I was watching a gardening program the other day and the expert recommended cypress mulch, peat moss, high nitrogen fertilizer and something called “expanded shell” to plant azaleas. What is expanded shell?
“Expanded shell” is a term for man-made aggregates primarily used to make lightweight concrete. Do you need it? Probably not. When planting an azalea (or any plant), the ideal product to use is a blend of what the plant is currently growing in and your soil. This gives the roots the best transition area. Most azaleas are grown in a pine bark based mix, so use finely ground pine bark at about 1/3 bark to 2/3 of your soil. Make sure the plant is elevated at least 2″ above your soil line. Bring the blend up to, but not on top of the rootball so it looks like it’s planted on a little hill. Pine bark has a little calcium in it, so it may raise your pH a tad, but if you are using a well balanced azalea food (not just nitrogen), it will offset any pH change. You can add a couple of inches of coarse cypress (or any) mulch on top after planting. Pine bark soil additive is usually cheap and readily available. Blend a little cotton burr compost with it and you really don’t need the aggregate and
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