Azalea advice please.

ampersand

A potted indoors one, as per my profile pic.
Received March, 2021.

I put it outside after a month or so, where a late cold snap caught it badly; dead half subsequently pruned. 
Repotted outdoors 2 months ago as per pic, but not happy - many leaves still browning.  Poking around, I now see the soil is very ant-y. 

What to do?  Should I now buy specific ericaceous compost and re-do?  Is this pot suitable?  Have I buried the root crown too low and/or too deep?

I want to save this one - a special gift.  Thankyou for any advice. 🙂

Farway

First, pot is not ideal because it has a narrow top in relation to the main bulbous body, come the day you want to remove it from the pot you will be struggling wih the narrow neck and may end up having to break the pot to remove the plant

Given the poor state of plant and it's value as a special gift I'd go for specific ericaceous compost while you are repotting it and as ants seem to be a problme maybe buy some ant killer as well although I'm live & let live I think detering them from a pot is is OK

Would it be possible to plant it in the garden or is it not that sort of azalea?

sheramber

You do need ericaceous compost and it should only be watered with rain water, particularly if you live in a hard water area.

You can also get specific azalea fertiliser.

It is likely you have an indoor azalea.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/rhododendron/indoor-azaleas

ampersand

Thankyou both.
Yes, it certainly arrived as one for indoors, but with a note that it could go out later.
About to head to Town of Gown, so will do the necessary.
Had also checked that on RHS, sheramber.  I hadn't taken in the bit about not over-increasing pot size when re-doing.
#
ps. Farway -
I'd never break that pot!  It's one of 3, graduated sizes, fabulously potted and I love them.😀

twopenny

As said, pot is too big, the correct compost.
Also a plant so tenderly protected all its life suddenly outside just after repotting is not going to go well.
Smaller pot, well drained, right compost and protected from wind in the shade should do the trick. But you will need patience. It could be a year or two before it adapts.

ampersand

Thankyou twopence-
Pot wasn't 'suddenly outside' though.
It's been out for 15 months now.🙂