how to prevent diseases in azaleas?

[Claudinei]

Hi dear friend! Good Sunday to everyone.
I would like to hear from you guys please

how to prevent diseases in azaleas? The case is I have a lot of azaleas satsuki, and I would like to prevent at my trees not come to be sick, and in the future not get fungus, black spots and all these pests.
Any suggestions please? And when may I apply ?
I had heard at we can use gin liquid. Like 100ml liquidgin more 3L of water, and apply on tree with a spray, it’s right. ?
I just bought a tree with fungus and I’m doing the treatment with fungicide, but I would like to know which treatment we can do to prevent pests.

Many thanks in advance for helping!
Claudinei

 

[Shibui]

I have found a number of references saying dilute lime sulphur spray is OK on azaleas.
There are others that avoid it but most say they have never tried it and avoid because they think it could cause problems.
Avoid getting too much on the soil. Avoid hot weather and freezing conditions.
Some are saying to spray all surfaces thoroughly, leave it for a few hours then rinse off with fresh water.
I see rates from 30ml in 10 litres of water up to 10ml per litre of water as a weak solution suitable for plants with leaves. The stronger mix is for dormant trees without leaves and really strong is used to preserve dead wood but can kill leaves and roots.

Copper sprays are also suitable for preventing fungal disease and should still be available in EU but probably won't do much for insect pests. You may need to use different products, one for fungus and another one for insect pests.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Lime-Sulfur, also known as jin liquid, or gin liquid, in the dilution that is suggested by @Shibui above, will work as a preventative spray, especially sprayed in autumn, or winter or early spring. I would not use it more than 4 times per year. It is broad spectrum but not 100% effective in fungus suppression. Better as a preventative than a curative.

Elemental sulfur, ground to a very fine powder, more like bread flower, can be used at roughly 5 ml/liter of water as a foliar spray. dose is volume to volume, the powder is "fluffy" the weight is less than 2 grams per liter. Elemental sulfur is a good dormant season fungicide. Again spray maybe 4 times per year. Sulfur is fairly broad spectrum but not 100% effective for active fungal infections. Very comparable to the activity of lime-sulfur. Better as a preventative than a curative.

Neem oil, is extracted from the Neem tree. The oil has anti-feeding properties for insects and has moderate, broad spectrum anti-fungal properties. Follow the directions on the bottle. Has a reasonably broad spectrum of effectiveness but is not 100% effective. Better as a preventative than a curative.

There are fungicides that are more targeted and effective enough to be used as a curative. I do not know which labels are available in EU, I won't make specific recommendations, as I do not know which species of fungus you are fighting. You will have to do your own search of products available in the EU.

Best treatment for fungus is to alter the environment to prevent them from getting a start. Key to keeping fungus at bay is air movement. When azalea are outside, they should be elevated off the ground, and not crowded tight together, so the every available breeze can move through their leaves.

During winter storage, you MUST have a fan on in the space to keep the air moving. The air should be moving enough that azalea leaves move slightly in the breeze. The fan or fans need to be running 24 hours per day, for the entire time the azalea are in winter storage. This will prevent "water molds" and fungus in general from getting started. This will also keep the roots healthy as air moving over the soil helps keep the soils aerated. Air movement while in winter storage is often neglected, making winter the time when these fungal issues get started. Good air movement over winter, and while being grown under glass or under lights will prevent most, if not all fungal issues.

 

[Claudinei]

O

I have found a number of references saying dilute lime sulphur spray is OK on azaleas.
There are others that avoid it but most say they have never tried it and avoid because they think it could cause problems.
Avoid getting too much on the soil. Avoid hot weather and freezing conditions.
Some are saying to spray all surfaces thoroughly, leave it for a few hours then rinse off with fresh water.
I see rates from 30ml in 10 litres of water up to 10ml per litre of water as a weak solution suitable for plants with leaves. The stronger mix is for dormant trees without leaves and really strong is used to preserve dead wood but can kill leaves and roots.

Copper sprays are also suitable for preventing fungal disease and should still be available in EU but probably won't do much for insect pests. You may need to use different products, one for fungus and another one for insect pests.

Lime-Sulfur, also known as jin liquid, or gin liquid, in the dilution that is suggested by @Shibui above, will work as a preventative spray, especially sprayed in autumn, or winter or early spring. I would not use it more than 4 times per year. It is broad spectrum but not 100% effective in fungus suppression. Better as a preventative than a curative.

Elemental sulfur, ground to a very fine powder, more like bread flower, can be used at roughly 5 ml/liter of water as a foliar spray. dose is volume to volume, the powder is "fluffy" the weight is less than 2 grams per liter. Elemental sulfur is a good dormant season fungicide. Again spray maybe 4 times per year. Sulfur is fairly broad spectrum but not 100% effective for active fungal infections. Very comparable to the activity of lime-sulfur. Better as a preventative than a curative.

Neem oil, is extracted from the Neem tree. The oil has anti-feeding properties for insects and has moderate, broad spectrum anti-fungal properties. Follow the directions on the bottle. Has a reasonably broad spectrum of effectiveness but is not 100% effective. Better as a preventative than a curative.

There are fungicides that are more targeted and effective enough to be used as a curative. I do not know which labels are available in EU, I won't make specific recommendations, as I do not know which species of fungus you are fighting. You will have to do your own search of products available in the EU.

Best treatment for fungus is to alter the environment to prevent them from getting a start. Key to keeping fungus at bay is air movement. When azalea are outside, they should be elevated off the ground, and not crowded tight together, so the every available breeze can move through their leaves.

During winter storage, you MUST have a fan on in the space to keep the air moving. The air should be moving enough that azalea leaves move slightly in the breeze. The fan or fans need to be running 24 hours per day, for the entire time the azalea are in winter storage. This will prevent "water molds" and fungus in general from getting started. This will also keep the roots healthy as air moving over the soil helps keep the soils aerated. Air movement while in winter storage is often neglected, making winter the time when these fungal issues get started. Good air movement over winter, and while being grown under glass or under lights will prevent most, if not all fungal issues.

Oh ! I’m would like to say many thanks for you time to answer my question, and help me with this case. Many many thanks.

 

[Claudinei]

I had heard as well about lime sulfur or jin! And was afraid to use. Nothing better when we chat with people and trade some experiences, many thanks guys for help.
I heard too about the Neem oil, and everyone is saying at Jin is best for prevention.
many thanks.