Azaleas, not many blooms...?

[lawnguy26]

O.K. what am I doing wrong. I'm in Central Florida. I don't know what species I have. They are large leafed azaleas with a purplish-reddish flower. Soil pH is 6.0. They get about 3-4 hours of sunlight a day. I fertilize them in the spring and fall with an 8-10-10 fert. plus I add some Milorganite. The last time I trimmed them was in September and I fertilized in November. They get good water, good drainage.

I do have blooms on them, about 25% coverage. However, there are a lot of very weak and nutrient deficient azaleas around this area that are just covered with blooms right now. I'm talking 100% coverage on bushes that are thin, chloratic, weak, lacebug eatened up, just nasty looking azaleas going off with blooms.

It is very frustating because my azalea hedge is so dense and green and just all around healthy as hell. Oh yeah, it ain't phosporous deficiency. Soils here in Florida are abundant with P. I can only guess that they are not receiving enough sunlight. Any other thoughts?

 

[RandyS]

Up here in CT I would trim them right after blooming and fertilize then. Maybe you're cutting off the blooms trimming them in the fall.
It is disheartening when the neighbors junk looks better than your taken care of stuff.

 

[Trinity Honoria]

rule of thumb is to trim azaleas after all the blooms have died... trimming in September is at least part of the problem...

 

[LightningLoader]

Don't know a technical term for this, but I know that sometimes producing too much foliage is a bad thing. Basically it focuses all of the energy of the plant into producing filiage instead of buds. Better for your plants to be a little unhealthy because the stress makes them bloom. Basicall if your plants think they might die, they try harder to reproduce and bloom extra. My recomendation would be less nitrogen in the fertilizer, since N usually makes your plants jump and sprout more foliage. I'd go for more potassium if you just have to fertilize.

 

[lawnguy26]

My recomendation would be less nitrogen in the fertilizer, since N usually makes your plants jump and sprout more foliage. I'd go for more potassium if you just have to fertilize.

Thanks, I was thinking too much N myself. I'll try a 2-10-10 this year.

To clear up the trimming thing, what I meant to say was September was the last trimming of the year. I trim every spring after the buds fall off and keep them shaped up throughout the summer, but never trim after September. I believe this is what is recommended for my area.

 

[Trinity Honoria]

according to the Clemson Extension, the flower buds are formed mid-summer...

http://cufan.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC1059.htm

 

[pmuscato]

Yeah your over pruning, but thats what happens when your growing a formal hedge. I like the natural look.I prune the spikes with hand pruners after bloom. But thats hard to do and keep a boxed hedge.

 

[lawnguy26]

I stand corrected. I just read on the IFAS/UF site that azaleas should not be pruned after June and if possible only once after budding. Thanks for the help!