I am in Alabama zone 7b and have 12' tall Formosa azaleas planted near the house to soften its height. I love them tall, but I haven't pruned them in 22 years except for dead wood and they look a little scraggly. I've had other Formosas in another yard that were damaged by cold and when cut back to a few inches came back well. So I believe it will be safe to hard prune these Formosas next winter. I'm thinking February.
It's September, and I've gently raked old leaves out from under them and I'm planning to add some type of organic compost and then some fresh pine straw.
Please tell me your experience with hard pruning mature Formosas or others of this type.
Many thanks!
hard pruning Formosa azaleas
I think most advice is to prune shortly after blooming (if you want blooms in spring and hopefully it will put out enough new growth to have blooms the following spring).
Sometimes it doesn't matter when you prune. We pruned hard a couple of times at our last house for the painters and it was in the heat of summer. Took longer than I expected for them to recover but after 3 years no one knew the difference.
I'd not hard prune now 'cause you'll have no blooms come Spring and forcing new growth by cutting will make plants vulnerable to cold stress. Though I imagine you're wanting to tidy up the yard for Winter I'd hold off until after bloom and then hard prune. They should look and bloom well the following year. I agree with Hcmcdole about when you can prune, in that it's hard to kill an established azalea, but don't expect blooms for a few years.
Laurel
I sympathize with you BPlum. I usually trim mine back right after blooming too, but this year my azaleas were soo big and the temps sooo Hot that I gave up! I have trimmed them as late as October before and it resulted in fewer blooms but it didnt hurt the foliage growth at all! My Formosas line my 250 Ft Drive on one side. My yard drops down to the Hwy from my house on a hill. So my Azaleas start at the top being only about 4 ft tall then gradually get taller toward the Hwy. The last 4 or 5 bushes are 10 to 12 feet tall. The last two actually cover about 8ft across, so my drive way looks like a Jungle right now!
I would wait until they bloom and prune them hard then hit them with a good amount of fertilizer right afterwords. Mine got to the size I wanted and now I just prune them like a shrub right after they bloom. I have no trouble with them not blooming the following year. Your problem is that first pruning will be long over due, if it's a good growing year I don't think you would have the blooming problem the next year and they would be much fuller the next year. Bad growing year might not get the same results. By full I mean I have a 100 lb dog that likes to sleep in one during the warm months and I can't see him, got a surprise when I figured out where he was hanging out. LOL. All I knew was something big was in the bush until I could make out a tail.
Hey there CoreHHI, you have your Azaleas under control it sounds, bet they are beautiful too! Your Puppy (LOL) seems to think so too!
My Chickens like to get under mine in the Summer, where its nice and cool and perfect for Grubbing and Scratching! In the winter its a perfect place for young Rabbits to hide.
Oh and yes good to see someone here on the Georgia forums again! I guess everyone went to Texas with Digger!!!
Actually we have some GA people on the Carolinas forum, surprises me no one from Savannah is ever on here.
You know I thought the same thing... but according to the way Savannah is now... not too many are gardening any longer...Most have moved out to the surrounding more rural counties to garden!
I'm here but it is quiet without Sally. Too quiet. Once it gets cold I'm concentrating more on my orchids. Now that TG is right around the corner and we are expecting family plus DG houseguests I'm stealing time from what I should be doing to slack here.
Hey there to you too MayPop! Hope that you and Yours have a wonderful thanksgiving!
Yes old Sally Girl really keeps the forums going, you can tell when shes not here!
Eufaula, what with Sally gone fishing, you off chicken tracking and me with my orchids GA is taking a hiatus. I mostly post here for veggie info but there are not many veggie growers. I've gotten busier and don't have as much online social time. That's not to say I wouldn't do another RU. That was too fun!
Sorry to sidetrack your thread Plum but glad you and other neighbors post on GA forum.
Laurel
I'm glad I could help all of you start chatting again. Since you mentioned veggies, I'll send a new question about good varieties.
Thanks everyone!
Hopefully Farmerdill will respond. He's the varietal genius here and everywhere else on Dave's Garden. Horseshoe, from N.C., is also knowledgeable about varieties so feel free to post away.
Well this is what I did today! Here are my Foremosas, just got the last blooms before the storms hit. So after a month of rain and more rain, these boogers got up to 8 1/2 ft tall this year.
I got most of them cut back to just under 3 ft., about 200 ft worth, now the other 50ft can just wait until tomorrow.
This message was edited Apr 30, 2011 6:02 PM
I moved 5 truck loads of limbs and cut branches! Looks like Tornado "Eufaula" went down my drive!!
This message was edited Apr 30, 2011 6:06 PM
They were litterally covered in Honey suckle.
Making any starts from those cuttings?
Hi Laurel, Dont have to, got a plenty from "bricking" them last year. I laid bricks on some of the lower branches last year, Imust have about 25 new ones now!
Are you coming to the RU? Inquiring minds might like formosas you know.
Awww Thanks for the invitation Laurel! I really would love to come but right now it is hard to say. Gas prices have put a sudden halt to my Gally-vantin'! If there happens to be a miracle in my future and I find a pot of gold in my mailbox , I will be there!!!
I'll certainly let you know in advance if I can make it!...... Uh as for the Azaleas.... How many do ya want?? Im sure that can be arranged.
It's highly probably there will be a miracle in your future and maybe a pot of gold. Why not? Think positive. An oil well in the back yard would be nice to have these days. I'd like a few azaleas when you come and visit if you start up cuttings. Don't know what I could trade right this second.