Azalea blooming out of season

[Persephone]

Hola, amigas/amigos

I put in a new azalea in a LARGE pot on the E. side of the house (So. Calif coastal) about 6-7 weeks ago.

It took right away and is growing fine. But it has put out a couple of blossoms, way out of season. May be due to warm-ish "autumn", or...

Is this going to affect normal blooming later on?

Any experience appreciated.

Persephone

[Phisherman]

Sometimes my azaleas will bloom twice, a "strong" bloom in the spring and a "weak" bloom in the fall.

[Hal]

There are a couple varieties on the market these days that bloom two or three times a year.

Regards,

Hal

[David E. Ross]

Keep it watered, moist but not wet. That's especially important during Santa Anna conditions. (Today, the humidity did not go above 26% relative and stayed mostly below 20%.)

If the foliage seems to yellow but not fall, give it a slight feeding with commercial azalea/camellia food. However, if the leaves turn orange or red, the variety is deciduous; then don't feed.

Don't prune until after spring flowering.

I have two 'Inga' azaleas in pots, one in front (about half-day sun) and one in back (mostly shade). The one in back is not blooming right now. The one in front has not really stopped blooming since spring. All the others -- George Taber, Alaska, Formosa, and Pride of Dorking, all in the ground -- are waiting for spring.