While azaleas are known to be acid loving plants, work at the GBZ Horticultural Research Centre, Straelen, Germany, has shown that a low but continuous addition of Calcium to the irrigation water at the vegetative stage of growth is advantageous. Plants grow more compact, stronger and are better lignified. More buds reach the flowering stage. This is important to growers who have irrigation with low alkalinity. The industry offers several products that can be used in fertiliser programs that will provide satisfactory levels of Calcium. "GB Das Magazin fur Zierpflanzenbau" E-mail: Info@thalackermedien.de www.thalackermedien.de