Azalea: how to best cure it. All the tips to grow it
The azalea is a beautiful plant much appreciated by those who love gardening because, even cultivating it in pots, it gives great satisfaction. Just find the right exposure, so that it has all the necessary sunlight, choose the type of land most suitable for her and don't forget to water it. The azalea produces very spectacular colorful flowers, but can you interpret their meaning? Discover the language of flowers by watching this video!
All about the azalea plant and how to best take care of it
Potted azalea plants with their colorful flowers are usually given as gifts for Mother's Day because their flowering occurs in the spring. Given its not excessive size, it can grow well even without being transplanted into the ground and, therefore, is also suitable for those who do not have a garden. Although those who are not expert in gardening may think that the cultivation of this plant requires special attention, in reality, once you understand how much water to administer and where is the place for a perfect exposure, the azalea will be able to reward with its splendid colored flowers. These, which can be white, pink, red or purple, help to make the balcony or terrace of our home an "explosion of joy."
The azalea is the general name of a plant which includes several varieties, including rhododendrons, in fact the name of the plant family for both is that of the Rhododendron. It is a species native to Asia and North America which boasts more than 500 different plants, the name Rhododendron means "pink tree" in Greek, and probably derives from the fact that the most common color of the azalea is pink.
This plant occurs naturally in the form of a small shrub, with small oval leaves and flowers gathered in small, extremely decorative bunches.
Azalea: in a pot indoors or out in the garden, all the tips for growing it at its best
The azalea is a plant that, although belonging to the Rhodendrum species, remains small enough, so that it can also be successfully grown at home, placed inside a pot. As for the choice of the latter, however, we recommend to use large and deep containers because, although the azalea does not need to be transplanted in the ground, it still needs space for its roots.
This plant can also live very well indoors, as long as the pots are placed where there is a lot of light and, if the outside temperature allows it, it can then be moved outdoors. Attention, however, to the sun's rays: the azalea does not like them if they are too direct, moreover it prefers a temperature between 8 and 16 degrees.
To have beautiful flowers every year, the azalea must be placed in a fairly sheltered position away from drafts, where sun and shade alternate in a balanced way. It suffers, in fact, both if it is too hot, and if the temperature drops below zero.
The cultivation of the azalea: water and pruning
Whether grown in pots or planted in open fields, the azalea requires a lot of water. The soil (which must be acidic), however, must always remain well drained so that no dangerous water stagnations are created. In general, the soil can be wet when it is arid, moreover, to keep the humidity constant, it may be useful to mulch the base of the pot using bark or leaves. It is also very useful to spray the flowers and leaves of the plant with a spray bottle full of water.
As far as pruning is concerned, azalea, not being a plant that grows very much, does not need frequent pruning. It is advisable to prune slightly in early spring and then in autumn, taking care to always remove dried flowers. Azaleas, in fact. , they do not grow much during the winter, so the roots stretch mainly in the spring and summer season, when the plant produces the flower.
© GettyImages azalea how to cure it: azaleas are typical house plants, such as bonsai, and also live well in pots. They belong to the Rhododendrum family but their growth is limited
The right soil for the azalea and how to plant it
The preferred soil for azaleas grown in pots is airy and soft, without excessive limestone and slightly acidic.The soft and airy consistency can be recreated through the use of peat (ie the typical moorland mixed with pine needles and perlite); while as regards the earth, it must have a slightly acid pH, which serves to prevent the flowers from becoming yellow and dull. The ph of the soil must therefore be between 5.5 and 6, therefore it is not recommended to use universal fertilizers as they are too rich in nitrogen. The soil can be fertilized regularly in spring, while in winter the supplies must be limited or suspended.
The repotting of the azalea should be done about every three years, or in any case when the pot has become too small for the plant; it is recommended to do it in spring when the temperature is warmer and the azalea will have more energy to face the change between the two. vases. The planting in the ground, on the other hand, can be done at any time of the year, taking care to place the plant in an area of the garden neither in direct sunlight nor in too much shade.
How to cure a sick azalea step by step
Azaleas commonly kept in apartments can not infrequently present problems. While not as difficult to grow as bonsai (another great house plant classic), azaleas still require some attention, starting with the choice of soil and the amount of light available to them. According to gardening experts, if these plants lose their leaves, the cause is probably due to a lack of nutrients in the soil or a wrong pH. In this case it will be enough to fertilize the azaleas and everything will be as before.
If, on the other hand, the plant has an attack by fungi or parasites, then it is necessary to intervene promptly with ad hoc products to cure it, otherwise in spring the azalea will not even produce a flower. The discoloration of the leaves, on the other hand, which no longer have a beautiful bright green color but are colorless and dull, is due to a disease called ferric chlorosis, to be solved by fertilizing the soil.
