What are the cultivation methods and precautions for potted azaleas?
The azalea is the beautiful yingshanhong, blooming in spring, and when it blooms the bright red covers the mountains and fields, very beautiful. Seeing such beautiful flowers, many friends want to grow some at home, so what are the cultivation methods and precautions for potted azaleas?
1. What are the cultivation methods for potted azaleas?
1. Flower pot and potting soil
(1) Flower pot material requirements: clay pots, plastic pots, porcelain pots, ceramic pots, etc. can be used.
(2) Flower pot size: the pot size for planting azalea seedlings should match the crown diameter of the seedlings; the pot size for planting azaleas at the middle seedling stage should be 3/4 of their crown diameter; the pot size for azaleas at the mature seedling stage should be 1/2 of their crown diameter.
(3) Potting soil preparation
Azaleas like acidic (pH 4.5-5.5), loose, well-drained soil. Mix leaf mold and sandy soil with cake fertilizer and barnyard manure.
2. Potting up
Potted azaleas are generally potted up in spring from March to April, and can also be potted up in autumn. When potting up, they need to be transplanted with soil, and after planting, water thoroughly and place in a shaded place.
3. Watering
During the growing period, keep the potting soil moist. From April to June during the flowering period, the water requirement is relatively large. In the high-temperature season from July to August, water needs to be sprayed on the ground and leaves to keep the air moist. After September, as the temperature gradually cools, the moisture in the potting soil should be gradually reduced. In winter, when entering the dormant period, watering should be reduced.
4. Fertilization method
Azalea roots are shallow and fine, with weak absorption capacity, so when fertilizing, the principle of “light fertilizer applied frequently” must be mastered. If the fertilizer is too concentrated or undecomposed raw fertilizer is applied as a top dressing, it can easily cause root rot, scorched leaves, and even death. Especially for 1- to 2-year-old small seedlings, even more attention should be paid to the amount of fertilizer, otherwise fertilizer damage is likely to occur.
5. Pruning
Azaleas have strong sprouting ability, with many and dense branches, so after flowering, overly dense branches, thin and weak branches, dead branches, diseased branches, damaged branches, crossing branches, and leggy branches should be cut off to facilitate ventilation and light penetration. Do not shorten the branches that are retained. This is because azalea leaves mostly cluster at the branch tips. After flowering, a section of new branch grows and a cluster of new leaves emerges, the old leaves then fall off, and then the terminal buds begin flower bud differentiation, becoming next year's flowering branches. If this section of branch is cut off, it will affect the number of flowers the following year.
2. Precautions for growing azaleas
(1) Azaleas are a typical acidic-soil flower. To prevent yellowing, 0.2% ferrous sulfate should be applied once about every 20 days. If the leaves are found to be turning yellow, directly spray the leaf surface with 0.2% ferrous sulfate water, and the leaves can turn from yellow to green.
(2) Azaleas grow relatively slowly, and can generally be repotted once every two years. Repotting should be done after the flowers fade. When repotting, new culture soil should be added. Generally, a culture soil mixed with 8 parts leaf mold (peat soil), 1 part garden soil, and 1 part river sand is used, and a small amount (about 50 grams per pot) of decomposed oil residue or chicken manure is added as base fertilizer.
(3) During the growth period of azaleas, adventitious buds often easily sprout on the stems and branches, and they should be removed promptly to avoid disrupting the plant shape. After budding, if too many flower buds are found, the excess flower buds should be removed, leaving only one flower bud per flowering branch, so as to concentrate nutrients and promote larger flowers and brighter colors. After azaleas bloom, the faded flowers do not fall off easily. To reduce nutrient consumption, the faded flowers should be removed promptly to encourage new buds to sprout.
Azaleas are colorful and varied, have strong sprouting ability, tolerate pruning, and have peculiar root stumps, making them excellent bonsai material. Friends who are interested can try planting them.