25-09-2003, 04:32 PM
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Azalea bloom
In article ,
(Wishy13764) wrote:
I bought this hardy plant in the spring when it was blooming. I repotted it
into a larger pot, and eventually after the bloom, it dropped most of its
leaves. During the summer, it recovered and now it has healthy green
leaves..will this plant bloom again this fall or is it just a cool spring
plant? Its in a 10" container. also should I fertilze and if so what is good
for Azalea's?
You don't say if it's a deciduous or evergreen azalea, but either way, it
shouldn't've dropped most of its leaves at that time of year, so something
must have stressed it -- dry soil, or a heatwave, or too much sun I'd
guess. It might be difficult to keep its soil properly moist in such a
small container. The same stress that caused it to drop leaves may have
kept it from budding properly for next year. But if it did set buds
properly, then it'll bloom next spring. Otherwise it may skip a year.
While not impossible, it is highly unlikely that you have an azalea that
would bloom twice a year, as they are few & far between; they mostly bloom
only in the spring.
As a generality azaleas want a mild fertilizer of the sort sold for
evergreen trees or even labeled specifically for rhododendrons &
camellias. I intentionally underfertilize mine but they're all in the
garden & get topcoatings of compost. A more regular fertilizing schedule
will be more important when kept in a container.
-paghat the ratgirl
--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/
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