Hi All,
I have a Northern Lights Azalea for about 4 years now and it's not flowering as much as it used to. I need to prune it and am wondering when the best time to prune is
Thanks,
Kelly
When to Prune Azalea's
As soon as they're done blooming and for a few weeks after is the best time, if you must prune it. I don't think pruning it will increase bud set though, but I don't know for sure. If you want to be really fussy, you can remove the spent blooms and that might improve bud set. You could fertilze it a little now too, with holly-tone or something similar.
typo
This message was edited Jun 1, 2007 6:44 PM
I don't think I've even seen a Northern Lights that has needed pruning.LOL Kelly - do they just not get the buds or lose the buds? or just waning overall?
clay,
Thank-You. I thought if it got more branches it would eventually bloom more.
Al,
It's just waning overall. When I first got it, it was full of blooms for about the 2 first years. Last year it didn't have as many blooms on it and this year there was about 10 or 12. Some branches didn't even get buds on them. It has continued to go downhill since I have had it. I think I had it too close to a Black Walnut tree. I moved it last year in hopes it would be better this year, but never happened. Maybe next year will be better. I'll prune after it flowers. It's very spindly looking and am wanting it to fill in more. Maybe it just needs a good fertilizing?
Azalea always appears on lists of juglone IN-tolerant species. Tha Azalea society site says 50+ feet from the dripline of Walnut trees, maybe that's it.
That's probably it then. I moved it to the other side of the yard which should be 50' from the tree. Do you think it will come back in a year or two? Or is it a goner?
Well, my prognostication skills aren't what they used to be - I should've seen it coming but I didn't. :)
Here's a page about (half of it anyway) the Northern Lights hybrids, site selection, soil amendments etc. These things are pretty tough, maybe it's just getting used to it's new spot.
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG2386.html
I bet it's just getting settled in, especially if it had been suffering from the juglone and then had some additional stress added on top when it was transplanted, it could take it a couple years to come back to its full glory.
Thanks all, that's good to hear. I'm glad that hopefully that's all it is is just stress.
clay,
thanks for the link. I'm going to read it now.