Azalea Summer Care

Now that your azaleas have finished blooming, you can forget them until next spring, right? Wrong. Keeping them healthy and looking great means giving them some attention during the next few weeks. Two things in particular that you shouldn't forget are pruning and insect control.

The Kindest Cut
Azaleas, especially those planted near the house, can get too big eventually. This necessitates pruning. Though the mere thought of this terrifies most homeowners, pruning correctly is really quite simple, as long as you remember these tips.

First, finish your pruning by late June. Once you get into July, most azaleas will start setting flowerbuds. Pruning after that will ruin next spring's floral display. Second, leave your hedge trimmers in the garage. The last thing you want to do is flat-top your azaleas. Your goal is to reduce them in size so that you can hardly tell you've pruned them.