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red azalea

Duchess1962Duchess1962 Posts: 42
in Plants

Hello everybody, 4 sleeps to the big HO HO!

I've been given an almost red azalea. Is there anyway to tell if its a greenhouse azalea or if it should be planted out? No label. No wrapping either so I'm wondering if that might be a sign it could go outside as most house plants seem to come in a plastic sleeve.image

Posts

  • ExtremeGardenerExtremeGardener Posts: 38

    Hi Duchess & Edd, I'd guess that any azalea that has been made to flower around Christmas is an indoor plant grown under cover for the Christmas market, think of it as an alternative to a poinsettia but with a more certain future. Can you find out or guess where it was bought?  Was it more likely it came from a supermarket or a garden centre? Supermarket bought and flowering now suggests indoor plant but it can be left outside once the frosts are over if you'd like it out of the way for the summer months. If it's staying in a pot it'll appreciate being repotted every couple of years but I'm sure you already know that! Let us know how you get on.      

  • Duchess1962Duchess1962 Posts: 42

    Thanks Edd and Ex!

    I'm told it can't be watered with our very hard water here in Norfolk, should I buy some cheap bottled water or is that a load of old you know what!

  • Duchess1962Duchess1962 Posts: 42

    ?

  • ExtremeGardenerExtremeGardener Posts: 38

    I was wondering if anyone would ask!!  It's a long and sad story and I'd hate to spoil your Christmas.  Definitely nothing as simple as my choice of plants, not really, but in a way yes it is.  I didn't even know that I have a garden full of Yanks!  OK, I was gardening for somebody else and they said I was 'extreme'.  It wasn't meant as a compliment.  So I found the GW Forum and became ExtremeGardener.  I guess you could say I'm on the rebound.  Disappointed??

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,990
    Duchess1962 wrote (see)

    Thanks Edd and Ex!

    I'm told it can't be watered with our very hard water here in Norfolk, should I buy some cheap bottled water or is that a load of old you know what!

    Hello Neighbour image  No don't water it with our hard Norfolk water!  They don't like lime and hard water will kill it.  Use rainwater - if you haven't got a water but on your downpipe you'll have to get one, but in the meantime stand a bucket or two outside image

     


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Duchess1962Duchess1962 Posts: 42

    Thanks neighbour, will put a water butt on my christmas list!

    Merry christmas everybody

    image

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,990

    Merry Christmas Duchess and Welcome to the forum - hope you'll join in and be a regular image

    We sometimes organise informal group visits to East Anglian gardens in the spring and summer image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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