Acidic soil of 4.5-6.0 ph with well drained soil is recommended for azalea plants, which are slow growing. Azaleas are subject to leafy gall during early spring, but an effective way to deal with this is to hand pick the infected leaves. Azaleas prefer shady areas. Pine straw, shredded leaves will make a good organic compost for the soil. Should be watered twice a week in warm climates because of their shallow roots. A sign of nutrient deficient soil is yellow or sickly looking foliage, also over watering causes root rot.
