Azalea not growing

[STLDisney_Freak]

We have lived in our new home for a little over 3 years now. When we moved in I planted two Azalea plants in the front of our house. I was hoping that they would grow and flourish so I would have two beautiful bushes in the front of my house. Well that has not happened. They look like little twigs with leaves on it.

I will say that I do not have a green thumb in my body so I am looking for suggestions. My thinking is they are probably in too much shade and that is probably why they are not growing. I do not know if I should just call it a day with them and dig them up or if I should keep trying to get them to grow.

Green Thumb folks, thoughts?

 

[pryncess527]

I'm gonna guess they need more sun.
At my last house, I planted azaleas in our front yard and promptly ignored them. They would have looked better with some pruning/weeding, but grew and flowered every year with no effort. They got full morning sun -- so if you think yours may be in too much shade, that seems likely to me. You might try moving them

 

[Disney_traveler]

Are the close to sidewalks or house foundation? It can leach out line and make the soil too acidic. Although they like acidic between 4-6 pH, that concrete is too much for them.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

We have lived in our new home for a little over 3 years now. When we moved in I planted two Azalea plants in the front of our house. I was hoping that they would grow and flourish so I would have two beautiful bushes in the front of my house. Well that has not happened. They look like little twigs with leaves on it.

I will say that I do not have a green thumb in my body so I am looking for suggestions. My thinking is they are probably in too much shade and that is probably why they are not growing. I do not know if I should just call it a day with them and dig them up or if I should keep trying to get them to grow.

Green Thumb folks, thoughts?

OK, fellow STL person here & horticulturist. So many things....lol. First here is the extension guide.

http://extension.missouri.edu/p/G6825

There are so many different varieties of azalea/rhododendron and each of them are different sizes. It takes prep work to get them to grow since STL soil is crap. You have to add stuff to the landscaping, which is called amending the soil or conditioning the soil.

I would probably go with another type of shrub or perennials. Do you have a deer issue? If not you can have a lot of color with shady shrubs and perennials.

I will give you the link to "The Garden" aka Missouri Botanical Garden. They have plenty of info and if you have a local garden nursery they can help you with selection of a shrub more suited to the front of your house.

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden....me-gardener/lawn-landscape-garden-design.aspx

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Are the close to sidewalks or house foundation? It can leach out line and make the soil too acidic. Although they like acidic between 4-6 pH, that concrete is too much for them.

Actually cement is basic, not acidic. Azaleas want acidic.

 

[Disney_traveler]

Actually cement is basic, not acidic. Azaleas want acidic.

It has to do with the lime leaching out if it. Sorry my autocorrect changed it to line instead hahaha

 

[PollyannaMom]

My family says I have a "purple thumb," but I did have one azalea that just kept growing no matter what happened to it. (We actually called it the Frankenbush.) It survived snowstorms, unskilled pruning, and too many basketballs landing in it to count. So judging by that plant, I agree about the sun. It got a nice dose in the morning, then shade during the hottest part of the day.

 

[STLDisney_Freak]

Are the close to sidewalks or house foundation? It can leach out line and make the soil too acidic. Although they like acidic between 4-6 pH, that concrete is too much for them.

I wouldn't say they are close to foundation. I kinda have a walk way to the house and a porch. They are in the little dirt area between them.

OK, fellow STL person here & horticulturist. So many things....lol. First here is the extension guide.

http://extension.missouri.edu/p/G6825

There are so many different varieties of azalea/rhododendron and each of them are different sizes. It takes prep work to get them to grow since STL soil is crap. You have to add stuff to the landscaping, which is called amending the soil or conditioning the soil.

I would probably go with another type of shrub or perennials. Do you have a deer issue? If not you can have a lot of color with shady shrubs and perennials.

I will give you the link to "The Garden" aka Missouri Botanical Garden. They have plenty of info and if you have a local garden nursery they can help you with selection of a shrub more suited to the front of your house.

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden....me-gardener/lawn-landscape-garden-design.aspx

Thank You I will look at these links.

I will probably have to move them to a more sunny area. I bought some shade plants for that area. Hopefully I'll have better luck with them.