CELEBRATING 28 YEARS! Welcome to My weekly series! THE LANDSCAPE ASK PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc. for the last 26 years. She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany, an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects. Q: Hi Linda, I planted 3 Azaleas last fall, but it seemed like they struggled in the new place. They bloomed late spring, and the one in back has come along nicely, however the two in the front are dying. Could you please let me know what happened to them? Thank you. - Michele A: Hi Michele, your azaleas need to be watered. We have not had a decent, deep rainfall for over two months. Azaleas are shallow rooted plants, meaning their roots grow close to the surface of the soil. Therefore, when the soil dries out the azaleas die. In general, newly planted shrubs and trees need to be watered for 3-5 years after being planted, especially during the summer. During the Spring and Fall, Mother Nature usually provides sufficient natural rainfall for the new plants to thrive. It takes 3-5 years for the roots of the shrub or tree to grow to a size where they can support the plant with enough water to thrive without having to be watered by a human. Or in other words, it takes 3-5 years for the plant to get 'Established'. Water 2x/week, deeply until the end of October. Deeply means to allow the water to puddle up around the base of the plant three-four times to make sure the roots are getting watered. Switch back and forth between the azaleas until each plant has been watered 3-4 times. Next Summer if we go through a time period without natural rainfall, you will need to water deeply 2x/week until we start receiving consistent rainfall. WE'RE GOING DIGITAL! DON'T MISS OUT! USE THE QR CODE, OR SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO: Email: info@sprigsandtwigs.net, or Mail: Linda Lillie, Sprigs & Twigs Inc, PO Box 245, Gales Ferry, CT 06335 Sprigs & Twigs 860-235-0752 WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET CELEBRATING 28 YEARS ! Welcome to My weekly series ! THE LANDSCAPE ASK PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs , Inc. for the last 26 years . She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany , an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional , a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects . Q : Hi Linda , I planted 3 Azaleas last fall , but it seemed like they struggled in the new place . They bloomed late spring , and the one in back has come along nicely , however the two in the front are dying . Could you please let me know what happened to them ? Thank you . - Michele A : Hi Michele , your azaleas need to be watered . We have not had a decent , deep rainfall for over two months . Azaleas are shallow rooted plants , meaning their roots grow close to the surface of the soil . Therefore , when the soil dries out the azaleas die . In general , newly planted shrubs and trees need to be watered for 3-5 years after being planted , especially during the summer . During the Spring and Fall , Mother Nature usually provides sufficient natural rainfall for the new plants to thrive . It takes 3-5 years for the roots of the shrub or tree to grow to a size where they can support the plant with enough water to thrive without having to be watered by a human . Or in other words , it takes 3-5 years for the plant to get ' Established ' . Water 2x / week , deeply until the end of October . Deeply means to allow the water to puddle up around the base of the plant three - four times to make sure the roots are getting watered . Switch back and forth between the azaleas until each plant has been watered 3-4 times . Next Summer if we go through a time period without natural rainfall , you will need to water deeply 2x / week until we start receiving consistent rainfall . WE'RE GOING DIGITAL ! DON'T MISS OUT ! USE THE QR CODE , OR SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO : Email : info@sprigsandtwigs.net , or Mail : Linda Lillie , Sprigs & Twigs Inc , PO Box 245 , Gales Ferry , CT 06335 Sprigs & Twigs 860-235-0752 WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET