Features of rhododendron care and plant nutrition at home: fertilizers for azaleas

An integral part of azalea care is top dressing. This is a mandatory part of care. Fertilizing is necessary for the normal growth, development and flowering of a plant, for its health and longevity.

And taking into account the peculiarities of azalea, feeding should be approached especially carefully. Thus, you can find out how azaleas are fertilized, what are the suitable chemical and organic fertilizers. Also, read the rules for azalea care a little.

How to take care of a plant?

What is top dressing?

Fertilizing a plant is an event, which consists in the fact that the grower introduces substances into the soil that ensure the growth, development and flowering of the plant. These substances contain all the necessary micro and macro elements that contribute to the best development of the plant. There are two types of fertilizers: mineral and organic.

The importance of the procedure

As for any other plant, top dressing is very important for azaleas.. Since the soil tends to be depleted because plants take all the nutrients from it. They need to be replenished.

It is very important to pay attention to the season and the period of the life cycle (vegetation, flowering, peace). In each of these periods, the feeding schedule will be different, and the composition of fertilizers will also be different. How to feed the azalea so that it blooms?

What else do you need to do?

In addition to feeding for azalea, a number of other conditions are still required.

This also applies to home care and maintenance.:

1. Temperature mode. The temperature in the room where the azalea is located should be within 10-18 degrees of heat.
2. Lighting. Azalea plant photophilous. But at the same time, she suffers from direct sunlight, the best option is the east side (window sill, terrace, loggia, etc.). Since the flower blooms in winter, it requires additional illumination with a special lamp.
3. Watering. The natural living conditions of azaleas are humid. So she needs to create conditions as close to natural as possible. Soil should be wet almost always. But at the same time, it should not be wet. Watering the azalea should be distilled, rain or sludge water, she also loves spraying. A few crystals of citric acid should be added to the water to maintain the acidity of the soil (for more details on how to properly water azalea at home, see this material).
4. Transfer. Azaleas are required every 3-4 years. The young plant should be replanted once a year. But in no case should you transplant the plant during flowering.
5. Pruning and pinching. Necessary for the formation of a lush crown and lush flowering. After the azalea has faded, it is necessary to prune the weak shoots, branched branches, dried flower stalk. You can find out more about when and how to prune azaleas correctly here.

We offer you to watch a video on how to care for azalea:

Read more about the care of azalea at home after purchase can be found here, as well as about the optimal conditions of home maintenance for azaleas can be found in this material.

How to nourish a flower?

Azalea can be fed with both mineral and organic fertilizers. These fertilizers differ among themselves not only in composition, but also in principle of action.

Organic matter

Organic matter is an ecological balanced nutrition for plantspreferring acidic soils. Like any fertilizer, they provide good flowering, a healthy crown and roots.

Organic fertilizers improve:

• Soil structure.
• Water and air balance.
• Contribute to the development of symbiotic mushrooms necessary for plant life.

A huge plus of organic fertilizers is overdose safety. They act gently and have a beneficial effect on the flower. As a rule, organic fertilizers contain products of both plant and animal origin.

In the composition may have:

1. manure;
2. bird droppings;
3. peat;
4. compost, etc.

The components, decomposing in the soil, form the mineral substances necessary for a prosperous life and development of the plant. Organic fertilizers are significantly superior in effectiveness to mineral fertilizers, they have a longer, but softer effect, they tend to accumulate in the soil.

Mineral elements

They also need azaleas at various stages of the life cycle. First of all, they are convenient and economical.

At the same time, mineral fertilizers provide:

• active flowering;
• intense coloring of the crown;
• healthy roots;
• fast rooting;
• good growth;
• health.

In addition, they can:

1. bring the plant from a state of rest;
2. increase disease resistance;
3. strengthen immunity.

But for maximum effectiveness they need to be alternated with organic fertilizers. Mineral fertilizers contain:

• nitrogen;
• potassium;
• phosphorus;
• trace elements;
• stimulants and other excipients.

Fertilizer procedure

Azalea top dressing should be carried out from spring to late fall. Flowering period (Zama - beginning of spring). During this period, azalea can be fed no more than once a month. In spring, summer and autumn, azaleas are fed once every two weeks. At the same time, mineral and organic fertilizers alternate.

Azalea tolerates spraying with liquid fertilizers diluted in water. When spraying, beneficial substances are absorbed much faster. Such top dressing is carried out only during the period when the azalea does not bloom. To do this, produce mineral fertilizers in water with a concentration of 10 times less than for root dressing.

In the warm season, a flower is sprayed early in the morning or late in the evening.

Top dressing:

1. Before flowering. During this period, it is better to feed the azalea with fertilizers containing nitrogen. It promotes growth. The period before flowering can be considered the period from the beginning of summer to mid-July. From the second half of July to the beginning of budding, it is better to make fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus.
2. Budding period. At this time, it is very desirable to fertilize the flower with superphosphate in a proportion of 15 g per 10 liters of water.
3. During flowering. This period is better to use fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium. Moreover, nitrogen fertilizers should be excluded. During flowering, spraying is prohibited!
4. Flowering stimulation. Zircon is perfect for this. It is also a good tool for building roots and for their growth. Two to three drops should be added to the watering can or spray bottle for spraying. In no case should an overdose be allowed! HB-101 is another excellent tool. It is used for stress, for top dressing the root system and for spraying, just like Ecogel-Antistress.

Products on the market

Many manufacturers of rhododendron fertilizers offer their products on the market.

All these mixtures differ in:

• quality;
• price;
• composition;
• action.

Here you need to focus on what problems have arisen and what result you want to achieve. Based on this, you need to select the top dressing.

Pokon

This fertilizer is produced in the Netherlands. Helps the plant bloom for a long time, regularly, abundantly and at the same time stay healthy. The main thing is the correct application. This fertilizer is versatile and perfectly absorbed.

Includes:

1. nitrogen;
2. potassium oxide;
3. phosphoric acid;
4. iron;
5. molybdenum;
6. copper;
7. manganese;
8. boron.

Pokon (Pokon) can be used all year round for rhododendrons, for this 10 ml of the drug is enough to dissolve in a liter of water. In winter, you can reduce the dose and dissolve 5 ml per liter of water.

Bona forte

This fertilizer contributes to the decorativeness of rhododendron, stimulates growth, contains a full range of all necessary substances. "Bona forte" gives the plant a complete balanced diet. It is best used comprehensively for fertilizing the root system and spraying. For root top dressing, 10 ml per 1.5 l of water will be enough, for spraying 5 ml per 1.5 l of water.

Includes:

• phosphorus;
• potassium;
• nitrogen;
• magnesium;
• boron;
• iron;
• zinc;
• manganese;
• cobalt;
• molybdenum;
• calcium;
• vitamins B1, PP, C.
• succinic acid (to stimulate growth).

Manure

Fertilizing rhododendron with manure is possible, but some conditions must be observed.

Manure should be:

1. old;
2. half-matured;
3. only cow.

It is very undesirable to use pork, horse manure, bird droppings, as they reduce the acidity of the soil. Fertilize plants with manure should be in spring or autumn, while it is necessary to control the pH of the soil.

Succinic acid

Succinic acid is not so much a fertilizer as an adjuvant for the absorption of nutrients that are contained in the soil. Succinic acid is used as an additive to fertilizers. It is also a carboxylic acid, which, among other things, stimulates growth. As a rule, it is produced in the form of a powder, which quickly dissolves in water.

Incorrect actions and problems from them

Overdose

This is the most common mistake made by gardeners. As a rule, the roots are burned and the plant dies. In order to save the situation, you can try to propagate the plant by cuttings. The flower itself makes sense to transplant urgently and treat the root with zircon. But this does not always help. In most cases, the plant dies.

Unsuitable formulations

These are fertilizers that help alkalize the soil. That is, a decrease in its acidity. In addition, the percentage of potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus does not match the ratio required for this species. The use of inappropriate fertilizers can lead to the death of the plant.

Violation of the rules of care

What is included here:

• Spraying during flowering. It leads to darkening and discarding of flowers and buds.
• Application of nitrogen fertilizers during flowering and laying buds. The result is the same as in the first case.
• Fertilizer application in dry soil or in hot weather. The result - damage to the roots, the death of the plant.

Be sure to follow the conditions and schedule for feeding azaleas. Do not neglect her needs. Properly select fertilizers, but do not overdo it. And this beautiful flower is sure to please you with magnificent and lush flowering, health and beauty.

Watch the video: How to Plant in Soil With a Lot of Clay (October 2024).