The best tips for beautiful flowers

Location

The azaleas, originally from the mountain forests of Asia, prefer bright and semi-shady places in rooms that are not too warm. However, new breeds can still cope well with temperatures of up to 20 degrees.

Under no circumstances should you place the subshrubs directly on or next to a heater. Here the air is quite dry and the plant tends to shed the buds.

The ideal location is, for example, in an unheated, bright stairwell without direct sunlight. Here the distinctive flowers last up to two months.

potting and substrate

You should repot the plants every two to three years after flowering. A mixture of

• 2 parts semi-decomposed leaf or bark compost
• 1 part compost soil
• 1 part sharp sand or perlite

proven.

Alternatively, you can use pre-mixed azalea soil. However, this often contains peat, which should no longer be used for ecological reasons.

watering and fertilizing

Make sure the root ball the azalea is always well moistened. At the same time, however, the plants do not tolerate permanent waterlogging. For this reason, throw away any liquid that collects in the coaster after about ten minutes.

The attractive flowering plants are sensitive to hard water. In regions with hard tap water, you should therefore fall back on rainwater. Let the water stand for a while until it has reached room temperature.

Fertilize outside the flowering period from March to October. For optimal nutrient supply, use a special liquid fertilizer for azaleas, which you administer according to the manufacturer's instructions.

pruning

You can easily remove azaleas that have grown too big after they have bloomed cut back. The plant will then sprout vigorously and branch out more densely.

propagation

You can propagate azaleas yourself in early spring with head or shoot cuttings:

• Stick the cut shoot tips directly into azalea soil.
• Water well.
• Put a hood or clear plastic bag over the pot and secure with a rubber band.
• In a semi-shady place, the cuttings root within eight to twelve weeks.

diseases and pests

Azaleas are frequent hosts for the small thunderflies, whose larvae feed on the young shoots, leaves and buds. The damage usually only becomes apparent when the flowers open. You can get sprays on the market that work very well against these pests.

an infestation with spider mites recognizable by the yellow speckled foliage. Separate them azalea and treat them with a suitable agent from a specialist dealer.