Inquiring Gardeners Want To Know...
QUESTION? My azaleas just are not doing well. They have weak anemic leaves and they don't seem to be growing well. What can I do to help them perform better?

Now is a good time to judge how your azaleas and for that matter any other of your landscape plants performed this spring. If the blooms were beautiful and the foliage dense then the particular plant is probably in good condition. Keep doing what you're doing and use the "if it's not broken..." philosophy. If they were not up to par, then consider the following:

Azaleas need good soil drainage for the root system. Be sure the roots are not in saturated soils for long periods of time. Transplant, if necessary, into a raised or mounded system. Don't delay.

If you have newly planted or transplanted azaleas, be sure to keep them watered during dry periods. We had some mixed up weather this spring with cool periods, dry to very dry and hot conditions. Most all plants appreciate a break from hot and dry conditions so, providing them with some water will help. Newly planted shrubs in raised beds will probably need watering 2 3 times a week during the summer. Consider a soaker hose for water efficiency.

Build a soil or mulch water retention ring around the plants. This will allow irrigation water to soak the rootzone area, especially if they are planted high. A soil high in organic matter supplemented with organic mulch is more important to good azalea growth than fertilizer. To maintain available iron, soils should be in the pH range of 4.5 6.0. Use lime if the pH is below 3.0. Gypsum is a good source of calcium, which is necessary for good growth, and will not affect the pH. A slow release fertilizer program is recommended for summer growing needs. Now is a good time to apply.

Azaleas require little, if any pruning. The best time to prune is after flowering and before bud initiation in mid summer. Now is a good time to shape, or even rejuvenate.

Inspect for the following disease problems; Botrytis Petal Blight, Die Back, Leaf Gall, Leaf Rust, Mildew, Petal Blight, Phomopsis Die back and Phytophthora Root Rot. Also, inspect for the following insect problems; Caterpillars, Lace bug, Leaf Miner, Mites, Scales, Stem borers, Weevils and Whitefly.

Most azaleas are easily propagated from cuttings taken after the new growth is 4 6" in length. This is usually performed in early to mid summer.

Keep azalea beds mulched with 4 6 inches of compost or other organic matter. Don't use materials that crust over (sawdust). Weed control is necessary throughout the year. If you use contact herbicides, be certain to shield the foliage as you spray.

GARDEN CHORES for June
Powdery mildew on Crapemyrtles: If you have been paying close attention to your crapemyrtle foliage lately, you've probably noticed that the disease has already started. According to the 2007 Ag. Chemicals Manual, Banner MAXX or Bayleton are the recommended fungicides. Consider using resistant cultivars. The following are resistant; "Biloxi", "Byers Standard Red", "Byers Wonderful White", "Miami", "Osage", "Seminole", "Tuscarora", "Tuskegee", "Yuma" and "Zuni".

What are your landscape plants telling you? Now is a good time to stroll around the landscape and be observant. Look at the new growth on the trees and shrubs. There should be several inches on the ends of the branches. (The new growth generally follows flowering, on spring flowering plants.) This growth is an "indicator of progress". Also look at the tops of old shade trees in the yard. There should be foliage all the way to the tips. If the ends are bare, there may be some future, serious problems.

Groundcovers should be in a full growth period. New growth should be apparent on liriope, English ivy, periwinkle and pachysandra. If new growth from this spring season is not visible, or is less than normal, then investigate the problem....environmental stress, poor drainage, low nutrient availability, pH problem, construction damage to the rootzone area or possible chemical injury. Be sure to check for insects. Aphids, mites and scales are serious problems.

Summer Bedding Plants: Finish planting summer color beds. Don't take any shortcuts in the soil preparation stage. In order to maximize top growth and flowering performance, there has to be good root establishment and growth. This will only occur in well tilled, organically amended beds.


SUMMER WATERING PRACTICES IN THE LANDSCAPE
One of the first signs of drought stress in ornamentals and turf is wilting. Many of our favorite plants show drought related symptoms differently. The leaves of some plants may exhibit marginal leaf burn or leaf scorching while others will simply wilt. We've already experienced dry periods in much of NC in April and May. Daily wilting of many spring planted ornamentals has already occurred. These plants will be wilted by mid afternoon on a hot day, but will be completely recovered the next morning after a soaking with the garden hose. An extended period without extra moisture and this temporary wilting can become a permanent, non reversible situation.

This is known as permanent wilting point, and the next step is to remove a dead plant! Leaves wither, and remain on the plant or drop completely. Twig and stem dieback will follow.

There are several plants that are typically grown in many landscapes that we can use as indicator plants. These plants wilt readily and are usually the first ones to show drought stress. They are azaleas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, most annuals and turf.

When these plants begin to look thirsty, you should have a plan to get water to the roots. A hand held hose is probably the fastest plan of action, but we all know that a lot of water is wasted when it is applied this way. Many home gardeners are not patient enough to apply enough water to each plant in order to relieve drought stress. Turn the water on very low and when runoff begins, go to the next plant. When you've finished watering all the individual plants, go back and repeat the process. The additional water will soak in much better this time.

The same strategy is true for the sprinklers. Turn water on and when runoff occurs, move it to another location. Repeat the watering to really saturate the soil.

Remember to build an earthen saucer around individual trees and shrubs to act as a dam for hose applied water. This will reduce the amount of runoff, and also be a much faster way to hand irrigate. Be sure to have a 3 4" layer of organic mulch on the beds and if you haven't tried it yet, buy a roll of landscape fabric and install it around trees and in beds. This will not only conserve moisture but will also discourage weeds. If you are growing summer color plants in containers, it will be to your advantage...and the plants, to keep a water saucer under the pot. Pots will not dry out so quickly.


Clethra...an Underused Native
Summersweets (Clethra alnifolia) The most widely available Clethras in the nursery trade are the true summersweets, Clethra alnifolia. I have seen them doing well in Massachusetts as well in southern Georgia, in full sun or partial shade. However, the best looking plants always seemed to have a little shade. This mid summer blooming deciduous shrub will range in height from 3 to about 8 feet tall and nearly as wide. In dry sites they tend to be well behaved and rarely grow beyond my eye level. However, in soils that are consistently moist, the summersweets are a taller suckering shrub with a tendency to spread. Nevertheless, how many other shrubs are there that will grow in soggy soils, have a months long flowering period in mid summer, delightful fragrance and attract numerous pollinating critters?