Is the azalea easy to grow? What should you pay attention to?

Azalea, also known as shan zhizhu, shan shiliu, and yingshanhong. Legend has it that the azalea was stained by the blood coughed up by a bird. There are many varieties, with brilliant flower colors and both beautiful flowers and leaves, suitable for both ground planting and pot cultivation, and it is one of China's ten traditional famous flowers. But is the azalea really easy to grow? What should be paid attention to during cultivation?

Cultivation methods

① Environmental conditions: It is best to have both indoor and outdoor environments for cultivating azaleas. The indoor environment is used in winter. The outdoor site is used in summer and autumn, preferably with a mud floor, and cement floors should be avoided. The site should be spacious, ventilated and shaded, with a shade shed built above, covered with reed curtains or using the shelter of natural tree shade. A light transmittance of about 30% is appropriate, and exposure to the western sun must be avoided.

② Pot soil requirements: Azaleas like loose, highly permeable, well-drained acidic soil rich in humus, with a pH value of 5.0—6.0. If clay or alkaline soil is used, hardly one in a hundred will survive. In particular, summer azaleas and Western azaleas must have mountain soil. The mountain soil also needs to be improved. At present, 3 kinds of prepared culture soil are usually used.

③ Flower pot selection: For cultivating azaleas, generally two kinds of pots are chosen: clay pots and purple clay pots. Clay pots have good air permeability and water permeability, and production units all use this kind of pot for cultivation. For formed azaleas, especially azaleas that have already been shaped, for indoor and outdoor display, they are generally planted in beautiful and elegant purple clay pots. Purple clay pots have a fine texture, rich colors and beautiful shapes, which can double their ornamental value.

④ Improving water quality: It is best to use rainwater for watering azaleas, followed by river water and pond water. If tap water is used, it is best to store the water for 1—2 days to let the chlorine volatilize before use. When using it, add 0.2% ferrous sulfate, and water once every 7—10 days during the growing season. Use it regularly to ensure the soil is acidic.

⑤ Fertilizer and water management: Azaleas like shade and moisture, and should not be too dry. During the flowering period, even more water is needed. In winter, azaleas have entered the dormant period and do not need much water. Generally, water once every 4—5 days, preferably around noon on a clear and warm day;

⑥ Outdoor shading: From before being moved out of the room until before flowering, it is appropriate to give more sunlight; during the flowering period, short-term shading is needed at noon, with a light transmittance of 60%;

⑦ Shaping and pruning: Azaleas grow relatively slowly, so generally let them grow naturally, and only shape them after flowering, cutting off leggy branches, diseased and weak branches, deformed branches, and damaged branches.

⑧ Disease and pest control: For the azalea lace bug (also known as the crowned lace bug), spray 40% dimethoate 1500 times dilution during the damage period, once every 7 days, for 3 consecutive times. The main control method for the shoot tip leaf roller is manual capture and killing. Larvae or pupae can also be killed by spraying 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate 2000 times dilution or dichlorvos 1500 times dilution.

Precautions

① The roots of azaleas are as thin as hair strands, with few thick main roots. They are afraid of both dryness and wetness, and especially afraid of heavy fertilizer. If watered too much, the roots soak in water; if too dry, the branches and leaves shrink and the leaf petals fall off, posing a great threat to the plant. As for applying heavy fertilizer, it can endanger their lives.

② After the flowers fade, the remaining flowers must be cut off to avoid seed production consuming nutrients. After new branches sprout, appropriately thin the branches, deciding whether to keep or remove them according to the plant's growth vigor.

③ Azaleas are most suitable for planting in clay pots, because clay pots absorb water and allow air through, which is beneficial to root growth and development and makes the branches and leaves luxuriant.

④ There are particular requirements for the placement of potted azaleas. Generally, they should be placed on a southeast-facing balcony, and it should be ventilated, and they should be moved as little as possible. Without ventilation, they are prone to black spot disease and lose a large number of leaves.

⑤ Azaleas also have moderate light requirements, and direct sunlight should be avoided in summer.

⑥ Thin buds and leaves in time, removing part of the flower buds and leaves that have grown too many and too densely, so that the air circulates and nutrients are concentrated in the flower buds. After the flower buds form, nutrition should be increased, applying a moderate amount of more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, otherwise the flower buds will turn into leaf buds.

⑦ The main reasons for azalea leaf drop and failure to bloom are: too strong direct sunlight in summer, freezing damage from severe cold, too much watering, too concentrated fertilizing, being kept indoors for too long, being placed in a place with no air circulation or in a dark and damp place, exposure to acid rain, etc. Therefore, these situations should be avoided during care.

⑧ Repotting and changing soil do not need to be done every year, generally once every 2 to 3 years, and the roots should be damaged as little as possible. The time should be after the flowers fade or in autumn, and thiophanate-methyl should also be sprayed to prevent diseases.

⑨ The main pests of azaleas are red spiders, aphids, etc., which can be sprayed with fenvalerate, etc., with good results. If they are not dead after three days, spray once more.

⑩ The main propagation method for azaleas is cuttings. Around Grain in Ear, choose new branches 5 cm to 10 cm long, cut them off at the branching point, strip off the lower leaves, keep 3 to 4 top leaves, insert 1/3 of the branch into the soil, spray enough water, and cover with plastic film. Strengthen management at ordinary times, and transplant after one year.