How to water azaleas? Remember these 5 key points

First, choose slightly acidic water. Azaleas like slightly acidic water and should not be watered with alkaline water. If alkaline water is used frequently for watering, the azalea may die before long. For water quality, generally use natural water or drinking tap water with a pH value below 7. If the water quality does not reach the required acidity, add 0.1% ferrous sulfate or 0.5% vinegar to the water as a supplement.

Second, use "aged water." Usually, aging the water for two or three days is enough. The "aged water" should be left to stand in a place with the same temperature as the azalea. The benefits are: first, it can reduce the chlorine in the water that is harmful to azalea growth; second, it raises the water temperature and eliminates the temperature difference between the water and the potting soil; third, it promotes microbial activity and the decomposition of organic matter, which helps root absorption.

Third, do not water when the soil is not dry. As the gardening saying goes, growing flowers depends entirely on one watering can. This means that when watering flowers, you must master the amount of water well. One of the keys to watering azaleas is not to water when the soil is not dry. What counts as dry? You cannot just look at whether the surface of the potting soil is dry; more importantly, tap the pot and listen to the sound. A dull sound means it is wet, and a clear sound means it is dry. But do not let it become too dry; if it is too dry, the leaves will wilt.

Fourth, when you water, you must water thoroughly. What counts as watering thoroughly? When planting azaleas, generally leave about 1 cun of watering space. In most cases, simply filling the watering space is enough to water thoroughly. But if the soil is level with the rim of the pot or the watering space is too shallow, it is very difficult to water thoroughly in one go.

In some large pots, after the soil dries, gaps appear around the edges, and water easily runs off. You may see water leaking from the bottom of the pot, but only the upper layer and the surrounding area have been moistened, and the inside of the potting soil has not been watered thoroughly. At this time, water once or twice more. When cultivating azaleas, only by grasping the key point of "do not water when the soil is not dry, and water thoroughly when you do water" can you achieve the goals of using water to promote fertilizer and using water to regulate air, prompting the plant to have deep roots and lush leaves.

Fifth, watering should differ by season. In spring and autumn, azaleas are in their growing period, so at this time you must ensure sufficient moisture. Especially in spring, the number of waterings should be relatively increased. At the same time, you should also frequently spray the leaf surfaces and the ground to maintain environmental humidity and reduce water transpiration from the leaf surfaces. In summer, when the temperature is high and water evaporates quickly, water once in the morning and once in the evening.

In winter, the physiological activity of azaleas is greatly reduced, so they do not need too much water. Just keep the potting soil from drying out, which is beneficial for overwintering. If you water frequently in winter and the potting soil is too wet, the roots are prone to rot, and the plant is likely to die the following spring. Even if it does not die, it will be difficult for it to grow vigorously. In addition, do not water too much during the flowering period either. Too much water can easily cause buds to drop or flowers to fade early. At this time, as long as there is no shortage of water, it is fine.