Question: What kind of fertilizer should I use on my azaleas, and when must it be applied?

Answer: There are several plant foods that will benefit azaleas. Use a high-nitrogen lawn-type fertilizer to stimulate new stem growth after you prune them following their blooming period. Repeat that application in early summer. Use one pound per 100 square feet of bed space, and water it into the soil thoroughly. In early fall, you’ll want to switch over to a high-phosphate azalea/camellia/gardenia fertilizer. Should iron chlorosis be a problem during the growing season you may also want to use an iron/sulfur material.