Azalea bush
Care for Azalea bush: Azalea bush are the deciduous plants that belong to the Rhododendron family. With proper care and regular feeding the bush can be grown to reward you with copious flowers each spring. Few basic caring tips such as the location, type of soil or fertilizer can enhance the beauty of your Azalea bush. The most important point to maintain the healthy growth of Azalea bush is choosing the right location. Azalea Bush loves acidic soil and grows best in light shade. Northern locations are best for these bushes. The place should receive some morning sun. But the bush needs protection from midday sun and winter sun. Azalea bush can be killed by sustained winds. Select a shady location and can think of planting shade trees like Read oak around them for a healthy growth. Check the water level of the soil during extended dry spells, even in the fall. Pine needles are acidic in nature and works as mulch to keep the soil moist. They also help in maintaining the acidity of the soil. They have shallow roots and keep the weeds down, without disturbing the root system of Azalea. Prepare the soil which is just moist and well drained with a pH of 5.5. Check the soil pH before planting, especially when planting along a foundation where the soil tends to be more alkaline. Mulching is very important for these Azalea bushes as they help in retaining the moisture of the soil. Pine needles are best as they are acidic in nature and helps to maintain the pH of the soil. The soil needs to have good drainage. You can put some sand and gravel with the soil to improve this characteristic. If you find the soil to be alkaline, use plenty of inorganic matter, and well rotted manure to turn it into acidic. Fertilizers can also rectify the soil to suit the Azalea bush. Dig the planting hole twice as wide and 1 1/2 times as deep as the rootball of the plant. Mix compost and peat moss into the soil, with sand or grit. When you remove the tender sapling from the pot, use your fingers to loosen up the roots to get them grow into the new soil. Set the plant at the same level as it was previously growing at.
Pruning Azalea Bush: Plant care and pruning of Azalea bush is not very difficult. You will have to remember few basic points to promote the optimal health of the Azalea bush. Pruning or plucking young plants help to promote a healthy growth of the Azalea bush. Pruning should be done in early spring. But be careful with the pruning as it may result in cutting off next years blooms. If you prune the bush heavily, it may not bloom again for two to three years. It is better to avoid pruning of established bushes. Just let them grow naturally the way they want.
Pictures of Azalea bush pictures: In spring the flowers come out in Azalea bush in various colours like white, lavender, bright orange, gold, red and purple. Find out some exotic pictures of Azalea bush at these web sites:http://www.indexstock.com/store/Chubby.asp?ImageNumber=1045062http://www.acclaimimages.com/search_terms/azalea_bush.html. You need to plan for the winter care of Azalea bush plant as they can be harmed by cold and wind. You can further protect your bushes by providing wind breaks during these winter months. Azalea bush can be infected by insects infrequently which can be treated with insecticides or fungicides only when needed.
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