Avid Gainesville landscapers are itching to get back outside after this past winter but may be hesitant to start installing new plants, afraid another frost may fall upon us. There are some plants that will not suffer from the frost, one of the hardiest being our March Landscape Plant of the month, the Azalea.
Azaleas come in many different varieties, some preferring full sun and others doing best in partial shade. Azaleas that like full sun can grow up to 8 feet in height, but can be maintained at 4 feet in hedge form. Azaleas that prefer morning sun and afternoon shade are dwarf varieties, only growing between 2-3 feet in height. Azaleas must be planted in rich, well drained acidic soil to thrive, so we recommend planting them in decent potting soil, mulching them with pine bark mulch, or adding other amendments to maintain the proper soil conditions.
Azaleas flower early in the spring, and generally bloom better with cooler winters. They do have moderate water needs, and require Gainesville irrigation during our driest months. Azaleas need to be pruned in order to maintain the full bushy shrub or they may get "leggy". The best time to prune an Azalea is right after it finishes flowering in the spring. Light pruning during the growing season is tolerated, but Azaleas should never be pruned after August, as this will prevent the shrub from flowering the following spring.
These plants show well in your Gainesville landscape for about 3 weeks in March, however there are varieties that bloom more often than once a year as well.