Tired of being cooped up indoors? Getting your Encore Azaleas ready for spring is an excellent remedy to the winter blahs. Here are 5️⃣ tips to ready your shrubs for optimal health this spring:
1️⃣ Evaluate Plant Health. Examine your plants closely – checking them for brown leaves, exposed roots, or broken and crossed limbs.
2️⃣ Clean Around Shrub Bases. Begin by cleaning the area around the trunk and soil, taking care to protect your Encore Azalea’s shallow roots.
3️⃣ Remove Damaged Limbs. Freezing weather and fungus may harm azalea limbs, killing the tissue that conducts water and causing the bark to split. ut back the affected limbs enough to expose live wood, checking for dead wood as you go. Cut no more than is necessary, leaving a healthy leaf bud at the top of the cut.
4️⃣ Evaluate Irrigation. If you see leaves that have turned black or dark brown from the tip toward the petiole, there may be a problem with the watering schedule or soil drainage. While Encore Azaleas need to be consistently moist, they will fall victim to root rot if the roots sit in water.
5️⃣ Wait to Fertilize. When you see those tiny buds on your plants, you may be tempted to fertilize your Encore Azaleas, but it is still too early. Wait until after the flower buds burst open before applying any fertilizer. Fertilizing too soon may cause a flush of growth that will be tender and vulnerable to late winter or early spring cold snaps.
Remember, your prep work now will pay off soon – when your Encore Azaleas reward you with a lovely spring display! 🌼
