Find Your Ask the Expert: A friend gave me two azalea plants but I do not know where to plant them or how to take care of them in the Florida sunshine. Help! Jan
Reply:
In Florida, azaleas prefer a little shade from hot afternoon sun and can do well in dappled shade areas. Keep in mind deep shade even in Florda will cause the azaleas to become thin. Choose an area that contains moist but well-drained, humus-rich soil that is slightly acidic in ph. You can create this type of soil by tilling humus into your existing soil and using an acidic fetilizer like miracid to correct any ph problems. Plant your azalea shallow. A good rule of thumb is to have the top of the root ball 1″ to 2″ above the soil line. I also recommend muching your azleas. Keep your area moist but not soogy during the growing season and a little drier during the dormant season. Fetlizer your azaleas with a slow realease azlea fertilzer during the growing season. I personally like to fertilze with Fertilome’s azalea food with systemic insecidie. It serves two purposes – nutritional content and insect protection. Check with your local nursery & garden center for a similar product. Good luck and keep me posted.
This is great. We tried planting some for a new house and they got fried by the sun. I’ll keep this page so that next time we know how to plant these babies.
I’ve had an amazing Azalea bush for 30 years in Miami, FL. I have not seen any others that last like this one. When I’ve seen a nice blooming specimen in another yard, it has not been there the following Spring. Mine is purple and that seems to be a hardier plant than the other colors. I’ve always credited its long survival and spectacular blooming to the fact that I planted it next to a wall that shields it from the afternoon sun but allows it plenty of light in the mornings. Twice it has been severely pruned by ignorant gardeners and I thought it would not recover and once I noticed it struggling and found a plastic wrapping strangling its roots. I’m glad that it has come away unscathed. It is wonderful flower 🌺 that keeps on giving in my fortunate case.