Hi: I bought 2 white azaleas last May 2014 (Rte. 50 store), and this week, when I took away the slotted covered “A’s”, I see that 9/10’s of the tree is brown and the branches are dead. The bottom 1/10 is green and seems very alive. What should I do? I feel bad that I lost the year’s growth. Thanks very much.
It was a really cold winter this year. You can try and save your azaleas by washing some Mir-Acid soluble evergreen food over the stems for an emergency feeding. If they don’t make it back, I’d return them. Azaleas don’t like the winter wind on the west or north side of the house (east is the best for them) so another, more durable evergreen like a juniper might be a better option.