I'm in zone 5b. Last year I bought some azaleas (don't know the variety but
they were grown here) from my local garden shop and planted them in May in
my front yard in a spot that gets partial to full sun (southern exposure)
from dawn to dusk. They didn't seem to get any bigger but otherwise seemed
to do quite well besides needing an occasional soaking from the hose in
addition to our rainfall.

My question is this: with the rest of my yard just now thinking of greening
up, I'm warily eyeing my azaleas. All their leaves are totally brown. Do I
need to do anything to them to ensure their continued good health? Pluck the
leaves? Cut the ends off branches?

Thanks,
Cate

Cate wrote:

I'm in zone 5b. Last year I bought some azaleas (don't know the variety but
they were grown here) from my local garden shop and planted them in May in
my front yard in a spot that gets partial to full sun (southern exposure)
from dawn to dusk. They didn't seem to get any bigger but otherwise seemed
to do quite well besides needing an occasional soaking from the hose in
addition to our rainfall.

Generally, I think that azaleas do better with less sun, although the
deciduous ones do take more sun. I hope that you verified with the
garden center folks that whatever you were buying would overwinter in
your region.

My question is this: with the rest of my yard just now thinking of greening
up, I'm warily eyeing my azaleas. All their leaves are totally brown. Do I
need to do anything to them to ensure their continued good health? Pluck the
leaves? Cut the ends off branches?

I'd say that you wait and see. While you're at it, peek over at the
neighbors' to see what their azaleas are doing. The leaves might have
turned brown because you have a deciduous variety, or because you got
some winter kill. Either way, waiting a little longer might be your
best option.

If no one else answers (I have limited experience with azaleas), try the
Azalea forum on gardenweb (forums.gardenweb.com/forums/).

Suja

"Suja" wrote in message
...
Cate wrote:

I'm in zone 5b. Last year I bought some azaleas (don't know the variety
but
they were grown here) from my local garden shop and planted them in May
in
my front yard in a spot that gets partial to full sun (southern
exposure)
from dawn to dusk. They didn't seem to get any bigger but otherwise
seemed
to do quite well besides needing an occasional soaking from the hose in
addition to our rainfall.

Generally, I think that azaleas do better with less sun, although the
deciduous ones do take more sun. I hope that you verified with the
garden center folks that whatever you were buying would overwinter in
your region.

Hey, Suja!

You'd think I would have verified that, but I recall ASSuming that they
would, since the accompanying tag said they'd grow to a certain height
(higher than the 12"-14" inches they were at the time). I'll go back and see
if I can get any info out of them, maybe take a bit of the bush along.

My question is this: with the rest of my yard just now thinking of
greening
up, I'm warily eyeing my azaleas. All their leaves are totally brown. Do
I
need to do anything to them to ensure their continued good health? Pluck
the
leaves? Cut the ends off branches?

I'd say that you wait and see. While you're at it, peek over at the
neighbors' to see what their azaleas are doing.

What a good idea. I'll have to drive around in search of some. For some
reason (see the dope slap coming?) none of my immediate neighbors seem to
plant azaleas much. Something else to ask the Agway folks.

The leaves might have
turned brown because you have a deciduous variety, or because you got
some winter kill. Either way, waiting a little longer might be your
best option.

If no one else answers (I have limited experience with azaleas), try the
Azalea forum on gardenweb (forums.gardenweb.com/forums/).

Thanks.

Cate

I'm in zone 5b. Last year I bought some azaleas (don't know the variety
but
they were grown here) from my local garden shop and planted them in May in
my front yard in a spot that gets partial to full sun (southern exposure)
from dawn to dusk. They didn't seem to get any bigger but otherwise seemed
to do quite well besides needing an occasional soaking from the hose in
addition to our rainfall.

Were here in SW Ohio, Zone 6a. I have a few small azaleas that ended up
being potted at the end of last year (damned stray dog dug them up). Two
survived, one did not. The two that did make it are greening up well
although still a bit spotty in one case. One will likely start blooming
very soon.

Where in Zone 5b are you located? Something else to consider -- most
azaleas prefer it a bit shady; mine are under trees and get dappled light at
best for much of the season. Also, azaleas are not exactly noted for rapid
growth -- it takes them quite a bit to reach a mature size.

My question is this: with the rest of my yard just now thinking of
greening
up, I'm warily eyeing my azaleas. All their leaves are totally brown. Do I
need to do anything to them to ensure their continued good health? Pluck
the
leaves? Cut the ends off branches?

Have you noticed if the branches are brittle? Do you have any other plants
that are still dormant? If they're not in the ground (i.e., if they're
potted), you may want to move them somewhere that gets a bit more shade (if
they did well last year I wouldn't do this though). Do you know which
variety of azalea you purchased? Unfortunately, without living leaves
and/or flowers it may be a bit difficult to distinguish the variety.

All in all, I'd suggest simply waiting and giving them a bit more time.
Plenty of things are still waking up.

James

"JNJ" wrote in message
...

Where in Zone 5b are you located?

I'm in Ithaca, NY. We've had quite a lot of snow this year (several storms
with 12"+), and it was bitterly cold for a while (single digits before wind
chill).

Something else to consider -- most
azaleas prefer it a bit shady; mine are under trees and get dappled light
at
best for much of the season.

Yeah, I found that out after I planted them, which is why I watered them a
lot last year. They didn't burn or wilt at all, so I figured they were fine
where they were.

Have you noticed if the branches are brittle?

I think they are; I'll look closer again later today.

Do you have any other plants
that are still dormant?

Yes, almost all of them. I have euonymous bushes and a viburnum that are
still dormant. No other shrubs, but my ornamental fruit trees and all the
other flowers have yet to do anything at all. Except the bulbs, which are
about 1/3 of the way out.

If they're not in the ground (i.e., if they're
potted),

They're in the ground.

you may want to move them somewhere that gets a bit more shade (if
they did well last year I wouldn't do this though). Do you know which
variety of azalea you purchased? Unfortunately, without living leaves
and/or flowers it may be a bit difficult to distinguish the variety.

Unfortunately, no, I didn't bother to check which variety I have. I picked
them based on the look I remembered from my childhood.

All in all, I'd suggest simply waiting and giving them a bit more time.
Plenty of things are still waking up.

Thanks. I think I'll take a branch to Agway and see if they can tell me it's
hopeless. If not, I guess I'll have to patient.

Cate

Yeah, I found that out after I planted them, which is why I watered them a
lot last year. They didn't burn or wilt at all, so I figured they were
fine
where they were.

Hmmmm...you may have over-watered them a bit.

I think they are; I'll look closer again later today.

That would be a bad sign. Check a branch or two closer to the center.

Yes, almost all of them. I have euonymous bushes and a viburnum that are
still dormant. No other shrubs, but my ornamental fruit trees and all the
other flowers have yet to do anything at all. Except the bulbs, which are
about 1/3 of the way out.

A little bit more time sounds reasonable. FWIW, I'm down in Cincinnati,
Ohio and although I have buds and leaves on all of my trees (except the
Black Walnuts) as well as all of my shrubs, several have yet to blossom.

Thanks. I think I'll take a branch to Agway and see if they can tell me
it's
hopeless. If not, I guess I'll have to patient.

Be careful which one and how much -- if the plant was damaged by placement
and/or weather, it may not have many branches with which to recover.

Overall the prognosis does not sound very favorable.

James

take a fingernail and carefully scrape a little at the branch nearest the leaves. If
there is green underneath you got one should regrow leaves. Mine are looking very
ratty right now. I forgot to put "cloud cover", the spray on anti-dessicant on them
in fall. spraying them with anti-dess. is good any time. Ingrid

"Cate" wrote:
. All their leaves are totally brown. Do I
need to do anything to them to ensure their continued good health? Pluck the
leaves? Cut the ends off branches?


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"JNJ" wrote in message
...
Yeah, I found that out after I planted them, which is why I watered them
a
lot last year. They didn't burn or wilt at all, so I figured they were
fine
where they were.

Hmmmm...you may have over-watered them a bit.

Bummer.

Overall the prognosis does not sound very favorable.

That's what I thought. Didn't have time to check last night, but will later
today.

Thanks,
Cate

wrote in message
...
take a fingernail and carefully scrape a little at the branch nearest the
leaves. If
there is green underneath you got one should regrow leaves.

Ooh, I'll try this trick later today. Thanks.

Mine are looking very
ratty right now. I forgot to put "cloud cover", the spray on
anti-dessicant on them
in fall. spraying them with anti-dess. is good any time. Ingrid

Hm. I have a lot of reading to do.

Cate

"Cate" wrote:

My question is this: with the rest of my yard just now thinking of greening
up, I'm warily eyeing my azaleas. All their leaves are totally brown. Do I
need to do anything to them to ensure their continued good health? Pluck the
leaves? Cut the ends off branches?

Don't do anything now except to prevent it from drying out. Don't cut
back until after it blooms, that is if it does bloom. Also, even if the
top dies back, the roots and inner parts may still be alive. By late
May you should know where you stand and you can decide then what you
want to do. You can cut back any dead parts then. Don't water too much
since over watering kills more azaleas than anything.

You may have a green house azalea that is not hardy enough to plant
outdoors. These are house plants and usually hit the compost heap after
a couple seasons when they get straggly.

--
Visit my Rhododendron and Azalea web pages at:
http://www.users.fast.net/~shenning/rhody.html
Also visit the Rhododendron and Azalea Bookstore at:
http://members.aol.com/rhodyman/rhodybooks.html

Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA http://www.users.fast.net/~shenning

Are you sure it is not a deciduous azalea? They are fairly common and
are much hardier (for the most part) than "evergreen" azaleas.

If you do the fingernail test and find the cambium layer is dead (not
green) then it can still come back from subcutaneous buds which are
dormant down closer to the roots of from the roots them selves.

Again I recommend waiting until the end of May before making a death
pronouncement.

--
Visit my Rhododendron and Azalea web pages at:
http://www.users.fast.net/~shenning/rhody.html
Also visit the Rhododendron and Azalea Bookstore at:
http://members.aol.com/rhodyman/rhodybooks.html

Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA http://www.users.fast.net/~shenning