panda’s satsuki azalea whips

[pandacular]

Figured it’s time to provide an update on these, as most of them are growing strongly

bunka
This ones growing strongly at the tip with some more buds just now opening. There is one deep pink flower on the plant now, and another white one was removed last week.

matsunarai
This one has a lovely striped flower. It was sagging a little bit, so after the photo I corrected the wire.


nissho-no-hikario
Perhaps the strongest growing of the batch, and nice and short. No flowers yet.



minato
This plant has a number of active shoots all up and down the whip! Also no flowers yet.



pink gumpo
I see a few angles that make for a great for a trunkline. I have a certain attraction to slant stlye azaleas, but the moyogi has potential as well. Of course, too early to make any real decisions!


macronolatum
I love the look of this flower. Hot pink, with skinny petals.



@Deep Sea Diver is there anything to be done on these besides checking the wire and letting them run? At what point do you start performing techniques such as fishtail?

 

[Deleted member 47471]

Figured it’s time to provide an update on these, as most of them are growing strongly

bunka
This ones growing strongly at the tip with some more buds just now opening. There is one deep pink flower on the plant now, and another white one was removed last week.
View attachment 548788View attachment 548789
matsunarai
This one has a lovely striped flower. It was sagging a little bit, so after the photo I corrected the wire.
View attachment 548793View attachment 548794

nissho-no-hikario
Perhaps the strongest growing of the batch, and nice and short. No flowers yet.

View attachment 548792

minato
This plant has a number of active shoots all up and down the whip! Also no flowers yet.

View attachment 548791

pink gumpo
I see a few angles that make for a great for a trunkline. I have a certain attraction to slant stlye azaleas, but the moyogi has potential as well. Of course, too early to make any real decisions!
View attachment 548797View attachment 548798

macronolatum
I love the look of this flower. Hot pink, with skinny petals.

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@Deep Sea Diver is there anything to be done on these besides checking the wire and letting them run? At what point do you start performing techniques such as fishtail?

That is lovely

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

One of these days, when my worklist eases, I’m gonna actually create an Azalea Wars on this topic… striking, bending, developing Azalea whips as my phone and desk computer are filled with photos. But until then….

After the first wiring is done in late fall - late winter- Going back and carefully tightening up the curves and bends two weeks to a month and maybe two month later can yield a better product. Or cracks if one is not careful.

In Late April - May it’s time to take off the wire. I’ve been doing this for a week!
One would think all one has the do is merely watch for the wire biting in. Yet as most whips are double wired, this can lead to just what one doesn’t want to occur - the wire biting in!

There are 2-3 reasons for this.
1. Unequal pressure on the wire expecially in bends
2. The doubling up of wire frequently hides the area
3. Different size wires are usually used when doubling up many, but not all, first jobs.

So it’s kind of a blind call… Should I - or shouldn’t I cut the wire?

One answer is to just cut one wire off… and then check for cuts and inspect the wire around the other wire the other wire for cutting in. I used to do this, yet I’ve had many issues accomplishing this task for quite a few reasons. [Among these, rookie moves, only having one size wire cutter (got four now and still an issue), inassessible areas due to tight or irregular bends and the darn wiring was too prefect!)

So now I go in and just take them both off at once, (keeping all foliage possible one the first year)… Cutting the most accessible in the area and then the other wire at each snip.

Be very careful in areas where cracks were! No mater what, it’s best to go back and wrap the area and often to lay a light wire over the area for support.

Also it’s very helpful to buy long wooden skewers and tie wraps used for bread bags to add additional support.

Ok, now what? Well some (or parts of) whips are unstable and need a new wire (usual 1.5-2mm) laid on right away.

If not and one leaves the wire off, eventually (soon) the tree will do what it does and grow, resulting in your bends relaxing!… and need rewiring.

After a couple years of observing this phenomena and watching my awesome bends deteriorate into little curves (slow learner here!) I’ve come to the conclusion it’s better to rewire (often reverse direction of wire) as soon as possible… that may mean right away or a week or two later… then remove the wire again in mid to late summer early fall…. When it’s cutting in once again….

….and rewire and stake again

Btw: The next year may be time to upon once again, or not depending on the cultivar.

That’s all for now.

Happy Memorial Day!… Please take time to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country right or wrong, and those who have and are serving.

DSD sends

 

[pandacular]

Thanks John, this is far beyond what I expected in response! I’ll definitely take a closer peak under the wire at these; I’m not afraid of removing wire and rewiring immediately after if that’s what it takes. That just means more wiring practice.

After the first wiring is done in late fall - late winter- Going back and carefully tightening up the curves and bends two weeks to a month and maybe two month later can yield a better product. Or cracks if one is not careful.

I think this part is something I missed on the matsunarai and perhaps the pink gumpo as well. I will likely give them a second look over and put the stakes past on.

Happy Memorial Day, and thanks for your service.

 

[chriso383]

I recently got a half dozen satsuki whips from @Deep Sea Diver at our club sale. He was kind enough to help me select several diverse cultivars and provide an info sheet on the process of developing these.

The six varieties I picked up were: bunka, matsunarai, nissho-no-hikari, minato, pink gumpo, and macronulatum. DSD provided a description of each of these, but I didn’t commit them all to memory (though if you are kind enough to share on this post, I will commit them to my digital memory in my notes!)

All whips came unwired, which was a great opportunity to wire them up. Per the instructions, I used a double wire technique, where the bottom of the whip was wired with one size and the full whip was wired with a size down. They were great practice for wiring, but clearly I need much more practice!

matsunarai
I wired this one first, and it shows! I had never wired something so light, so I struggled with the balance of good contact, keeping the whip stable, and turning the wire. Not the best wiring at all, but it was relatively functional.
.View attachment 534533View attachment 534526
nissho-no-hikari
This one was next and was snapped quite badly. Had to cut off the top. After working this one, I realized that it was critical to put the second wire BELOW the first wire, as it made much easier to maintain contact with the larger wire.
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minato
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bunka
I recall that DSD referred to this as an ancient cultivar. This one and the next two were done later, with my study group.
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macronolatum

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pink gumpo
I decided to start this one out in a slant style, as I admire that look on satsuki quite a bit.

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Any information or advice is much appreciated! My next step, per the care sheet, is to up pot them to 4” pots. The sheet says to use a peat based mix, but I have some kanuma and pumice lying around, so I was wondering if there were drawbacks to using that mix other than cost and watering requirements. Thanks for reading!

Is there an online shop/can I have some shipped ? I've been looking to get some azaleas

 

[pandacular]

I’m not in the industry of shipping wares, much less trees. While it is a personal mantra for my garden that “everything is for sale, though not everything has a price”, others may consider it rude if you ask to purchase plants that are not indicated as being for sale.

 

[bwaynef]

@chriso383 's post reads more as if he's asking for a source and not asking you to sell one of yours.

 

[chriso383]

I guess I dint articulate my question corectly. Im new to this I though a whip was something one could purchase at an online shop. I was more asking if the person could share where they got the material. After lurking the forum for a few hours I realized that a whip is more of something one makes from a cutting. Eventually I found Kusafarm. Who sells 2 year old cuting of two of the varieties I was looking for 'HI-no-Maru' and 'Nyohozan' for a reasonable price, so I order a bunch Hopefully I can keep a few of them alive.
I dint mean to be offensive I apologize

 

[pandacular]

No offense taken, and welcome to the forum. Likely best off doing a search on the forum or creating a new thread, particularly in the buying/selling category.

Another piece of forum etiquette is to update your profile with a general location so that we can understand your climate and what sellers may be local. As for me personally, I am fortunate to live somewhere that I am able to only buy from in-person sources.

speaking of...

 

[pandacular]

A photo dump from earlier today. Have to run to a date, but hopefully I’ll circle back to these before too long. Cultivar names are on the tags for the keen eyed.

 

[Glaucus]

[edit, wrong thread]

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Looks like you kept those little whips healthy Will.

Good job!

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[pandacular]

This year has been a good growing season for my little satsukis. I trimmed them once this season already, but other than that and plucking the flower buds, I have let them ride.

They’ve suffered a few big snaps—the pink gumpo and matsunami particularly—but that doesn’t seem to have had a large effect on the vigor. I am definitely still getting the feel for how much these can be wired be bent while wiring before they go. And when they go, it’s all at once.

 

[bunjin]

I have found that a whip is only really pliable for about 1-1&1/2 years before the time when full length wiring is no longer a good option. I try to go to larger containers > 4"very quickly as it promotes the growth spurt. Also I wrap the trunk so the wire can stay on a little bit longer and is insurance against breaking. Also agree with DSD that wrapping around a small stake is a good option. Wire scars never seem to go away!

 

[pandacular]

Fortunately none of these have gotten any scars that will last, but that’s something I try to keep a very close eye on. I think this fall at the latest will be the last time I wire any from this batch. At that point, I think they’ll have enough identity to begin to make a plan for each one, including the eventual size.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

I have found that a whip is only really pliable for about 1-1&1/2 years before the time when full length wiring is no longer a good option. I try to go to larger containers > 4"very quickly as it promotes the growth spurt. Also I wrap the trunk so the wire can stay on a little bit longer and is insurance against breaking. Also agree with DSD that wrapping around a small stake is a good option. Wire scars never seem to go away!

Going to the larger container does spur growth, but reduces options. Especially when wiring primary structure.

Actually wiring most cultivar whips is possible up to four years given one doesn’t uppot to a larger container. Especially if one s doing progressive bending.

But that’s the beauty of bonsai, being able to use one’s growing body of knowledge to manage competing goods and make intelligent trade offs.

Wiring scars are a pain, yet properly treated in a growing azalea, these usually blend in and heal within 1-2 years depending upon the damage done by leaving wire on, improper laying on of wire and digging in during bending.

Older azaleas… that’s a different story depending upon the cultivar, proper treatment of the wounds every growing season until healed, the container size/depth and size of cut.

Good luck with these little azaleas!

Cheers
DSD sends