Gifts

An Azalea Flower Gift Basket on Your Table

You’ve been given a flower gift basket that includes an azalea. There it sits on your kitchen table: a bright little plant all done up in a bow. The tag says the flowers are azaleas, but it doesn’t say how you care for it or if it can be grown in your yard.Or perhaps you’re preparing to send a flower gift basket to a relative. You know that proper care of the plants will provide your friends with years of enjoyment. Because, after all, azaleas can be planted in the yard and also make wonderful potted plants.

Start by printing this page to give with your gift or refer your friends to this site to learn how to care their new plants.

Caring for a Flower Gift Basket with Azaleas

• Your first step is to maintain the general health of your plant until you decide what to do with it. Check it carefully for insects. If you locate any, rinse the leaves off under the kitchen faucet. Most gift plants are small enough for you to accomplish this fairly quickly.• While you have it under the faucet, water it thoroughly and let it drain into the sink. Don’t leave your azaleas in standing water as plants grown in a container are used to good drainage. And azaleas of any sort need good drainage.

• After a few days of admiration, remove the fancy plastic gift wrapper. Potted plants need air circulation around their roots. Keep the gift wrapper for later – you might need a nice little center piece for dinner and you can easily pop it back on.

• Place the flower gift basket somewhere near a bright window that doesn’t receive direct, hot afternoon sun. Turn your azalea basket occasionally so that it doesn’t all lean in one direction towards the window. Don’t forget to keep it moist.

• Occasionally add a teaspoon of time-release fertilizer to the pot. Be careful not to over-fertilize and follow the package directions exactly.

• When you are ready, determine whether to plant your flower gift basket in the yard, or to pot it for your patio.