Whimsical babe: how to care for azalea at home

"And you flew around?" - Asked me a colleague, who, like me, on March 8 gave at work a small bush of azalea. "No, I'm growing up so far, only the flowers have wilted," I replied. But what did she do wrong? Why did she have a nude almost a week after the holiday of azalea, but everything is fine with the flower? Let's try to figure out how to take care of azalea at home.

And, by the way, it's a rhododendron

I was very surprised when I learned that this overseas beauty is a direct relative of our Far Eastern rhododendron, which in the spring decorates marshy valleys in the floodplains of taiga rivers with its chic lilac color . Well then it is clear - this plant is very fond of moist contents. It can even grow hydroponically. In general, azalea - one of the few indoor plants that prefer acidic soils. It will be a mixture of coniferous soil with peat and sand (4: 2: 0.5). Well, if you do not have the opportunity to go to the pine forest for the soil for this capricious, you can do with a special primer for azaleas - this is sold in stores.

The rules of azalea care from the store

Our shops sell azaleas from Denmark and Holland. A competent consultation on how to care for azalea at home can only be given by a person who has practical experience in keeping these plants at home. They are sold in transport ground, which is a mixture of peat with coconut fiber and possessing such qualities valuable for the seller, such as ease and moisture capacity. But for the constant growth of plants it does not fit. After purchase it is necessary to transplant the azalea into the soil recommended above. Usually azaleas are sold in the amount of 4 roots in one pot. You can divide these roots and plant each in a separate pot. Remove the shipping ground from them will not work - too much it pressed and caught on the root of the plant. Therefore, they can be divided by simply cutting the content of the pot crosswise in four parts.

Care immediately after planting

I will try to focus your attention on the most important aspects of how to take care of azalea at home. After planting in the recommended soil, the plant needs to be treated for prophylaxis with insecticidal and fungicidal preparations, allow it to dry, and then spray with the Epin biostimulator to reduce stress. If your home has a greenhouse with a temperature of no higher than +20 ° C and a humidity of at least 80%, then this is the ideal place for azalea. If there is no such place, then after the leaves of the azalea dry, it is better to cover it with a plastic bag or put it in any other greenhouse. Of course, flowers must be cut off. If there are unblown buds, and you want to preserve this plant - they are also better to be cut off. Now the main thing is to give azalea to "shake off" from stress and gradually accustom it to the climate of your house. How to take care of azalea at home, then you will gradually decide for yourself, but until a week after planting you can open the package daily for two months, increasing the airing time more and more, so that the plant, firstly, was ventilated, secondly, Gradually tempered and accustomed to grow outside the hothouse conditions.

"And why then do not azaleas be placed in stores?" You ask. The fact is that for the sale of plants are prepared on farms in a special way. They are "fed" a certain set of hormonal and mineral substances that make it possible not only to blossom gorgeously, but also to preserve their appearance for several months regardless of the conditions of growth. When you transplant the azaleas into the home soil, you will severely disrupt the metabolism that has occurred in the plant up to this point. In addition, gradually the reserves of all supporting substances will be exhausted, and azalea, not accustomed to growing without them, will perish. Providing greenhouse conditions at first, you will smooth out the consequences of stress.

The plant of the northern window

He does not like the bright sun azalea. Delicate flowers quickly fade in the heat, and the leaves burn and crumble. This plant will feel great on the north window. With regular top dressing it will bloom and grow. Azaleas need high humidity, when the air is dry, the leaves begin to crumble. Therefore, it is better to put a container filled with water next to azalea, or put a plant pot over a pallet with water. In summer, in the heat period, it is possible to cover the soil around the azalea with ice. It is better, of course, to keep it in the summer in an air-conditioned room. Well, inadmissible dryness of the soil - it should always be a bit wet.

Yes, I must say it right - this plant is not for beginners-florists. To make it happy you with its plush bloom, you need to know the basic rules of how to care for plants of this species.