Azaleas appear to be struggling

What kind of azaleas? Full sun?

It’s just may be first year transplant shock being manifested in this hot weather, which is why late fall-early winter planting of woody shrubs is recommended in the Deep South as it allows more time for the roots to develop and recover from transplant shock before the stressing factors of hot summer weather arrive.

Don’t discount watering - azaleas do not like “wet feet” and more people kill azaleas from over watering than under watering resulting in root rot - particularly in poorly drained landscape beds - those often planted at lawn grade in heavy clay poorly drained soil. One thorough-soaking watering weekly in the absence of rain will suffice, unless the azaleas are planted near large trees with an extensive root system. It’s also recommended by land grant university extension services that one back fill with 100% native soil when planting in poorly drained, heavy clay soils, and not mix with garden soil/compost - that’s less of an issue if the landscape bed is elevated several + inches above lawn grade to help with drainage.

Check the underside of the leaves for insects - aphids, etc. I find a imidachloprid insecticide drench (systemic insecticide uptaken by the roots and distributed throughout the plant including the leaves) takes care of just about all the leaf sucking insects that cause issues in azaleas.

mulch might be a solution.
azeleas are very shallow rooted. Once established they build up a pretty thick layer of dropped leaves and shade their own roots but until then are sensitive to extreme heat.

mulch the shite out of them after a watering and see if that helps. I find that most of the time newly planted azaleas do better in partial or half shade (they are understory shrubs)

Mine are too. Planted late spring and gets south sun. Same scenario, brown leaves, not filled out as much as they should be. This spot is probably my biggest pain point in my yard. It is tough to get anything to grow here. Second round of azaleas in this spot too. Next step might be gravel and cactus.

Try Miracid

Same here. I noticed that its the most recently planted ones. I had planted several last year before the super high dry heat wave we had last year and I had watered every other day seem to be doing good. I did lose a few.

Here is a close up of one with “new” borrowing leaves



Here is one next to it that is doing rather well

Same situation OP.
Planted 4 encores in April all were fine for a while. Two died at the same time. The other two continued to look healthy. Now one is showing the same decline the two that died did.

I think im going to tear it all out and completely overhaul the soil in the bed in the fall and try again.

If that doesn't work, drift roses will be planted.

Looks like too much water to me.

quote:

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Looks like too much water to me.

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This is what Encore (the company) thinks as well. They suggested a weekly spraying of H202 for the a few weeks will help. They also suggested water every 4-7 days.

The last few days of rain have not helped.