Dwarf Rhodie

[Underdog]

That's about all I know and it looks near death. Have to track down more specific type.
This weekends project along with a white cascade Alailea.
I really like the looks of this trunk/tree and hope to give it some love and make something out of it.
What'cha think? They were free

 

[Jarath]

I like it, but you got some cleaning to do.

 

[Underdog]

but you got some cleaning to do

I like a challenge.

 

[sorce]

This is really cool.

None of the trunks really went out of proportion, it seems pretty usable.

I would get rid of the low hanging branch to see what it'll do..

Nice..

Sorce

 

[Underdog]

Gonna see what the roots look like tomorrow. It's brothers and sisters in the green house looked much healthier but, I just felt like this guy just called to me for rescue. (or suicide) Looks promising to me.

 

[CWTurner]

I remember reading about azalea-rhodo health somewhere. Top 10 tips...partial shade, acid soil, the other 8 tips were Good Drainage.
Nice tree. Good luck.
CW

 

[Underdog]

Roots look pretty good considering the clay ball in the middle of the roots and over potted in mushy mud. Didn't want to cut much as it looks half dead.
Didn't have time to build another box so it went in a flower pot. Too deep so added 2-3 inches of lava rock in the base of the pot first.

This is the first tree of mine which has real bonsai potential and don't want to screw it up. oil dry, pine bark and potting soil mix all sifted out.

Trimming out some of the dead stuff today but want to leave the few buds it has to see what type it really is if it lives.

 

[GGB]

looks like great nebari potential. Never worked with rhodies but I see really good candidates all over the place. Good luck chasing those buds back down the branches. I'm interested to see what happens

 

[GGB]

Did you consider using an acid fertilizer/soil amendment?

 

[Underdog]

looks like great nebari potential.

There are many good roots not visible in the pics. The one curled up and half dozen more like it in there. some are crossing and folding under. Straighten what I could w/out beating him up too much. Maybe next year or two I can really fan them out better.

Did you consider using an acid fertilizer/soil amendment

Good bit of pine bark was what I had. I have high acid liquid fert for these (bought by mistake last year)

Good luck chasing those buds back down the branches.

Yes, I'm trying to leave most of the buds which look like they will bloom this spring. Make sure it's gonna survive. Mainly only cutting dead stuff and a couple branches I know are wrong.
Thanks for your interest.
Mark

 

[Underdog]

Lotsa dead stuff...
Looking for signs of life for a while now.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

My guess it is a PJM type hybrid. very winter hardy. Leaves a little larger than most azaleas, but not impossible to work with, large mainly by comparison. Should make a nice bonsai especially for sizes over 2 feet.

If your water is naturally soft, with low total dissolved solids, this should be easy to grow, if you have hard water, it will be a little tricky, but do-able.

I have medium hard water, so to keep azaleas and rhodies going I have to use and acid potting mix; pelite & kanuma & pine bark. Then cover with a layer of long fiber sphagnum to hold the light mix in place.

 

[Underdog]

Thanks Leo. We have real good water (priced accordingly) in my little city. Maybe over chlorinated.
It's in sifted oil dry, pine bark and a little potting soil sifted as well. shrug
I have a (bought by mistake last year) Miracle Grow fert high acid for azalea and acid loving plants. (Spruce too?) Figured I should wait on that for a couple weeks.

 

[GrimLore]

Figured I should wait on that for a couple weeks.

Wait on everything for a month or two except water... If it is tossing out new leaf and growth in late May a light dose of fert will be ok. Most do not like a lot of pruning and along with the repot you really need to let it recover. Once established they are nice to work with but get it healthy and wait as long as you can before doing anymore to it. In the beginning you will come to understand that shrubs, trees, and the different types have different needs according to substrate and health. It will become a second nature after a few years especially if you document it. Looks like a good start though - just go easy on it!

Grimmy

 

[Underdog]

Thanks Grimmy. Will that high acid stuff be good for the Spruce too?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Sure, the Mira-acid fertilizer will work for the azalea, and spruce, and beech, hornbeam, maples, and any plant not listed as requiring alkaline conditions.

For most of the trees, I would use the acid fertilizer maybe every 3rd or 4th time I applied fertilizer. For your azalea it would be the main fertilizer I'd use. Fertilizers for acid loving plants have no added Calcium and do contain Sulfur, which is a required minor nutrient not included in most fertilizer formulas, because calcium and sulfur salts are not compatible in water soluble fertilizers. So fertilizers for acid loving plants are useful for most general species as a sulfur supplement.

Fertilizer can be a complicated subject. One of these days I'll write that article I have been meaning to write. But no time right now.

 

[Geo]

One of these days I'll write that article I have been meaning to write. But no time right now.

I, for one,will be waiting.And thank you for the mountain of valuable info that you have contributed so far.

 

[Underdog]

Thanks again Leo. Almost morel season here.

 

[Underdog]

I'm getting really worried about this guy. It just sits there and glares at me every day while doing nothing.
I was most careful with this one. Did almost nothing to roots and only cut dead branches out.
Not taking up any water to speak of either. Right or wrong I just gave it a splash of fert.

Should I be patient? Try to clean out roots better and repot again? Tiki Torch?

Love to hear any advice.

I beat the crap out of the Azalea I got the same day. Cut too much and hacked the roots and stuffed it in way to small of pot. It's blooming and looking great now. Go figure...

 

[CWTurner]

Well the leaves look green still, so I wouldn't worry if I were you. Next few weeks will tell one way or the other.
CW