The successful period for transplanting azaleas, a bright flowered perennial shrub, is during its dormant stage. Azaleas are lovely, beautiful flowering plants of the Rhododendron genus that can be easy and cheap to care for and transplant.
We have gone through thorough research on how to transplant them. In this article, we are going to unleash all secrets on how to transplant this shrub.
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Transplanting Azaleas
You can transplant Azaleas. Azaleas are some of the easiest shrubs to transplant because they require less watering and attention. This makes them perfect for beginner florists or busy people who might not have a lot of spare time. Azaleas are sweet-smelling flowers that can be good even as an indoor plant in your home.
Transplanting Azaleas is usually done to improve the growth and health conditions of the plant. To attain that, you should perform pre-transplanting measures on the azaleas for them to sustain life in the new location. This also helps to avoid azalea transplant shock.
– Preparing For Transplanting
When you are ready for the transplanting procedure, prune the shrub to remove old leaves, shoots, and flowers if there are any. This reduces plant stress and aids the effective growth of the plant. The easiest way to dig up Azaleas is by creating a hole that is 12 to 18 inches away from the pruned trunk until you reach the roots.
Cut the roots just below the root ball of the plant. Finally, water the plant thoroughly to increase the success chances of the transplanting process.
– Transplanting
Deep a shovel up and down around the pruned trunk up under the root cut that you made. Pluck out the plant with soil around the roots to avoid the wilting of small fibrous roots around the taproot.
Always avoid prying against the root ball as it loosens the soil around the root. Remember that newly planted Azalea from a year to five years can be more easily dug than well-established plants that are above five years.
After attaining your plant, dig a hole that is twice the size of the Azalea root ball. Mold the hole with soil in a manner that if you place your plant, the root ball will be at least 4 inches above the soil line.
Place your plant in the hole and cover it with soil around the root ball. Mulch the plant and water it thoroughly to soak the root ball for a couple of weeks while gradually weaning them until the roots and the plant show liveliness.
You can use flowerpots for growing your Azalea bushes. Collect your soil and mix it with peat moss in it to increase aeration. Mold the pot and place your Azalea’s root ball in the pot. Cover the roots with topsoil or compost manure. When using pots, you might not need to mulch but only water the plant regularly with rainwater as tap water can be alkaline.
– Post-Transplanting Care for Azaleas
Azaleas are acid lovers, so always use acidic mulching like peat moss that lowers pH to around 4.5 to 6.5. If you find that your soil is not acidic after a pH test, we recommend that you add elemental sulfur, ammonium sulfate, and fresh coffee grounds. You can use one tablespoon of vinegar in a gallon of alkaline soil to increase the acidity of your growing medium.
Azaleas do well in part shade and full sun exposure. After you have transplanted Azaleas, expose them to full sunlight to equip their rapid recovery. Azaleas become more compact and floriferous if planted in full sun. In a shady light, these plants stretch towards the sun, forming a design with plenty of flowers.
– Use a Sharp File
Do not use a blunt shovel when pulling out an Azalea root bulb because it can be difficult to reach the root end. Use a sharp flat file to attain a good cutting edge.
– Don’t Delay
Once the root ball is outside the ground, do not delay for hours without planting it because it may start to wilt and reduce its chances of survival after the transplanting procedure. Some parts like the fibrous roots may die as mentioned earlier.
– Don’t Dig Deep
Always remember that Azaleas are shallow-rooting plants. Therefore, do not dig deep planting holes, otherwise, the root ball will be further down for it to grow well. In low-drained soils like clay, plant the Azaleas slightly above the normal depth of one to two inches.
– Be Mindful of Fertilizing
Do not heavily fertilize Azaleas plants as doing this will result in unproportioned growth between the roots and the top part. High-nitrogen fertilizers promote top growth more than the roots.
Types of Azaleas and Transplanting Patterns
There are typically two main types of Azaleas, namely deciduous and evergreen ones. Regardless of the azalea type, they all reach an unproductive period when they shade all their flowers, which is termed the dormant stage. Deciduous and evergreen azaleas have different dormant seasons.
– Deciduous Azaleas
Deciduous Azaleas are native to North America and the western region. They have a color range from white to pink and from yellow to orange. Late summer or early autumn is the ideal period for transplanting deciduous Azaleas. They shed all their leaves in the fall, but they can retain them in warmer winters.
You are highly recommended to refrain from transplanting azaleas in winter. Transplanting azaleas in spring should be done during the cooler mornings or evenings to protect the plants from sunburn.
– Evergreen Azaleas
Most evergreen Azaleas are native to Asia and can be imported to any part of the world. Their color ranges from white to purple and then to red. Their dormant period is during winter when they have bronzy to purple-looking foliage. They can be best transplanted in winter unless the soil is frozen.
Conclusion
This article unpacked the information on transplanting azaleas. Here is a quick summary that you can always refer to:
- Deciduous and evergreen are the two different types of azaleas
- Azalea plants are perennial plants.
- The dormant period is when Azaleas are unproductive and can be successfully transplanted.
- Azalea shrubs appreciate transplanting in their dormant phase.
- Azaleas appreciate extra care after transplanting.
Why not grab your root bulbs and have this exciting experience of transplanting your Azaleas? Within a week, you will be filled with sweet soft scents all over your place especially if you plant them with other companion plants!