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There are many types of azaleas suited to a range of lighting conditions from full sun positions to shaded areas. This gives an excellent range of azaleas to choose from to suit almost any area of your garden. Rhododendrons have similar growing requirements and are more commonly grown successfully in cooler regions. Enquire at your local garden centre for the best varieties suited to your garden location.
When planting azaleas & rhododendrons, remember that they love an acidic soil, rich in organic matter. Improve the soil by planting into Searles Azalea & Camellia Specialty Mix. This will give them the right mix of nutrients and pH for a great start and strong, healthy growth.
These plants have shallow surface roots and will flourish with regular watering every 2–3 days. They do not cope very well with extended dry periods, so regular watering will bring on their best growth and magnificent blooms.
Be careful to avoid wetting the flowers when watering the plant as this can encourage petal blight, a fungus, which causes flower loss. Control early with Searles Mancozeb Plus.
Common problems affecting azaleas are from sap-sucking insects such as mites and azalea lacewing. Control azalea lacewing with Searles Conguard and mites with Searles Ecofend Vegetable & Garden spray.
