Transplanting Date Influences Winter Injury and Growth of Two Azalea Cultivars

Plant response to time of transplanting from 0.53-qt (OSliter) to l-gal (3.8-liter) containers was influenced by cultivar and severity of winter. Transplanting of ‘Formosa’ from Sept. through Dec. 1983 resulted in injury and death of many plants due to a low temperature of 8F (-13.3C) in Dec. 1983. Injury or death of ‘Hino Crimson’ was higher when plants were transplanted in December. Survival and growth indices of both cultivars were higher when transplanted in January through March. During 1986-87, when minimum temperature was 26F (-3.3C), transplanting between September and April had minimal effect on growth of ‘Formosa’, but plant quality was better when plants were transplanted between December and April. Transplanting date had little effect on size of ‘Hino Crimson’, except smaller plants were produced when transplanted in April; quality was highest of plants transplanted from November through March.