Pruning Azaleas

     Azaleas are widely planted in Mississippi because of the colorful flowers they produce from late March through May.

      Pruning your azaleas can improve their blooming and help them develop into full, well-branched shrubs.  In many cases it is necessary to cut azaleas back severely because the wrong size variety was plant for the available site.

     If you need to prune your azaleas, do this in late spring or early summer, shortly after flowering stops, because azaleas set their flower buds for next year during the late summer.

 

     Remove shaded-out branches first, since these often become dead wood. Older plants may have tall leggy branches that need to be removed. Doing so gradually over several years reduces shock to the plant.

     Azaleas should be pruned several times during the growing season to develop a well branched plant. This involves pruning of the tips of the new, individual branches after five or six inches of new growth has been produced. This pruning not only results in a compact, well branched plant, but also one that will produce many more blooms than will plants not pruned in this manner.

    Pruning your azaleas correctly can keep them looking healthy and blooming strong!