The Augusta National Golf Club Masters Tournament in Georgia is the only major tournament held in the same place every year, and it's no wonder why! The grounds are gorgeous. Augusta National used to be a commercial nursery, which contributes to the event's goal of providing as beautiful a course as possible.
One of the Masters Tournament's best-known horticultural accomplishments is its striking collection of azaleas, which consists of more than 30 varieties. The 13th hole alone is home to more than 1,000 azalea shrubs, and while your yard probably couldn't accommodate that many, there are five secrets you can follow to ensure your blooms are just as beautiful.
- Plant your azaleas in the early fall or late spring in a place with partial shade and a little bit of wind protection. If a plant grows from a seed, it knows to go dormant until it gets nice and warm outside. Once you’re ready to put them in the ground, Southern Living suggests planting them with the root balls just above the level of the soil. Don’t mess with the soil around them after that, because azalea roots are shallow.
- There are several different kinds of azaleas, but all of them need well-drained soil. Planting them in places where clay is the main soil component can lead to root rot. The Farmers Almanac recommends lots of humus (the part of soil where leaves and other organic matter get broken down by bugs and microorganisms) and an acidic mulch. As the mulch decays, it provides a natural fertilizer, so you don’t have to add any store-bought additives to get happy plants.
- Your soil should be a little bit acidic, with a pH of 4.5-6. You can buy a probe to test your dirt’s pH at any store with a garden section. The mold and sawdust mulch will also help keep the soil acidic. Planting in soil that is too alkaline causes chlorosis, and your lovely green leaves will turn yellow.
- Prune in late winter or early spring; you may lose some flowers, but you’ll be encouraging the buds that are getting ready to bloom, giving you a nice, full plant. You can also break off dying flowers, because the seeds that form will keep next year’s growth from being as full.
- Leave your azaleas alone. Bugs won’t bother them -- they’ll be healthy, since you planted them in the right soil. You used the right mulch, so you won’t have to fertilize them. Just give them a little water, making sure to water the entire plant, not just the bottom, since they drink through their leaves as well as their roots
Photo Credit: "Rhododendron ferrugineum". Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons.
