Azaleas.
Name it:
Kurume.
Satsuki.
Rhododendron (ok, common garden azaleas in clusters of three flowers).
I manage to kill them all!
I have tried Akadama+Kanuma, pure Kanuma, Kanuma+inorganics, Kanuma+organics, no Kanuma at all, with Myracid, with 1 teaspoon of white vinegar, tap water, rain water, dappled sun, dappled shade, full sun, full shade.
Getting out of viable combinations, and out of money, all spent on...
New Azaleas.
Please, great oracle, what is the secret to keep them happy?

Don't know I have not managed to kill any. Mine are in Kanuma. Some are in semi shade some in sun. All doing fine. This year in summer watering at least once sometimes twice a day.Re pot either spring or after flowering done both. Use sequestered iron with seaweed extract twice a year.

m5eaygeoff wrote:

Use sequestered iron with seaweed extract twice a year.

Aha!
I have no idea of what a sequestered iron could be, and seaweed extract here is all but nonexistent.
But I will research; I'm sure something good will come from it!
Thanks for your response.

My azalea has been doing fine this year... we are moving to a house with a garden this october, so we'll see if that changes, but I think I will have a space that will protect from the afternoon sun anyway.

To understand what is killing it, maybe you can tell us of the decline?

I found out that my first azaleas died because people told me "A dry azalea is a dead azalea". I never stopped to think that a "wet azalea is a dead azalea" too. They succumbed to drowning roots. Also, diffferent species have different needs.

I have 2 sitting next to eachother. Same substrate. Same watering. Same fertilizer. One is lush, dark green. The other declines a little every year.

I *think* the exact substrate is not too important. It will be in heat of the rootbal, watering regime and strength of fertilizer, I think.

I can get sequestered iron with seaweed extract at any garden centre, but Kaizen Bonsai sells it.

leatherback wrote:

To understand what is killing it, maybe you can tell us of the decline?

Yes, for sure.
First they are healthy, with new shoots and bloom. Then, after blooming (and the flowers and stems being cut), new shoots sprout again.
Soon after, leaves start to wilt.
After wilting, they start to dry.
And then...
They die.
It goes like: thriving->healthy->good->struggling->DEAD.
In six months or so.

leatherback wrote:

"A dry azalea is a dead azalea". I never stopped to think that a "wet azalea is a dead azalea" too.

My guess at the moment is exactly that: overwatering.
People here all say Azaleas like wet feet, but in my case this is causing root rot, i think.
Last one I threw out in the trashcan had all roots black and decaying.

leatherback wrote:

I *think* the exact substrate is not too important. It will be in heat of the rootbal, watering regime and strength of fertilizer, I think.

I am inclined to agree.
If in the nursery soil azaleas do thrive, it's not the Kanuma that is killing them.

m5eaygeoff wrote:

I can get sequestered iron with seaweed extract at any garden centre, but Kaizen Bonsai sells it.

Thanks, Geoff.
But...
Things are not so simple around here, unfortunately.
To import from Kaizen (IF they deliver to Brazil, as most vendors don't because of our weird duties and taxes), is a possibility, I will try.
Thanks again!

Clicio wrote:

leatherback wrote:

To understand what is killing it, maybe you can tell us of the decline?

Yes, for sure.
First they are healthy, with new shoots and bloom. Then, after blooming (and the flowers and stems being cut), new shoots sprout again.
Soon after, leaves start to wilt.
After wilting, they start to dry.
And then...
They die.
It goes like: thriving->healthy->good->struggling->DEAD.
In six months or so.

Sounds familiar.. I’ve got those symptoms with the five nursery buggers. I cutted back the water, but get worsted, then I increased back significantly the spraying. Stayed with light watering, and they came back to budding/growing, except one. Something tells me, they have a really thin tolerance line on watering. I don’t know if I continue to pampering them for a long period.

(On the other hand, the Satsuki... But that I’ll post on his own topic..)

*Edit:

..seaweed extract here is all but nonexistent.

Clicio,
Look it up, maybe Brazilian brown seaweed extract works for plants. What I know they produce it in São Paulo.

Felidae wrote:

Look it up, maybe Brazilian brown seaweed extract works for plants. What I know they produce it in São Paulo.

I surely will, Felidae, thank you for the tip!