By Molly Allman Updated December 17,

Savvy gardeners avoid pruning azaleas back to a stump in one pruning session. A radical reduction in the height of the plant is best spaced out over at least three seasons to avoid shocking or. Jun 24, As with most plants, knowing when to cut back azaleas is important. And the answer is similar for many plants and shrubs. Immediately after blooming is the best time to cut back or trim azaleas.

Cutting back right after blooming gives the gardener a chance to get the dead blooms off of the plant and to shape up the shrub. Dec 17, An azalea can become overgrown and leggy, and although rejuvenating pruning is beneficial, drastic measures, such as cutting the shrub down to. When azaleas grow too big for their surroundings, they may need to be pruned drastically. You can cut overgrown plants down to about 1 foot in height. Then feed them with a slow-release, water-soluble fertilizer.

Frequently water the plants you cut back to encourage a flush of suckers from the stumps.