AusBonsai

How thoroughly should an azaleas roots be combed out during repotting? just a gentle tease around the edge? or a more thorough comb out?

And is this type of azalea suitable for bonsai? and what the heck is a "gumpo Azalea"

paddles wrote:How thoroughly should an azaleas roots be combed out during repotting? just a gentle tease around the edge? or a more thorough comb out?

And is this type of azalea suitable for bonsai? and what the heck is a "gumpo Azalea"

when repotting a developing azalea, i prune hard top and bottom. top down to a new leader ( usually first branch of the last growth cycle) or even bare trunk. bottom chopped and culled hard, then teased with a skewer and brushed over the top with a stiff plastic brush. the eventual root ball 4 to 6 inches in diamater and no more than an inch thick. never miss a beat and havent lost one yet. just did 3 last week, not one dead leaf.

"Gumpo" is a satsuki azalea cultivar

I do the same as ant
cut them back hard both top and bottom

Ken

hope you are right... just removed 3/4 of the root ball.... it was one mass of roots filling the pot (Large concrete pot, hadn't been repotted in last 10 yrs)

paddles wrote:hope you are right... just removed 3/4 of the root ball.... it was one mass of roots filling the pot (Large concrete pot, hadn't been repotted in last 10 yrs)

give us a look. what ya got on top now after taken out 3/4 of the root ball??? put in shade and keep wet. no wind !

I'm leaving the next one for next weekend....

aside of cleaning out the dead stuff, I didn't touch the top...

on a root ball like that i normally take out 90% of it so you will be fine as long as the after care is right. i still think there is too much on top and i would get rid of anything that doesnt belong to a future design. oh btw did you bare root it and get rid of that mud and then plant into a good free draning mix? azalea osmocote recommended now.

I put it in azalea mix (Debco) I didn't bare root it totaly, washed out heaps tho. I thought I'd leave it a few weeks before laying into the top.

(well the reality is that I think I might have made a mistake, and next weekend I'm hosting our Christmas breakup, so I can ask advice.... LOL)

paddles wrote:I put it in azalea mix (Debco) I didn't bare root it totaly, washed out heaps tho. I thought I'd leave it a few weeks before laying into the top.

(well the reality is that I think I might have made a mistake, and next weekend I'm hosting our Christmas breakup, so I can ask advice.... LOL)

you will be fine! these are the 3 i did a week ago.

this one i did last year.

these are 2 I just dug up out of someones garden, they are self layered off 50yr old plus azaleas. (A very untidy garden) the house owner (old man) had been dumping the ash from the fireplace over them for the last 50yrs... one was totaly rooted in ash! I had to bare root them, and have put them into azalea mix, one in a large pot, one in a styrafoam box (It wouldn't have fit in any pot)

Just goes to show.... If you ask... they just might say yes

cool paddles win win.

not that I'm impatient or anything But how long till I should see buds if these azaleas are going to make it?

Ok, lets face it, I'm impatient (I know, not a good quality for bonsai) but these azaleas that I dug up, are doing nothing. no budding etc.

Shouldn't I see some sign of life????