Common Problems with Azaleas
Azaleas are extraordinarily beautiful shrubs that boast graceful flowers in a variety of different colors; however, as with all plants, they can run into common problems. In order to properly maintain your azaleas, you should know about each of these issues and how to prevent them.
In general, azaleas are fairly healthy when properly maintained. However, there are a few issues that plague this type of plant, one of them being scale insects. This condition can be distinguished by matter that resembles cotton suddenly appearing on your azaleas' branches. Should you spot this on your plant, visit your local nursery and ask about a special acephate or malathion spray you can use to combat the insects.
Blight can occur on many plants due to overwatering, and azaleas are no exception. If this happens, you can expect to see your flowers dying and turning brown, and they will not fall to the ground as dead blooms typically do. In order to save your plants, you will have to remove mulch or stop applying it to the soil and then replace it with a whole new layer in the early spring. There are a few different types of medicinal sprays you can administer for blight, so inquire about them at the nursery or a home improvement store's plant department.
Chlorosis can occur when you are giving your azaleas a soil that is too acidic, which robs the plant of much-needed iron. If your plants' leaves change color from green to yellow or have creamy white-colored veins while the leaves are still green, it is a sure sign that you have an issue of chlorosis. You can rectify this problem by lowering the pH of the soil and by spraying an iron chelate on the foliage. It should be noted, however, that this is only a temporary fix: these particular leaves will return to their odd coloring, though new growths should be normal.
