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| My encore azaleas are real leggy. I have not fertilized them and they were transplanted in March. I have read that they need a well balanced shrub and tree food; however, I have also read they just need a standard fertilizer. Will fertilizer keep them from getting so leggy or is that just the nature of the plant? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Fri, Jul 20, 12 at 17:41
| are they the evergreen ones.. or the deciduous ones??? a picture would really help ... i dont understand.. how a transplant.. grew so much as to become leggy.. so i am wondering if the transplant.. caused some of the interior older leaves to fall off early ... you should have a soil test done.. to first determine whether you need a pH adjustment.. and then.. i usually give mine some rather benign iponema hollytone derivative for rhodies/azalea.. in fall ... if they were transplanted from the same soil.. rather than a new planting .. and they have grown fine for years .. there probably isnt any pH issue .... or you would already know that .. but it is the place to start ... if they were brought in new.. and not 'transplanted' .. then there may be other issues ... pic?? ken
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Fri, Jul 20, 12 at 18:17
| It depends on what type you have - Encores are sold as 'small', medium' and 'large', indicating how big the plant is inclined to grow. Large ones can reach 5-6' so legginess could be part of their growth habit. Also, too much shade can cause them to become rather leggy as well (etiolation - stretching for the light). Fertilizer will not make a plant more compact. FWIW, rhododendrons and azaleas require minimal fertilization once established. Fertilizing should be done in late winter before the bloom season - Feb/March. You can also prune them back (at the same time or after initial flower flush) if they get too leggy. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Fri, Jul 20, 12 at 18:52
| do not prune them back to a bare stick .. prune back to a fork in the branch.. where there is still a green bud ... on the shorter branch ... |
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- Posted by karen_tennessee 7a (My Page) on Fri, Jul 20, 12 at 23:18
| My problem is probably not enough sunlight. I should make another post about this, but I'll see what response I get! It looks like I can use an azalea/camellia fertilizer for encore azaleas, frost free gardenia and Loropetalum. Does that sound right? Thanks for everybodies response. Karen |
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- Posted by karen_tennessee 7a (My Page) on Fri, Jul 20, 12 at 23:20
| My problem is probably not enough sunlight. I should make another post about this, but I'll see what response I get! It looks like I can use an azalea/camellia fertilizer for encore azaleas, frost free gardenia and Loropetalum. Does that sound right? Thanks for everybodies response. Karen |
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