Do you want to grow azalea in Tennessee, but don’t know when to plant them?
Planting azalea is not as easy as it seems.
Here’s why:
- Azalea are not able to survive frost or cold weather under 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
So if you plant them outside too early in the spring they will die. And if you plant them too late, your azalea won’t produce a bloom.
Today, I’m going to teach you the ideal time to plant azalea in Tennessee:
- To Learn More About HOW to Grow Azalea, Check Out This GUIDE!
When to Plant Azalea in Tennessee
As you may have already guessed, you need to pay very close attention to your local weather in the spring. Specifically, you are going to need to watch when the last frost occurs.
In general, when there hasn’t been a frost for two weeks, you are SAFE to plant your azalea outside in Tennessee!
For your reference, I have created this table for average frost dates for most major cities in Tennessee. If your city is not listed below you can find its Last & First Frost Dates HERE.
Tennessee Last & First Frost Dates
Unfortunately, Mother Nature plays cruel tricks on us every year.
It should be noted that the above dates are just averages.
There are years when the last frost comes MUCH later. Sometimes, the last frost happens much earlier and you can get your azalea planted outside in Tennessee much quicker.
Like I said before, you need to be very diligent in checking your local weather.
So what happens if a frost comes AFTER you plant your azalea?
When you know a frost is coming you need to take action.
- If azalea are in pots, bring them inside
- If azalea are in the ground, cover them in burlap and hope they survive
Also, make sure not to plant your azalea in your garden too late.
- Planting azalea too late will cause small blooms or even worse, no blooms.
When Should You Start Your Azalea Seeds Indoors?
Depending on the type of azalea, it takes roughly 28 days (4 weeks) to grow azalea from seed indoors and then transplant them to your garden. And then another 120 days to bloom!
For a specific date that you should start azalea seeds indoors you should:
- Find the last average frost date HERE
- And then subtract 28 days from it
Not only this, but I recommend again paying close attention to your local weather report.
It should also be noted that the best technique for bringing your azalea plants outside is to introduce them (in their pots) outside for an hour. And then increase the amount of time they spend outside each day by an hour until they have been outside for 8 hours.
This will “harden” your azalea plant, increasing its chances of fighting off diseases, insects, droughts, and wet conditions.
If you want to learn WHEN to plant ANY Flower in Tennessee, head over to HERE and just type in the flower you want to grow.
