[Corin Stormhands]

Hey there. Azalea question. I know not to feed them until after the blossoms are gone.

But when do I prune them?

[KansasGirl]

But when do I prune them?

Right after they are done blooming.

[tennteacher]

I think that you prune azaleas like most spring bloomers- after the bloom fades- before the plant begins to gear up for next year’s bloom.

By the way, only another gardener can appreciate my little Japanese maple that I grew from seed. The cat ate all of my seedlings except a red one. It survived the winter and is now almost a foot tall.

[DCPatriot]

Pruning azaleas should be a mortal sin, IMO.

OTOH...NOT pruning forsythia should be too! LOL!

[Roses0508]

After they bloom.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Prune after it’s bloomed. That’s the rule for nearly all bloomers. :)

Pruning Azalea

There are two pruning techniques used for azaleas: thinning and heading. Thinning refers to the removal of branches back to the main trunk or another branch. This method is used to remove leggy branches that extend beyond the canopy of the plant, remove damaged or diseased wood, or reduce the size of the plant. Thinning allows light to penetrate the shrub, encouraging growth on interior branches. You can thin at any time of the year without causing significant impact on flowering, growth or cold hardiness of the plant. How-ever, to reduce the impact on flowers the following year, prune just after flowering in the spring.

Heading refers to the cutting back of a branch, not necessarily to a side branch. This method is used to reduce the size of a plant, create a hedge or to renew old overgrown plants. Renew overgrown plants by cutting them back to within 6 to 12 inches of ground level. This practice results in abundant new growth by midsummer.

The best time to renew azaleas is before spring growth begins. This allows sufficient time for next year’s flower buds to form in midsummer, and for new growth to mature and harden off for winter. Renewal pruning before spring growth, of course, means that flowers are sacrificed for that year.

After renewal pruning, prune the tips of new shoots when they are 6 to 12 inches long, to encourage branching and a full canopy. Thin out new shoots emerging from the old stem. Keep the soil moist during the period after severe pruning.

http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC1059.htm

[TeeAnny]

Pruning times can depend on you pruning reasons. Is the azalea too big for the spot it is planted in? If not, it doesn't really need to be pruned at all. Maybe it just gets a few extra long branches and you want to tidy up the plant. A general rule to follow is “Prune spring bloomers in the early summer (soon after it is done blooming) and prune summer bloomers in the early spring.” Please don't shear the plant. It looks so unnatural to have box shaped shrubs. If you find you are always trying to keep it smaller than its natural growth, perhaps you planted the wrong thing and it is time to move it and plant something that fits the space better.