how to prune azalea bushes?

nancylouise · Mon Jul 06, 2009 5:02 pm

I inherited several beautiful azalea bushes...the purple flowering type...when I bought this old house. It's been 10 years, several harsh winters not to mention rather large pine limbs falling on them during ice storms...and now these bushes are large, irregularly shaped and totally not the beauty they should be. What do I do? I've read where I might try cutting them waaaay back but that seems drastic. Suggestions?

Kisal · Mon Jul 06, 2009 5:22 pm

As soon as they stop blooming, you can remove all dead limbs, and 1/3 of the living branches. I think the buds for the following year are set in August, so if you prune too late in the year, you'll be cutting off next years flowers.

It migh take 2 or 3 years to get an badly overgrown azalea back into good shape.

Diane · Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:42 am

My azaleas also got damaged in the winter from heavy snow. They are over 15 years old and looked it. I pruned them by at least 1/3. I also cut back long woody branches to encourage branching. The very next year they looked like new plants.