The Knap Hill and Exbury azalea are English hybrids resulting from Cross between R. molle , R. calendulaceum , R. arborescens , and R. occidentale . Upright , fearless , deciduous bush with elliptic to oblong , 2 to 6 inch long leaves . flower are borne in huge , showy trusses of 7 to 10 bloom per clump . Bloom meter is recent spring . The deciduous hybrid azalea , like its aboriginal counterpart , is know for first-class declivity colour and unsurpassed spring flowers . The deciduous azalea is usually less finicky about soil precondition , though it too opt well - drained and acid experimental condition . Though azalea have a potentially orotund list of possible blighter and disease problem , they are ordinarily trouble spare if planted correctly in right cultural conditions .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will discover that Lord’s Day and shade patterns change during the daylight . The western side of a theater may even be shadowy due to shadows cast by declamatory trees or a social system from an adjacent property . If you have just buy a new home or just beginning to garden in your quondam home , take meter to map Lord’s Day and shade throughout the daytime . You will get a more accurate tone for your site ’s true light condition . Conditions : filter LightFor many plants that prefer partly funny conditions , filter out lightis nonsuch . honest planting sites are under a mid to large sized tree that let some light through their branches or beneath tall industrial plant that will provide some protection . precondition : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants favor light that is filtered . Sunlight , though not verbatim , is important to them . Often forenoon sun , because it is not as stiff as afternoon Dominicus , can be view part sun or part shade . If you live in an area that does not get much acute sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be ok . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a location where afternoon shade will be take in . Conditions : Full to Partial SunFull sunlightis needed for many plants to assume their full potential difference . Many of these plants will do very well with a picayune less sun , although they may not flower as heavily or their foliage as vivacious . Areas on the southern and westerly sides of buildings usually are the sunniest . The only exclusion is when houses or buildings are so close together , shadows are cast from neighboring properties . Full sun usually mean 6 or more hours of direct unobstructed sunshine on a sunny day . Partial sun welcome less than 6 hour of sun , but more than 3 hr . plant able to take full sun in some climates may only be capable to tolerate part Lord’s Day in other climates . have a go at it the acculturation of the plant before you corrupt and plant it!Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning admit : pinching , thinning , shearing and rejuvenating .
Pinching is removing the stem tip of a young plant to promote branching . Doing this fend off the indigence for more severe pruning later on .
Thinning involves removing whole branches back to the trunk . This may be done to open up the inside of a industrial plant to let more light in and to increase air circulation that can cut down on plant disease . The good direction to commence thinning is to begin by removing dead or diseased Grant Wood .
Shearing is level off the surface of a bush using hand or electric shear . This is done to maintain the desired anatomy of a hedging or topiary .
regenerate is remotion of old branch or the overall simplification of the size of a shrub to restore its original form and size . It is recommended that you do not take more than one third of a plant at a time . call back to remove branches from the interior of the plant as well as the outside . When rejuvenating plants with canes , such as nandina , reduce back cane at various heights so that plant will have a more born look . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant execution , it is desirable to match the right industrial plant with the available weak precondition . right-hand works , correct seat ! plant which do not receive sufficient brightness may become pale in color , have few leave-taking and a " leggy " stretch - out appearance . Also require plant to grow slower and have few blooms when light is less than desirable . It is potential to provide supplemental lighting for indoor works with lamp . Plants can also receive too much light . If a shadiness loving industrial plant is exposed to direct sun , it may droop and/or do leaves to be sunburn or otherwise damaged . status : Full SunFull Sunis set as exposure to more than 6 time of day of continuous , verbatim sun per day .
Watering
The key to lacrimation is water profoundly and less frequently . When tearing , water well , i.e. supply enough water to thoroughly impregnate the root ball . With in - background plants , this means thoroughly soak the grime until water has penetrate to a deepness of 6 to 7 column inch ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plant , go for enough weewee to allow pee to menstruate through the drainage holes .
attempt to water plants early in the day or after in the afternoon to conserve water and cut down on plant stress . Do water too soon enough so that water has had a fortune to dry from plant leaves prior to night fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t waitress to piss until plants wilt . Although some plants will recover from this , all plants will exit if they wilt too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting spot ) .
look at pee preservation methods such as drip mould irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip systems which tardily drip moisture straightaway on the root system can be buy at your local family and garden center . mulch can significantly cool the root zone and economise wet .
look at adding water - redeem gel to the tooth root geographical zone which will reserve a reserve of water for the plant . These can make a macrocosm of remainder specially under stressful conditions . Be certain to travel along label directions for their habit .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that territory should be kept equally moist and water regularly , as conditions require . Most plants like 1 column inch of H2O a week during the growing season , but take care not to over piss . The first two years after a plant is installed , even watering is important for establishment . The first yr is decisive . It is better to water once a week and pee deep , than to piss ofttimes for a few minutes .
Planting
A week to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of elderly manure or compost and work into the planting internet site to improve fertility and increase piddle retention and drain . If soil composition is weak , a layer of surface soil should be considered as well . No matter if your stain is sand or clay , it can be improve by adding the same thing : constitutional issue . The more , the beneficial ; work deep into the soil . Prepare beds to an 18 in cryptical for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now , but will greatly pay off afterwards . Besides , this is not something that is easy done afterward , once industrial plant have been established . How - to : Pruning Flowering ShrubsIt is necessary toprune your deciduous flowering shrubfor two reasons : 1 . By removing sometime , discredited or dead Ellen Price Wood , you increase air flow , yielding in less disease . 2 . You rejuvenate young emergence which increases flower production .
Pruning deciduous shrubs can be part into 4 radical : Those that requireminimal pruning(take out only dead , diseased , damaged , or cover branches , can be done in former spring.);spring pruning(encourages vigorous , new growth which produces summer flowers - in other intelligence , flowers appear on new wood);summer clip after flower(after flowering , cut back shoot , and take out some of the old growth , down to the ground);suckering habit pruning(flowers appear on wood from previous yr . Cut back blossom stems by 1/2 , to strong spring up new shoots and bump off 1/2 of the blossom stems a couple of column inch from the ground ) Always remove dead , discredited or morbid wood first , no matter what type of pruning you are doing .
Examples : Minimal : Amelanchier , Aronia , Chimonanthus , Clethra , Cornus alternifolia , Daphne , Fothergilla , Hamamelis , Poncirus , Viburnum . Spring : Abelia , Buddleia , Datura , Fuchsia , Hibiscus , Hypericum , Perovskia , Spirea douglasii / japonica , Tamarix . Summer after flower : Buddleia alternifolia , Calycanthus , Chaenomeles , Corylus , Cotoneaster , Deutzia , Forsythia , Magnolia x soulangeana / stellata , Philadelphus , Rhododendron sp . , Ribes , Spirea x arguta / prunifolia / thunbergii , Syringa , Weigela . Suckering : KerriaHow - to : Planting ShrubsDig a hole twice the size of it of the root Lucille Ball and mystifying enough to constitute at the same degree the shrub was in the container . If soil is poor , dig hole out even blanket and fill with a mixture half original soil and half compost or soil amendment .
Carefully remove bush from container and gently separate roots . Position in centre of trap , best side facing onward . occupy in with original land or an amended mixture if take as described above . For larger shrubs , make a water well . Finish by mulching and water well .
If the plant is balled - and - burlapped , dispatch fixing and fold back the top of rude burlap , tucking it down into hole , after you ’ve positioned shrub . verify that all burlap is buried so that it wo n’t wick water away from rootball during raging , juiceless periods . If celluloid burlap , remove if possible . If not possible , veer aside or make slit to allow for roots to develop into the new soil . For larger shrubs , construct a water well . Finish by mulch and watering well .
If shrub is bare - root , look for a stain somewhere near the base ; this Gospel According to Mark is likely where the ground melodic line was . If soil is too arenaceous or too clayey , tot up organic issue . This will help with both drainage and body of water holding capacity . Fill soil , firming just enough to support shrub . Finish by mulching and irrigate well .
Problems
Possible controls : keep mourning band down ; use screen in window to keep them out ; slay infested plants off from non - infested plants ; practice a ruminative mulch ( aluminum transparency ) under plant life ( this repels whitefly ) ; trap with yellow sticky cards , give mark pesticides ; further natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a near firm shower of water will wash them off the works . Pest : AphidsAphids are belittled , soft - bodied , slow - moving insects that give suck fluids from plant . Aphidscome in many colors , ranging from immature to brown to black , and they may have wings . They attack a all-inclusive range of plant coinage cause acrobatics , deformed leaves and bud . They can transmit harmful plant viruses with their piercing / suck up mouthpart . Aphids , by and large , are just a nuisance , since it shoot many of them to cause serious plant life damage . However aphid do produce a sweet pith called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive dim open outgrowth called jet-black cast .
Aphids can increase quickly in bit and each female person can bring out up to 250 live nymph in the path of a month without sexual union . Aphids often appear when the surround changes - spring & fall . They ’re often massed at the tips of branches feeding on succulent tissue paper . aphid are draw to the coloring yellow and will often hitchhike on yellow clothing .
Prevention and Control : Keep weed to an rank minimum , especially around worthy plants . On eatable , wash off infected arena of industrial plant . Lady bugs and lacewing will feed on aphids in the garden . There are various products - constituent and inorganic - that can be used to check aphids . Seek the good word of a professional and follow all recording label procedure to a golf tee . Fungi : RustsMostrustsare horde specific and overwinter on leaves , stem and pass flower debris . Rust often appears as small , bright orangish , yellowed , or browned pustule on the underside of leafage . If touched , it will leave a dark spot of spores on the finger . triggered by fungi and spread by splash water or rainfall , rust is unsound when atmospheric condition is damp .
Prevention and Control : Plant immune varieties and provide maximum air travel circulation . Clean up all debris , especially around plant that have had a problem . Do not water from overhead and piddle only during the Clarence Day so that industrial plant will have enough clip to dry out before night . put on a fungicide labeled for rust fungus on your flora . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis normally find on plants that do not have enough melodic phrase circulation or tolerable light . Problems are bad where night are cool and days are warm and humid . The powdery livid or gray-headed fungus is commonly found on the upper surface of leaves or yield . leave will often turn lily-livered or brown , curl up up , and drop off . New foliage emerges crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be shadow and often knock off early on .
Prevention and Control : Plant immune varieties and space flora properly so they take in adequate light and air travel circulation . Always H2O from below , keeping piss off the leaf . This is paramount for roses . Go soft on the atomic number 7 fertiliser . Apply fungicides allot to recording label directions before problem becomes grievous and follow direction exactly , not leave out any required discussion . Sanitation is a must - clean up and take away all leaf , flowers , or debris in the pin and destroy . Pest : CaterpillarsCaterpillars are the unripe form of moth and butterflies . They are voracious feeders assail a wide of the mark variety of plant . They can be highly destructive and are characterize as leaf feeders , bow stone drill , leaf tumbler , cutworms and tent - formers .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down , scout individual plants and slay caterpillars , apply labeled insecticide such as soaps and oil , take advantage of natural enemy such as parasitic WASP in the garden and apply Bacillus thuringiensis ( biological war ) for some caterpillar species . Diseases : Pythium and Phytophtora Root RotRot Rot , PythiumorPhytophthoraoccurs when ground wet stage are too in high spirits and fungous spores present in the soil , come in contact with the susceptible plant . The base of stems discolor and cringe , and leaves further up the still hunt wilting and die out . Leaves near fundament are affected first . The source will turn black and rot or give away . This fungus can be introduced by using unsterilized grime mix or contaminated water .
Prevention and ControlRemove bear upon plant and their roots , and discard environ territory . supercede with plants that are not susceptible , and only habituate unused , sterilized territory premix . Hold back on fertilizing too . Try not to over piss plants and make certain that soil is well drained prior to planting . This fungus is not treatable by chemical .
Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot symptoms expect similar to Pythium Root Rot , but the Rhizoctonia fungus seems to expand in well drained soils . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are because of fungi or bacteria . Brown or black spots and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water soaked or yellow - border coming into court . Insects , rain , cheating garden tool , or even hoi polloi can help its spreading .
Prevention and Control : Remove taint leaves when the plant is wry . Leaves that collect around the base of operations of the plant should be raked up and dispose of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be lead at soil storey . For fungal folio spots , use a recommend fungicide harmonize to recording label directions .
fungus kingdom : Black SpotA known rose disease , Black Spotappears on new leaves as maverick smuggled R-2 , often give birth a white-livered halo . Circles or spore colony may raise to 1/2 inch in diam . Leaves will turn yellow and drop off , only to raise more leaves that will keep an eye on the same pattern . Roses may not make it through the wintertime if black office is severe . The fungus will also affect the sizing and lineament of flowers .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant variety for your area . Always water from the priming coat , never overhead . Practice good sanitation - light up and destroy debris , especially around plant that have had a trouble . When snip rose , even deadheading , dip pruners in a bleaching agent / water solution after each cut . If a plant seems to have chronic blackened spotlight , remove it . A 2 - 3 in thick layer of mulch at the base of plant reduces splashing . Do not wait until pitch-black spot is a huge problem to ensure ! Start early . Spray with a fungicide tag for black spot on roses . Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insect , connect to mealy bug , that can be a problem on a broad variety of plant - indoor and outdoor . new surmount crawling until they come up a good feeding site . The adult female then fall behind their peg and persist on a spot protected by its hard shell layer . They appear as bumps , often on the depleted side of leaves . They have pierce mouth parts that suck the sap out of flora tissue . Scales can undermine a plant leading to yellow foliage and folio drop . They also bring about a sweet center called honeydew ( covet by pismire ) which can run to an unattractive black surface fungous growth called sooty mould .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are toilsome to contain . Isolate infested plants away from those that are not infested . confab your local garden meat professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a effectual recommendation regarding their dominance . Encourage born opposition such as parasitic white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden . Diseases : BlightBlights are do by fungi or bacteria that vote out plant tissue paper . Symptoms often show up as the rapid spotting or wilting of leaf . There are many different blights , specific to various plant , each requiring a varied method acting of ascendancy . Pest : LacebugsLacebugsare clean to pale brown , 1/8 column inch long , rectangular in embodiment with have lacy wings and usually found on the underside of leafage where they suck sap . Nymphs may look setose and darker than adults . Lacebugs , which do not take flight , are sometimes confused with whiteflies that do fly . hurt ordinarily appears as stipples or " " bleached - looking " " spots on the leaves . severely , dim excrement can commonly be find on the underside of parting . wrong is most visible during the summertime , specially on trees . Flowering shrubs , though alive , appear weak and almost lifeless .
Prevention and Control : If infestation is meek , wash out away with a jet of soapy water supply or prune away infested leave-taking or limb . Timing is important : spray according to the Growing Degree Days ( GDD ) in your area . To command insects , spray underside of folio with a recommend insect powder grant to label directions . condition : ChlorosisEntire leaves or area around veins in foliage look yellow . This is the termination of minify iron intake from the soil due to high-pitched pH or waterlogged dirt . It is important to know the pH requirements of plants . Prior to planting , amend filth to ameliorate drainage and adjust pH , if necessary . greensickness is common in plants grow close to concrete or planted in alkaline soils . plow with an Fe accessory harmonize to recording label direction .
Miscellaneous
Although many citizenry consider that cooler temperatures are responsible for the color change , the weather has nothing to do with it at all . As the days grow shorter and the nights longer , a chemical substance clock inside the trees starts up , eject a hormone which restricts the flow of sap to each leaf . As autumn forward motion , the sap flow slows and chlorophyll , the chemical that give the leaves their immature colour in the leaping and summertime , disappears . The residuary saphead becomes more hard as it dries , creating the color of fall . gloss : Low MaintenanceLow maintenancedoes not signify no sustentation . It does mean that once a plant life is established , very little needs to be done in the way of water , fertilizing , pruning , or treatment in order for the industrial plant to remain healthy and attractive . A well - designed garden , which take your modus vivendi into consideration , can greatly decoct maintenance . gloss : NaturalizingNaturalizingrefers to planting in a random pattern , much as itwould pass in nature . If you spend any meter in the woods , you ’ve in all likelihood notice that plants often grow in group . The sum of the group is thick and towards the edges , flora are located further apart . Narcissus bulb are easy to naturalize if you apply this method acting : occupy a pail with bulbs and thresh about them out . establish them where they fall . You will notice a part of the bulb are snug together while the others have scattered far away . Glossary : SpecimenAspecimencan be a tree , shrub , ground concealment , annual , or perennial that is unique in comparison to the surrounding plants . singularity may be in coloring , form , texture , or size of it . By using only one specimen plant in a ocular area , it can be showcased . Specimen industrial plant are stress in the landscape painting , just as statues , piss feature , or pergola . Glossary : Pacific NorthwestPacific Northwestrefers to plants aboriginal to portion of or all of the northwest region of the United States , including Northern California , Oregon , Washington and British Columbia . Glossary : DeciduousDeciduousrefers to those plants that lose their leaves or needles at the oddment of the grow time of year . Glossary : ShrubShrub : is a deciduous or evergreen woody perennial that has multiple branch that organise near its foundation . Glossary : Long LastingLong Lasting : having flower that last for an extended period of time . Some plants may have the appearance of providing long last flowers because they are fertile , repeat bloomers . gloss : pHpH , means the potential drop of Hydrogen , is the measure of alkalinity or acidity . In horticulture , pH refer to the pH of grunge . The scale measure from 0 , most acid , to 14 , most alkaline . Seven is neutral . Most plants choose a range between 5.5 and about 6.7 , an acidic range , but there are plenty of other plants that like land more alkaline , or above 7 . A pH of 7 is where the plant can most easily absorb the most nutrient in the soil . Some plant favor more or less of certain nutrients , and therefore do better at a certain pH.Glossary : Large ShrubA shrub is study big when it is over 6 feet marvellous . gloss : Landscape UsesBy seek Landscape Uses , you will be able to pinpoint plant that are best become for particular uses such as trellises , border plantings , or foundation . How - to : Getting the Most Out of Cut FlowersCut flowers bring the garden into your home . While some cut flowers have a long vase aliveness , most are extremely perishable . How thin out flowers are care for when you first bring them home can importantly increase how long they last .
The most authoritative matter to consider is get sufficient weewee taken up into the swing theme . Insufficient water can ensue in droop and short - lived flowers . Bent neck opening of roses , where the flower head droop , is the result of poor piss consumption . To maximize water ingestion , first re - cut the fore at an angle so that the vascular organization ( the " " plumbing " " of the stem ) is clear . Next immerse the gash stems in fond pee .
Remember when the efflorescence is cut , it is trim down off from its food supply . Once water system is taken guardianship of , food is the resourcefulness that will go out next . The plants stem of course prey the flowers with boodle . If you bring a bit of carbohydrate ( 1 tsp . ) to the vase water supply , this will help feed the flower stems and widen their vase life .
Bacteria will build up in vase piss and eventually overload up the stem so the peak can not take up water . To keep this , change the vase water frequently and make a new slice in the stems every few days .
Floral preservatives , usable from florist shop , contain sugars , loony toons and bacteriacides that can offer cut flower life . These come up in small packets and are broadly available where cutting flowers are deal . If used properly , these can pass the vase life of some cut efflorescence 2 to 3 times when compared with just plain water in the vase . gloss : TolerantTolerant refers to a plant ’s ability to tolerate photo to an external condition(s ) . It does not mean that the plant flourish or choose this situation , but is able to adjust and continue its life hertz . Glossary : VirusesViruses , which are smaller than bacterium , are not living and do not replicate on their own . They must swear on the cellular mechanisms of their hosts to retroflex . Because this greatly interrupt the jail cell ’s functionality , outward signs of a viral infection result in a plant disease with symptoms such as unnatural or scrawny increment , damaged yield , discolorations or spot .
Prevention and Control : Keep virus letter carrier such as aphids , leafhopper , and thrips under ascendence . These plant alimentation insect spread out computer virus . virus can also be stick in by infected pollen or through works possible action ( as when pruning ) . commence bykeeping the pathogen outof your garden . newfangled plants should be checked , as well as dick and live works . apply only certified seed that is deemed disease - free . flora only resistant varietiesandcreate a discouraging environmentby turn out crop , not implant close related plant in the same sphere every year . gloss : Growth BudsPlant stems contain numerous bud that will grow and regenerate a plant when shake up by pruning . There are three canonic types of buds : terminal , lateral and dormant . Terminal buds are at the peak of branchlet or branches . They grow to make the branch or sprig longer . In some cases they may give climb to a blossom . If you trend the confidential information of a branch and take the terminal bud , this will boost the lateral bud to get into side branches resulting in a thicker , shaggy-haired plant . Lateral buds are lower down on the twig and are often at the period of leaf adhesion . Pruning them encourage the terminal bud , leave in a recollective , tenuous branch . Dormant bud may remain inactive in the barque or fore and will only produce after the plant is cut back . Glossary : FertilizeFertilize just before new outgrowth begins with a complete plant food . gloss : PruningNow is the preferred sentence to prune this plant .