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Help please Azalea advice

richest01.02.2001richest01.02.2001 Posts: 4
in Problem solving
Hi, I am new to gardening (well pots and hanging baskets) u bought 2 very pretty bush like plants, earlier this year. Later discovered they were Azalea, one a Japanese type. As really going into this blind I put both in a mid to large pot together. I potted  in miracle grow all purpose compost. When the flowers already in died none grew back. I later found out about them needing acidic compost. I reported in the new compost. Still no flowers. Lots of very bushy green foliage but not 1 flower. I put stones at the bottom of the pot added small pieces of  left over hanging basket liner between the stones to help drainage. No roots coming through drainage holes. Please help, absolutely no clue what's wrong, but being a newby I can imagine there's plenty lol, so fire away no offense will be taken. As I'm new I have so many questions but thought I would start with the Azalea

Posts

  • richest01.02.2001richest01.02.2001 Posts: 4
    Excuse the text and grammar my glasses are not on my face :dizzy:
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They need soil - not compost. That isn't enough to sustain shrubs long term in pots. If you go to a G.Centre, you'll find John Innes mixes, and it's just a case of picking one which suits azaleas/rhodos. You can mix a bit of acidic compost if you wish, but it isn't vital. Drainage is necessary though, so it's better to mix grit through the mix, rather than just putting a layer of gravel at the bottom of a pot. A few pieces of broken pot, or similar, which will cover the drainage holes is good - enough to prevent soil leaching out, but still allow excess water to drain  :)
    They only flower once a year - mainly spring. You won't get any flowers until next year now, but what's very important is to make sure they have plenty of water through this part of the year as it's when new flower buds are formed. A spot with some shade is best for them, especially if they're young plants.
    They also need a pot of their own - not 2 in the same pot. How big a pot depends on the size of the shrub and it's rootball. Glazed pots are best as they don't dry put so rapidly.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • richest01.02.2001richest01.02.2001 Posts: 4
    edited August 2021
    Thank you so much, is it best to repot in soil now or wait till next year
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'd get them out now and give them a chance to establish  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • richest01.02.2001richest01.02.2001 Posts: 4
    Thanks again, garden centre visit booked😃
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I should have said to you - see if you can find out what the other plants is. The Japanese azaleas are generally smaller, and evergreen, and can be well suited to growing in pots, but some aren't - especially the deciduous ones, and they wouldn't be happy in pots long term. 
    If you're unsure, you can post photos on the forum and we can hopefully guide you a bit more  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Depending which type they are,  I’ve got one that is classed as a house plant, I leave it out only through the summer months, then it’s brought into the conservatory for the winter.
    I do repot it into ericaceous compost every couple of years.
    The others live out in the garden, not in pots.
    I  haven’t got any deciduous ones, mine never drop leaves.
    As Fairygirl says,  flowers are long gone , they’ll bloom again next Spring.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I was mainly thinking of luteum @Lyn, because it's widely grown, although they're often labelled as Rhododendron luteum.
    Gorgeous scent.

    They have a good selection here - an excellent nursery
    https://www.glendoick.com/Deciduous-Azaleas

    It comes back to that whole classification about rhodos and azaleas though, which can be confusing.   ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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