How to Prune a Rhododendron

Azalea flowers with pink, red, and white colors adorn the gardens more beautifully every spring. These bushes are hardy and easy to care for as they are able to grow well in many regions and in different conditions. Learn how to prune your rhododendrons to keep them blooming year after year.

Table of Contents

Annual maintenance pruning

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Learn about the azaleas you are growing. Rhododendrons currently come in two varieties: native rhododendrons and Asian rhododendrons. Native rhododendrons grow like vines and do not require pruning. If you grow Asian rhododendrons as a shrub, it is likely to be one of the following two main groups of evergreens:

The group of rhododendrons Kurume hybrids are usually bright red and do not grow too large – no more than 0.9 -1.2 m tall. They grow well with maintenance pruning, but never need much pruning.
Southern Indian hybrids are fast growing and tall, often needing pruning – especially if you have them near your home.
Note when choosing rhododendrons to plant, you should choose Kurume flower varieties instead of Southern Indian if you don’t want to spend a lot of effort on plant maintenance.

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Sterilize pruning tools. You need to clean the pruning shears to ensure no disease transmission between plants. You can use household disinfectant spray, bleach, or rubbing alcohol, then let it dry before pruning. ^{[1] X Research Source}

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Cut off dead branches in the spring. Although both groups of evergreen rhododendrons can survive the winter, you’ll probably still see a few dead or diseased branches in the bushes when spring arrives. You can use hand-held pruning shears (or large pruning shears for large branches) to remove dead or damaged branches where they join healthy wood.

Try to cut as small and compact as possible so that the wood does not have a large cut; These cuts can be an entry point for fungi and diseases.

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Prune the bush carefully after the flowers fade. When spring comes and goes and the bright flowers begin to fade, it’s time for a light annual pruning. Use hand-held pruning shears to trim off the long branches. Prune carefully to correct the shape of the bush. Prune down the bushy areas and don’t over-prune in the sparser branches.

Do not use hedge pruning shears to correct the shape of the tree. Instead, you need careful, precise, and selective pruning. Otherwise, you’ll make unnecessary cuts in the plant – spots that won’t flower the following season.

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Do not prune the plant after the flowers have faded for more than 3 weeks. In general, you should not prune trees after July. If you wait until late summer or fall to prune your tree, you will cut off the growing shoots that will bloom the following spring. If you forget to prune your tree, it’s probably best to wait until next spring, unless you’re willing to sacrifice that year’s blooming season. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Big pruning

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Rhododendron reviews. You usually don’t need a big pruning, unless you’re growing a fairly large Southern Indian rhododendron. You should prune if the bush is blocking a window and taking up space from other plants, and remember to keep the shape of the tree in mind when you begin pruning.

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Cut each branch about 30 cm from the ground. You can cut branches to this height without worrying about killing the tree. Use large pruning shears or a hand saw to cut individual branches if needed. Try to create a round shape on the top of the tree.

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Fertilize plants. Use a 12-6-6 slow-release fertilizer to keep plants healthy while they heal. Water the plant until next spring. You don’t have to wait another season to see the flowers bloom; This large pruning will help the azalea to produce more leaves and flowers in the spring. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Advice

Azaleas bloom only once a year in the spring. The best time to prune azalea bushes is right after the flowers fade.
If you prune branches that appear to be infected, wipe the blades with a diluted bleach solution before pruning other branches. This step is to prevent the disease from spreading to healthy branches.
To keep your azaleas healthy and beautiful, prune them every 3 or 4 years.
When practicing pruning azaleas, you should only use pruning shears. Electric hedge shears will cause the rhododendron to grow small, thin and unsightly branches.
You should wear gardening gloves when pruning azaleas to protect your hands from blisters, cuts, or scratches.

Warning

Fungi can grow on rhododendron branches in late summer, wilting leaves and dying branches. If you find these signs on the bush, you need to cut these branches until the white wood is visible to prevent the fungus from spreading.
Don’t try to prune the rhododendron into squares. The way the branches grow will cause the tree not to maintain its shape and eventually distort.
Do not prune the rhododendron after July, or it will not flower the following season. Rhododendrons sprout new shoots around this time of year, and if you cut them off, the plant won’t sprout new shoots until the following summer.

Things you need

Rhododendron bushes
Tree pruning scissors
Garden Gloves

Steps

Annual maintenance pruning

Big pruning

Advice

Warning

Things you need

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