Since azalea plants are grown all over the world, the amount of water they need will mostly depend on the soil and environment where you live. As a result, it is challenging to recommend a precise volume of water to keep your azaleas healthy.
Because azaleas have shallow roots, it is important to maintain soil moisture, but not saturation, which is partially accomplished by appropriate soil preparation and the use of organic mulch.
Giving the azaleas substantial quantities of water can help them endure drought by encouraging the roots to grow.
You may get a general idea of how to water azaleas based on the various situations by looking at this table.
| Conditions of Azaleas | Getting Water |
| outdoors, in ideal circumstances | Only if there hasn’t been a lot of rain in the previous 14 days will azaleas that are in prepared soil, with mulch, and in partial sun need to be watered. Give the soil a good drink of water, about 4 liters or a gallon, to keep it moist (but not saturated). |
| In vases and jars | Water carefully once a week with around 4 liters or a gallon of water, as pots tend to dry out much more quickly. However, the most crucial thing is to make sure the soil is moist. |
| Indoors | Watering frequently is necessary to keep the soil’s proper moisture balance. Depending on how dry your climate is, water once or twice a week, and keep the soil moist but not saturated. When the soil feels like it is drying out, check the soil moisture frequently and water as needed. |
| Azaleas in the sun, in arid areas, and during droughts | Azaleas in arid areas or full sun require routine watering in addition to mulch to keep moisture. When it’s hot and dry, water twice or three times per week. Watch for indications of a drought (leaf curls and brown colour). |
| full shade of azaleas | Azaleas will only require watering during dry spells in full shade with properly prepared soil and mulch. |
| sandy ground | For azaleas, sandy soils drain too quickly. To keep the soil moist, add organic matter to the soil and water it as often as necessary. |
| sluggish drained soils | Root rot will be encouraged by soils that drain slowly. For better drainage, amend the soil with organic matter and gravel. |
| In Winter | Unless they are indoor plants, azaleas often don’t need watering in the winter. If this is the case, water seldom to prevent the soil from drying out completely and then start watering again in the spring. |
For more information on how to water azaleas effectively for your specific environment and why it’s crucial to use rainwater rather than tap water, keep reading.
Table of Contents
Watering Outdoor Azaleas
The following factors determine how much and how frequently you should water azaleas:
- How carefully the soil has been prepared in advance
- the application of an organic mulch that retains water, such as leaf mold
- the soil’s rate of drainage
- The weather and the current circumstances
- daily sun/shadow exposure for the azalea
Azalea plants need the right amount of soil moisture to keep hydrated, but the soil cannot be overly wet as this promotes the fungus that causes root rot (Phytophthora).
In order to properly water azaleas, the soil must be kept moist during the growing season, and the circumstances must be changed to encourage moisture retention in tandem with further watering to maintain the proper balance (for example, by adding mulch).
It is crucial to first prepare the soil by adding water-retentive elements like leaf mold. (Read my article on how to get azalea-friendly soil).
Leaf mold has the ability to absorb water, allowing the roots to draw on the moisture as needed. However, it still maintains a structure that lets the extra water to drain away, preventing the roots from being saturated.
Additionally, mulch (made of compost or leaf mold) will keep the roots cool in the summer and aid in water conservation.
Watering azaleas will be drastically reduced with proper soil preparation prior to planting and regular mulching, maybe to the point where you only need to water during periods of drought.
You must adjust the watering schedule for quick- or slow-draining soils based on the soil’s moisture content.
Fast-draining soils require a lot more water by nature. If the soil is sandy, water azaleas twice a week during the growing season. To help the soil’s ability to maintain a balance of moisture and to strengthen the soil’s structure, apply some mulch.
Slow-draining soils require less watering and are more susceptible to root rot. It is essential to take the azalea and plant it in a location with greater drainage, a pot, or a raised bed to lift it out of the damp soil if the soil is constantly soaked or marshy rather than just moist.
You need to be extra meticulous with your watering regimen in dryer locations or for azaleas placed in full sun. I’d advise watering at least twice a week with at least 4 liters (or a gallon) of water, and checking the surrounding soil periodically for moisture.
Azaleas are shallow rooted by nature, but if the plant does not receive enough water, the roots will grow close to the surface to locate precipitation, making the azalea more vulnerable to dehydration. Generous watering encourages the roots to establish.
Potential Problems- Tree Roots Stealing Moisture
Many azalea cultivars prefer partial shade to direct sunlight. This is one of the reasons azaleas and rhododendrons are so well-liked in gardens because they thrive in the shade or beneath trees and produce beautiful blossoms.
However, because trees are effective at absorbing moisture, tree roots, especially those with shallow roots like pine, beech, spruce, etc., might be problematic. This puts your azalea, which has a shallow root system as well, directly in competition with it.
Give your azalea a competitive edge by watering it once or twice a week (or as often as necessary to keep the soil moist), and add a layer of mulch to reduce evaporation and enhance soil structure so that water can permeate to the azalea’s roots.
Watering a Newly Planted Azalea
Azaleas that have just been planted require more frequent watering because their roots need some time to adapt and become established in the soil.
Azaleas can be planted at any time of the year, with the exception of winter, however fall planting is frequently advised because evaporation is typically lower and the soil is still warm from summer.
Water azaleas that have just been planted or moved at least twice a week with 4 liters or a gallon of water. For about a month, as the plant becomes used to its new soil, it is crucial that the soil stay moist and well-watered.
Avoid overwatering the plant by giving it a daily soak; this will lead to root rot in the azalea.
Apply mulch made of rich organic material right after planting to ensure that the ideal moisture balance that a newly planted azalea needs to establish is maintained.
Watering Azaleas in pots
Azaleas can thrive in containers but require more frequent watering due to their greater maintenance requirements.
Because pots naturally drain better than most garden borders, there is a greater need for supplementary watering.
Azaleas in pots or containers in partial shade typically only need watering once or twice a week provided the has been properly prepared and is made up of organic matter.
However, the frequency of watering should be increased to perhaps once every other day during periods of high temperatures and little to no significant rainfall.
In times of drought and high temperatures, maintaining the moisture of the soil will be easier if you have used the right potting mix for azaleas. Read my article on the best soil combination for azaleas in pots for the complete how-to.
Watering Azaleas Indoors
- Whether your region has a humid, mild, or desert climate
- How big the pot is (due to the amount of soil it can contain)
- the planting medium (whether it retains moisture or drains too quickly)
The aim of watering an azalea, whether it is indoors or outside, is to keep the soil moist without making it soggy.
So in arid conditions it is possible that you will need to water the azalea two or three times per week. Whereas in humid conditions the azalea may need to be watered only once each week.
You should also consider how heating and air conditioning systems indoors may affect how frequently you need to water the azalea.
Try to avoid placing your plant directly in the path of draughty places, but if this is unavoidable, check the soil moisture frequently and water proactively before the soil dries out. Air conditioning and, of course, heat may be particularly drying at certain seasons of the year.
Because there will be less dirt in a smaller container for your azalea, there will be less water available in the soil. Strive for a larger pot, but keep in mind that you can always upgrade to a bigger container as the azalea grows. Small pots also naturally dry up more quickly in warmer weather, so aim for one that is larger.
The potting soil is the most crucial component. Compost and leaf mold make an excellent combination since they both naturally retain moisture, which is especially helpful for homes in arid regions. I have a piece on the best potting mixture for azaleas if you want to learn more.
Do not make this error!
Watering indoor plants with a drip tray underneath or putting the pot—which should have a drainage hole in the base—into a larger decorative pot that prevents drainage are two extremely typical mistakes.
This inevitably causes the soil to get soggy and encourages the development of root rot, which might cause the plant’s death.
Always allow the water in the pot to drain out the bottom. The best approach to do this is to transfer the plant somewhere else for 30 minutes, like the garden or the sink, so that the extra water may drain.
How to tell if your Azalea needs Watering
Due to their shallow and fibrous roots, azaleas frequently exhibit signs of stress before other plants when there is a drought or dry weather.
The appearance of wilting and a small curling of the leaf are the most noticeable signs of stress.
You must water the azalea as soon as you can in these circumstances in order to assist the plant recover. If the withering condition is quickly remedied, the plant shouldn’t suffer any long-term harm.
However, if the plant encounters drought in the Spring, it might somewhat impede the azalea’s new growth over the Summer and might have an impact on flowering.
To proactively prevent the azalea from experiencing drought, it is a good idea to conduct monthly soil tests. Simply sticking your finger into the soil around the azalea will do the trick. The ideal balance for azaleas is when the soil is moist but not saturated.
However, if you notice that the soil is starting to feel dry to a finger’s depth, the azalea will need 4 liters or a gallon of watering.
Instead of being baked hard, the soil should always have a soft, aerated structure that allows you to test it with your finger. You must carefully prepare the soil in advance and, most importantly, keep adding organic mulch to the soil at least once a year in the spring to maintain this soil structure.
Adding Mulch to Conserve Water
To make sure that your plant has access to appropriate moisture, it is essential to add mulch around your azalea.
In order to add nutrients to the soil and retain moisture before the hottest part of the year, mulching should be done in the spring.
Apply an inch-thick layer of organic material on top of the soil surrounding the azalea’s root ball, but allow a few inches between the mulch and the tree’s wood because the wood above ground dislikes being in contact with moisture.
In regions where there is regular rainfall, a layer of mulch may be sufficient to provide your azalea with all the moisture it requires with little to no additional watering.
The greatest mulch materials are organic materials like:
- Leaf fungus
- Compost
- thoroughly rotten manure
All three of these substances have the ability to retain moisture while maintaining a structure that enables extra water to flow away. Additionally, they will make the soil more pliable, allowing rain and water to permeate the soil more effectively rather than simply running off the surface.
Because oak and beech leaves retain a lot of moisture and are acidic, they make excellent leaf mould that will assist maintain the pH of 4-6 that azaleas require in their favored acidic soil.
Mulch will assist your azalea in a variety of ways, including the following, in addition to preserving moisture and enhancing soil structure:
- reduces soil evaporation
- halt the growth of weeds
- Boost the soil’s nutrients.
- enhances water infiltration
- encourages soil ecology
Water with Rain Water, Not tap Water
In many places, tap water has a pH of 0, and in certain cases, it even has an alkaline pH. By giving azaleas, rhododendrons, and camellias tap water to drink, you can gradually change the pH of the soil so that it is more neutral than acidic.
This may result in issues like yellow leaves, which could be an indication of an iron deficit and limit plant growth. (Read my post on how to treat azaleas with yellow leaves for a remedy.)
Rainwater is the best option for watering azaleas because it tends to be more acidic and has a pH of 5.6, which is within the perfect range for azaleas’ preferred soil pH.
Your azalea will remain healthy as long as the roots have access to all the nutrients they require, thanks to rainwater.
The guttering on your garage or home roof, which is attached to a water bucket, is the finest place to collect rainwater. This method of rainwater collection is the simplest and most reliable, and it will guarantee that you always have enough to water your plants.
Key Takeaways:
- Your azaleas’ watering needs will vary depending on a number of factors. The soil should always be kept moist but not saturated, and you should change the frequency of your waterings to achieve this equilibrium.
- To keep the plant healthy, the soil must be prepared before azaleas are planted using organic matter that holds moisture while allowing extra water to flow away from the roots.
- Azaleas grown outside in well-prepared soil, some shade, and with mulch applied in the spring may only require watering during dry spells, whereas azaleas grown in fast-draining soil with lots of sun will require watering every few days during the summer.
- Azaleas in pots, whether they are indoors or outside, typically need more care because pots have a tendency to drain faster than garden soil. In the summer, watering the plant twice a week will keep it healthy.
- Newly planted or transplanted azaleas need a lot of water the first month, and mulch should be used to help retain that water. After planting, an azalea is most susceptible to the effects of drought, so water it every other day for the first month until the root system becomes established.
- At the start of spring, add mulch around the azalea to assist retain moisture and enhance the soil’s structure.
- If at all feasible, always use rainwater to water your plants because tap water might be neutral or even alkaline whereas rainwater has a tendency to be slightly acidic. To acquire nutrients, azaleas require an acidic soil pH.
FAQ
Do azaleas like it wet?
Ideal soil for azaleas and rhododendrons is wet but never soggy. Imagine squeezing a moist sponge in your hand. The leftover damp sponge provides the rhododendron roots with an almost ideal air and water environment. Too much water encourages root rot, which can kill plants.
How do I know if my azalea is dying?
Symptoms of the azalea dieback disease include early leaf fall, leaves that turn from pale green to yellow to brown, and dieback. You might discover that your azalea bushes are dying within two or three weeks, unless the plant was very healthy before catching the disease.
How do you know when azaleas need water?
If it doesn’t rain for at least a month, water newly planted azaleas every two to three days. Their thin roots require moisture to take root. If there isn’t an inch of rain, water once a week after the roots have taken hold. During heat waves, check the moisture content of the soil and water it if necessary.
What is the best time of day to water azaleas?
Morning