My plants look terrible - help!

[raammartin]

Ok, I'll eagerly admit I have NO green thumb whatsoever. When we moved into our newly built house 1 1/2 years ago we had someone come landscape around some of the house (not all). The landscaper put some azaleas and some plum delights in. They all look terrible and sparse and are hardly blooming. Recently we got a few loads of topsoil, removed all the old pinestraw, and added more dirt and new pinestraw in hopes that might help. The beds seemed flat and needed more dirt. Soon we are going to buy more plants to finish out the landscaping and I'm tempted to yank the azaleas and plum delights up and replace them. Does anyone have any idea what is wrong with them or how I can make them fill out and bloom?

 

[bobbiwoz]

What works for me in Ohio, wouldn't work in Louisiana. It takes awhile for newly planted things to become acclimated, and I've always been told to plant small specimens rather than large ones, because the smaller/younger ones adapt more readily and soon "catch up" and surpass the older ones that were transplanted.

This would be especially true in an area of newly built houses, and I think the additions you made are good ones, and give the plants awhile more, say one more season to adjust. On the other hand, my DMiL, who lived in New Jersey, which is a good state for azaleas, struggled with azaleas, replacing them on a regular basis. 10 years after she began, her plants were no more than small ones that never flourished. They just never became the beautiful specimens that you see in some areas. I think azaleas are "tricky."

I would go to a "university extension" or some kind of state funded growing office and ask what sort of plants grow well in your area. In Ohio, we have a "soil conservation" district, and in the spring they sell bundles of native plants for very reasonable prices. I had bought 30 arborvites, tiny, 2 year seedlings, 10 also small dogwood trees, and some sort of dogwood bushes over 10 years ago from our county offices, and I've had lots of success with them. The dogwoods, especially, are coming into their own this year, I have lots of buds, just waiting to open. The arborvites are over 15 feet tall, most of them at least, and I've been cutting back the dogwood bushes for years now, but they make a wonderful screen against my fence.

Best wishes!!

Bobbi

 

[senecabeach]

Azaleas need to be fed. Are you feeding them??
Mine are doing well here in NJ, in partial shade (so the buds last longer) but also...feeding is important.

 

[raammartin]

What works for me in Ohio, wouldn't work in Louisiana. It takes awhile for newly planted things to become acclimated, and I've always been told to plant small specimens rather than large ones, because the smaller/younger ones adapt more readily and soon "catch up" and surpass the older ones that were transplanted.

The plants the landscaper put in were more mature plants. They did great the first season. But they didn't do well last year or, so far, this year. Could this be part of the problem?

This would be especially true in an area of newly built houses, and I think the additions you made are good ones, and give the plants awhile more, say one more season to adjust. On the other hand, my DMiL, who lived in New Jersey, which is a good state for azaleas, struggled with azaleas, replacing them on a regular basis. 10 years after she began, her plants were no more than small ones that never flourished. They just never became the beautiful specimens that you see in some areas. I think azaleas are "tricky."

The whole neighborhood is new and one lady down the street is also having azalea trouble. She has a very green thumb and told me she had to pull some of hers up because they just didn't do well. I'm starting to agree that they are "tricky."

I would go to a "university extension" or some kind of state funded growing office and ask what sort of plants grow well in your area. In Ohio, we have a "soil conservation" district, and in the spring they sell bundles of native plants for very reasonable prices. I had bought 30 arborvites, tiny, 2 year seedlings, 10 also small dogwood trees, and some sort of dogwood bushes over 10 years ago from our county offices, and I've had lots of success with them. The dogwoods, especially, are coming into their own this year, I have lots of buds, just waiting to open. The arborvites are over 15 feet tall, most of them at least, and I've been cutting back the dogwood bushes for years now, but they make a wonderful screen against my fence.

Best wishes!!

Bobbi

We have a place locally called Trailblazers that sells native plants. I think I will check them out.

Thanks for the advice - I sure need it!!

 

[raammartin]

Azaleas need to be fed. Are you feeding them??
Mine are doing well here in NJ, in partial shade (so the buds last longer) but also...feeding is important.

I'm almost embarrassed to admit this. I have never fed/fertilized my azaleas. That is until I asked my green-thumbed neighbor for some advice a few days ago and she said the same thing. Since then I bought some azalea food and fed them. Hopefully it's not too late for them. A couple of the plants at the front of the house have tiny pink buds so maybe they will make it. Other azaleas barely have leaves. We have azaleas across the front of our house and on one side. The front of the house gets a lot more sun and the other side is more shaded. Could that also be part of the problem?

When can I trim them back??

Thanks!!

 

[senecabeach]

My part shade just keeps the blooms on the plant longer then in full sun. When you fertilize..the fertilizer should be put at the outskirts of the plant...if the branches are say 2'-3' out from the stem..the roots extend out 2'-3' (same as the branches).

Hope this makes sence....where the branch ends, put the food right under it and all around. Since these are acid loving plants, I also put down coffee grinds and orange, grapefruit, lemon peels (ground in a blender and placed around when I have them.

I don't trim them back at all..just let them grow naturally..trim only the dead branches.

Give them a chance..keep feeding them and the leaves will be nice and green for the season...might want to "test" the soil too and see if its too alkaline!!

 

[raammartin]

My part shade just keeps the blooms on the plant longer then in full sun. When you fertilize..the fertilizer should be put at the outskirts of the plant...if the branches are say 2'-3' out from the stem..the roots extend out 2'-3' (same as the branches).

Hope this makes sence....where the branch ends, put the food right under it and all around. Since these are acid loving plants, I also put down coffee grinds and orange, grapefruit, lemon peels (ground in a blender and placed around when I have them.

I don't trim them back at all..just let them grow naturally..trim only the dead branches.

Give them a chance..keep feeding them and the leaves will be nice and green for the season...might want to "test" the soil too and see if its too alkaline!!

Thanks for all the tips and advice!!! I am going to tend the much better.

 

[PrincessMommyof2]

When can I trim them back??

Thanks!!

If you still want to trim them to shape them, as in cut back some leggy branches, now is as good as any time. I tend to trim azaleas when their buds are setting..probably because I look at them and think, "Hm, I forgot to trim those."