Midnight Flare Azalea for Sale Online

After back filling and lightly compacting the 50/50 mix of existing soil and compost give the Midnight Flare Azalea a good deep watering. This is not to be rushed. Most of the water you put on the plant at first will run away from the plant until the soil is soaked. A general rule of thumb is to count to 5 for every one gallon of pot size. For example a one gallon pot would be watered until you count to 5 a three gallon pot would be 15 and so on. Check the plant daily for the first week or so and then every other day there after. Water using the counting method for the first few weeks. You’ll want to water the bushes regularly after planting until they’ve been well established. We like to tell folks that when watering Azalea's or any plant for that matter its best not to water the foliage of the plant. Water at the base of the plant near the soil line only. Gator bag Jr. can be used to help aid in this process and also provide plants with a good soaking due to the slow release of the water into the root-zone of the plant. Soaker Hoses can also be used to water when planting a long hedge.

We highly recommend that you mulch your Midnight Flare Azalea with either a ground hardwood mulch or a ground cypress mulch depending on your local availability. Any type of mulch will do but cypress or hardwood mulch will be of a higher quality and provide better nutrition overall as they breakdown. Mulching helps to keep weeds away which will compete with your new investment for water and nutrients. A 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch is sufficient but remember to take care not to cover any part of the stem of the plant with mulch. Its better to leave a one inch gap of space between the mulch and the stem or trunk of the plant. This is also a plant that will respond well to mulching with pine Needles (if available in your area). This will help maintain the acidic condition that azaleas thrive in.

Azalea's such as Midnight Flare Azalea grow best if they are fertilized once in the spring. Midnight Flare Azalea favors nutrient rich soil and ample fertilization. When selecting a fertilizer for your Midnight Flare Azalea, use a balanced fertilizer blended specifically for shrubs such as Espoma Holly Tone for example its also a good idea to acidify the soil using Espoma soil acidifier once a year to maintain a "sour" environment for your azaleas. See "Using coffee grounds with your Azaleas" further down this page. Our ideal fertilizer schedule for azaleas is to apply an early spring fertilizer with a product such as Espoma Tree-tone or Plant-tone at the recommended rate this will give the plant a boost of nitrogen that will be needed for healthy abundant foliage. Follow this up with a early summer application of Espoma Holly-Tone, this will provide the necessary nutrients and raise the acid level in the soil which Azaleas favor. Espoma products are easy to use, just sprinkle around the base of the plant and water it in. Be careful with products such as miracle-grow as these products can burn newly planted plants when not used at the recommended rates. Slow-release fertilizer can help prevent rapid sucker growth that is vulnerable to diseases and insects. Either chemical fertilizers or organic matter can be used successfully on Midnight Flare Azaleas. Since an organic method of applying manure and/or compost around the roots, produces excellent results and also improves the condition of the soil, this would be an excellent first line of attack. Organic additions to the soil can also be combined with a shot of chemical fertilizer for maximum effect. If chemical fertilizers are used on your Midnight Flare Azalea, applying a slow-release, balanced fertilizer once a year in the spring is probably the simplest solution. There are many slow-release fertilizers on the market. If you can find a fertilizer formulated for acid loving shrubs and trees, this fertilizer would work well on Midnight Flare Azaleas. However, slow-release is certainly not the only way to fertilize Azaleas such as Midnight Flare Azalea although truth be told I feel its the best. A less expensive fast release fertilizer such as a 15-15-15 will work just as well if applied twice during the growing season in the spring and again in mid summer. If you are looking for a fertilizing routine tailored to your specific conditions, a soil sample should be taken and the fertilizer and trace elements matched to the needs of your soil. Don't fertilize Midnight Flare Azaleas after August in the North. Fall is the time for Azaleas to begin preparing for dormancy. Fertilizing at this time may stimulate new growth that will be too tender to withstand the winter. In the South, a late summer into September application would be about right. As mentioned one spring application of a balanced fertilizer should more than suffice. The amount of chemical fertilizer used per plant will vary with the size of the plant and it's root system. Over-fertilization can be much more detrimental than under-fertilization especially on azaleas. "Fertilizer burn" can occur when too much fertilizer is applied, resulting in a drying out of the roots and damage or even death of the rose. It is much, much better to err on the side of too little fertilizer than too much. When roots are burned, the first sign is often scorched looking leaves. If over-fertilization is severe, the plant may just wilt and die. Midnight Flare Azalea is very easy to grow however it may be helpful to know that a very small plant which is planted in the ground will take about 1/8 - 1/4 cup of espoma organic shrub-tone fertilizer. When fertilizing Azaleas in containers, be careful to apply a fertilizer that will not burn the roots (such as a slow release or a liquid fertilizer). A very large shrub azalea in the ground will take 2 - 3 cups spread around the drip line of the branches (not next to the trunk). This is a very loose estimate, so please read the directions on the fertilizer before applying it. Never fertilize a plant with a chemical fertilizer if the plant looks sick or wilted. If a plant is struggling due to a disease or root problems, the fertilizer will only add stress to it's life. Try to cure the problem before adding fertilizer. For a totally organic approach, many gardeners use commercial manure on the soil around azaleas such as the Midnight Flare Azalea. Excellent results have been reported after using composted manure. Commercial manure or compost can be applied yearly around the base of the azaleas. As with chemical fertilizers, do not apply it right next to the trunk or stems emerging from the ground. Azaleas thrive in soil with a pH from 4.5 to 6.0. Soil should drain well, because waterlogged conditions encourage disease development and may result in plant drowning. When soil pH rises and become too alkaline, azaleas cannot absorb adequate iron and experience chlorosis, or yellowing of plant tissue due to poor nutrient intake. Although azaleas prefer acid-forming fertilizers, such as 15-5-15, blindly applying fertilizer to unchecked soil may result in disaster.

The best time when to trim azaleas is after the blossoms have faded but before the new blossom buds have started. The next year’s blossoms typically start forming at the beginning of July, so you must prune an azalea bush before then. If you prune azaleas after the beginning of July, you may not get any flowers on the bush next year. In general gardening terms, pruning is probably the most misunderstood gardening chore, and certainly, the chore that is most likely neglected. When we specifically look at pruning with regards to roses, this misunderstanding and negligence can be magnified. Pruning has been described as a “combination of art and science.” I personally find pruning to be one of the most relaxing yet rewarding chores in the garden. Pruning a specific plant to look a specific way, involves art in creating a unique definition for a specific plant, and it involves science in understanding the physical growing habits of the plant to be pruned. The most important reason for pruning Azaleas is to improve the overall health of the plant which in turn will reward you with a flush of new growth. Removing the dead and dying limbs will minimize the possibility of diseases such as “die back” and will also allow the plant to re-concentrate its energies and produce many more foliage. Another reason for pruning azaleas such as Midnight Flare Azalea is to re-define the plant’s definition within the landscape. Many times, a plant may outgrow its intended size in the landscape, and must be pruned to re-define its purpose. Pruning should always be associated with re-invigorating a plant by allowing it to focus its energies on producing more vigorous branches, foliage, and flowers. It is important to always use sharp tools when pruning azaleas or any plant for that matter. Knives, hand cutters, saws, and shears should be sharpened if necessary before pruning any roses. A sharp cut will heal quicker than a jagged cut, which will also minimize the likelihood of disease investing a cut during pruning. It is generally recommended to not use power equipment such as gas hedgers to prune azaleas or any plant in my opinion.