Azalea Bushes

I read online that azalea bushes do best when planted in the fall or winter. I live in zone 7 and it's February. Is it okay for me to plant azalea bushes now?

Thanks,

Lisa

Hey Lisa!

I've read the suggestions of the other posts and noticed they kept recommending azaleas, as they indeed tend to grow well in our areas.

I might suggest, however, that you tread slowly and not plant a gob of them until you figure out it they're actually happy in your particular soil and habitat. My non-scientific experiments have shown that every one of our repeated attempts to establish azaleas have failed, whereas every one of our attempts to establish rhododendrons have succeeded.

Our guess is soil type, because we've given the azaleas the sunshine that they supposedly like. We live out in the middle of nowhere at the base range of the Appalachians and we're surrounded by forest.

In town ten miles from us, many home gardens boast beautiful azaleas...so again my guess is soil type - and even though we tried specific azalea fertilizer, frankly I am not about to attempt to change forest soil into city soil, so I've been thrilled with rhodies.

Unless I'm mistaken - and I'm sure you'll soon hear from azalea growers -- the type of fertilizer needed by azaleas can wipe out other flowers that need the opposite type of fertilizer. If that's true, be careful where you plant them!

In terms of planting now, again as a non-expert, I would suggest not if they are blooming. It's a bit early for their natural bloom cycle, and a good freeze will wipe out the blossoms.

Hope someone else knows more than I do. Rhodies I can help you with!
Debi

Debi

They aren't blooming, but they do have leaves on them. I don't know if that makes any difference at all.

What I am TRYING to do is build a natural border between my neighbor's property and ours. On the right side of my front yard I am going to attempt to put bushes that bloom to build my own nature fence of sorts.

I got the azalea bushes for $3.00 a piece. I thought that was such a good deal that I just had to go ahead and get them.

I'm planning to put something else with these bushes, but of course, I don't have a clue what...:)

Lisa

Sorry, can't offer help with planting azaleas!

Some pencil cyprus trees grow super fast, though in this area they may be called a type of cedar??? Try the tree forum, you can bet lots of people have "fenced out" their neighbors...trouble will be initial cost.

I don't usually see other stuff growing with azaleas, so I'd still advise caution. You might post your question on the Beginner Flower flower forum.

Yes, you can plant Azaleas right now in your zone. Just make sure you use a lot of organic matter (like pine bark soil conditioner, leaf compost and/or cow manure, etc.) when you plant. Also, plant the crown of each shrub a little higher than the surrounding soil level and don't cover the roots with too much soil or mulch. Azaleas have mainly surface roots that like to be almost exposed. DO NOT fertilize them within the first year because fertilizer tells them to make leaves and you want roots. Instead, use a liquid root stimulator to water them in after planting. Hope this helps!

Good advice from plantfreak78. All I will add is that I always mix in plenty of peat moss with the soil I dig out of the hole before returning it as azaleas like acid soil. Mine are planted where they only get morning sun since most azalea types don't like full sun.

Does your extension service do soil testing? Unless your soil is acidic, azaleas aren't worth the heroic measures it takes to grow them. Since it sounds like you are in an area where the soil pH varies a lot, a soil test would save you a lot of work and money if your soil is neutral or on the alkaline side.

Another hint: Azaleas are Rhododendron, botanically speaking, and they require almost the same planting conditions. Therefore, if you can grow standard Rhododendrons (the evergreens with large leaves and clustered blooms we all call "Rhododendrons") you should be able to grow Azaleas (which are just Rhododendrons that typically have smaller, hairy foliage and single blooms).

Once I got my azaleas planted, it hasn't taken any special measures to keep them beautiful other than giving them a shot of azalea/rhododendron type fertilizer early each spring. I think they are more than worth it every year when they give me their gorgeous early show of blooms. I think whether they are worth it or not is strictly a matter of opinion. And I have the evergreen variety so they look nice year-round.

Excellent instructions from plantfreak78! There are lots and lots of wonderful colors, flower forms, leaf shapes and colors, etc. to choose from so don't limit yourself. Save some room for the special ones that you are sure to come across now that you have a plan for them. :-)

I suppose its the same anywhere, but we fertilize after they finish blooming, one month later, and again one month later. Then stop. After that they begin setting buds for the next spring and any subsequent fertilizing can interrupt that cycle. Fertilize with an azalea/camellia fertilizer, which is acidic.

Plant high so they get good drainage - they like lots of water but they don't like wet feet, so they require excellent drainage. Azalea roots are very fibrous and near the top of the soil, so you will want to water frequently as they dry out quickly.

When you plant them, take them out of their pots and spread the roots out, breaking them up a little. Then place them over a little mound of soil so they are spread outwards. Cover them with a good soil, perhaps mixed with peat, which is acidic, then mulch well. Growers plant their azaleas in peat and when peat dries out, it is very hard to moisten again. If you plant it as is, the water will just run over the top and down the sides, and the roots will never leave that shape, and the plant will never thrive because it isn't getting adequate moisture.

I don't know about your sun requirements, but here in my zone, we give them part shade, with morning sun. Afternoon sun will fry them.

Really - your best information source for your area is your Extension Service. I'm in zone 9a and you're in zone 7b, so some of this info could be different (sun requirement, for example). I do know that I used to live in zone 7b, Oklahoma, with its red clay. My neighbor tried and tried to grow azaleas, amending her soil, protecting them from freezes, etc, but they always seemed to struggle. I don't know if it was the climate or her care though.