AZALEAS: BUYING PLANTS

You will get the most effective display of flowers by planting a mass of a single variety instead of using many varieties and colors together.

Buy plants that are sturdy with a good branch system. Don't buy plants with weak, spindling growth. This usually means the plant has a poor root system or that plants were grown too closely spaced in the nursery. The best size to buy is 12 to 16 inches tall. Smaller plants are more likely to be injured by cold.

Azaleas are usually bought as container-grown plants. They are sometimes pot-bound, which means they have a mass of roots growing around the outside of the ball of soil. Take the plant out of the container before you buy it. Make sure that the roots are healthy and that they completely fill the pot. If you notice plants are pot-bound when you take the plant out of the container, massage the root ball to loosen some of the roots before planting. Also, pull some of the roots at the bottom of the root ball. Such action will help the roots to spread out and grow away from the original ball of container potting medium.

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