How to grow and care for the four-season azalea
The four-season azalea is a variety of evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub azalea in the genus Rhododendron of the family Ericaceae, also known as the Belgian azalea. Its petals are narrow and long, its filaments are red, and its anthers are golden yellow. It blooms continuously throughout the four seasons and is an excellent flowering ornamental plant, suitable for group planting or growing in pots for viewing. Let's take a look at how to grow the four-season azalea and what to pay attention to!
Propagation techniques for the four-season azalea
The four-season azalea is mainly propagated by cuttings. In spring and summer, choose short and sturdy two-year-old branches, cut them into sections about 5 cm long for insertion, leaving 3 to 5 leaves at the top. Sand and perlite are good cutting media. Shade is needed, and water should be sprayed frequently. After cuttings are taken, they root in about 1 month and can be potted up in 3 months. The survival rate reaches over 90%. The potting soil should be an acidic culture soil of the same period, permeable and rich in organic matter, with a pH value of 5 to 6, commonly mixed from leaf mold, moss and mountain soil in a ratio of 2:1:7.
How to grow the four-season azalea
1. Watering: The roots of the azalea are very fine and have poor absorption capacity, and water must be absorbed through the roots to reach the plant body, so watering the azalea, except during the winter dormant period, should always be done frequently to keep it moist. Especially during the growing period after March each year, the flowering period, and the high-temperature period from July to September, the frequency of watering should be increased, preferably ensuring watering about twice a day; in autumn and winter, watering can be appropriately reduced. Note that tap water used for watering flowers should preferably be stored in a container for one to two days before being used to water the flowers.
2. Light: During the growing process of the azalea, sufficient light must be ensured at all times, because only with sufficient light can it bloom well. Of course, in the hot summer it cannot be taken out for exposure to the sun; on the contrary, shading work should be strengthened to prevent it from being sunburned. In addition, during the flowering season, appropriate protection should also be provided, and a shade net can be used for protection; it also cannot be exposed to the sun during the flowering period.
3. Fertilizing: Proper fertilizing can make the azalea grow more sturdy and rapid. As with most indoor flower cultivation, the fertilizing principle for the azalea is also light fertilizer applied frequently, that is, put a little less at a time and apply it more times. When old leaves turn green, during the flowering period, and after flowering, fertilize appropriately two to three times. During hot, high-temperature weather, never fertilize. For fertilizing the azalea, materials such as grass juice water, fishy water and rapeseed cake can be used.
4. Placement: Large potted four-season azaleas are colorful when in bloom, with flowers all over the tree, and can be placed at the entrances of hotels, shops or government offices, appearing extremely noble, elegant and magnificent, with an ornamental effect superior to that of sago palms and the like. Medium-sized four-season azaleas are dazzlingly beautiful when in bloom and can be placed on office desks or coffee tables indoors. If used to decorate a conference room, they have an invigorating effect, as if entering a place where it is spring all year round. Small four-season azaleas, however, are generally not for viewing and should preferably be cultivated in a concentrated way, best grown in plastic greenhouses, and once they grow into medium-sized plants they can be sold or kept for viewing.
Precautions for the four-season azalea
1. Pest control: The red spider mite is relatively common on the four-season azalea and is caused by dry heat. Red spider mites suck leaf sap, causing the whole plant to slowly turn yellow and wither. Check the undersides of leaves regularly in daily care. If some reddish-brown dots like “mites” are found, these are red spider mites, and there will also be spider silk. At this time, the four-season azalea should first be isolated, and a relatively strong stream of water should be used through a rubber hose to wash the undersides of the infested leaves. After it dries slightly, more than ten fresh oleander leaves can be chopped up, add five cigarette butts (taking only the tobacco, about the amount of one cigarette) and one minced fresh red chili pepper, soak in 500 ml of water for twenty-four hours, spray the stems and leaves every three days, and place in a ventilated place to dry, spraying three times in a row. Keep it moist and the air circulating in daily care.
2. Yellowing leaves: Yellowing leaves on the four-season azalea is a physiological disease, caused by a lack of iron, trace elements and soil that is too alkaline. All azaleas like slightly acidic soil, which must be loose and well drained, and must not be compacted. In severe cases, the soil should be replaced, mixing packaged “potting soil”, peat soil and black mud (leaf mold) in three equal parts. In mild cases, several rusty iron nails can be buried in the soil.
3. Early withering of flower buds: The leaf tips and edges of the four-season azalea will also simultaneously curl and turn yellow-brown. This is caused by applying heavy fertilizer when there are flower buds, or by heat and poor ventilation, or by being too dry, or by compacted soil. When buds appear, fertilizing should be stopped, and the plant should be placed in a cool, airy, ventilated place with only sufficient scattered light, avoiding the scorching sun. The potting soil should be kept appropriately moist and not dry, and the soil should be replaced once every year after the flowers fade. Affected buds and leaves should be removed.
4. Brown spots on leaf edges: Brown spots on leaf edges are the main disease of the four-season azalea, called brown spot disease, caused by excessive moisture, lack of light and heat with poor ventilation. Diseased leaves should be removed, and a 600-fold solution of “Daconil” should be sprayed once a week, three times in a row.