Azaleas

Saturday, October 30, 2010 04:50 AM

Indoor Azalea plants are great houseplants as they add instant colour to the home as well as make beautiful gifts.

The funnel shaped flowers come in shades of white, pink, salmon, red and bi colour, and are found on the tips of the woody stems. The oval shaped, green foliage is also an attractive feature. These indoor azaleas will bloom for many weeks if cared for properly making them one of the longer lasting indoor flowering houseplants.

The first step in having a long lasting show of colour is choosing a healthy plant that has healthy dark green foliage, lots of unopened buds with only a few flowers starting to open, as this indicates that it is in the beginning stage of bloom.

The next step would be to find the right location for the plant. Indoor azaleas ideally need at least 6 hours of bright indirect light so a south facing window in the fall/winter or an east/west window in the summer would be best.

Indoor azaleas do not like hot temperatures but prefer temperatures of around 20 Celsius if possible. This prolongs the bloom time as well. Also keep the plant away from drafts, and heat vents, as this can cause the foliage and buds to drop off.

A very important step in keeping your indoor azalea healthy is preventing it from drying out. Azaleas must be kept moist and so need to be watered frequently. When the soil feels dry to the touch give it a good drink of water and drain away any excess water. If the plant has become too dry, allow it to soak in water for a few hours and then hopefully there will be a minimal amount of leaf wilt or drop, or bud/flower drop. You also do not want to keep it too wet because if the roots sit in water for any length of time they could rot which will harm the plant.

An application of 12-36-12 while blooming will also help ensure its health. Another plant care tip is to remove the finished blooms which allows the plant to produce new growth as well as keeping it healthy and clean. By following these tips an indoor azalea can bloom for many weeks.

After it has finished blooming it can be tossed into the compost or saved to re-bloom again.

For an azalea to re-bloom it should have a rest, so place it in a cooler (not freezing) location and continue to water it. It can be transplanted into a clay pot (so roots can breathe) one size larger than the one it is in using an acidic soil high in peat moss used for azaleas/rhododendrons because azaleas prefer an acidic soil with a pH of 5.5-6.0. After that, it only needs to be transplanted every 2-3 years as they bloom easier when slightly rootbound.

Give it a light pruning and place it outdoors after risk of frost has passed, in a shady location, or in a cool garage. For the plant to form buds it needs cool temperatures, and bright indirect light.

A monthly watered down application of an acidic fertilizer such as 30-30-30 when not in bloom will help produce green growth.

It is on the tips of the new growth where the flower buds will form and when you see flower buds the plant can be brought indoors to be enjoyed again!

-Jos

Jos Van Hage owns and operates two Art Knapp Home and Garden Centres in Prince George: