Old, overgrown, late pruned azaleas didn't bloom. Should I pull them up?

Question

When we purchased our home the azaleas were so high and overgrown, we couldn't see out of the windows inside. My husband cut them back drastically after they bloomed last year (albeit long after bloom), yet there are no blooms this year. Everything else is in bloom, including the azaleas in the back yard. The front azaleas look horrible. They are just large stumpy looking branches w/maybe one or two flowers on one out of 7 of them. I think he waited too late to cut them maybe? It was almost fall, last year. What to do? Do we need to pull them up and start over? How would we do that considering how huge the roots are now? Forgive me for the newbie question, but I am a new homeowner, and have little knowledge of these things.

Answer 1

They bloom on the old growth. They will bloom next year, but in pruning late you cut off this years blooms. They will be worth the wait!

Answer 2

If he cut them back in the fall, that is the reason they didn't bloom. Azaleas bloom on old wood. They will bush out over this summer and be fine next year.

Answer 3

You are suppose to prune azaleas or any blooming shrub soon after the blooms fall off...if you wait longer you will be prunning off next years flower buds.
I think that is what happened to yours...they should be fine next year.

Answer 4

You can go in now and remove about 1/3 of the old large stems close to ground level and allow them to regrow. Remove another third next year, and the last third of the old wood in the third year. While cutting the entire plant back to about 3 inches above ground will often rejuvenate the plant, just as often it kills is, too, unless done later in the summer after the roots have had time to absorb enough energy from the leaves to survive the winter and resprout.

Answer 5

Next year you will ahve beautiful blooms.
PLease don't pull them up. They are worth the wait.