You do need to prune away anything obviously dead or damaged...where you make the cuts on azalea isn't critical - they have dormant growth buds all up and down their stems and should sprout from just below any cut you make.

But generally speaking, there are two different groups of these hybrids: those with an open habit, and those that are more compact. Both should be evergreen.

If your plant was looking dead over winter, and now has bare/dead stems with newer growth lower, something isn't right.

Do you know what your lowest temperature was over winter?
Well grown, these should be hardy to about 20F. I'm wondering about water...if your soil is sandy and drains immediately, 2 x a week may not be enough for these shallow rooted plants without a good mulch to help conserve moisture. And, they are not heavy feeders and have low nutritional requirements compared to most shrubs...did you realize that your azalea fertilizer and Miracle Gro are both fertilizers - its possible to burn enough roots on azalea that those remaining are not sufficient to support top growth.

Without more information on your growing conditions I'm just guessing at 'possibles', but something needs to be improved or pruning will be only a temporary repair.

What type of soil do you have? Is it sandy?

What do the leaves look like? Are they yellowing with green veins?

Is the plant near any masonry structures like a cement foundation?

Are there new buds with new leaves ready to open up?

Is the azalea near plants that are sprayed with any pesticides?

Do pets like to use your azalea as a fire hydrant?

Has anyone been digging or planting under the azalea?

It sounds like your plant is not very happy where it is. It needs to be treated better or moved to a better location. The above questions may help determine what is the matter. Is their anything else you can think of?

What type of soil do you have? Is it sandy?
Yes, the soil here is quite sandy, although when I planted I used black kow, peat moss and plain potting soil, most of it is still where I originally put it.

What do the leaves look like? Are they yellowing with green veins?

The leaves are not discolored, they are very green, except for the older ones that are dying, they are just becoming brown.

Is the plant near any masonry structures like a cement foundation?

Nope.

Are there new buds with new leaves ready to open up?

Only one or two, most of the others have already opened up since it's azalea bloom here in N. Florida.

Is the azalea near plants that are sprayed with any pesticides?

No. Haven't sprayed at all this year.

Do pets like to use your azalea as a fire hydrant?

Not that I know of, the da** dogs whose owners let them have the run of the neighborhood usually just pee on my fence to make my dog crazy.

Has anyone been digging or planting under the azalea?

No.

The azalea that I have is a Southern Indica, I'm pretty sure it's Formosa, (lost the tag years back and never wrote it down) deep pink blooms, almost purple. It is a heat tolerant azalea that can handle the sun here in Fl during the summer, even though every now and again it looks like it's dying, it comes back a few days later and looks healthy.

I really have no idea what is wrong with it. I need to charge my camera battery and I will post a photo of it. That may help a bit.

Thanks Rhodyman..

Christine

There are two types of buds, flower buds and foliage buds. There should be either new leaves or buds that will become new leaves. It sounds like there is a general lack of vigor in this plant. It could be pH or nutrient related. Also, sometimes the roots are not spread correctly and strangle each other. The healthy green leaves rule out many pH or major nutrient problems. The roots may be the problem. Your soil may be lacking in phosphorous or the roots may be strangling each other. There is not much you can do about the roots. It would involve digging up the plant when it is completely dormant and looking at the root structure without damaging any of the small feeder roots and cutting away any root that is strangling other roots. Usually a problem like this is not found until the plant dies and it is dug up.

... a Southern Indica, ... Formosa, ... a heat tolerant azalea that can handle the sun here in Fl during the summer, even though every now and again it looks like it's dying, it comes back a few days later and looks healthy.

Without seeing the setting nor the azalea, I would guess that it might be happier with moving to an area with dappled shade. Do you have mulch over the roots? Pine straw 3 or 4 inches thick or some nice leaf mold from under some live oaks will diminish the stress that makes it look like it's dying. I think until it began to look happier, I'd hold up on the fertilizer until, say, a year from this April.
{{gwi:11442}}

Nell