Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
roniowa5a

waterlogged Karen Azlea

roniowa5a
17 years ago

I have a "karen" that was containerized 2 months ago by a garden supply shop. The karen came from a high quality grower (not a "big box provider"), but the garden shop chose to use their own regular potting medium rather than an azealia type mix. All went well, with fantastic blooming results and new leaf growth, until 2-3 days ago when leaves began to die and drop. I have about 20% foliage left, and have removed the plant (still in its growers soil) to repot into a mix of sand, spagnum, leaf compost, and composted pine bark. what are the chances this gal might pull through,is there something else that might be done?

Comments (3)

  • morz8 - Washington Coast
    17 years ago

    How did the roots look when you took it from it's pot? If there are any that look mushy, or smell off, prune them.

    It's hard to say if it might recover but it sounds like you are giving it the best chance with a more appropriate potting mix. And are you sure it was waterlogged and water was not just moistening the outer soil and draining from the container without wetting the rootball? The symptoms of too dry and too wet are surprisingly similar.

  • rhodyman
    17 years ago

    If it is root rot, then it is probably dead with nothing you can do.

    If the roots were just being asphyxiated, then it should start to perk up. Other than disecting the roots looking for the brown fungal tissue, I don't know any other way of telling.

    Also, being in the pot, if the sun hits the pot, the root temperatures rise and kill the roots. In this case you may be able to nurse it back to life.

    Is there any reason you don't want to plant the azalea in your garden?

    I am not sure which plant you have. There are several with this name:

    Karen, a Gable hybrid
    Karen, a Kiwi hybrid
    Karens, a Karume hybrid
    Karens, a Pederson hybrid

    and perhaps others.

  • roniowa5a
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    morz 8 & rhody man:
    Thanks for the quick response. I suspected that what I was doing was all that could be done, but wondered if pruning might help (though I doubted it).
    morz, there was very little sign of roots when I moved it out of the waterlogged container that it'd been in for those 2 months.The growers potting material is still in place, and I wonder at how a grower uses such compacted growing medium for plants that are to be planted in well drained soils. This has the consistency of clay but is black, wet, and brick like. A few Short hair like roots did protrude as much as 3/4 inch, and there was sign of finer matting of web like root material.The too dry/ too wet similarity seems resolved by our close observance of not alllowing complete drying & always maintaing moistness of the growers material.
    The container was a wrought iron window box type (12 x 20"), with coconut matting to hold the soil.The surroundig potting mix was what was waterlogged but was hidden by smaller flowering vines.
    rhodyman,sorry but the grower didn't mention the hybrid on its label, only "azalea karen".Becausethe container was kept in filtered sun, and because of the type of container, I think you'll agree the roots didn't suffer over heating as they might in a clay or plastic pot.I tend to believe your analysis of asphixiation is more likely the case here.
    Mrs ron is no longer able to get to or enjoy her garden so this is an attempt to bring the garden to her (on the deck). The rhodies & azaleas will go into the garden to overwinter, then back to the deck in time for the bloom.
    The in ground over wintering will be contained by coconut mattng inside a chicken wire basket. It's a shot in the dark experiment, but I believe it should work.
    Thanx again for the encouraging confirmations. roniowa5a