CAROL LINK ON GARDENING: How to plant tough, hardy Encore Azaleas

Right now, as I write this article (in mid-September), Encore Azaleas are blooming, sporadically, all over our hill. Back in early spring, the shrubs bloomed for the first time this growing season, and then during the summer a few of them bloomed again. Now they are blooming one last time.

When we purchased our home more than 30 years ago, several large azaleas were planted around the house foundation. Throughout the years, while Oscar and I were both employed, we harvested trees and cleared the slope around our home. After both of us retired from the U.S. Postal Service, we began designing a walking garden around the front slope and along our driveway. In addition, we built an assortment of raised beds around the house foundation and in other areas of our yard.

To provide permanence in our landscape, we planted a large number of evergreen non-flowering shrubs, but we also planted quite a few flowering shrubs, among which were hydrangeas (native and cultivars), camellias, gardenias and azaleas (native and cultivars). But according to the number of Encore Azaleas we have planted throughout the years, I would have to say that the Encore is my all-time favorite shrub.

We planted most of our Encores in areas that received several hours of full sun, with some afternoon shade. We spaced the plants a few feet apart, digging each planting hole twice as wide as the azalea’s root ball, but slightly less than its depth, situating the root ball about an inch above the soil surface. Next, we covered the ground around the base of the plant with some shredded pine bark mulch, which helps to keep the root system cooler, helps retain moisture and keeps weeds at bay. After that, we applied water to the planting hole until it overflowed, and we continued to apply water to the plants on a regular basis until the azalea became well established.

Once Encore Azaleas become well established, they are tough plants and have survived in our landscape during droughts with very little supplemental water. In addition, we have planted Encore Azaleas on the front slope under trees, where they received a bit of shade and plenty of filtered sun. The Encores perform well under these conditions, but if they are planted in too much shade, they will not bloom well.

Carol (Bonnie) Link is an Etowah County Master Gardener and an experienced garden writer. Her weekly column is designed to help and encourage others in their gardening endeavors. Send questions or comments to clink43@bellsouth.net.