Q: My Encore azalea hasn’t bloomed yet and it looks like it was damaged by the freeze we had (see reader’s photo). Should I prune it or remove the damaged leaves?
A: Just be patient a little bit longer. Many plants got nipped by the last freeze, even more so than the harder freeze we had in January. Some plants have more damage than others, but many Encore azaleas are bouncing back with blooms, albeit a slightly smaller show than they would have had. I do not see a lot of viable buds on your plants in the picture, but let them begin to put on new growth. If there are no more blooms, then you can prune. A light pruning on Encore azaleas encourages new growth, which often gives you more blooms in the summer and fall. Lightly fertilize after pruning as well.
Janet B. Carson
Janet B. Carson, a freelance writer, retired in 2018 from her 38-year career at the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension. She was a horticulture specialist and coordinator of the Arkansas Master Gardener program. Janet has hosted radio talk shows and made TV appearances. She writes about gardening for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and compiles a weekly gardening newsletter.
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