Azalea has faded, what to do next - caring for the plant after flowering

Although the duration of the flowering of azaleas is short, this spectacle is mesmerizing. With proper care, the plant fades in a timely manner and retires without causing trouble. But novice florists are worried about the question: after the azalea has faded, what to do next. After all, the bush needs to be prepared for wintering so that it goes as calmly as possible and nothing could disturb its rest.

When and how long azalea blooms

The timing of flowering of an azalea or rhododendron depends on the season and on the type of flower. There are early, medium and late varieties.

• Early flowering buds begin to bloom in December and bloom completely in April.
• For mid-flowering varieties, this occurs from January to March.
• Late azaleas delight owners from March to April.

With proper care, the azalea flower blooms in a timely manner without causing problems

This applies to flowers that are grown in the home or greenhouses, and not outdoors: in the garden or in the country.

How and why to prune and pinch an azalea after flowering

What to do with azalea after flowering? What measures should be taken and in what order should they be carried out? Azalea home care after flowering begins with pruning and pinching the bush. First of all, you need to collect and remove all faded buds and cut off dry shoots with leaves.

Before pruning the azalea after flowering to form a crown, you need to prepare your garden tools. The procedure is carried out every year, for this, too elongated and grown branches are cut off.

You need to use a sharp small knife or a special oversized secateurs. If necessary, thick and overgrown bushes are recommended to thin out, cutting off the shoots to the base.

Pruning and pinching are mandatory annual procedures after the plant has completely faded

After the work done, the cut sites must be treated with special healing and disinfecting drugs, for example, "Rannet".

Transplanting a faded azalea

Annual transplants help the bush to grow actively and enter the growing season in a timely manner. The root system also grows and increases in size, so it is necessary to change the tight container to a more suitable one.

It is imperative to purchase a nutrient substrate special for rhododendrons in advance. But flower growers advise not to spend money on this and make the soil mixture ourselves by mixing loose coniferous soil, river sand, compost and humus.

A step-by-step transplant of a bush into a new container takes place according to the following scheme:

1. At the bottom of the pot or bowl, a 4-5 cm layer is placed with expanded clay or brick chips. You can use coarse gravel or small pebbles.
2. The azalea is carefully removed from the old container and placed in a container with slightly warm water for half an hour.
3. When the roots are soaked, they are carefully washed from the old soil - the main thing is not to damage or leave scratches and cracks.
4. If there are dead or rotten areas, they need to be cut off, and the bare areas should be treated.
5. Sprinkle a small layer of substrate over the drain in a new container. No need to press down on the ground.
6. Place the bush on top and gently straighten all the roots.
7. Holding the azalea in an upright position with your hand, gradually cover the entire root of the bush, leaving the root collar on top of the ground. You need to make sure that there are no voids left. Then compact the soil around the stem with your hand.
8. To prevent the bush from drying out, be sure to water it with clean, settled water at room temperature.

Since the azalea is very capricious about the transplant procedure, it is necessary to very carefully carry out all the steps listed.

At first, watering should be carried out only after the top layer of the soil has dried.

Azalea - home care after flowering

Caring for an azalea after flowering consists mainly in preparing it for a dormant period.

The new place for keeping during the wintering period should be shaded.

Location

Taking care of the azalea correctly is, first of all, finding a suitable place for it in the house. The plant prefers lighted places, however, as soon as the bush begins to fade, it must be removed in more shaded rooms.

Room humidity is another important component when caring for a plant after flowering. Decrease in indicators should not be allowed. Ideally, the humidity should always be at least 70%.

Temperature regime

In addition to lighting, this room should be cooler, only so the azalea can retire and have a good rest before the new season.

The temperature regime also decreases gradually, sharp jumps can provoke the appearance of diseases. The flower will be under stress for a long time and it is quite possible that it will not bloom in time for the next year.

The optimum temperature in the new room is +16 .. + 19 degrees.

Watering and fertilizing

Azalea care after flowering consists in proper, not excessive, watering. It is best to water the plant by adding some zircon to the water. After 2-3 such procedures, watering is continued with settled slightly warm water.

So that the plant does not experience stress, you need to water it according to a certain regimen and do not skip a single procedure. After flowering, professionals do not recommend often moistening the soil - 1 watering every 2 weeks is enough.

In order not to disturb the plant in vain, it is recommended to feed in liquid form during the dormant period. It is better not to resort to folk methods, but to purchase complex mineral preparations designed specifically for rhododendrons. Their composition must necessarily contain: nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.

It is especially recommended to increase the nitrogen content in the soil. To do this, you can feed the bush with "Uniflor", which helps to restore the bush.

For timely flowering, you need to properly prepare the bush for wintering

When caring for an incredibly beautiful azalea plant, it is important to follow certain rules. Good wintering and a fairly long dormant period help the bush gain strength, which means it will bloom in a timely manner and abundantly for the next year. Florists often suffer from the lack of flowering of the bush, try various methods and methods so that the azalea can again form inflorescences. Few people realize that the correct preparation of the azalea for wintering and the timely retirement is what a flower really needs for normal growth and blooming of buds in the future.