AusBonsai

Hi guys,

A week ago I bought this azalea which had been reduced from $22 to $12. I liked it because all the other azaleas I have ever seen with my own eyes have multiple skinny trunks coming out of the soil.

Is this a good buy, or did the nursery people see me coming? I was kind of hoping it would be suitable for a workshop we have coming up in about 4 weeks time. It is quite root bound. Should I repot it? Do Azaleas like Diatomite? I know they like acid soils and to be careful with the fertalizers I use.

Glenda

Exceptional from general nursery. Take it to your workshop grab help from your local expert to tease out that rootball. Azaleas are great for reshooting even from bare wood, and are inclined to send out most shoots from the base. If you can tilt it 45 degrees you may be able to go part way up that thick low branch before choosing a thinner one. Usually all this done after flowering.

Regs AnneK

what about a formal straight trunk broom?

Should I repot it, and is diatomite OK for azaleas?

Glenda

hi mate

diatomite is ph neutral so it should be fine, azalea like an acid soil but wont die because its not acid enough! simplest way is to add some fine sphagnum peat moss and it will make it more acidic

the tree will eventually become adjusted so should be fine

diatomite is supposedly ph neutral, but generally it is around 6-7, any higher is alkaline and lower is acid.

jamie

I had most of my Azaleas in Diatomite till last year and they all did fine ( now in Kanuma for a test). I still have a few in it now and will Repot some more later in the year into diatomite to compare against those in Kanuma

I would wait till spring to repot if you can, and not let it flower this year. If you are going to do a workshop, then you will be probably cutting off all the buds anyway

Good Value for a nursery tree too

Ken