Our house is 85 years old and I can only imagine that the azalea is
about 30 years old. I like the azaleas...however, I am not attached
to them...if I do remove them, are there tricks removing such a
behemoth?

On Apr 21, 4:29*pm, Bill wrote:
In article
,



wrote:
Hi all-

I've lived in my home for 1.5 years, and when we moved in, the
previous owners had 2 azalea bushes. *Both are about 12 feet tall and
about 10ft. wide. *They are enormous. *I don't want to remove them
because I believe that they have been on the property a long time...

The problem is...I pruned them last year quite a bit (still too
large), but I began cutting very thick branches just under the surface
of the leaves. *I want the bush to be much smaller, but do I need to
cut it down to nothing, and hope it grows back? *I am willing to cut
the whole thing so there is nothing left but a stump and let it revive
itself, but is that the best way to have it "start over" ?

Thanks for any help.

*How old is your house ? *How old are you and how much do you like this
stuff ? I'd purchase or start propagating news ones and do it now. *
Layering sounds like a viable option. *Place a rock on a low branch
which is covered with dirt. * Wait 2 years and separate.

Ours are getting leggy and strained so slowly in with the new and out
with the old. *Meanwhile the old lingers about here as we are attached
to them. We chose good variety's 35 years and had just a few problems
mostly some sort of insect that likes to suck on the bottom of the
leaves.

* Still just ordered 12 deciduous azaleas. *My better picks up a few
that catches her eye too. *But our mist propagating years are 25 years
ago are done.

*Seems a few kids took *our attention.

* Bill who prefers pines and bamboo's.

--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA