Tale of two azaleas

[WilliamB]

Any ideas what might be wrong with the second of these two azaleas? They are basically right next to each other: same soil, shade, and recent pile of snow. One looks good; the other looks mostly dead with foliage on just a few branches.

Any recommendations for the sad one would be greatly appreciated. Should I cut off all the branches without foliage, to try and spur some new growth? Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Silentrunning]

There could be several reasons but I’m going to guess that you have an air pocket around the roots. You might as well pull it up and see what is in the ground. Also check to see if there is an obstruction such as concrete or a rock under the roots. If everything looks good, trim it back to good wood and replant it carefully.

 

[WilliamB]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll dig it up and have a look this weekend.

 

[Silentrunning]

William, as you do this remember that you can cut a branch off an azalea and stick it in moist ground and it will probably root and become a new plant. I say this so you won’t be afraid to dig into your plant’s roots to see what is going on. Good luck.

 

[Sean Regan]

Try scraping a bit of bark low down on a branch near the ground, to see if it's green at all. I can see a few leaves near the top of a branch. The plant could be dead, but sometimes there's enough moisture left in the upper part of the plant that with a rise in temperature has caused a few buds to open.

 

[DeborahJane]

William, as you do this remember that you can cut a branch off an azalea and stick it in moist ground and it will probably root and become a new plant. I say this so you won’t be afraid to dig into your plant’s roots to see what is going on. Good luck.

Thanks for that bit of information Silentrunning . I didnt know that .
Good luck with your azalea WilliamB