Hot Pink Azalea

Ask the Expert: Is it dead an azalea that lose all its leaves?
I bought this azalea in february and did very good for one month and then started to lose the flowers and all the leaves. It was inside my house in a spot with good light, so I thougt that maybe needed to be outside, but is not looking good neither. Jennifer.

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:

The first thing you need to do is check the viability of the Azalea. You can do this by testing the stems for signs of green. Take your fingernail and lightly scrape the stem. If the you see green where you scraped the stem the plant is still alive. If it isn’t green go further down the stem until you find  green. You will need to trim off any part of the stem that isn’t green.

Once you have determined that your azalea is still alive, you need to make sure it is planted in the ground or pot in a container with good drainage.  After the azalea is in its new home you need to keep it moist but not soggy and fertilize it once a month (April through August) with a slow release fertilizer.  The Azalea will do best in an area with at least half a day sun.

Side note: Anytime you receive an Azalea from a florist shop and it comes with pretty foil around it, remove the foil within a couple days. Foil is great for dressing up the  Azalea, but it doesn’t allow for proper drainage. So remove it as soon as possible.

This plant care question was brought to you by local Raleigh Florists.

Ask The Expert: I got a Azalea Plant for Mothers Day, and I want to know if I can plant it in a flower pot instead of planting it outside because we are planing to move from the home we are now living in. I also need to know how I should I plant it in the pot.

Thank you very much Katie

Plant Expert Reply:

If you are planning on moving and want to take the plant with you, I would keep it in a pot.  I assume that the azalea came from a florist.  Typically these types of azaleas do well in a pot for quite a while and are hardy only in zone 7-10.  If it came in a basket or was wrapped in foil, I would transplant it into a better container with a drain hole. Azlaea do not like to be soggy, so drainage is essential. Use a peat based potting soil with gravel, rocks or broken terracotta pieces at the bottom of the pot.

While the azalea is in the pot be careful not to over water it. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. The soil should be moist to the touch but you should not be able to squeeze water from it.

If you are moving to a 7-10 zone, you can plant the azalea in your yard. Again you will need to plant the azalea in soil that drains well.  I also suggest mulching the azalea with pine mulch. During the warm season place it on your deck or patio.  During the winter place it in a room with lots of light.

During the growing season (April through August), make sure you fertilize it.  You can use liquid mir-acid every couple of weeks. Once in the ground use a slow release fertilize with a systemic insecticide once a month.

Good luck and please kee me posted.

This plant care questions was brought ot you by Mobile AL Florists