Azalea is a fairly common indoor flower. Rather, it is a bush that blooms in late winter or early spring. The leaves of this plant are fleshy and green, and the flowers can be of various shapes and colors. And you can choose a variety that meets all the requirements without any problems. But if suddenly a pet is sick, how to save dried azalea?
How to care for azalea
Azalea - moderately finicky plant. Caring for it is not difficult, but there are a number of fundamental nuances that must be observed so that the azalea does not hurt and delight the eye.
This plant loves coolness. The optimum temperature range is from + 12 ° C to + 18 ° C. When the azalea blooms, the most suitable temperature regime is within + 15 ° .. + 16 ° .
Azalea does not tolerate direct sunlight, so it is best to find a place where they can not reach it or create a blackout. But at the same time, the room should not be dark. Otherwise, the flower will begin to hurt.
This bush cannot be kept in a room with over-dried air. Azalea needs a humid microclimate, and therefore in winter it is better to put it away from heat sources. Be sure to keep the soil in the pot moist, if necessary, you can spray the leaves with cool water from the spray bottle.
Be sure to monitor the quality of the water used. This plant needs to be watered only with sediment. Sometimes it can even be acidified to reduce the level of alkali in the soil. In general, the flower is very sensitive to poor-quality soil. So that he does not get sick, it is best to purchase a completely ready-made soil in any flower shop. It will already contain all the necessary trace elements and meet the plant's acidity requirements.
If the azalea has begun to dry, what can be done?
Azalea began to dry, what to do? As a rule, in this case, the branches and leaves dry out and then fall off. The process can be triggered by a number of reasons, and depending on each specific situation it is necessary to choose a solution to the problem.
Plant got stress
After transplanting during flowering, the azalea began to dry, how to save it in this case? It is recommended to simply cut off the dried parts of the plant and give it time to adapt, not forgetting to create the most comfortable conditions.
Lack or excess of light
To save a flower, you need to transfer it to a more illuminated place with a lack of light. And, on the contrary, remove deep into the room where direct sunlight does not reach , if the flower is, for example, on the windowsill.
Lack of moisture
How to save dried azalea? Remember that the plant does not like dry land. If the azalea began to dry, then you need to put it together with the pot in a container of water for several minutes. This time is quite enough for the root system to be saturated with water.
Excess watering
Paradoxical as it may seem, azaleas can dry out even with excess moisture. Excessive watering of the plant leads to the fact that the roots rot. At the same time, the supply of its necessary substances is disrupted.
If it was because of this that the azalea began to fade, what should I do now? The plant must be carefully removed from the pot without damaging the earthen coma, and allow the soil to dry. Roots are best wrapped with paper or other well-absorbent material to remove excess moisture. Let the plant stay in this form for several days, after which, when the excess moisture evaporates, you need to return it to its place.
Poor landing soil
Improper land selection can cause the azalea to dry out. The earth must be of high quality and contain all the elements necessary for the development of the plant. The flower feels great in a mixture of sand, peat and coniferous soil. Such a soil will help to avoid alkalization, which becomes the cause of the development of many plant diseases. You can purchase the necessary substrate in the store.
But if the azalea started to disappear anyway, how to save the plant?
Perhaps the soil lacks the substances necessary for its growth. Then you need to buy special fertilizers and additives designed specifically for azalea.
It is necessary to carefully approach the choice of the pot. It should not be small and narrow, since azalea has a superficial root system.
Pests
If the azalea began to crumble, how to save the flower? Perhaps the plant was attacked by pests. Insects that can cause irreparable damage to a plant include:
- Shield . This is an insect that feeds on leaf juice. Signs of damage are yellowed and fallen leaves. In this case, you should carefully consider the leaves of azalea. If they faded and became shiny and sticky, then this is the result of the work of the scale insect. To save the plant, you need to wipe the leaves daily with a soap solution. But this tool will work only with a weak lesion with a scab. If most of the leaves have already turned yellow, then it is better to use chemical preparations.
- Azalea Moth. When the leaves of the plant dry and curl up into a tube, this indicates that the azalea mole has wound up. It is quite easy to notice it, since the insect has a fairly solid size. To help the flower, you need to collect all the larvae and spray the leaves with a special solution against insects.
- Spider mite. If the plant is in a room with dry air, then between the stems and branches, a spider web of this tick may appear . A spider mite, like a scab, feeds on the juice of leaves and buds. If the flower is affected by this insect, then leaves and buds fall. You need to deal with it in the same way as with the scab.
- Mealybug. He also feeds on the sap of the plant. It can be seen by the curved stalk and the small number of buds that appeared. To neutralize the parasite, you will need chemicals.
- Aphids eating young foliage may also appear. In this case, the treatment of the plant with soapy water will help.
How to save dried azalea, if it has already begun to crumble? Here you need to consider some nuances. There are varieties that drop foliage in the fall, and in the spring it grows again. And falling leaves in this case is a natural process. But for evergreen azaleas, falling leaves is most likely a sign of improper care.
Azalea began to drop leaves, how to save? Look, if the leaves turn yellow first, and then fall off, then it is possible that the spider mite or scab has “attacked” the plant. How to get rid of the pest, we have already said above.
If the leaves dry and then curl into a tube, then the plant is annoyed with an azalea mole. But if the leaves only dry and do not fall, then the plant is clearly not enough moisture.
If the azalea began to fade, what should I do?
If the plant gradually began to fade, then, most likely, azaleas do not like the soil. You must either purchase additional additives, or transplant a flower, replacing the planting substrate. Perhaps the plant lacks nutrients for full development and growth.
In addition, this condition of the flower can be caused by problems with the root system. The roots may begin to rot due to an excess of moisture or some kind of disease. If you do not take the necessary measures in time, then the flower may die.
In addition to all of the above reasons, azalea can begin to dry out or wither from various diseases. In spring, during a period of high humidity, azalea can get sick with septoria. This is a fungal disease that affects the leaves, forming red spots on its surface . The flower does not tolerate the disease. They treat the fungus with the Diazinon preparation.
The next disease characteristic of azalea is phylostictosis. It can be diagnosed by the appearance of brown spots on the edges of the leaves. During this period, the leaves fall off at the azalea, and poor bud formation is observed. To combat the disease, it is recommended to use fungicides.
Azalea is a relatively moody plant. However, finding an approach to it is not so difficult. The main thing is to keep the middle ground: not too hot, but not cold, not very humid, but not dry, etc. Now you know exactly how to save dried azalea. We hope that our tips will help your pet to delight everyone with its lush flowering.