity, and an ideal temperature of around 20 degrees Celsius. The light should not be too weak or dark, as weak light and excessive watering can easily cause leaves to fall off when touched, or even result in leaf loss.
5. How to fertilize azaleas
Azaleas cannot be fertilized with heavy fertilizers; they prefer light fertilizers and should not be planted in soil that is too compact. Fertilizing can be done with some soybean cake water or organic fertilizer made from fermented fish waste and fruit. This way of growing azaleas prevents leaf drop and black tips, resulting in lush foliage and abundant blooms.
When caring for azaleas, remember these 5 points to prevent leaf drop and black tips, ensuring green leaves and many flowers, blooming into large flower balls!
The above content about how to care for azaleas and the techniques for growing azaleas as green plants and flowers, introduced by the Greenery Enthusiasts Network, is for reference by greenery enthusiasts, hoping to solve your problems in green plant and flower management.