Satsuki Azalea Turning Brown in Winter...Not Sure What to Do

[Cadillactaste]

@ChildishGrahambino
I have wintered azalea indoors through the winter, one in particular I kept indoors in winter for over 10 years. It certainly can be done. I've done it.

Azalea are a problem, because some are very winter hardy, and some are nearly tropical. Darlene (Cadillac Taste) gave you the key information. Rhododendron 'Apple Blossom' is only hardy to +10 F. There is no place in Ohio that temperatures will stay above +10 all winter. Therefore, you need to protect this azalea from Ohio winter cold. Because it states that it can rebloom in fall, this is likely a ''florists azalea'' or a hybrid between a Satsuki and one of the more subtropical or tropical azalea like R. simsii.

Do you have it on a windowsill? If the window is large, there will always be cool air flowing down from the cold outside chilling the glass. Azalea do not need as drastic a cool winter as typical Ohio native trees, if the temperatures get down into the 50's F at night that is plenty cool to get a good dormancy and bloom the next year. Do not put your 'Apple Blossom' outside in Ohio. A sunny south window, or a east window would be ideal, a large north or west window can work in a pinch. It sounds like you have watering under control. As to fertilizer, over the winter, this first year, you probably don't need any. Most likely the wholesaler has a time release fertilizer in the potting mix. The plant should be good until spring. Start fertilizing after it blooms in spring.

Since you are in an apartment, setting up your grow light to supplement the light through the window is a good idea. Look at different options to optimize your light set up. Visit your local ''grow shop'' and see what the marijuana growers are doing. They always have the latest and greatest in high tech lighting. They have the money to develop it. Azalea needs about 50% to 75% of the light intensity of marijuana, so you don't have to go top of the line. Definitely look into LED set ups. If you have well designed light set up, you can do reasonably well even keeping the azalea indoors year round.

Another flowering tree that does well indoors for winter & outdoors for summer, or if the light is good, indoors year round is Gardenia. I love the fragrance of the flowers.

Much better indoor trees would be any of the Ficus species. These will do fine on a windowsill or under lights year round.

Very good advice...because where I live...I need a secondary heater to keep up on some winter days. First winter my room dropped into the teens WITH a heat source. Which now,has me using a secondary heater on days like that. Ohio even in a garage...it will get to cold.

 

[ChildishGrahambino]

@ChildishGrahambino
I have wintered azalea indoors through the winter, one in particular I kept indoors in winter for over 10 years. It certainly can be done. I've done it.

Azalea are a problem, because some are very winter hardy, and some are nearly tropical. Darlene (Cadillac Taste) gave you the key information. Rhododendron 'Apple Blossom' is only hardy to +10 F. There is no place in Ohio that temperatures will stay above +10 all winter. Therefore, you need to protect this azalea from Ohio winter cold. Because it states that it can rebloom in fall, this is likely a ''florists azalea'' or a hybrid between a Satsuki and one of the more subtropical or tropical azalea like R. simsii.

Do you have it on a windowsill? If the window is large, there will always be cool air flowing down from the cold outside chilling the glass. Azalea do not need as drastic a cool winter as typical Ohio native trees, if the temperatures get down into the 50's F at night that is plenty cool to get a good dormancy and bloom the next year. Do not put your 'Apple Blossom' outside in Ohio. A sunny south window, or a east window would be ideal, a large north or west window can work in a pinch. It sounds like you have watering under control. As to fertilizer, over the winter, this first year, you probably don't need any. Most likely the wholesaler has a time release fertilizer in the potting mix. The plant should be good until spring. Start fertilizing after it blooms in spring.

Since you are in an apartment, setting up your grow light to supplement the light through the window is a good idea. Look at different options to optimize your light set up. Visit your local ''grow shop'' and see what the marijuana growers are doing. They always have the latest and greatest in high tech lighting. They have the money to develop it. Azalea needs about 50% to 75% of the light intensity of marijuana, so you don't have to go top of the line. Definitely look into LED set ups. If you have well designed light set up, you can do reasonably well even keeping the azalea indoors year round.

Another flowering tree that does well indoors for winter & outdoors for summer, or if the light is good, indoors year round is Gardenia. I love the fragrance of the flowers.

Much better indoor trees would be any of the Ficus species. These will do fine on a windowsill or under lights year round.

It is on a table pushed up against a window where it receives whatever sun the weather will offer for that day, and I do have LED full spectrum grow lights to supplement it as well.

 

[ChildishGrahambino]

Do you have a cool basement window, or garage that doesn’t drop much below freezing? That’s probably the best option at this point. Let it get cool and go dormant, keep the humidity high (set it in a bed of mulch perhaps), but don’t let the soil stay soggy.

What about light? Will it still need a lot of light?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Not more than a window would provide.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

I have been caring for my sisters topiary azalea for one year now. I think it’s an everblooming type. It is blooming right now indoors. I have never seen that color of leaf and I think you may have over watered it. I keep hers under hanging lights. It does shed old leaves and they are yellow in color.
I will grab a photo when I’m over there next.