Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning
• What you need

Pink, red, and white azalea flowers adorn the gardens more beautifully every spring. These bushes are highly tolerant and easy to care for because they are able to grow well in many regions and under different conditions. Learn how to prune azaleas to keep them blooming brightly year after year.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Annual maintenance pruning

1. 

   Find out about the azaleas you are growing. Azaleas are available in two types: native azaleas and Asian azaleas. Native azaleas grow like vines and do not require pruning. If you have an Asian azalea shrub, it is probably one of the two main groups of evergreen trees below:
   • The Kurume hybrids azalea group is usually bright red and does not grow too large - not higher than 0.9 -1.2 m. They do well with sustained pruning, but never need much pruning.
   • The Southern Indian hybrids are very fast and tall, and often need pruning - especially if you're planting them near home.
   • Note that when choosing azaleas to grow, you should choose Kurume instead of Southern Indian if you do not want to spend a lot of maintenance on the plant.

2. 

   
   
   Disinfect pruning tools. You need to clean the pruning shears to make sure there is no transmission of disease between plants. You can use household disinfectant spray, bleach or rubbing alcohol, then let it dry before pruning.

3. 

   Cut off dead branches in the spring. Although both groups of evergreen azaleas can survive the winter, you will probably still see a few dead or diseased branches in the bushes when spring comes.You can use hand pruning scissors (or shears to cut large branches) to remove dead or damaged branches where they connect to healthy woods.
   • Try to cut as small and compact as possible so that the wooden body doesn't have a big cut; These cuts can be a pathway of fungal entry and disease.

4. 

   
   
   Trim the bushes carefully after the flowers are gone. When spring comes and passes and the bright flowers start to fade, it's time to prune lightly every year. Use hand pruning scissors to trim long branches. Trim carefully to fix the shape of the bushes. Trim dense areas and don't over-prune areas where the branches are thinner.
   • Do not use scissors to prune the fence to fix the tree's outline. Instead, you need to be careful, precise, and selective. If not, you will make unnecessary cuts in the tree - positions that will not flower the next season.

5. 

   
   
   Do not prune after the flowers have died for more than 3 weeks. In general, you should not prune after July. If you wait until the end of summer or fall to prune the tree, you will cut off the growing buds that will bloom the following spring. If you forget to prune, it's probably best to wait until spring next year, unless you're willing to sacrifice that year's blooming season. advertisement

Method 2 of 2: Large pruning

1. 

   Evaluation of azaleas. Unless you are planting a fairly tall Southern Indian rhododendron, you don't usually need a big pruning. Prune if bushes block your windows and take up space for other plants, and be sure to shape the tree in your mind when you start pruning.

2. 

   Cut each branch about 30 cm from the ground. You can cut branches to this height without worrying about killing the tree. Use large pruning scissors or a hand saw to cut each branch if needed. Try to make a round pose on top of the tree.

3. 

   Fertilize the plants. Use a 12-6-6 slow release fertilizer to keep the plant healthy while it is recovering. Water the plants until next spring. You don't have to wait another season to see the flowers bloom; This large pruning will help the azalea to produce more leaves and flowers in spring. advertisement

Advice

• Azaleas only bloom once a year in the spring. The best time to prune the azalea bush is right after the flowers are gone.
• If you are pruning branches that appear to be infected, wipe your scissors with a dilute bleach solution before pruning another branch. This step is to prevent the disease from spreading to healthy branches.
• For the healthiest and most beautiful azalea, prune it every 3 or 4 years.
• When you practice pruning azaleas, use only pruning scissors. Electric fence clippers will cause the azaleas to grow small, thin, and unattractive branches.
• Wear gardening gloves when pruning azaleas to protect your hands from blistering, cuts, or scratches.

Warning

• Fungi can grow on azaleas in late summer, wilting leaves and dying branches. If you notice these signs on the bushes, cut the branches until you see white wood to prevent the spread of fungus.
• Don't try to prune the azalea into shapes like squares. The way the branch grows will prevent the tree from maintaining its shape and will eventually distort.
• Do not prune azaleas after July, otherwise it will not flower the next season. The azaleas make new shoots around this time of year, and if you cut them off the plants won't produce new shoots until next summer.

What you need

• Rhododendron bushes
• Pruning scissors
• Garden gloves