Abundantly flowering plants always attract attention and delight the eye. But caring for such flowers is not always a simple task. Among these cultures, beautifully and luxuriantly flowering, but rather capricious in care, is Indian azalea. Therefore, the creation of suitable conditions for the cultivation of this flower is a priority for everyone who decided to engage in its cultivation.

Indian azalea: features of the plant

Indian azalea (or indica mix) belongs to the genus Rhododendron. The name of the flower in ancient Greek means “dry”, because the plant looks like a small, dry bush.

The bush comes from China and Japan, also found on the lands of North America and Southern Europe. In our country, culture appeared with the advent of the 20th century and was grown mainly in greenhouses or in the territories of botanical gardens.

In nature, there are up to 350 varieties of this flower, and at home 2 species are mainly popular, one of which is Indian azalea.These plants are evergreen flowering bushes with a height of not more than 50 cm. Dark green leaves with short petioles, up to 3.5 cm long, are covered with pale reddish hairs. The plant usually blooms in winter.

The diameter of the flowers is from 3 to 5 cm. They differ in a variety of colors: saturated pink, bright red, lilac, white, purple, as well as the simultaneous combination of several shades. Petals may differ in some terry or remain even. It blooms for the first time at the age of 3-4 years.

Important! When buying a blooming azalea, it is better to focus on the specimen where most of the buds have not yet blossomed. It is such a plant that will adapt much easier to changing growing conditions and will continue to bloom. Also, when buying, do not forget to inspect the flower for the timely detection of diseases and pests.

Planting and placing plants in the room

The planting process and conditions for the further maintenance of Indian azaleas have a number of features, compliance with which will help to obtain a positive result.

What kind of lighting do you need

The acquired flower must first be identified in a place with the most suitable lighting. Culture is photophilous, but does not tolerate scorching sunlight. The plant should be under light with diffusing effect or in partial shade. Therefore, for a flowerpot, a window sill with an exit to the east or west is optimal.

In the period from October to November, buds appear on the bush, which makes it necessary to increase the amount of light. If it is not possible to provide an additional influx of natural light to the culture, the use of lighting devices will help.

Requirements for temperature and humidity

An important role for the quality cultivation of azaleas is played by the level of humidity and temperature.

The plant does not belong to very thermophilic cultures. The temperature regime from +15 to + 18 ° С is optimal for him. When buds are formed, you should lower the temperature to +10 ... + 12 ° С. While maintaining the correct temperature, the plant will bloom for a long time, beautifully and luxuriantly.

It is especially difficult to create the right temperature conditions for a crop in the summer. To help in this situation, a short plant maintenance in the basement or on the balcony not from the south side, as well as the use of air conditioning can.

Indian azalea requires a high level of humidity, for which it is necessary to spray it frequently with cool water. An increase in the level of humidity is also facilitated by the presence of open containers of water near the plant. In summer, the flower will feel good outdoors in a shaded area.

In winter, when the heating is turned on, you also need to pay special attention to maintaining an optimal level of humidity.

Important! When the azalea blooms, it should be sprayed very carefully - if water gets on the flowers, darkened areas may form on them.

What should be the substrate for planting

To plant Indian azalea, acidic soil composition with a pH level of 4 to 4.5 is recommended. The soil mixture is suitable as purchased in specialized stores, so prepared independently - for this you need to mix moss or peat, rotted coniferous soil and coarse sand in proportions of 1: 2: 1.

Pot selection and planting

In the container intended for planting the plant, there must be holes for drainage. The capacity itself should be wide, shallow and small, because the culture develops rather slowly, and the presence of idle land can cause pathogenic processes.

At the bottom should be placed a layer of drainage of expanded clay or small pebbles. During the planting process, the main thing is not to disturb the lump of earth that protects the root system of the plant.

How to care for azalea

With proper care of this shrub at home, it is able to bloom for a long time, effectively and beautifully. To do this, you must follow a number of simple rules.

Did you know? The smell of azaleas left in the bedroom at night can cause severe headaches.

Features of watering

Proper watering is critical to this crop. It is he who is able to favorably influence growth and the growing process.

The flower has special requirements for hydration:

• watering should be regular;
• when flowering, you need to water more abundantly;
• the earth should not dry out;
• in the case of complete drying of the soil, place the flower pot in a container with warm water for several hours - until the plant is completely saturated with the desired amount of moisture;
• the soil mixture around the flower should remain slightly moist;
• waterlogging should be avoided;
• excess water from the pan must be poured so that the roots do not rot;
• before watering, water should stand for several days;
• the best option for moisturizing is melt cool water;
• 1 time in a couple of weeks you need to water the bush with settled water with the addition of a few drops of lemon juice.

Fertilizer and fertilizing

Mineral fertilizers are best suited for feeding Indian azaleas. It is most rational to use the ready-to-eat Azalea top dressing available for purchase in specialized stores.

Important! Water intended for breeding fertilizers should not be chlorinated. This component is able to destroy azalea.

In spring and summer, the flower should be fed quite often, but not more than 1 time in 7 days, but in the cold season - not more than 1 time per month. In the period of the appearance of buds and flowers, it is necessary to use means based on phosphorus and potassium for replenishment - these include Kemira-Lux or Uniflor-Bud.

Pruning and pinching

To obtain a bush that is harmonious in appearance and improve the flowering process, pinching and pruning should be done in a timely and correct manner.

After the end of the flowering period, single wilted flowers remaining on the plant should be removed. Starting in May, you need to remove the stalks that appear, not forgetting to pinch them carefully. With proper and timely pruning and pinching, you can achieve the formation of new buds at the ends of the branches.

It is not worth removing the shoots in a row - only those that are very elongated. Pruning is recommended using a pruner. Young leaflets appear about 14 days after the end of pruning.

Azalea Transplant Rules

A transplant of this plant is best done at the end of the first flowering period. The roots of the flower are fragile, thin and easily injured. Therefore, azalea should be transplanted very carefully, using the transshipment method for this and maximizing the integrity of the soil coma around the plant.

The pot should not be deep so that the roots are not far from the surface soil layer.

It is recommended to transplant young azaleas every year, and more mature ones every 2–3 years, while removing dried flowers, stems and leaves. The transplant container should be slightly larger than the previous one.

Azalea propagation

There are 3 ways to propagate this flower:

1. Seeds - a method in which the mixing and splitting of the characteristics of the species of parent plants occurs. It is most often used by professional breeders to breed different varieties. Sowing of seeds is carried out in the prepared acidic soil mixture, slightly sprinkling on top of the seed material. After that, the container is placed in a sufficiently lit place and covered with a plastic film. The temperature must be maintained at +18 ... + 24 ° С, the earth should be moist. Seeds begin to germinate after 7-60 days - the reason for this range lies in the growing conditions and the quality of the seed. After emergence, the film is removed and the temperature regime is reduced. Watering seedlings should not be very plentiful in order to avoid damage to the plant with a black leg. With a short daylight hours, it is recommended to place the seedlings under artificial lighting, so that in general the exposure of plants to light lasts from 16 to 18 hours a day. When the first true leaves appear, seedlings can be planted.

2. Cuttings - a method in which the characteristics of the variety of the maternal specimen are preserved. The optimal period for grafting is the period from March to June. The cuttings should be semi-lignified, have a length of 5-8 cm. They are treated with crushed coal, stimulants to form the root system and growth, deepened by a couple of centimeters in a container with an acidic soil composition, covered with polyethylene. It is necessary to carry out ventilation, watering and spraying. When flower buds appear, they should be removed. The formation period of the first roots is from 1 to 1.5 months. The entire process of the emergence of shoots and roots takes up to 6 months.

3. Shrub separation - a method with maximum preservation of the characteristics of the parent plant. Bushes aged 3 to 4 years are separated and planted separately. The danger of such breeding is that the roots of the Indian azalea, if not properly divided and planted, are easily damaged.

Diseases and pests of the flower

Shrubs are often affected by disease or pests due to illiterate care, namely:

• low-quality watering;
• exposure to destructive direct sunlight;
• bad light;
• increased temperature;
• wrong composition of the soil mixture.

Did you know? Cut branch of azalea can flare up from a lit matchas if soaked in gasoline.

Diseases characteristic of azalea:

1. Phytophthora appears as a result of prolonged waterlogging of the soil and the presence of stagnation of water in the drainage layer. In order to prevent the disease, you need to carefully monitor the watering and disinfect the soil mixture before planting the plant.
2. Rust and gray rot occur as a result of a violation of the temperature regime: cold, extreme heat, wind. It is necessary to remove the affected leaves and properly regulate the temperature at the place of growing the flower.
3. Chlorosis is a disease that occurs against the background of improper soil composition, its insufficient acidity, as a result of which the leaves turn yellow. It is necessary to ensure the optimal composition of the soil mixture.

Leaves can also turn yellow, fade, fall off due to improper watering, use of poor-quality water for this, prolonged exposure to sunlight.

The most common pests of azalea are whiteflies, aphids, spider mites, scale insects, and strawberry mites. For the prevention and elimination of these insects, it is necessary to use the products intended for each type of pest, available in stores.After the azalea has fully recovered, it should be periodically watered for a while with a potassium permanganate solution.

Did you know? Drinking water, which contains parts of the azalea, can cause poisoning.

How to save azalea in winter

To ensure a successful wintering of the Indian azalea, you need to take the following steps:

• create cool conditions - approximately + 15 ° C, so that the flower can relax during the winter and survive it without negative consequences;
• provide additional artificial lighting - this will help the plant to bloom in time in February;
• Do not overdo it with watering and top dressing.

Indian Azalea is a culture amazing in its nature and beauty of flowering. It is quite whimsical, but knowing the rules of its cultivation and maintenance will help to enjoy the magnificent and magnificent appearance of the plant. The main thing is to be patient and be attentive to the needs of the flower.