Azalea
Bunny ...
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I have had 2 azaleas for few years now (white) as a present from OH, I have had them in the ground and now in pots with correct compost, although they have generated more leaves they have never flowered and not sure what I need to do next, have I no hope of them thriving ? : (
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I have two in containers a red and white one -to be honest all they get is rainwater-perhaps neglect is an answer?
Or feed with high potash like tomato food might help-I think if they are healthy enough they will just in time do what they are born to do-that could be this year.
Don't think I would pot them on-that will just induce more growth-try the starvation approach-the whole role of a plant like this is to flower and set seed -if it thinks it is on the way out then that is what it is more likely to do
A tomato feed promotes flower growth rather than leaf growth
As for location- would not think that makes much difference-they are fairly hardy
Do you know the variety?
If they didnt get enough water the previous early Autumn then they can be shy to flower. You can usually start to see the signs of new flower buds by about October IME.
They are in pots, so that will have been down to you despite all the rain last year. If that deck is in sun then they will have been dry at their roots & that wont have helped. They are basically woodland understorey plants, so actually prefer a part shade position.
I'd feed this spring, keep watered, with rainwater if your tap water is hard, & add some more ericaceous compost as a mulch to the pot. If necessary/possible move the pots out of sun into a cooler spot.
They may still not flower this yr, but next yr, if watered in autumn should do so. J.
Hmm, sounds as if you're doing things right. Sometimes plants are just downright stubborn. I know that I've moved a small azalea 3X to it's existing spot & bingo flowers & a happy plant. Literally 1ft to the side of it's original position.
Good luck. J.
My dad had one for a present when he retired, we put it in the greenhouse for the winter and bring into the conservatory in February, where it has flowered for 27 years. Have you checked for vine weevil, when I repotted ours last year, the pot was full of them!.
Are they garden plants or were they given to you as pot plants for indoors?
I was given 2 Azaleas for Christmas and told to only water them with 'soft' water. Here in Norfolk the water is v. hard, so apparently I should use water from the water butts, BUT the taps on the butts are frozen, so have been using house tap water that has been standing in a jug for 3 days. I have been told this helps noxious chemicals to evaporate.