Azaleas are truly magnificent flowers. Their abundant flowering fascinates. It happens that because of the flowers you can not even see the leaves. Therefore, going to a flower store in a good mood, it is very difficult to resist buying them. By the same azaleas are often given to close people instead of a "dead" bouquet. After all, azaleas are one of the most beautiful flowering plants in the home. Previously, experts discouraged flower growers from buying these flowers. They warned that they would still die, that they could not grow them at home. But now flower growers-lovers have learned not only to grow them in indoor conditions, but even to multiply. And then a few questions arise. And how to preserve this miracle, this piece of summer? And what is the use of azaleas in the home?
What a marvel!
Azaleas are decorative shrubs with small leaves and beautiful flowers. Each flower blooms for 20-30 days, and the plant produces up to 80 buds. Therefore, azalea blossoms usually about 60 days. Buy a plant on which there are a lot of unblown buds - then it will bloom longer. And if the plant comes in with the newly blossomed flowers, they will quickly wither without proper care, and the plant will quickly fade. As a pot plant, two species are widely distributed: Indian azalea (Rhododendron Simsa) and Japanese azalea (rhododendron obtuse), which occurs less frequently. Indian azalea can be distinguished by pubescence on the underside of the leaf and larger flowers.
Benefits of azalea.
The use of azaleas is obvious. Her unearthly beauty raises the mood, relieving spleen and ill health. It is also noted that people who grow azaleas are much less likely to suffer from seasonal autumn-winter depression. And this is not an accident! It is at this time that the azaleas "explode" with bright and delicate buds, filling the dwelling with beauty. Needless to say, houseplants help clean the room and fill the air with freshness. Not an exception and flowers azaleas.
Care and maintenance at home.
Azalea is a moisture-loving culture. That it lasts longer and lasts until next year, it must be watered necessarily on top, and not in a pallet, and so abundant that the soil was not just wet, but constantly wet. Excess water from the drip tray must be removed, otherwise the roots will rot. Water 1-2 times a month acidified with lemon, ascorbic or oxalic acid at the rate of 0.3-0.4 g of acid per 1 liter of water, but the soil before irrigation with this solution is pre-moistened. It is impossible to acidify the water more often, otherwise the substrate will become sour with time, and the tips of the leaves of the azaleas will turn reddish-violet. The Azaleas are poured with soft rain or snow water or a standing tap. Several times a day the plants are sprayed, but during the flowering it is impossible to spray, since the water may be stained on flowers, but the buds rot. It is better to put a bowl next to the water or put the flower in wet moss into a wider pot.
Near the flower buds there are small steps. They are removed so that buds do not attack. The faded flowers are plucked together with the pedicels. They contain azaleas in cool conditions - they are more comfortable at a temperature of + 10-15 degrees. The place is sunny, but in spring and summer it must be protected from direct sunlight.
The most likely cause of shriveling and falling leaves is insufficient watering. You can immerse the pot with azalea - a couple of times a week - in a container of water until full saturation. Other reasons may be high air temperature, low humidity and too bright sun. The leaves can turn yellow if you use hard water for irrigation or plant the plant in clay, alkaline soil.
Care after flowering.
After flowering plants are transplanted into broad, but shallow pots, trying not to destroy the earth lump. Young plants are transplanted annually, more adults - in 2-3 years. Carry pruning, removing weak, fattening shoots and pinching the tops of young shoots, stimulating their branching. Shoots with 3-4 developed leaves are nipped 2-3 times until June, when the formation of the flower buds of the next year begins. Feed azalea 2-3 times a month after flowering and until August, using special fertilizers for azaleas. And in the period of budding there will not be superfluous top dressing with superphosphate (15g per 10 liters of water). There are two ways to keep azaleas after flowering: cold and warm.
Features of cold content.
In winter, azaleas are kept at a temperature of +5 - +6 degrees, and when the day increases, at +12 - +15 degrees. In summer, azaleas are carried to the balcony, pritenyayut, protect from drafts, do not allow the drying of the earthy coma, sprayed with water, the crown form a spherical. In autumn, when it becomes cold, plants are brought into a bright room and held at a temperature of +10 - +15 degrees for 4-6 weeks. Only then you can raise the temperature to +18 - +20 degrees. Early varieties will then bloom after 6 weeks. If the late varieties blossom before January 1, then they will have underdeveloped flowers.
It is easier to grow in warmth.
But it is very difficult to maintain such a regime in our apartments, so a warm method of maintaining azalea is often used. At the onset of spring, azaleas are exposed to the sun, while pritenyayut of direct sunlight (especially the pot), and kept there until flowering. The plant in the mornings is abundantly watered and regularly sprinkled. In May, begin cutting the branches, located on the side facing the inside of the room, leaving those that give the crown a one-sided, carving weak and very sprouting shoots. Young shoots are pricked, leaving 4-5 leaves on them. The more lush the bush, the weaker the flowering - remember this.
In June, flower buds are formed that form at the ends of shoots. The growth of plants stops, and new shoots that appear at this time are cut out. It turns out a one-sided bush, since it is recommended not to turn the plant, do not change its position, because flower buds are laid on the illuminated side of the plant under constant illumination. Flowering plants can be moved and moved to another place. However, after the plant fades, it must be returned to the position in which it grew, while it was being formed.
Reproduction by cuttings.
Propagation of azalea with the help of cuttings. Cuttings of this plant are cut only after flowering. But remember, fattening shoots are not good for this. Cuttings are cut in lengths of 5-6 cm. Before planting, for better rooting, they are kept in a solution of succinic acid (100 mg / l water) or heteroauxin (100 mg / l) for 24 hours.
Before planting, the pot for azalea is filled with a substrate (a special mixture for azaleas or weakly decomposed peat). Then, before not moistening the earth mixture, it "from the heart" watered. Cuttings are planted to a depth of 2-3 cm, covered with a polyethylene bag on top, which is fixed around the pot. Put the pots with cuttings on the western or southern window. And do not forget to water them regularly and spray them. This is especially true at home. Pots with cuttings a couple of times a week should be ventilated without fail. For this it is enough to remove the cellophane bag from the flower pot for a short time. If everything is done correctly, we should expect the rooting of the cuttings within 1-1.5 months at a temperature regime of 20-25 degrees. Rooted cuttings a week prior to transplantation into a permanent habitat "accustom" to the dry air of our apartments. First, a cellophane bag is opened for 2-3 hours, and after a few sessions, the hardening is completely removed. Already hardened and entrenched cuttings are transplanted to a permanent place and again covered with a film for 1-2 weeks, so that they are better taken root.
Varieties of azalea.
There are many varieties of azaleas. Sometimes they are so unlike each other that an inexperienced grower can hardly believe that these plants belong to the same species. Especially reverent to azaleas are in Japan, where their cultivation is considered an art. Here are some varieties that are common among us.
- Erica Sander. This is the medium-early variety. The plant is growing, the leaf is dark green, pubescent. Blossoms from November to March. The opened flowers are like bright pink flowers of a dense mahogany.
- Erie. Early variety. The plant is loose, high, the leaf is dark green, pubescent, the flowers are pink, with speckles.
- Snowflake. Medium-early variety. The plant is low, blooms from February to April white flowers, 3-5 pieces at the ends of shoots.
In the room conditions, the following varieties also grow well: the early varieties (bloom in October-December) - Helmut Vogel with crimson-red flowers (does not need a low temperature before flowering); Ambrosian - red, Paul Sheme - with salmon-pink flowers and others; mid-late - Pink Pink Pearl, brick-red Elsa Kerger and others.
It is difficult to resist growing beautiful and useful azaleas at home. Perhaps, at first, not everything will turn out. But if you show perseverance and patience, your home will turn into a cozy paradise garden.