Azalea Problem

I have a sick Encore Azalea. I hope someone can help me diagnosis and possibly cure the problem. I have had it for 5 years.

Bump!

Oh - it does look sad. Is it too crowded? Does it have enough air circulation? What do you feed it with (if at all)? Any chemical spray drifting?

I feed it the Azalea food. It is next to and under the 2 story fringe bush/tree.

Usually the main problems arise from the type of fertilizer (azaleas don't need much) and air circulation. Maybe too much rain? Planted too deep? It's overall appearance isn't the best. Skip the fertilizing this year for sure and maybe mulch with compost instead

We have had a lot of rain. Maybe I need to dig it up an relocate it.

There are most certainly folks out there that know more than me. Maybe they're hanging out in a different forum??? But if you do decide to move it, do it on a cloudy, cooler day, don't replant too deep and mulch with some compost instead of using any fertilizer. You'll have to pay attention to watering needs for the next several months.

Has it been looking like this all the time you have had it? Sort of 'failure to thrive'?

If so, then it may be competition or some marginal thing like not quite enough drainage, or slight over watering, temporary, and varying with the season. Not enough to kill the plant, just enough so it does not quite recover, not quite dies.

If this is recent, and prior years it looked pretty good then look into what is different in the last several months (perhaps go back 6 months).
More water than average? Extra wet winter or spring.
Nearby plants have been growing, and are now larger than ever? Could be competition in the root area, or too much shade.
More leaf litter than usual, piling up against the stem of the Azalea?

Here are a few ideas.

Thin the plants growing above it so more light gets in. This can help dry the soil and provide more light for the Azalea. Yes, they are forest floor plants, so the filtered light through surrounding plants is good, but they do need a fairly bright location within that filtered light setting.

Scrape away the accumulated leaves at the base and surrounding the plant for at least a foot in all directions. Careful, Azaleas are surface rooted, and probably have roots in the decomposing matter from several years worth of falling leaves. Smell the soil, look for fungus (often white dusting or strings, or, more obvious, mushrooms), test the soil moisture.
To test the soil moisture use a freshly sharpened pencil. Plunge it into the soil and remove it. If the wood gets dark the soil is wet. This is good if it has just rained, but is bad if the soil is staying too wet in between storms. If the wood stays light the soil is dry (or, if you cannot stick it into the soil the soil is so hard, probably dry, the Azalea does not like this). Blotchy wood on the pencil means the soil is starting to dry out. This is good.

If you want to transplant it first dig the new hole at least partially. Then dig a really big circle around the Azalea, trying to get all the roots. They will not usually be too deep. Have a tarp or burlap or something ready. It may take 2 people to lift the plant out and onto the tarp. Finish the new hole when you see how much root space the Azalea will need. ABSOLUTELY no deeper than it is now, and a slight mound is better. DO NOT dig into the soil at the bottom of the hole unless it is really bad soil that needs a lot of improvement. If this is the case, then do all you can to make sure the Azalea will not sink into the improved soil over the first few weeks or longer. Make a mound in the hole with the improved soil and tamp it down pretty well. When you are finished the Azalea should be higher than the surrounding soil. Water it in well, and if it settles a bit that is OK, but if it sinks a lot then re-do it.
You could mix some slow release fertilizer or organic fertilizers with the soil that you back fill with, but I would use only a light dose, then not fertilize until you see some new growth happening. Good compost will be essential, and should make up 50% of the back fill material.

I think the huge fringe flower bush is causing the problem. The fringe bush has sent out these huge runners that are crossing the azalea. I think I will dig it up and move it.

Good luck. I'm sure the two make a beautiful combination but maybe not meant to be.