AZALEAS

Mulching: Maintaining a 3-4" layer of organic mulch around azaleas will help discourage weeds, prevent soil crusting, hold moisture in dry periods, and maintain a more uniform soil temperature.

Fertilizing: Well-mulched azaleas may never need fertilizing, obtaining sufficient nutrients from the mulch as it decays. Azaleas are very sensitive to chemical fertilizers, so use them with care. Special fertilizers for "acid-loving plants" are not necessary; our soils are sufficiently acid naturally. If fertilizer is indicated, use 10-10-10 immediately after blooming at a rate of 1 teaspoonful per foot of plant height, applying it around the drip line. Fertilizing in the fall produces a flush of vegetative growth in spring but decreases flowering.

Pruning: Contrary to popular opinion, many azaleas do need pruning, especially the tall-growing cultivars. Any heavy pruning should be done immediately after the flowering period. Tall rangy limbs that appear in the top of the plant should be cut off down inside the body of the plant. To induce branching, pinch out tips of new growth between flowering and the first of July. Later pinching or pruning will reduce next year's flower production. Dwarf azaleas also benefit from pinching and pruning.

Watering: Watering newly planted azaleas is essential. If planted in well drained soil that is rich in organic matter, frequent watering will be required, particularly in late summer and fall. Amended soils dry out much faster than the original clay soil. Be sure not to water in such quantities that the soil becomes waterlogged.

Transplanting: Container-grown plants may be set out any time the soil is workable, although November is an ideal time, with early spring the second choice. Moving existing bushes: November/early December is best. Water well before and after moving. Transplant success depends on the amount of roots you move, not the amount of soil. Dig wide rather than deep. Moving a bush in bloom is not desirable but if you must do so, observe the foregoing precautions.

Rooting Cuttings: Late June/early July, when this year's wood has hardened a bit. Fresh greenery lacks chemicals needed to produce roots. Saving seeds: won't come true; better to buy known varieties of azaleas.

SOME COMMON PROBLEMS OF AZALEAS

Lacebugs: the most frequent insect pest of azaleas. Leaves look whitish, stippled, with tiny flecks on leaf undersides. Sometimes a shiny drop of lacquer on eggs on underside is visible. Lacebugs are usually discovered only after much damage has been done. After bloom, examine the new growth. At the first sign of infestation, spray to kill the existing generation and help prevent the next one. Successive sprayings may be necessary. Follow label directions on the product you choose. Systemics such as acephate, dimethoate can be used. Lacebugs feed on undersides of leaves so nonsystemic insecticides such as horticultural oil and insecticidal soap must be applied on the undersides as well.

Southern Red Spider Mites: Symptoms resemble those of lacebugs but webbing on the underside of leaf is a diagnostic clue. White paper test: put a sheet of white paper under the leaf and tap the leaf gently. Minute specks the size of fine pepper grains will drop and begin to crawl about. Spray as soon as damage appears (some mites may produce many generations per year). Follow label directions; repeated sprayings may be required. If using a contact pesticide such as insecticidal soap, be sure to spray undersides of leaves. Hosing down plants to remove mites and webbing is helpful if done regularly but do this early enough in the day so that plants are not wet for prolonged periods of time. Systemic insecticides: acephate, dimethoate.

Azalea Leaf Gall: These galls are more alarming than damaging. In spring, leaves become thickened, curled, fleshy, and pale green/white. Hand-pick the leaves and destroy them. Do not touch other parts of the plant unnecessarily, and wash hands to avoid spreading the fungus further. In later stages, leaves are covered with a white powdery substance. Leaf gall seldom does enough damage to justify spraying, especially if you keep galls picked off. If you wish, spray with ferbam or zineb 1) just before flowering, and 2) again near the end of the flowering period, and 3) 6 weeks later.

Ants: Ants do no damage. They are collecting food from aphids, mites, etc. No treatment of the ants is indicated. Look for evidence of aphids or spider mites and treat them if found.

Bark split/sudden death: Usually the result of cold injury the prior winter. The plant may bloom and then suddenly die during hot weather. If only partially affected, prune to below the injured bark. Late fertilizing encourages nonhardened growth, which then freezes.

Phomopsis Twig Blight: Usually appears on larger branches of established plants, especially Indica varieties. Infected twigs first show wilting and dead leaves. If you scrape bark beyond the dead area into healthy wood, you see a reddish brown streak on one side of the branch. Prune below the dead area and dispose of all diseased branches.

Leaves turn bright yellow in fall: Normal condition. Azaleas produce two types of leaves. Larger ones, produced early in year are for food production; they drop normally in fall. Look closely: smaller leaves around the flower buds are for carryover for next year; they should look green and healthy. Some varieties show the condition more than others.

Phytopthora Root Rot: Young leaves turn yellow and wilt. Dead leaves remain attached to the plant and are rolled along the midrib. These symptoms may develop over a few weeks or may take many months. The plant may die. Root rot is caused by soil fungi that infect and destroy roots. These fungi are favored by wet, poorly drained conditions. No chemical control is available. Remove plants and correct drainage conditions before planting azaleas in the same area, or plant high.