Indoor azalea flower. The main diseases and pests of azalea

Caring for an azalea is quite difficult, even for a lot of people. experienced gardeners What can we say about beginners. However, the effort is worth it! A capricious plant strikes with a variety of colors, grace and originality of forms, and splendor of flowering. It's hard to take your eyes off this beauty.

In order for this luxurious flower to continue to please the eye with its flowering and not wither, it is necessary to make every effort to maintain it in proper condition. The undoubted advantage of the azalea over other indoor plants is that its activity falls on the cold season.

Shrub varieties

The birthplace of a luxurious evergreen is considered to be East Asia, the Caucasus and the mountainous regions of the Carpathians: areas with a cool climate and fertile soils. Such climatic conditions have a positive effect on the shrub, which, with all the desire, cannot be called unpretentious, and contribute to its development.

Azalea, translated from Greek, its name sounds like “dry”, is a plant that reaches a height of 40 centimeters to one and a half meters (depending on the species). At rest - a nondescript shrub with rough, small and dry foliage. But when the azalea begins to bloom, its fabulously beautiful flowers visually resemble roses.

At home, it is customary to grow two types of azaleas: Indian and Japanese. Garden azalea is also very popular among flower growers, the cultivation of which differs little from indoor varieties.

Indian is more suitable for keeping at home. Its height reaches up to 60 centimeters, the flowering time lasts two months: from December to February. Its flowers are larger than those of the Japanese, but the latter can be used after flowering as an ornamental evergreen shrub. The Japanese azalea is not distinguished by the splendor of flowers, its advantage is a rich green crown.

Maintaining the right temperature in the room

One of the important points for the successful life of the azalea is the appropriate temperature in the room.

Many flower growers regretfully complain that immediately after the first flowering, the azalea shed its leaves and withered. It is not surprising, because the shrub does not tolerate either heat or cold, these natural or artificially created phenomena are extremely dangerous for him. Therefore, when choosing a place where the plant will be located, you should consider natural environment his habitat. These should be cool places with clean air and diffused sunlight.

It is very important to maintain the required temperature in the room. The best temperature for stimulating azalea flowering is from + 10 to + 15, but not more than + 18 degrees. From heating appliances, azalea should be placed as far as possible. The room needs to be ventilated more often - drafts for the plant are not terrible. Windows should face north, east or west.

In winter, for example, an azalea can be moved to an insulated loggia, where it will be quite comfortable.

It is important to know the two most important points, this is the key to the successful development of the plant:

1. Optimum temperature in the room during the formation of the buds of the plant should not be lower than +5 degrees. When the azalea begins to bloom, the temperature will need to be gradually increased.
2. If the room is too hot, a flower pot experienced growers It is advised to dip in cool water or cover with ice cubes.

Proper watering

Azalea was brought from countries with a humid climate, therefore, the land in which it grows should not be dry, the soil must be moistened. However, the plant should not float in water, this will destroy it.

When watering, the following rules should be followed:

1. The colder the room, the less often you should water the shrub and, conversely, the hotter, the more often it is recommended to irrigate the soil with water.
2. If the earth is dry, the pot must be immersed in a basin of water for 2-3 hours. Watering azaleas is recommended to be resumed only after three days.
3. Spraying and watering is done only cold boiled water.
4. In the hot summer period, you need to water at least 2 times a day and systematically spray the leaves.

Never use regular tap water to water an azalea! Use settled thawed, rain and distilled.

When the kidneys are laid, watering should be less frequent. Lack of water can cause the azalea to lose foliage and turn yellow. Excess water is no less harmful to it, it is fraught with decay of the root system.

How to create the right lighting

Despite the fact that the azalea loves heat, it should be prudently protected from bright sunlight; a room with diffused lighting is best for it. Otherwise, the leaves of a tender plant may get burned, this manifests itself in the form of dry twisted tips. If the room is small and you can put a pot of azalea only on a windowsill with a south-facing window, then the bush should be covered from hot sunlight with a plastic sheet with a matte surface. So the twilight will be created in the room, which is so necessary for a capricious plant.

AT cold period azalea, on the contrary, lacks light. Following the example of experienced gardeners, you can install additional electric lighting near the pot.

Humidity in the room

But what Azalea loves is humid environment, which must be maintained indoors, although this is difficult. To do this, a pot with a shrub must be placed in a large basin filled with cool water. Moss or pebbles should first be poured into the pallet.

If the air in the room is too dry, then azalea leaves should be periodically sprayed with water using a spray bottle (at least twice a day). It is necessary to try to keep the drops very small, otherwise the plant will be covered with spots.

Fertilization

No uses special means and when caring for an azalea is indispensable. With the onset of summer, the shrub is treated with nitrogen fertilizers, starting from August and ending with the flowering period, using phosphorus and potash fertilizers. Top dressing should be done once every two weeks, this process cannot be neglected, as the plant may die. When choosing a product, it is recommended to consult with a specialist and strictly follow the recommendations written on the fertilizer packaging. The consequences of underdosed top dressing can be unpredictable, up to the death of the plant.

It is necessary to maintain the level of soil acidity and water the azalea with a solution citric acid(1 tsp per 2 liters of water). The water should have a slightly sour taste.

As an additional nutrition, it is desirable to use superphosphate. Fertilizers are best applied in the evening.

During this wonderful period, the azalea can be turned over and moved for convenience, but after that the pot with the plant must be returned to its original position and the buds and flowers should not be touched. Flowers that have faded must be removed immediately, otherwise the azaleas will have to spend energy on seed maturation. A faded azalea is forming a crown.

If the correct temperature is maintained, flowering will last up to 2.5 months, if the temperature is incorrect, it will last up to 2 weeks.

If the store is already purchased blooming azalea, it should have several formed flowers.

After flowering

In order for a beautiful plant to continue to please with beautiful lush flowers, it is necessary to carry out proper care for it even at the end of the flowering period. An important point is a timely transplant of a shrub into a new pot, you first need to remove faded flowers, young shoots, dry leaves and branches. Only soil intended for rhododendrons is used.

The reason for the transplant is the overgrown root system or decay of the substrate.

Transplant procedure to be done young plant 1 time per year, for an adult - 3 times. The pot should be free, but shallow, as the azalea is a surface plant. Loosening the soil is not recommended, so as not to damage the roots.

Reproduction occurs by cuttings. Cuttings are harvested either in spring (March-April) or in summer (July-August). In both cases, the plant must have been pinched out in the past year.

Cuttings are harvested only from healthy plants and not more than 1 time per year. To do this, an undercut is made under the lower bud of a semi-lignified shoot 7-10 cm long. The lower leaves are cut off completely, the upper ones - in half. Tie the cut cuttings into a bundle and place them in a solution of heteroauxin or root with the lower cut. Plant out after 6 hours in a container with pre-prepared soil.

At room temperature, after 2 months, the cuttings will give roots. When using special heating, this will happen in 20-25 days.

As soon as the cuttings take root, they should be transplanted into larger pots with coniferous soil and pinched after 2 months. This procedure is necessary for the formation of a bush. It is better to remove the first buds, they prevent the young azalea from developing. Pinching and pruning should be done in a timely manner. Pruning is done immediately after flowering, when you need to cut off the wildly overgrown shoots and form a crown so that it does not become too sprawling. Pinching helps stimulate flowering.

Not enough good care can provoke bush diseases. Violation of the temperature regime, untimely or excessive moisture, illiterately selected fertilizers and non-compliance with the dosage when feeding are direct sources of threat to the health of a delightful azalea.

Azalea ailments are determined by the following symptoms. Timely intervention will help correct the situation:

1. The foliage withered and fell off - lack of watering or direct sunlight on the plant.
2. The flowers turned yellow and fell off - the use of bad water.
3. The appearance of cobwebs, yellowness and falling of buds - the pest appears with insufficient air humidification and watering. The shrub should be washed first with soap and water, then rinsed thoroughly with warm water.
4. Young leaves take the form of a tube, many small buds are formed instead of 2-3 large ones, flowers do not open, the plant either does not grow at all or grows very slowly - the plant is attacked by a strawberry mite. It is very difficult to deal with it and is possible only with the help of special pest control products.

The beautiful azalea is a very capricious plant, however, when experienced care she will thank her master with a beautiful flowering.

Video: how to properly care for azalea

Azalea - evergreen, which can rightly be called the most bright decoration home flower garden. This plant was brought to the continent from England in the 19th century, but it was far from immediately possible to take root in the new conditions. Only thanks to many years painstaking work breeders, we got the opportunity to grow this whimsical, but very beautiful flower in their homes. Winter azalea care is quite difficult, but the result will be magnificent flowering at a time when other houseplants require complete dormancy.

Azalea is a plant included in the genus Rhododendron (Rhododendron), it is a direct relative of the heather shrub. Outwardly, it is?

• small bush with large quantity side branches and small leaves, flowers can be simple and double.
• The color of the buds can be very diverse: these are all shades of pink, the azalea can also bloom in white, purple or red buds, and there are both early and late flowering varieties.

Azalea remains a favorite plant in many countries. In the east, bonsai is often formed from such a shrub, which becomes a symbol of prosperity, covered with bright and very beautiful petals.

Often, azalea is presented as a gift to indoor flower lovers during flowering, and after a few days it completely dries up and dies. This is due to the fact that the conditions of an ordinary city apartment are completely unsuitable for such a flower, and the azalea quickly dies on the windowsill.

In order for this beautiful flower to decorate your home, it will have to create special conditions.

Azalea needs constant care, so the flower will have to devote enough time. If you do not have the opportunity to seriously engage in floriculture, it is better to choose less whimsical plants for decorating your home.

Optimal conditions for keeping azaleas in winter

Gorgeous tender azalea requires a special temperature regime. In our apartments, it is usually too hot for her, the optimum temperature is + 10-15 degrees. Maximum temperature- +18, if it is warmer, the plant will quickly begin to dry out.

To make the azalea feel comfortable in the room, you can use a few simple tricks:

1. A pot standing in a room can be overlaid with ice cubes. This is the easiest way to lower the temperature for the plant and it will feel much better. It is important not to overdo it so as not to damage the roots with cold.
2. The plant needs to be watered frequently and sprayed regularly with cool water. She might just be room temperature preferably use distilled water. Maintaining the right humidity regime will prevent the leaves from drying out.
3. Azalea will feel good on the loggia and even on the open balcony, if the temperature does not drop below +5 degrees. Flowers will form from October to the very beginning of winter, and this is the time when the plant needs cool weather and moist air. The optimum temperature during this period is + 16-17 degrees.
4. It is best to place the plant on the north or east side of the house. It does not tolerate direct sunlight, so the best option placement will become a penumbra and a shaded area.
5. It is important to maintain constant mode watering: the soil at all times should be moist, but not too wet. If for some reason the earthen lump is completely dry, the pot must be placed in a container of water for several hours, and after three days it will be possible to return to normal mode glaze.

The plant is watered at least 2 times a day, and the higher the temperature in the room, the more abundant the watering should be. In addition, you will have to regularly spray the azalea with water at room temperature. It is undesirable to use tap water: at least you need to let it settle, which will take at least a day.

One of mandatory conditions beautiful long flowering - proper feeding in accordance with the regime:

• Once every two weeks, you can use the Superphosphate mineral fertilizer: the dosage is about 15 grams per 15 liters of liquid.
• AT flower shop can buy complex fertilizer"Azalea": this is a ready-made set containing full set nutrients and special trace elements.
• When the buds begin to form, you can speed up the flowering process and make it more magnificent: for this you need to purchase the Uniflor-bud complex fertilizer. It contains potassium and phosphorus, which azaleas need during the flowering period.
• When the azalea blooms and the growing season begins, the azalea will need a large amount of nitrogen to build up green mass. During this period, you can use a special fertilizer "Uniflor-micro". It is necessary to read the instructions and strictly dose the drug: an overdose will not only not give a positive result, but can also cause serious harm to the root system.
• There is another important top dressing - "Iron Chelate" (another name is "ferovit"). It allows you to provide the leaves with a sufficient amount of iron if the plant begins to turn yellow. It is also important to strictly follow the instructions to prevent excess trace elements from entering the soil.

When purchasing an azalea, you should opt for a plant with a large number of buds, which will have only a few blooming flowers. It is such a shrub that will delight you with flowering for a long time, and the petals, when the right conditions are created, will not begin to crumble.

An important rule: the warmer the room, the shorter the flowering period will be.

So if there are only 12 degrees in the greenhouse, each azalea bush will be able to delight you with flowers for several months, and if the temperature is higher, then this period will be reduced to two to three weeks.

There are several secrets of flower growers that allow you to get abundant and long flowering:

• Correctly selected composition of the soil. This is peat, heather and coniferous land, the substrate should be as light and permeable as possible. Such a soil mixture dries out very quickly, so it will need to be constantly monitored.
• Azalea prefers slightly acidic soils. To have a lot of flowers, it is enough to add just a drop of citric acid to the water for irrigation once a month. This will help maintain optimal balance in the ground.
• It is desirable to transplant a flower as little as possible. Each transplant is a very serious stress for the plant, so young azaleas (up to 3 years old) are transplanted no more than once a year, and older ones only once every two years. Indications for transplantation may be an overgrown root system or rotting roots. Even after the purchase, you need to keep the plant in the same soil as long as possible, and for transplanting, you need to pick up a special soil designed specifically for rhododendrons.
• You can not loosen the soil. Azalea has very thin delicate roots, which are quickly damaged when the soil is mixed. Specially selected light soils provide sufficient oxygen to the roots, so additional loosening can be omitted.

In order for the bush to bloom longer, faded buds must be removed immediately, in addition, seed pods must be removed. This will allow the plant to conserve strength for new flowers.

The flowering period will also help to prolong timely pruning plants and pinching shoots. How more luxuriant bush, the worse it will bloom, so it is important to pay attention proper formation crowns. Pruning of shoots is carried out starting in May. Buds are formed at the tops of the shoots, so care must be taken to get as many of these tops as possible.

Azalea can be turned into a small beautiful tree, like a Japanese bonsai, or into a small shrub with lots of side shoots.

To form a crown-tree, the largest branch is selected, other shoots are removed. When the branch reaches right size, the top is pinched, and the lateral processes will begin to grow. at the same time, the plant must be rotated so that the crown is formed evenly, and pinch the tops of the regrown branches. To form a crown-bush, you need to pinch the branches at a distance of 12 cm from the root, and when lateral processes appear, regularly turn the plant. Then the shoots will stretch evenly, and the bush will look beautiful. With each pruning, all diseased and damaged shoots are removed.

Azalea will appreciate your care: if you control the growth and formation of new shoots, as well as ensure compliance with the temperature regime, the plant will become a real decoration of the flower garden. From the side, the flowering bush is completely covered with buds, and leaves are not even visible on it, which looks just wonderful.

Although the azalea is a capricious flower, it is quite possible to create acceptable conditions for it that will ensure constant magnificent flowering. It can be made a real decoration of a balcony or a greenhouse, it looks great in a home summer garden.

Azalea calmly tolerates the coolness of the street, so the pots can be placed on open terraces in late summer and early autumn.

Main condition rapid growth and excellent flowering - the attention and care of the owner. This plant is sensitive to the attitude of the owner, and with proper care, it will constantly delight you with bright buds. The fragile northern beauty can become a permanent fixture in your garden, and you can experiment by growing plants with different color petals.

For more information on caring for azalea, see the video.

If the morning started with positive feelings, then the whole working day feels better and more positive. Keeping flowers is quite a favorite hobby that will give positive emotions not only to family members but also to many neighbors. Passing by a well-groomed corner, it is impossible not to catch a glance at some bright fruit. And immediately the thought comes, or maybe think and grow a garden? Plants are a worthy improvement for any design.

How should you care for an azalea?

Azalea may require more careful care and strict adherence to all rules of keeping at home.

This indoor flower is a highly branched shrub growing in height from 30 cm to 1.5 m. The leaves are lanceolate, ovate, pubescent on both sides. It blooms with beautiful bright double and simple flowers, red, pink, orange, yellow color with a pleasant aroma.

With the appropriate selection of varieties (early, medium, late), as well as observing the care of the azalea, you can achieve continuous flowering from November to May. Flowering time up to 3 months. In addition, indoor azalea may bloom at other times, it all depends on the conditions of home maintenance and care.

The plant is often grown as a horticultural crop in regions with a mild and humid climate. It blooms profusely with small (up to 3 cm in diameter) flowers of various colors.

Azalea home: care before and after flowering

How to get Azaleas to bloom? It is known that the azalea, outwardly a very beautiful plant, is as fastidious in care as it is beautiful. Good conditions it is not always easy to create for her, but if you follow all the recommendations for care, then the home azalea flower will not disappoint you.

Secret long flowering and the preservation of azalea until next year lies in abundant watering, low temperature and bright diffused lighting. In a room that is too warm and dry, the flowering time of the azalea is reduced, and in some cases the buds can completely fall off.

For laying flower buds in the autumn-winter period, a cool light content at a temperature of 6-8 degrees and limited watering may be required. When flower buds appear and buds swell, the temperature is raised to 16-18 degrees. The ideal temperature is 12-16. This temperature can be created in autumn or spring on a glazed balcony.

Many flower growers to achieve necessary conditions resort to various tricks. For example, spread on the edge flower pot ice or water the plant with cold melt water. At a temperature of 12 degrees, the flowering of a room azalea can last two months, at a temperature of 20 degrees - only two weeks. It is necessary to ensure that in winter the temperature does not fall below "plus five".

There are sometimes so many flowers that the leaves are not visible. Unlike many other plants, an azalea can be rotated and moved during flowering, but after the plant stops blooming, it must be returned to its original place in the position in which it was at the time of budding.

Azalea fertilizers and growth stimulants

Feed the plant every two weeks mineral fertilizers, not containing chlorine, superphosphate is recommended during the budding period (15 grams per 10 liters of water). It is best to use the special Azalea fertilizer for care and dressing. To accelerate flowering or during the budding period, fertilizers containing more phosphorus and potassium are used - "Uniflor-bud" and "Kemira-lux". After flowering and during the growing season, when new shoots grow, more nitrogen is used: "Uniflor-micro".

A good tool for adaptation, growing roots, stimulating flowering is zircon. It is sold in flower shops in plastic ampoules. You can pour into a syringe and add 2-3 drops when watering in a watering can or spray a flower. But it is important not to overdo it - he will not allow an overdose.

Antistress - epin, unlike zircon, can only be sprayed no more than once every 14 days. It is less effective, besides, it cannot be used when the azalea is in bloom, in any case, it is impossible to spray a flowering plant.

Another great stress reliever for watering and spraying at any difficult time in their lives is HB-101. Economical (1-2 drops per watering can or spray bottle). Another anti-stress drug in bottles is Ecogel-antistress. They can also be both sprayed and watered.

Iron chelate (ferovit) is a very important top dressing, used for chlorosis - when the leaves of the azalea turn yellow due to a lack of iron. Ferovit contributes well to the growth of greenery and generally improves the appearance of azalea.

Azalea care at home

You have an azalea. The question immediately arises: how to care for azalea?

To make the azalea at home feel good and bloom long time, she needs to create conditions close to natural for her.

For example, the natural species of Indian rhododendron, or indica, grows in humid mountain forests. It is quite cool there, damp, because what often it's raining. Therefore, azalea indica care involves keeping this plant in a humid and cool room.

Azalea care at home includes, first of all, choosing a place where your plant will grow, bloom and delight others.

Indoor azalea flowers love coolness and fresh air and are very warm rooms wither quickly. Therefore, you need to choose a place with not high temperature and good lighting. Azalea home care has some differences in the winter and summer seasons.

Therefore, azalea care at home requires great attention to this issue. Very well. if you add a drop of vinegar or citric acid to the water for watering the plant once a month.

It must be remembered that azalea flower care necessarily requires air humidity up to 60-80%. In the conditions of our apartments, such conditions can be created with the help of a “foot bath”. To do this, gravel is poured into a pallet or planter, a little water is poured and a potted plant is placed on top. This procedure is contraindicated for other plants, but it not only does not harm the indoor azalea flower, but, on the contrary, provides a favorable, easily regulated water regime.

Azalea care at home from March to September also includes spraying settled or boiled one or two times a day, depending on the weather.

Azalea how to care during flowering? Yes, there is one interesting feature of caring for an azalea flower at home during flowering. It consists in the fact that the azalea is covered with snow or ice. This is done so that the flowers do not wilt and fall off, remaining on the plant longer. Also, during flowering, it is necessary to promptly remove fading and already withered flowers.

Azalea care after flowering also has its own rules. Flowering depletes the plant, so it is necessary to carry out constant feeding. The azalea flower is especially actively fed with mineral fertilizers during the period of budding, during the flowering of the azalea, as well as for three months after flowering. Fertilizers for fertilizing azalea at home should not contain calcium and magnesium salts, so it is best to use a complete mineral fertilizer intended for hydroponic culture.

Good results are obtained by the azalea mix flower care, in which the plant is transplanted after it has faded. At the same time, we take a pot that is slightly wider than the previous one, because our flower is constantly growing. We make drainage in the prepared pot. The substrate for the azalea should consist of peat, leaf ground and river sand in equal proportions. We pour a little prepared substrate and transfer the plant from one pot to another. It is we who transship, this is very important, because the azalea has a very delicate root system and if the roots are damaged, the plant may die.

How to take care of a beauty?

top dressing

Azalea care, as with any plant, also includes specialized flower nutrition. It is better not to experiment with fertilizers, but to use special dressings for azaleas, which are sold in stores.

For all azaleas general rule- at the beginning of summer they are fed with fertilizers containing more nitrogen, and from August until the end of flowering - with phosphorus and potassium. Since the azalea loves acidic soil, then once every 10 days add a couple of drops of citric acid to the water for irrigation, it should practically not be felt to taste.

During the flowering period

Very useful information

Well, one last tip: when you choose a room Azalea in a store, take one that has a lot of buds, not blooming flowers. Such a plant is easier to adapt to new conditions and will bloom longer.

Azalea is a decorative indoor flower, which is distinguished by charming, very delicate flowers. It attracts the attention of many flower growers not only because of its beauty. The time of flowering falls on the winter season, when most indoor plants do not bloom. Its homeland is the territories of India and China. In its natural environment, it grows in the mountain forests of the northern hemisphere. In Japan, the flower is popular in bonsai culture. Keeping it in the apartment is a real joy. But, he definitely needs care and proper care. Only in this case it is possible to achieve abundant, long flowering.

Azalea flower types at home

Conventionally, scientists subdivide these beautiful plants into several main types. The most popular and frequently encountered of them are:

• Japanese azalea - grown as a garden plant;
• Indian - used for indoor breeding;
• North American is a deciduous shrub grown in open field, in mild climatic conditions.

Indian azalea flower - small evergreen shrub reaching 50 cm in height. Dark green leaves are small, up to 3.5 cm long, usually covered with reddish hairs. Flowers reach 5 cm in diameter. They gather in inflorescences, can be both double and non-double, have a variety of colors - from white to rich orange, lilac and dark purple. Often the petals are two-tone - white with a pink or red border. The budding of a room azalea is more often winter period.

Azalea lighting at home

Lighting. Azaleas - light-loving plants, but they are contraindicated in direct sunlight. It is better to grow a flower on windows facing east. The azalea feels good on the west side, in extreme cases, it is placed on a window facing north. If the flower is located on the southern windows, then you need to cover it from direct sunlight.

Azalea flower buds and buds are formed in autumn, so in this phase they need additional lighting. Illumination is arranged with the help of lamps daylight. They are placed at a safe distance from the plant.

Watering azaleas at home

After you have purchased an azalea and it is in a pot, it is recommended that you immediately inspect it for a bay. To do this, pull the plant out of the transport tank and inspect the earthen clod. The ground should be slightly damp. See that water does not ooze from the soil, and there is no unpleasant specific smell. However, if this is observed, then this indicates the bay of the plant.

If the lump is too dry, in this case it is necessary to install it in a container and put it in a container with boiled water. The pot with the plant should stand in the water for about 30 minutes, until the earth ball is completely saturated with moisture. After the tank is taken out and placed on a pallet.

The last watering method is performed periodically. After that, watering the azalea should not be frequent, once a week will be enough. This can be explained by the fact that the earthen ball of the purchased azalea dries out extremely quickly, its soil is very moisture-intensive.

There is a proven way to determine the next watering for an azalea. To do this, you need to take the pot in your hands, and navigate, if the tank is light, then the plant must be watered, if it is heavy, you do not need to moisten the soil.

The optimal temperature for azalea at home

Azalea, in view of its northern origin, is a very capricious plant. It is not surprising that after buying an azalea from a flower shop, you will bring it home, and after a few weeks of flowering, the shrub will shed its leaves and begin to dry. Therefore, it is important to immediately create for azalea favorable conditions growth, and temperature plays an important role in this. Azalea care will not take you much time if you know some of its features. Azalea prefers to grow in cool rooms with an air temperature of +10 to +15 degrees. Maximum allowable temperature+18 degrees is considered.

Air humidity for azalea at home

Home azalea needs high humidity. Heating appliances - main enemy for azalea, since they not only increase the temperature of the air, but also dry it out, while the azalea flowers quickly fade after opening, the leaves curl and dry. To increase the humidity in the room, hang a wet cloth on hot radiators. Next to the flower, you can put a tray with wet moss or a bowl of snow, it will not only humidify the air, but also lower the temperature next to the flower.

Long-term flowering of azalea depends largely on maintaining high humidity and soil. Watering and spraying the flower should be done regularly. Spray only azalea leaves, water droplets can ruin beautiful flowers.

Azalea soil at home

Azaleas require acidic soil to grow. It grows best in heather soil - it is very light, loose and quite nutritious. Harvest it in dense thickets of heather. But you can replace it with a mixture of peat and coniferous land (2: 1). Coniferous land is humus from fallen needles of pine, spruce, larch, fir. It is light and acidic, but contains few nutrients.

If you decide to buy ready mix in the store, pay attention to the composition and date of packaging. This is an important factor for the further growth of your flower. The soil must be fresh good supplements, and not expired and lost all its properties, which will harm the plant, not benefit. However, be careful, even the necessary soil is varied, there is one that is intended for transplanting, and one that is best used for propagating or sowing seeds. Can be used as a feed pine bark, which will oxidize the earth, and moss-sphagnum or charcoal for soil disinfection. Do not forget about drainage (about 3 cm of expanded clay), excess moisture will be removed from the ground through it.

Fertilizing azalea at home

Azaleas are fed in spring and summer, once a week. Use superphosphate, ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfite, ammonium nitrate. During the budding period of the plant, it is recommended to add superphosphate at the rate of 15 g per 10 liters of water.

Trimming indoor azalea at home

Why do pruning you will understand immediately after flowering. Overgrown and stretched young shoots make the crown sloppy. Moreover, if you leave everything unchanged, there will be less and less buds with each flowering, because the flower will give all its strength to the green mass.

Usually flowering with good home care the azalea lasts two to two and a half months, then we arm ourselves with a pruner and carefully cut out all the broken or too long shoots, remove the weak ones or those that interfere with everyone else. Cut off those shoots that appear near the kidneys.

Azalea transplant at home

Blooming azalea categorically cannot be transplanted, but there are exceptions here. If the purchased flower is literally flooded with water or is in a cramped pot, it will have to be transplanted. It is undesirable to transplant or transfer the plant in winter - it is better to postpone the process for the period of growth of new shoots.

Transplantation is performed in extreme cases and no more than 1 time per year if the azalea is under 3 years old. If the flower is older, transplantation is allowed twice a year. weighty reason for transplantation is an enlarged root system, which does not have enough space in the pot and not enough substrate. You should also move the azalea to a new place of residence when the substrate rots and new formations on the soil surface. Only specialized soil for rhododendrons is used.

Reproduction of room azalea at home

Most often, reproduction is carried out using cuttings. The process is painstaking and time-consuming, but the most common among all methods. Harvest cuttings only from healthy, adult plants. This can be done no more than once a year and only in the spring. Remember that young cuttings wither quickly, and old ones take too long to take root.

Sometimes propagated by grafting. This method is more often used in greenhouses where indoor flowers are bred. You need to have professional skills and abilities in order to properly vaccinate.

It is extremely rare to resort to growing azaleas from seeds. The process is too laborious and heavy. It is chosen by professionals in order to develop new varieties.

Diseases and pests of indoor azalea

A home azalea flower, like many other indoor plants, can get sick or pests appear on them.

By the symptoms, you can find out the type of disease and solve this problem as soon as possible:

• fall off the flower yellow leaves. This indicates insufficient moisture or excessive lighting. In this case, it is enough to create a small shadow (if the lighting is excessive) and water it if necessary;
• during the flowering period, the azalea abruptly begins to drop flowers - it is necessary to improve the quality of the water, as well as use mineral supplements;
• buds begin to fall, and cobwebs also appear. The culprit is the tick. It can appear in rooms where the climate is dry and warm. It is enough to moisten the crown using the “spraying” method, and then rinse the plant under a thin stream of water;
• young leaves begin to curl up into a tube, blooming flowers are slightly deformed or fall off immediately, the plant stops growing. In this case, the most dangerous pest "strawberry mite" attacked the azalea. It is in his power to damage shoots, leaves, and even buds. To eradicate it, you must urgently contact a specialized flower shop and purchase a special solution. Otherwise, the plant will not live long.

Azalea (lat. Azalea). This is the name of a whole group of flowering plant species from the genus Rhododendron (Rhododendron) of the Heather family (Ericaceae). Previously, these species were separated into an independent genus - Azalea.

Azalea or rhododendron (translated from Greek - "rose tree") is considered one of the most beautiful indoor plants. It is especially appreciated for the fact that with its lush flowering it brings the breath of spring in the midst of winter cold.

A small, highly branched bush with small leaves in the winter months pleases the eye with a whole hat of amazing flowers. Azalea flowers are terry and simple, corrugated and fringed, of various shades. color pink, as well as white, red, purple and variegated. There are early and late flowering varieties.

Azaleas are native to China, Japan, Southeast Asia, they grow in vivo in southern Europe and North America.

AT Eastern countries a flowering azalea bush is a symbol of joy and peace. They are often used to form bonsai.

The name "azalea" is used by botanists only to refer to one subgenus in big way Rhododendron. But in horticulture since the time of K. Linnaeus, both names have been preserved: deciduous species are usually called azaleas, and evergreens are called rhododendrons. In the trading network you can find the same species under different names, this is due to the popularity of one or another name in a given region or country.

Most often, an azalea is received as a gift in the midst of flowering. Having pleased the happy owner of the plant for a short time with its elegant flowers, the azalea bush crumbles and, alas, is thrown into the trash.

The climate of our apartments is not at all suitable for these plants. The ideal temperature for azaleas from late November to late January is a foggy warm autumn. The temperature is +10...+12 degrees, or even +6...+8 degrees at night, with fairly high humidity. In greenhouses for azaleas, they maintain the desired temperature and humidity, but in the dry air of city apartments on the windowsill above hot battery this beautiful flower is dying fast.

But, despite the fact that the azalea is a rather capricious plant, it enjoys great love from fans. indoor floriculture. Azaleas can be successfully grown and propagated at home, admire beautiful flowers in winter. To do this, you need to study the natural habitat of this ornamental plant and, imitating nature, provide the azalea with the growing conditions that it needs.

Azalea species

As flowering houseplants, many different varieties are grown, descended from two main species:

• Indian azalea or Sims' rhododendron (Rhododendron simsii), Sims's azalea;
• japanese azalea or blunt rhododendron (Rhododedron obtusum).

Azalea Sims

japanese azalea

Both species are dwarf shrubs 30-50 cm high. Based on natural species A lot of varieties of indoor and garden azaleas have been bred. They differ in size and shape of the bush, but most of all in flowers. This is clearly seen in the photo of flowering indoor azaleas:

Azalea Advents-glocken

Azalea Coelestina

Azalea Concinna

Azalea Euroup

Azalea Max_Schame

Azalea Zolushka

Azalea Apollo

Azalea Doberlug

Azalea Podolianka

Azalea Kiyewsky_vals

Azalea Schneegold

Azalea Schnee

Azalea Care

Azalea is a rather capricious houseplant. But with the right content, it will delight you more than once with the abundance of its amazing colors. You need to know the features of the maintenance of azaleas in room conditions and some rules for taking care of it flowering plant based on understanding the characteristics of his life in natural conditions. We must imitate nature and provide plants with the ingredients they need.

Lighting

Azalea does not tolerate direct sunlight, it needs diffused light or partial shade. In summer, it is recommended to take it out into the open air, avoiding scorching sun. It is best to dig with a pot in the garden in a sparse shade. Good summer rain azaleas are very useful.

If the climate in your area is mild, then some varieties of azaleas can be grown outdoors, protecting them from frost in winter and enjoying an abundance of flowers in summer.

Air humidity

Azalea needs high humidity air. If the azalea is in the apartment, then with the beginning heating season the rooms become very dry and it is necessary to maintain high humidity air: regularly spray the plant.

Watering.

For Azalea proper watering has a very great importance. The soil must not dry out. Neither waterlogging nor stagnation of water in the pan should be allowed. Ideal for irrigation - rain, melt or clean river water. As a last resort, settled tap water.

It is recommended to acidify water for watering azalea (a few crystals of citric acid per 1 liter of water) so as not to lower the acidity of the soil. Azaleas should be watered with water at room temperature (in no case ice cold). In autumn, watering is slightly reduced.

Since peat soil is well suited for azalea, which, when dried, turns into a hard lump and does not absorb water, it is useful to periodically immerse the pot with the plant in a large vessel of water for several hours. If the plant is large, then just use a deep pan.

In no case should you loosen the soil - the azalea has thin, delicate roots that are easily damaged.

In cool greenhouses in winter, they practice placing ice or snow on the surface of the soil under the plant. The snow slowly melts and gradually soaks the ground with melt water. But in warm apartments a large temperature difference between the roots and the crown of the plant can adversely affect flowering.

Temperature

Azalea is very demanding on temperature. In winter, she needs a cool air temperature (12-14 ° C), but when proper care they can also grow at 20-22 °C. If the azaleas rested in the garden in the summer, it is very important to move them into the apartment before the start of the heating season.

The soil

Azalea is one of the few indoor plants that require acidic soil (pH 4-4.5). Heather soil is best for her, but you can replace it with a mixture of coniferous and peat soil (2: 1) with the addition of a small amount river sand. Azalea grows well in hydroponics. You can buy in a flower shop specially prepared soil mixture for acidophilic ("acid-loving") plants, which include azaleas.

Transfer

Young plants are transplanted annually, old ones - once every 2-3 years. When transplanting azaleas, it is undesirable to disturb the root ball; instead of transplanting, transshipment with the addition of a fresh substrate is recommended.

Since the root system of the azalea is superficial, only low pots are used as dishes.

Fertilizer

It is necessary to feed the plant in spring and summer once a week with fertilizers for azaleas (ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, superphosphate, potassium sulfite), winter-autumn - superphosphate is recommended during budding (15 g per 10 l of water).

Bloom

To achieve abundant flowering you need to cut and pinch the stems in a timely manner. Trimming starts in May. Young shoots are pinched, leaving 4-5 leaves on them. When small young shoots appear near the flower buds, they must be plucked out. Remember: the more magnificent the bush, the weaker the flowering.

For longer flowering, you also need to keep the azalea cool. Flower buds in the process of development and swelling release buds - 2-4 buds from each bud. During flowering, all faded must be removed immediately, then the azalea will bloom longer. As the flowers fade, remove the seed pods so as not to weaken the plant.

Unlike many other plants, azalea can be rotated and carried during flowering, the buds will not fall off from this. At caring care Azalea blooms more and more every year.

Azalea crown formation

Flower buds of indoor azaleas form at the tops of the shoots in late summer. In order for the plant to bloom beautifully, it is important to cut it in time so that as many tops as possible form on it. And do not be late with this pruning, otherwise the flower buds will not have time to form on them, and the flowering will be weak.

The purpose of this formation is to get a plant with a beautiful voluminous crown and evenly laid buds. There are two main types of crown in azaleas: - in the form small tree or bush.

To form a tree, you need to choose the most even and strong branch from little bush azaleas and grow a trunk from it, cut off all other shoots. To keep the trunk as straight as possible, tie it to a support and constantly rotate it around the axis. As soon as the trunk reaches the size you need, pin the top. Then the tree will begin to branch. Then you need to periodically turn the plant, pinch the side branches in time and you will get a crown formed in the form of a ball.

Pruning is necessary for early varieties not later than March - April, in the later ones - in May - June. In general, annual pruning comes down to the fact that all shoots of the previous year are shortened and excess, weak or very closely spaced branches are completely removed.

To form a bush, the stalk is pinched at a distance of 10-12 cm from the ground, the tops of the side branches are also pinched and the bush is turned so that the branches grow evenly.

crown tree

crown bush

Azalea breeding

Azalea is propagated by seeds, cuttings, dividing the bush and grafting. Propagation by seeds is laborious and difficult process, which are most often used by professional flower growers for the cultivation of new varieties.

Propagation by cuttings. At home, the azalea is propagated by semi-woody stem cuttings.

Cutting cuttings

Azalea rooting is difficult. The stalk is taken 5-8 cm long, semi-woody. Green cutting quickly wither, and becoming stiff takes a very long time to take root. You can cut cuttings from the middle of winter, but top scores gives spring-summer cuttings (from March to June). Propagate from May to August. Rooting occurs faster and better in an acidic substrate, such as coniferous soil or sphagnum peat. Fresh cuts of cuttings are treated with root formation stimulants, pollinated with growth substances, planted vertically to a depth of 1-2.5 cm. glass jar or polyethylene film, regularly watered and sprayed. The optimum temperature for rooting is 25C. Cuttings take root in 3-5 weeks.

rooted cuttings

Division of the bush. You can also divide an azalea bush that is already 3-4 years old into several parts. The roots of the plant are thin, superficial, so you need to share with all caution.

Diseases and pests. Azaleas are susceptible to damage by the aealium moth, greenhouse whitefly, mealybug, as well as some other types of insects, mites and mollusks.

Aealia moth (Caloptilia azaleella) is a specific pest of azalea. Damaged leaves dry up, crumble and fall off. Adult caterpillars crawl onto neighboring healthy leaves, fold them into tubes and continue their growth there.

The greenhouse whitefly damages the leaves of azaleas. A sooty fungus settles on the sugary secretions of the whitefly. In addition, the whitefly can be a carrier of some viral diseases of flower crops.