Can you split azaleas

Azaleas are propagated by various means, including seed, stem cutting and splitting. The best time to split azalea roots is in the fall after the bush has bloomed. Inspect the azalea plant to determine if it has two central stems. Keep the mulch or organic matter an inch or two away from the trunk. You can use hay, straw, pine needles, dry leaves, bark chips, or well rotted compost. You can always amend your native soil with our Acidic Potting Soil if your soil is not acidic enough after performing a pH test.

Once your azalea is in its new position, it will need to be babied for several months. Water thoroughly and deeply once a week or when the soil gets almost but not completely dry. Do not keep the soil around the roots constantly wet, because that will prevent air from reaching the roots and lead to rot.

Transplanted shrubs are more at risk for dying of dehydration or disease so watch your azalea plant closely. Gorgeous azalea bushes will bounce back after being transplanted in no time with a little TLC When it comes to landscaping with azaleas, you CAN change your mind and transplant at the right time of year. Check out the Azalea Grow Guide for more information on growing these beautiful flowering shrubs and having them flourish for many years!

More from: pruning shrubs transplanting. While usually thought of as fairly permanent, some types of shrubs can be divided and propagated, if you know what to look for and how to go about it.

A few years ago, my mom called to ask if I wanted an overgrown Japanese aucuba bush in her yard. Even after a severe pruning, the shrub and root ball pretty much filled my truck bed, so I decided to divide and plant it as several separate plants. Tree-like Shrubs: These shrubs have a central woody trunk coming out of the ground.

This trunk is permanent, and damaging or cutting it will kill the shrub. Azaleas, arborvitae, and laurels are examples of tree-like shrubs. Cane shrubs constantly grow and regenerate their canes, and it may be possible to remove existing canes without causing damage to the new ones.

Cane type shrubs include some aucuba, shrub dogwoods, forsythia, lilacs, nandina, potentilla, skimmia, and spirea. Depending on how they grew, it may be possible to divide and propagate these shrubs.

IF the shrub has cane-like growth, and IF there are multiple say, or more healthy canes growing out of the root ball, you may be successful in dividing and propagating it. However, you really have to evaluate each shrub independently. Division generally works better with older shrubs that have plenty of canes or roots, rather than newly purchased young plants. Japanese aucuba shrub after division. Dig Up Shrub: Dig up that shrub with as large a root ball as you can. Keep the soil moist through the first season.

Robert Lewis has been writing do-it-yourself and garden-related articles since He holds a B. Lewis is an antiques dealer specializing in Chinese and Japanese export porcelain. Can You Split Azalea Bushes? Home Guides Garden Gardening. By Robert W.