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How to rejuvenate a struggling azalea/rhododendron?
Mother Hen2
Posts: 41
I rescued a very sorry looking azalea/rhododendron (I'm afraid I have no idea which it is) from my garden, which is alkaline, and put it in a pot with ericaceous compost and feed to see what it would do. It has looked dead for most of last year but this spring has produced a few leaves on the end of the branches and several stunning flowers. Given how beautiful the flowers are I would like to keep it but not sure how I should go about rejuvenating it.
Ideas please 
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Posts
I would feed it with a feed especially for rhododendron/Azalea. you can get granular feeds that need watering in after applying. this also feeds the plant over a few weeks by slow release of its nutrients. However if you use a solution based product the results are that the plant will take up the nutrients quicker.Most of the flowers you get on Rhododendrons will typically be produced on the growth that was achieved in the last growing session. Usually the plants although evergreen will have a dormant time during the winter months.
rhododendron/Azalea usually thrive in a sunny well drained soil.This is true as I had two rhododendron plants I planted at the same time one was on the shadier side of the garden and one on the sunnier side.The shadier side had more water retention than the other side and there was a difference in how they grew
I have a south facing garden and a clay soil.The shadier side of the garden has a 6 ft fence which stops the sunlight in the morning to that side of the garden
Hope this helps
Yesterday I noticed one of our azaleas leaves had dropped and the remaining leaves were very pale, it had a wonderful display of flowers in spring. I've wondered what could have happened to it like Mother Hen2. Up to now all I've done is water with the appropriate feed.
How big a pot is it in ? I look under the pot and check the roots and see if it needs potting on into fresh eric' compost.
My azalea is in a bed with skimmers,pieris and another azalea, watering with ericaceous plant food, thinking it might perk it up.
I was advised by Rhodi/Azelea experts that you can cut back a third of the stems on a plant each year over a 3 yr period to help rejuvenate plants - this worked for me on some plants in my garden that had been neglected by previous owner.
Encouraged the plant to put on new grow and it's now starting to flower again.
Here is a picture of my poorly plant. I've given it a sprinkling of slow release feed and will keep it watered (something I neglected to do last summer).