Cutting Back Azaleas

[HouseCat]

I have a lot of Azalea bushes around my house and they are overgrown; into the deck railing and so forth. They look awful. If I trim them back where they need to be, I will be cutting down to bare stalk on most of them..(or trunk / branch that has no growth). Is this ok? Or will I kill the bush by cutting back too much.

I've heard its ok to prune after all the blooms are gone, which they are, but how much can you prune or cut back?

Thanks

 

[toppick08]

I have a lot of Azalea bushes around my house and they are overgrown; into the deck railing and so forth. They look awful. If I trim them back where they need to be, I will be cutting down to bare stalk on most of them..(or trunk / branch that has no growth). Is this ok? Or will I kill the bush by cutting back too much.

I've heard its ok to prune after all the blooms are gone, which they are, but how much can you prune or cut back?

Thanks

If you cut now, I assure you, you will have no flowers next spring.....July 4 is the absolute last date to cut back, only about a third at the MOST.

Azaleas start to set flower buds for the next year about a week after the old blooms have faded.........

If you do decide to cut them back, please water them well, and use Holly Tone..........

 

[Sharon]

Pruning azaleas

- The best time to prune azaleas is in early spring, before the plant puts out new growth. Although you'll be cutting off that year's blooms, it gives the plant the full growing season to fill out, and time for the new growth to mature before winter.

- Pruning while they are in bloom is next best, and gives you some cut flowers, or pruning just after they bloom lets you enjoy the flowers on the plant.

- Since most azaleas start growing next year's flower buds soon after they bloom, pruning after mid-summer cuts off next year's bloom. Late pruning also runs the risk of the tender new growth being killed in cold climates.

Before you start, look at the plant you intend to work on, remembering that branches which are shaded out often die back and become dead wood anyway. Remove these first, as the effect of removing them may alter the way you approach pruning the rest of the branches to maintain the shape of the bush.

Use clean cutters, and keep them clean as the work progresses, using a sterilizing solution such as denatured alcohol or a 10% Chlorox solution, particularly if any cuts are in infected wood.

Older plants may have a number of tall branches which need to be eliminated. Doing that over several years reduces the shock to the plant. Remove two or three of the tallest branches, taking care to cut back to a side branch which is heading in the desired direction, and which is about 1/3rd the size of the cut branch. Cut close to that side branch, as any stubs will die back to the side branch anyway, and leave dead wood which may become infected later.

Next year take out two or three more branches using the same process, spreading the pruning over a three year cycle. This approach will result in the plant sending out new growth near the base, and lets you manage the shaping of the plant to achieve a nicely shaped bush.

Azalea Society of America

 

[toppick08]

Pruning azaleas

- The best time to prune azaleas is in early spring, before the plant puts out new growth. Although you'll be cutting off that year's blooms, it gives the plant the full growing season to fill out, and time for the new growth to mature before winter.

- Pruning while they are in bloom is next best, and gives you some cut flowers, or pruning just after they bloom lets you enjoy the flowers on the plant.

- Since most azaleas start growing next year's flower buds soon after they bloom, pruning after mid-summer cuts off next year's bloom. Late pruning also runs the risk of the tender new growth being killed in cold climates.

Before you start, look at the plant you intend to work on, remembering that branches which are shaded out often die back and become dead wood anyway. Remove these first, as the effect of removing them may alter the way you approach pruning the rest of the branches to maintain the shape of the bush.

Use clean cutters, and keep them clean as the work progresses, using a sterilizing solution such as denatured alcohol or a 10% Chlorox solution, particularly if any cuts are in infected wood.

Older plants may have a number of tall branches which need to be eliminated. Doing that over several years reduces the shock to the plant. Remove two or three of the tallest branches, taking care to cut back to a side branch which is heading in the desired direction, and which is about 1/3rd the size of the cut branch. Cut close to that side branch, as any stubs will die back to the side branch anyway, and leave dead wood which may become infected later.

Next year take out two or three more branches using the same process, spreading the pruning over a three year cycle. This approach will result in the plant sending out new growth near the base, and lets you manage the shaping of the plant to achieve a nicely shaped bush.

Azalea Society of America

I use dirty hands experience......

 

[HouseCat]

Uh oh...

That's ok if they don't flower...I was wondering how much would kill them (cutting back.) They are so overgrown, I cut back about 3-4 feet off the top (on a few bushes). There's just stalks sticking up now.

...

I just killed them, didn't I. I was in one of those disgusted, destructive moods yesterday and I couldn't wait for a reply and went tazmanian devil... good thing I got into poison ivy and funnel spider webs, else I'd have chopped up the whole lot.

...

So, um... when is the best time to plant new ones? Fall?

 

[jjsmommy99]

Yes, fall is great. The lowe's in La Plata has a great selection of Encore Azaleas. They bloom 3 times a year. Usually shrubbery has to be replaced every 20 years or so because they become overgrown and cutting them back is risking them dying.

 

[bcp]

Cant say about yours, but mine already have buds for next years flowers.

when I trim, I do it when the flowers are still on the bush, but are done, as in wilted and browning.

My problem plant is one that blooms in spring, then again in the fall. not really sure when to do that one.

 

[toppick08]

Cant say about yours, but mine already have buds for next years flowers.

when I trim, I do it when the flowers are still on the bush, but are done, as in wilted and browning.

My problem plant is one that blooms in spring, then again in the fall. not really sure when to do that one.

If it's an encore, do it in the spring after the bloom, might affect the fall's bloom, but that is the time to get it the size you want......