Various pests and even a few diseases may be eating your azalea leaves or at least giving the appearance that they have been eating your azalea leaves. I talk about bark scales, leafminers and caterpillars here, among other pests. To find out what to do about any of these, also read my Azalea Pests and Diseases guide, as I cover even more pests and especially diseases. If you have more of an issue with your azalea leaves dropping turning yellow…
Azalea diseases and pests of various kinds affect azaleas, and some are more common and more of an issue than others. Common diseases include powdery mildew, leaf spot disease and rust. While Phytophthora root rot and Galls/canker as less common, they can be much more serious. Pests include the usual aphids, which can be treated with soapy water or pesticide bug killer if needed. Other pests also include scale insects, caterpillars, leafminers, roundworms and spider mites. I discuss each of…
The main reason your azalea leaves are turning yellow is probably an iron deficiency caused by poor soils or not enough nutrients in the soil. This is usually linked to the soil not being acidic enough. Azaleas like Rhododendrons and Pieris need an acidic soil with a ph rating of pH 4-6 with pH 5.5 being perfect. Any above 7.0 is too high and considered alkaline and the leaves will turn yellow. Two other causes are a lack of water, you…
The azalea leaves may be drooping due to disease or environmental conditions. The most common reasons are lack of water, especially in pot grown azalea, which need watering regularly. Be careful not to overwater, as this can also cause the leaves to droop and is usually an issue in poor draining soils. Evergreen varieties can also get drooping leaves caused by frost and cold weather, especially if it’s been mild for a while and then you suddenly get a sharp…
Are you sure your azalea is dying? Many pests and diseases cause non-fatal issues to azaleas and I cover them here. This guide assumes you have watered your azalea as needed (not let it dry out) and is not too wet such as being planted in poorly draining soil, which leads to root rot or is planted in a container with no holes or is root bound and just needed potting on. But if your plant really is on its…
If you’re not getting the glorious two-week display of blooms on your azalea, it may be due to disease or environmental factors. Here are the most common causes for your azalea not blooming and what to do about them. Too much nitrogen in the soil encouraging foliage only Your azalea may not be blooming because its environment has too much nitrogen. Maybe you’ve overdone this micro-nutrient in the fertiliser you fed your plant. Nitrogen is great for lush foliage growth…
It’s quite difficult to kill rhododendrons, so are you sure that your rhododendron is dying? Many problems with rhododendrons can be fixed, so don’t give up on your plant yet. Here are some of the common problems with rhododendrons and what to do about them. Growing environment Planted in the wrong environment in the wrong soil PH rating Rhododendrons like moist but well-drained soil and to be in partial or dappled shade. They do need sunlight but not hours of…
The reasons that your rhododendron may be going yellow are primarily linked to its growing environment and how you are treating the plant. Here are the main reasons for this problem and what to do about them. Firstly, I have found the most common reason for rhododendron leaves turning yellow is the soil not being acidic, which leads to yellowing leaves. I recommend testing the soil ph with a soil testing kit, and you need a soil ph of below…
Are you sure something is eating your rhododendron leaves? Pests and diseases, the weather and the plant’s growing conditions can all make your rhododendron leaves vulnerable. While some of these problems do actually eat the leaves, the others just make it look like the leaves are being eaten. Here’s what to look for and what to do about the problems. First of all, check out my article Rhododendron pests and diseases. This gives an insightful view of the most common…
The main reason that rhododendron buds are falling off is usually drought or lack of water when grown in pots. Usually, they develop buds around June and July, so ensure they have enough water during this time as they form. More on this below. Drought is not the only cause of bud drop, so in this article, I also identify other causes and what you can do about all of this. Not getting enough water Rhododendrons usually develop flower buds…