| My Dwarf Azalea bush didn't produce very many flowers this spring. Was I supposed to prune it right after blooming last spring? |
| Pruning isn't required for additional flowering but pruning does keep a plant neat and tidy. If you decide to prune, do so immediately after flowering has finished because azaleas develop flower and leaf buds in late summer for the following year's growth. You can determine approximately how many flowers your azaleas will open next spring by checking the buds they have produced by August; flower buds are fat, leaf buds are long and narrow. Many things can keep an azalea from flowering freely: adverse summer weather, lack of nutrients, winter damage are the most common. For best growth and health, make sure your azaleas are watered deeply once each week, and feed in the spring with an azalea/rhododendron fertilizer in amounts as recommended on the label. Hope your plants bloom well next spring. |
