At Southern Living, we have no shortage of azalea wisdom to draw on. (Can you imagine how many times they’ve appeared in our magazine since they graced the first cover in 1966? The answer is too many to count.) We’ve searched the annals of Southern Living’s garden coverage and come up with our list of the best azalea care don’ts.

1. Don’t buy heat lovers if you live where it snows.

Knowing what to plant is just as important as knowing where to plant it. Choose selections that are right for your plant zone and desired bloom time. You can get ideas and information from your local nursery, get detailed information on azalea bushes, and browse azalea varieties here at SouthernLiving.com, or by picking up a copy of The New Southern Living Garden Book , edited by our very own Grumpy Gardener, which offers an exhaustive list of rhododendrons and azaleas. Choose wisely, and they will reward you with blooms for years to come.

2. Do not plant azaleas in deep shade or under blazing sun.

While azaleas are relatively easy to care for, they do have preferences. They may grow in deep shade, but they won’t bloom profusely (or at all). And while some azaleas can handle the heat, most prefer filtered shade (imagine the soft light beneath tall pine trees) or partial sun (half a day, at most). Aim for that filtered shade (or part sun and part shade) for healthy plants. Too much sun will shorten bloom time and make bushes more compact; it can also encourage plants to fall victim to predatory insects.

3. Do not skimp on the land.

Azaleas don’t like clay and they don’t like calcareous and alkaline soils. When it comes to the soil you’re going to plant in, you’re looking for moist, organically enriched, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.0 to 6.0. Hit this sweet spot and you’ll set your azaleas up for a long life in a rich environment.

4. Don’t overwater your azalea bushes.

Keeping azaleas healthy means being responsible with the watering hose. Azaleas like a good drink of water regularly, but they don’t like wet feet in soggy soil. Try not to overwater, but keep an eye on the plants (and the weather) to make sure they’re getting enough H2O.

5. Do not mulch in the fall or fertilize before flowering.

Using mulch in the fall delays dormancy, which could cause winter damage; fertilizing before plants bloom in the spring encourages leaf growth when you don’t want it. Grumpy recommends mulching and fertilizing in the spring after the flowers fade. (He opts for an acid-forming, controlled-release fertilizer.)

6. Don’t wait too long to prune.

Prune immediately after flowering. For most azaleas, next year’s show will come from the flower buds created this year, and if you prune too late—that is, after the buds have appeared—you’ll bring the curtain down prematurely. Deciduous azaleas should be pruned while they are dormant, while evergreen azaleas can be tip-pinched after flowering ends and through the summer to keep them compact and in shape.

7. Don’t plant a polka dot garden.

While it may be nice to plant a red azalea here and a white one there, a pink one here and an orange one there, if you want to make the most of your plantings, you should opt for a large expanse of a single hue. Doing this will draw the eye in and create impact and drama. It will form a focal point of contrasting color in the middle of a green garden (and who doesn’t love that?).

Now that you know what not to do, you’re ready to pick your azaleas and get growing! They’re a fantastic beginner shrub for Southern gardens, and once they start blooming, you’ll understand why they’ve been the region’s favorite flowering plant for years.