Propagation of azalea at home: the main methods, care for a houseplant, photo, video * Flowers and plants

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Due to its beautiful appearance and lush, pleasing to the eye in winter cold blooms, azalea is one of the most attractive indoor plants, but very capricious. In order to prevent the flower from drying out, it is necessary to correctly and timely carry out various agricultural activities, one of which is reproduction.

At first glance, a simple procedure can lead to the death of a plant, if we neglect the basic rules and conditions of azalea during this period. In this article, we will consider a brief description of the flower and a suitable microclimate for its cultivation, methods of plant propagation, as well as care after cuttings and possible difficulties that may be encountered during this process.

Short flower description

Azalea is a dwarf evergreen plant that came to us from Asia, but today it is no less common in South America and in Western Europe. Indoor subtype of flower botany belongs to the genus of rhododendrons. Azalea, that is, translated from the ancient Greek “dry”, got its name in honor of appearance, since it is a squat dry bush.

In our latitudes, the plant settled only at the end of the XIX century and at first it was grown exclusively in greenhouses or arboretums. In total, there are about 360 species of azaleas in nature, but for breeding at home they are suitable and the most popular, as a rule, only two species are Indian azalea and Japanese azalea.Indian is a small evergreen shrub, not exceeding 60 cm in height, with dark green leaves that are covered with red hairs. Flowering occurs in the winter, the flowers of this variety are only 2-3 cm in diameter. Japanese azalea is practically no different from its indoor counterpart - it is also a small evergreen bush with small shiny leaves. The only difference is the smaller size of the flowers and the possibility of growing varieties in the garden. Azalea blooms very luxuriantly and violently, usually at the age of 4 or 5 years. The flowers are saturated bright pink in color, but white, violet, red and even two-tone are also often found.

Did you know? In addition to its attractive appearance, azalea is famous for its healing properties, in particular, the elimination of various inflammatory eye diseases and even a hangover. Great for relieving fatigue — just sit down in front of the plant, and in a matter of minutes you will feel a surge of strength and energy that will stay with you for a long time.

The leaves are dark green, relatively small in size and can be both terry and regular even. When choosing an azalea for growing a house, pay attention to the number of unopened buds: if there are more than half of them, it is likely that such a flower is adapted for quick adaptation and will delight the hosts with incredibly spectacular and fabulous blooms for much longer. Do not be too lazy to check the plant for the presence of diseases and pests - just carefully inspect the bush, and if you find dry or completely wilted leaves, then the azalea is sick or simply undergone improper care.

Suitable microclimate for growing

Despite the fact that the azalea is able to bloom for quite a long time, one can often hear the complaints of gardeners that after some time after buying a flower, it fades for no apparent reason. This is due to the fact that azalea is a very capricious plant in itself and needs a special approach and conditions. If you properly take into account some of the features of its cultivation and the requirements of the flower, it will certainly reward you with an abundance of its amazing and inimitable flowers. First of all, it is necessary to create a plant environment that is as close as possible to the conditions of its natural habitat, namely:

temperature condition. Since azalea is not among the heat-loving plants, a temperature of +14 ... + 17 degrees is suitable for its maintenance, which during budding will need to be further reduced by 3-4 degrees. Only a properly selected temperature regime will give the plant the opportunity to bloom for a long time and impressively. It is extremely important to monitor the desired temperature in the summer. To do this, it is recommended to move the azalea to the balcony, but not to its south side, but with air conditioning to keep the temperature no higher than +18 degrees. If the flower was in the garden in the summer, you must definitely bring it into the room before the cold snap;
humidity. No less demanding flower and high humidity. At the very beginning of the heating season, the plant begins to experience stress due to dryness, so high humidity is achieved by regular spraying. It is necessary to spray azalea with cool water and with great care, since the flowers are quite sensitive to water and quickly darken. The best way out of the situation is to arrange small containers of water around the flower. In the warm season, it is enough to simply move the plant to open air, but in winter you should deal with this issue more thoroughly;
lighting. After acquiring the azalea, the first thing to do is to choose the right place for it. Despite the fact that the plant is quite photophilous, it does not tolerate direct sunlight, therefore, for its maintenance, it is worth orienting yourself on the eastern or western sides of the house. Azalea feels great both in diffused light, and even in the shade, and during the formation of buds (that is, in autumn), care should be taken to artificially illuminate the plant with lamps.

Methods of reproduction at home

Azalea is propagated in several ways: by cuttings, dividing the bush and seeds. The latter is a rather painstaking process, most demanded, most likely, by experienced gardeners to create new varieties. However, having mastered all the subtleties of this procedure, it is possible to achieve complete adaptation of the flower to home conditions and improve the quality and duration of flowering. Let's consider each method in more detail.

Video: Azalea breeding

Cuttings

Propagation of azalea by stem cuttings is usually carried out in the summer, approximately in August.

Important! To prevent drying of the soil, it is recommended to periodically place the azalea in a spacious container with warm water and leave for several hours. So the soil absorbs the maximum amount of moisture, which in the most positive way will affect the development of the bush.

The technology of grafting is simple:

First you need to cut the cuttings, leaving at least 6 leaves on each shoot.
Next, the selected cuttings are washed in a plant growth stimulator, for example, Agrosole or Zircon, and are disinfected in a solution of pink manganese before the planting procedure.
Treated cuttings are planted in weakly acidic soil, 2-3 pieces each, deepening by 2 cm. The capacity is not of fundamental importance - it can be both pots and disposable cups. It is recommended then to cover it with a dark colored cloth, but a bag or jar is also suitable.
In order for the plant to take root well, it is necessary to maintain the appropriate temperature - at least +20 degrees. Watering, as well as spraying, need regular.

Rooting of azaleas in this way will be quite long - at least three months. After you find a noticeable growth of cuttings, it is advisable to harden the plant: avoiding direct sunlight to shoots, remove the coating - first for half an hour, then for an hour, each time increasing the duration.

Video: Azalea cuttings

Bush division

Another way to reproduce azaleas, which does not take much time and effort, but will require a careful approach. It is suitable exclusively for old shrubs with a huge number of shoots.

The standard procedure is as follows:

After the azalea has faded, the bush must be pulled out of the pot and placed on a flat surface.
Using a disinfected knife, carefully cut the lumps of soil, including the roots, in half. As a result, at least one branch should remain on each part. Since the root system of the flower is quite sensitive and easily injured, one must act with extreme caution and provide proper care to the roots immediately after the procedure.
The resulting segments must be placed in previously prepared soil and pour warm water. For the next week, azalea should be kept in a dark and cool place.

Stages of propagation of azalea by dividing the bush

Seeds

Azalea can also be propagated by seeds, but this procedure is much more complicated and time-consuming than the others, and is fraught with a number of difficulties:

collecting seeds by yourself is almost impossible, since a plant growing in a house has almost no ability to set fruits;
seed ripening can only be achieved through pollination;
Azalea grown in this way most often does not retain its varietal advantages, and it is highly likely that it will acquire the characteristic features of a hybrid.

In order to sow a flower in this way, you must do the following:

Perform planned sowing of seeds in early March, in no case sprinkling with soil from above, otherwise tender seeds will not germinate. Spray the substrate from the spray gun.
Cover the seeds immediately with glass.
Place the seed container in a bright and warm place.
Every day, the room containing the container with seeds must be ventilated. Watering shoots need not frequent, but plentiful and exceptionally warm, protected water.
Given the fact that shoots appear without a clear schedule, it is difficult to say about the timing of this process, but most often it takes at least a month to grow.
After several leaves form on the shoots, it is necessary to make a pick.
At first, the seeds should grow in containers, but by the beginning of September they will need to be moved to a separate container.

Care after cuttings for indoor plants

After carrying out such an important procedure, you should take care of the condition of the plant, try not to expose it to excessive stress and provide the most comfortable conditions for further development. Care for azalea must necessarily include such standard agrotechnical measures as watering and feeding, bush formation, transplanting, as well as protection from diseases and pests. We consider each item in more detail.

Watering and feeding

Watering the azalea should be done with extreme caution, since this procedure is the basis for the successful growth and vegetation of the plant.

Did you know? In Japan, they especially respect the azalea, calling it the "flower of the wise." In the same place, the plant is used to create bonsai, because it tolerates the negative effects of the environment and generally serves as a wonderful decorative decoration.

Given the requirements of the bush, proper watering should look like this:

it must occur stably regularly, special attention should be paid to its abundance during the budding period of the plant;
the soil must not dry out or accumulate excessive amounts of water, since both of these substrate conditions will be fatal to the plant. Ideally, the soil should be slightly moist;
absolutely any water is suitable for watering azaleas, which is strongly recommended to acidify by adding a few drops of lemon juice to maintain and maintain the desired acidity of the soil;
water temperature is also important - it should be warm, but not icy;
in autumn watering procedures are reduced.

As for top dressing, mineral fertilizers are ideal for azaleas without necessarily containing chlorine in their composition, which has a detrimental effect on the plant. The best way out of the situation is to buy a ready-made Azalea fertilizer in a specialized store, which contains the entire set of nutrients for the flower.

The frequency of top dressing in the warm season should be 1 time in 6 days, and in winter - once every 20 days. After the beginning of flowering of the shrub, it is advisable to fertilize with phosphorus-potash fertilizers, for example, Nitrofoskoy and Micro-Mineralis.

Trimming and shaping a bush

In order for the plant to have an attractive shape and lush flowering, it is necessary to ensure proper care for azalea, periodically removing excess shoots, pre-pinching them. The essence of this procedure is to provide an attractive appearance to the shrub due to the voluminous crown and to achieve uniform distribution of buds. It is very important to carry it out in a timely manner - starting from the end of April, otherwise the process of budding will be sluggish.

Pruning is highly recommended by pruning shears. It is not necessary to eliminate all branches, but only too elongated. Literally in two to three weeks the procedure will have to be repeated, as the leaves will begin to form again.

Transfer

Azalea transplantation is also an integral part of caring for the plant, because too long a stay in the same tank depletes the soil and most negatively affects the health of the flower.

Important! Loosening the soil is strictly prohibited, since there is a high risk of damage to the delicate roots of the plant.

The bush has its own requirements for this procedure:
transplantation is carried out immediately after the plant fades for the first time, often by transhipment method;
it is extremely important to act carefully, without damaging the earthen lump, since the root system of the azalea is very sensitive and can easily be injured in the process;
transplantation is carried out in a tank of not very large depth so that the roots are located not far from the soil surface;
the frequency of this procedure for young azaleas is no more than once a year, and it is recommended to replant old bushes only once in four years;
before transplantation, dried-up stems, shoots and branches are required to be removed.

Video: how to transplant azalea

Possible difficulties

Often, even the most experienced flower growers, who have gained a hand in the cultivation of azaleas, are faced with the occurrence of such troubles as diseases and plant pests. Azalea can get sick due to adverse environmental effects, so it is doubly important to observe the proper conditions for caring for the plant.

It is possible to determine that the flower is sick by the following signs:

Azalea leaves suddenly turn yellow and fall, which is most often the cause of insufficient light and moisture. In this case, you should carefully monitor the watering and location of the plant, and then the problem will be eliminated;
Fusarium and powdery mildew - The main enemies of azaleas, as a result of which its rapid death occurs. A measure to combat ailments is the creation of an optimal temperature regime for the existence of a flower, as well as an urgent pruning of diseased leaves;
by signs such as rapid wilting and falling flowers, you can determine that watering the plant is carried out with unsuitable water. Preliminary boiling of water with the addition of fertilizers to it will contribute to the disappearance of the problem;
rhizome decay - One of the most common problems arising from the accumulation of excess moisture.To prevent the disease, it is necessary to periodically drain the accumulated water from the sump.

Pests of azaleas cause no less trouble for gardeners, since they significantly spoil the appearance of the plant. The fight against them occurs only by chemical treatment of the bush. To begin with, the flower is washed with a disinfectant solution, then it is necessary to wash off the liquid with water and only after that they start spraying with the acquired agent.

Due to its incredibly spectacular appearance, indoor azalea can not leave anyone indifferent, however, when buying such a capricious plant, it is worth considering that it will not be easy to care for the flower. With proper care, azalea can surprise you with its incredibly lush flowering, which will serve as an excellent reward for the work done. The most important thing is to observe some of the features and requirements of the flower, and then the result will definitely not disappoint you.

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