Azaleas are undoubtedly one of the most beautiful,
prolific blooming plants available to grace your
home. Most of the hardy azaleas in our climate
are deciduous, except the Korean Azalea. Indoor
azaleas are actually evergreen and grow
prolifically in the South and on the Pacific coast.
Azaleas will bloom for as long as a month at a time, especially if they are
kept cool. An azalea plant doesn’t bloom year round, once in bloom it will
not flower again for about a year. That’s because the plant has to go through
a full growing season before they will set bud and bloom again.
To trigger
an azalea back into bloom, it should be grown outdoors during the summer.
Leave the plant outside in the fall when the temperature start to drop. The
plant will not tolerate frost, but will take temperatures down into the upper
30s. The longer you can maintain this cool condition the better. With this
cold treatment followed by cool temperatures (45º to 50ºF) indoors the plant
will bloom again. The lower the indoor temperature the longer the plant
will stay dormant.
Tips for Growing Healthy Azaleas
To keep blooming azaleas beautiful indoors, it is important to supply as
much light as possible without letting them get direct afternoon sun,
especially in the summer. Azaleas prefer to be consistently moist. This may
require daily watering if your home is warm and dry. Avoid leaving water in
the saucer for more than an hour. Since azaleas are acid lovers, be sure your
water is not too alkaline. This is a common problem in our area.
One option
is to slightly acidify your plant water by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar
to each gallon of water. If you are not sure if your water is alkaline it won’t
hurt to add the white vinegar. Azaleas perform best when they are given
weekly light applications of plant food most of the year. Use Bachman’s
Excel Gro™ Acid fertilizer at half strength. Let the plant rest without
feeding for a month or two in mid-summer.
Azaleas prefer high humidity during the winter. Fill a shallow pan with small
stones and fill the tray with water, this will add humidity without harming
the flowers. When they aren’t in bloom, azaleas like to be misted.
While azaleas are in bloom, they do best if they are kept around 55-60ºF.
At warmer temperatures, the blooms don’t last as long. Azaleas will tolerate
a wide range of temperatures, from near freezing to over 90ºF, so they
are good to grow outside during our hot/humid summers.
Azaleas should be transplanted in the spring, purchase a pot that is ½ to
an inch larger than the one it’s already in. Use Bachman’s Mighty Earth™
Potting Soil when transplanting.
To choose a quality azalea, look for a plant with a few blooms and lots of
tight buds just beginning to show color. The leaves should be rich dark green
and the plant should be compact and full. Bachman’s expert greenhouse
growers have azaleas available year round, but during the Holiday Season
and Valentines the variety selection is at its peak.
Care for Indoor Plants While You’re Gone
Lets face it, everyone is thinking about how to get away and go
somewhere warm. Unless you have some really great neighbors or
relatives close by, there may come a time when you need to know how to
care for your plants while you are away. There are several easy ways to help
care for your plants when you aren’t home. Start by evaluating your plants
and learning what their specific needs are. Plants vary greatly in their need
for light and water. In addition to variation in the needs of specific plants,
the plant’s condition and the indoor environment can influence the care youprovide. Slip your plants out of their pots and look at their root systems. If
the plants are root bound, the soil won’t be able to hold much moisture and
it may need water more often than if it weren’t root bound.
Are the plants in
sunny windows? Do you have a heating system that takes all the moisture
out of the air in the winter? When plants are actively growing, they require
more water and light. Take a few minutes to evaluate the factors that will
influence your plants. It will help you choose a successful method to care
for them. If you aren’t going to be gone long, water plants thoroughly and let
them be. Most plants can stand several days with little or no damage. Here
are some tips on how to provide the basic needs (water, humidity, fertilizer
and light) for plants while you are gone.
Watering
• Give the plants a thorough soaking just before you leave. Submerge the
whole root system in water until air bubbles stop coming to the surface.
• Potting soils that contain a high percentage of peat moss will retain more
water than sandy soil.
• Leave a little water in a saucers under your plants. This isn’t a good
practice on a regular basis, but it won’t hurt once and a while.
• There are several designs of self-watering containers. A good
self-watering container can provide water for several weeks at a time.
• Polymer crystals can be mixed into the soil. The crystals look like rock salt
when they are dry, and they swell to look like chunks Jell-O when they are
wet. The crystals take up water and give it back to the soil as it dries.
• There are fancy wick systems and capillary mats designed for use while
you are gone. If you have several valuable plants, you may want
to check into these systems.
Providing Light
• You can increase the amount of natural light available to your plants by
making sure the drapes are wide open and the plants are as close to the
window as possible. In winter, keep the plants at least a few inches
away from the cold glass.
• Artificial lights can be used to supplement natural light or replace it totally.
You can purchase very inexpensive timers that will turn your lights on
and off each day while you are gone.
Humidity
• Nestle your plant down into a dish pan filled with damp peat moss or
vermiculite. Be careful not to have it so wet that water accumulates at the
bottom.
• Plug a small room humidifier into a timer programmed to switch off and on
for an hour or two several times a week.
Fertilizer
• Fertilize is not recommended for most plants during the winter months.
After February, go back to your normal schedule of fertilizing. Water-soluble
fertilizers such as Bachman’s Excel Gro™ are easy for both you and your
plants to use.
General Tips
• If only be a short time, simply water and move the plant to a shadier area.
• Plastic pots dry out less quickly than clay containers.
• If the plants are small enough, you can place them in a large, clear plastic
bag for a few days to help maintain water and humidity. Keep the bag
out of direct sun.
Flowers and gifts from Bachman’s make any day a special one. When you order your flowers or gifts online, you know you’ll be getting a beautiful fresh floral arrangement from a trusted florist known for outstanding floral design, plus quality and service.
If you’re sending flowers or gifts out of town, you can rely on us to choose the best florist from either the FTD or Teleflora nationwide flower network. Florists who can be counted on to deliver the best fresh floral arrangements and gifts, even when doing a same day delivery.
