Pruning Azaleas

Azaleas, just as with any other plant need proper care and maintenance if they are going to thrive as well as they can. Luckily, Azaleas are a fairly easy shrub to maintain. Learning how to take care of your plants is always an important step in having a successful garden. In fact, one of the most important things to learn about is proper pruning techniques. Pruning Azaleas is a fairly easy thing to do, as long as you keep your head about you. Just as with any plant, Azaleas are susceptible to damage if they are pruned incorrectly. Here are some simply guidelines that you can use to ensure you are pruning properly.

• You don't always have to prune. One of the hardest things for many new gardeners to learn, and experienced gardeners to remember, is that you don't always have to prune Azalea shrubs. The reason for this is rather simple; Azaleas are exceptionally well behaved and tame. There should only be a few reasons why you may want to prune them at all, and that is primarily for the health of the plant.
• Remove dead wood. Perhaps the single biggest reason that you should do any pruning to an Azalea shrub is to remove dead wood. By removing dead, or dying, wood from your plant, you are going to be helping to ensure that the general health of your flowering shrub stays good. The easiest way to tell if a branch isn't viable anymore is if there are no buds, leaves, or growth on the branch.
• Pruning for appearance. You can prune for appearances, but this needs to be done carefully. If you are looking to help produce a more dense shrub, and thereby increase the flower clusters, then pruning is one way that you can do this. Another reason you may want to cut back, or prune your Azaleas is if the bush is beginning to crowd out your windows, or other plants.
• Prune in the proper season. Ideally, the best time to prune your Azaleas is right after they have begun to bloom. This is usually some time near the end of June and the beginning of July. If you prune any later than this, you may potentially cause damage to the plant, and limit the production of flowers the next year.