Help for azalea please!!

aodhan · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 5:17 pm Post subject: Help for azalea please!!

Hi everybody, I'm new here! javascript:emoticon(' Smile

') I only have two (or three) bonsai trees, a Japanese pepper tree, and an azalea (rhododendron, not sure which version though - if anyone can tell me, I'd be grateful).

(The "or three" is a small olive tree (olea europaea) which seems to be quite happy in it's smallish pot, and is still alive in spite of my owning it for nearly five years...)

I digress... The azalea was a recent purchase, about 12 years old from from a local specialist bonsai shop (in Shenley, Herts).

Here's a pic of the whole thing:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3028/2850405707_05b14a6352_b.jpg

I brought it inside to photo (so the neighbours didn't wonder what that nut was doing taking pictures of his balcony) - it normally lives on aforesaid 1st floor balcony, which faces south-south-west, so would get the sun most of the day in the unlikely event of it ever shining.

I've noticed small brown spots on some of the leaves, appearing over the last few weeks - I don't know what they mean! javascript:emoticon(' Sad

')

A closer picture of them here:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3198/2850437653_f53320d9e5_b.jpg

What I'm wondering is:-

Is it a fungus?
Can i get rid of it by spraying something (and if so, what?!)
Should I simply trim off the affected leaves?

Thank you in advance for any help! javascript:emoticon(' Smile

')

Aidan.

corin · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 6:32 pm Post subject: Re: Help for azalea please!!

hi

its either a fungus (blackspot) - spray with fungicide

or leaves have got scorched - cant do much about it

id spray it and see if it clears up

Stymie · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 6:58 pm Post subject: Re: Help for azalea please!!

Sun scorch in our summer of 2008 is an unlikely customer eh?
The tree is quite well endowed with foliage and if it comes down to the necessity to take some leaves off it can stand it. By all means try a fungicide first.
I find myself removing a few brown leaves each week at this time although they don't have the spots pictured here.

aodhan · Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 7:22 pm Post subject: Re: Help for azalea please!!

Thank you for the replies!!

Do I just go to a garden centre and ask for a fungicide, or can you recommend a particular brand?

Aidan Smile

Stymie · Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 7:31 pm Post subject: Re: Help for azalea please!!

I usually start with a copper based fungicide such as cheshunt compound because some trees can have adverse reactions to systemic products. The undersides of the leaves will need to be sprayed as well as tops.
Remember that this is not necessarily the cause of your problem.

corin · Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 3:12 pm Post subject: Re: Help for azalea please!!

get a ready mixed gun like "fungus clear"

aodhan · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 7:44 am Post subject: Re: Help for azalea please!!

Hi again,

Thanks for the advice Smile

I'll get something like you suggested and see what happens - I'll keep you posted!

Thanks once more,

Aidan

Crazeegang · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 11:00 am Post subject: Re: Help for azalea please!!

Good luck. I hope it recovers.