How to Refresh Old Azaleas!
Do you have thin and misshapen or even overgrown azaleas in your yard? Have you considered digging them up altogether? Stop that shovel! Chances are with a little cutting back, you can have lovely, fresh azaleas again.
Our 60 year old home had it's share of large and leggy azalea plants. The trouble with older azaleas begins with the shape. They’re hard to shape up without having bare spots and noticeable holes. The fact that the side of our house shows through the plant below was a problem. Years of trimming and shaping left leaves just on the ends of branches and no real fullness to the shrub, not to mention the vines that had woven themselves into the limbs.
Instead of going through the trouble of digging up these older plants, cut them back and try to revive them. Using a good hand saw, cut your azalea limbs back to about 6 to 8 inches from the ground. You'll want to do this after they've finished blooming for the season. Cutting back also gives you a chance to get to any vines and weeds growing around the base of the plant.
As your newly cut azalea grows, gently shape up those fresh limbs. You'll be amazed at the "newness" of that older azalea. It's the look of brand new landscaping without the cost or the digging!
azalea with new growth
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Here, the new buds come on right after the azaleas bloom, so it's hard to find a time to trim. I don't think they'll form new buds in the spring after they're trimmed, but probably they'd be fine the following year. My friend told me that she staked lower branches down to the ground and they took root, then she cut the new plant free from the mother plant and moved it to its own spot!
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in my zone we use July 4th as the cut off date for pruning.
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Mine is in a pot and been cut right down now for 2 years and not growing at all. Do you think it needs to be re potted?
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Hi Heather! I've never grown azaleas in a pot, but considering how large their root systems can be, I would either put it in the ground or switch to a larger pot. I hope this helps!
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
My azaleas haven't bloom in two yrs ,should i cut them down
I will be cutting my azaleas back soon. The problem I have is there are small oak tree branches that have grown in with the azaleas. Help, what can I do?
my old azaleas seem to have long spinally legs with some budding starting. I know I should not cut anything untill they have finished blooming but then what?