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A complete overview of annual maintenance and pruning techniques
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Pink, red and white azaleas adorn lawns across the South every spring. These shrubs are hardy and easy to care for because they thrive in many locations and conditions. Learn how to prune azaleas to keep them blooming brightly year after year.
Steps
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Know your azalea. Azaleas are available in two main classes: native azaleas and Asian azaleas. Native azaleas grow like vines, and they don't need pruning. If you have an Asian azalea shrub, it could be one of two main evergreen varieties:
- Kurume hybrids are usually bright red and don't tend to grow very large - no more than 3 or 4 feet (0.9 or 1.2 m). They do well with some maintenance pruning, but they may never need much pruning at all.
- Southern Indian hybrids grow very large and fast, and are most likely to need pruning - especially if you have one planted near your house.
- Take note that when you're picking out azaleas to plant, choosing a Kurume instead of a Southern Indian will be your best bet if you don't want to worry as much about maintenance.
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Disinfect your pruning tools. Wipe down the shears to make sure that you do not spread diseases between plants. You can use a household disinfecting spray, bleach, or rubbing alcohol. Let it dry before you prune. [1] X Research sourceAdvertisement
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Clip out dead stems in the spring. Even though both varieties of evergreen azalea should survive the winter, you'll probably see a few dead or diseased looking stems and branches in the shrub come spring. Use hand trimmers (or loppers, for thicker branches) to remove dead or damaged stems where they connect with healthy wood.
- Try to make as clean and small of a cut as possible, so that the healthy wood isn't left with a large cut in it; this can be an entry point for fungus and disease.
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Trim the bush carefully after the flowers are gone. When spring comes and goes and the bright flowers begin to die, it's time to do your annual light pruning. Use hand trimmers to carefully trim back long stems. Make careful cuts in order to improve the shape of the bush. Trim back areas that seem too crowded, and don't overdo it in the thinner areas.
- Don't take hedge clippers and shear the bush into shape. Make precise, carefully selected cuts instead. Otherwise, you're needlessly creating spots on the plant where no flowers will bloom.
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Don't prune beyond three weeks after the flowers have died. In general, you should not prune after July. If you wait too long and prune in late summer or fall, you'll be taking off the maturing buds that will turn into next spring's flowers. If you forget to prune, it's best to just wait until the following spring, unless you don't mind having gaps in your blooms.
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Assess your azalea. You probably don't need to do a drastic pruning unless you have a Southern Indian azalea that has gotten quite large. If your bush has started to obscure windows and take up room you'd like to use for other plantings, you can trim it back drastically without causing long-term harm. Decide how much you want to trim back your azalea, and have a shape in mind when you start making cuts.
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Cut each branch to within a foot of the ground. You can safely cut it back this much without worrying that the shrub will die. Use loppers or a hand saw if necessary to cut back the individual branches. Aim for a rounded shape on top. above the ground and cut the remaining branches to about 2 feet (0.61 m) in length.
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Fertilize the azalea. Use slow release fertilizer labeled 12-6-6 to keep the plant healthy while it restores itself. Keep it watered until the following spring. You won't have to wait an extra season to see more flowers; your drastically pruned azalea should produce plenty of leaves and flowers in the spring. [2] X Research source
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionAre used coffee grounds good for azaleas?Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.They are a great way to naturally improve the acidity of the soil for plants that like acidic soil.
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QuestionCan azaleas be cut back to the ground?Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.Trimming azaleas to the ground can kill the plant. It is better to cut one main branch to 6 inches above the ground and cut the remaining branches to about 2 feet in length.
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QuestionHow do you prune an azalea bush?Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.The best time to prune is as the flowers discolor and shrivel. Trimming them at this time will ensure they continue to blossom. If you're cutting them at other times, you can cut the flower buds which will stop the plant from blooming.
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Tips
- For the most attractive and healthy azaleas, prune them every 3 to 4 years.Thanks
- If you prune any branches from your azalea bushes that appear diseased, wipe the pruning shears with diluted bleach prior to trimming the next branch. This will help to prevent the spread of disease to healthy branches.Thanks
- Azaleas only bloom once a year in the spring. The best time to prune azalea bushes is right after the blooms fade.Thanks
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Warnings
- Fungus can develop on azalea branches in late summer, resulting in wilted leaves and dead branches. If you notice these changes in your azalea bushes, prune them back until you see white-colored wood to prevent the fungus from spreading.Thanks
- Do not attempt to prune azalea bushes into shapes like squares. Because of the way the branches will continue to grow, they will not retain shapes and will end up looking misshapen.Thanks
- Do not prune azaleas after July or they might not bloom the following season. Azaleas produce new buds around this time of year, and if you cut them off, they will not reproduce new buds until the following summer.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Azalea bushes
- Pruning shears
- Gardening gloves
References
About This Article
Article Summary
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Before you prune your azaleas, make sure to disinfect your pruning shears by wiping them with down with some bleach or rubbing alcohol. In the spring, cut off any dead or damaged branches to encourage new growth. A week or 2 after the flowers have fallen off your azaleas, go in for a more thorough pruning by carefully trimming areas that seem crowded or damaged. Don't go overboard; just make a few selective cuts to keep your plant healthy. For tips from our Horticulturist reviewer on how to fertilize your azaleas, scroll down!
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Reader Success Stories
- "I am new at planting stuff, but so far everything I have planted came up OK. I think it is because when I plant something, I ask God to help me. So I stick it in the ground and He sends the rain and the sun. Together we do pretty good. My azalea are looking sharp." ..." more
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"I am new at planting stuff, but so far everything I have planted came up OK. I think it is because when I plant something, I ask God to help me. So I stick it in the ground and He sends the rain and the sun. Together we do pretty good. My azalea are looking sharp."
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"Timing for pruning, learning it is not required yearly. A gentle approach to the azalea limbs. While the drastic cut was shocking to see, it was the right thing to do. Our boxy huge azaleas are now able to breathe and bloom fully, not just on the tips."
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"Our azaleas have not been trimmed for several years and are overgrown but healthy. Your article provided clear directions on how to proceed with the pruning. It is now September. We plan to wait until after the next bloom in May to trim the azaleas."
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"I hired a professional from a landscaping service to cut back my azaleas in July. Unknown to me, he used a chainsaw. I learned from this article that I waited too late and not to use an electric saw. Will fertilize and water, and wait for spring."
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"I must have the Indian variety, because they are big and healthy. I cut them back too much, but I got lots of trims to root in small pots. That in itself is a challenge. My regret is no blooms this spring. I am leaving them alone till next year."
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