How to Prune Azalea Bushes
- 1). Prune the azalea shrub just after it has finished flowering in early spring. You can prune back some of the current year's flowers as they begin to wilt. This allows the plant a complete growing season to mature before winter arrives. Prune in dry weather to help prevent the spread of diseases.
- 2). Dip your cutters into the sterilizing solution. Repeat this step after each branch has been removed, which ensures that if any part of the plant has a disease, it is not spread to other areas.
- 3). Remove any dead branches first. These will not regrow and removing them first may determine how you prune the living parts of the plant to get the best shape.
- 4). Prune the tallest branches. This ensures a better shape to the plant and allows younger branches to flourish and new growth to begin at the base.
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