How to revive the azalea if it has dried up: is it possible to save, why it fades and what to do to revive and preserve at home, as well as a photo of a flower in a pot

Azalea (or otherwise “rhododendron”) belongs to the family of heather plants and is an evergreen, highly branched shrub with leaves of a lanceolate, elliptical, ovoid form.

Azalea is a capricious and difficult flower to care for, so without proper care, it can dry out and die.

In order for this luxurious and elegant plant to please you and your loved ones with bright and abundant flowering for a long time, use our tips for caring for this princess of flowers.

The process and signs of wilting

Plants begin to dry out if the volume of water that evaporates exceeds the volume of water that enters the soil. First, the weakest parts wilt, as a struggle for water occurs between different organs of the plant. Precisely because at the initial stage of drying, wilting of individual parts of the plant is observedwhile its other parts remain viable and look relatively healthy.

The leaves of plants begin to gradually lose their elasticity, acquiring softness and friability. The upper leaves begin to fall down or fall off altogether. The plant stops developing and growing, moreover, it can become shorter due to moisture loss.

Remember! Drying of the plant can occur not only as the soil dries with insufficient watering, but also in cases where the absorbing function of the root system is weakened, for example, if low temperatures occur.

Why dries and what to do if it happened?

Azalea is a complex plant to care for and is not always amenable to the efforts of beginners in gardening. If you are interested in how to reanimate a dried plant in a pot and to make it bloom, you should know that saving an elegant flower and restoring its vital functions is very difficult, and sometimes impossible (more about resuscitation of a dying plant can be found here).

The main causes of drying azaleas and methods for solving problems are described below.

Deciduous drying of the plant is observed.. The cause of this manifestation may be low air humidity, excessively bright lighting or the inappropriate temperature of the water used for irrigation (the water should be comfortable, room temperature). In order to solve this problem, it is recommended to regularly spray the plant, adjusting the temperature of the water, and also rearrange the azalea in a darker place. More details about why azaleas dry and fall leaves and how to save the plant can be found in this material.
Branches dry out. The disease can be explained by excessive watering. Excessive watering is also dangerous for azaleas, as well as drying out the soil.
It is recommended to pull the plant out of the pot and assess the degree of moisture of the root coma. If you notice that it is very wet, you can wrap the root ball with a newspaper and hold it in the air. The second reason may include several factors, ranging from stress, ending with an untimely transplant and insufficient nutrition. In these cases, it is recommended to trim the dried parts of the plant and make fertilizer.
Total drying of the plant. Why do indoor plants dry and buds and flowers fall off, and what to do about it? When a plant showers buds and flowers, then most likely it is dissatisfied with poor-quality or inappropriate soil. In this case, it is recommended to buy soil suitable for growing azaleas in a store for gardeners.

Is it possible to save and how to revive dried room rhododendron?

Despite the morbid nature of the plant, there are ways to revive dried azalea, if it is still dead. But for this we must immediately get down to business.

So, to save the flower you will need to acquire:

Suitable for azaleas.
Ice.
Water at room temperature.
Boric or citric acid.
Coniferous needles (preferably pine).
Ash or activated carbon.
The sand.
The drug "Zircon".

The azalea resuscitation algorithm is as follows:

It is necessary to get the plant out of the pot and lower it with a root ball into a container of cool water, carefully and slowly washing the roots.
After the roots of the plant are completely cleared of the soil, you need to place the plant for several minutes under cold running water.
You can’t rush while cleaning the root system from the ground, for the first time it can take 2-3 hours.
Having cut off the damaged leaves, you need to transplant the azalea into a new previously prepared soil (the pot should not be cramped).
After a day, it is recommended to cover the soil with ice, in a resuscitation situation, the plant needs cold, so do not keep the plant in places of direct exposure to sunlight.
Advice! If you have not been able to purchase a special primer for azaleas, use a universal primer, after adding a little ash or activated carbon to it.
For additional restoration of azalea, it is recommended to use a weak solution of boric acid.
In a liter of water settled for two days, 4-5 drops of boric acid should be added, after which it should be moderately watered with azalea for several days until a positive result occurs. Once a week, you can use drugs that regulate plant growth, for example, Zircon.
After a positive result is manifested, and the plant begins to come to life, it is recommended to put the pot on wet expanded clay.
Cover the top layer of earth in the pot with conifer needles, this will help the plant maintain the temperature balance and soil moisture.

Photo

See below how the plant looks in the photo with proper care at home:

Procedure to keep the plant at home

For this you must follow these steps:

In order to avoid leaf diseases and their drying out, it is not recommended to keep the plant in an open sunny place, preferably if the azalea is on the west or north side of the house.
Peat can save a plant if it begins to drop leaves due to lack of water (more about why azalea drops leaves and what to do to solve the problem can be found here).
1. To do this, pour a small piece of peat with water and after a day put the pot with the plant in the resulting solution for 30 minutes.
2. Further, if you want to save a drying plant, it must be placed in a dark place and irrigated, as indicated in the recommendations.
3. After 2-3 weeks, new and strong leaves will grow on the stems.
Attention! Peat will retain moisture in the soil and prevent it from evaporating excessively quickly.
If by mistake the azalea was planted in a soil rich in lime, then it can be saved by transplanting into a suitable soil with acidic soil. This will help the plant recover and restore the root system.
From time to time it is recommended to check whether the plant suffers from pests and diseases, such as, for example, aphids, scabies or spider mites and others. In this case, you can treat the azalea with a soap solution or purchase special insecticides in a store for gardeners.
And the last: in no case is it recommended to keep this fragile plant in a tight pot, as this will literally strangle the root system and here no resuscitation will save.

The regime and rules for caring for a flower in a pot

Azalea is known to be a plant that requires a lot of attention and a special care regimen. First of all, you need to remember about lighting, features of the temperature regime, proper and sufficient watering and indispensable top dressing. So, about everything in more detail.

Lighting. For normal development, the plant needs diffused, not direct light. Direct sunlight should not be allowed on the flower.
Temperature mode. Azalea cannot stand stuffiness. In the period from October to December, it is necessary to strive to maintain a temperature of 6 to 10 degrees, during flowering, the temperature must be raised to 17 degrees.
If after the flowers have appeared, reduce the temperature by 2-3 degrees, then the flowering will last longer.
Watering. The main thing when watering azaleas is moderation. The plant should not dry out, but there should not be excess water in the pot. Watering no more than once every two to three days, with water, which managed to stand no less than two days.
Top dressing. About once a month, you need to feed the azalea with mineral fertilizers. When buying, pay attention to the fact that the feeding is specialized, otherwise you can destroy the capricious.

Conclusion

So, so that your azalea does not dry out, and as long as possible maintains its beauty and health, try to create the right microclimate for it. Remember the watering regime, observing the temperature, using the right soil and top dressing. Following our recommendations, you will decorate your home with a wonderful and bright plant that will undoubtedly color everyday life with a festive mood and a sense of summer.