Satsuki Azalea "tsuki no shimo"

Mellow Mullet

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This afternoon, I decided to clean this one up. It grows kinda slow and it has been a couple of years since I really trimmed it or cleaned it out so it took quite a bit of work. Anyway, here she is:

Before:

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After:

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Tomorrow, I plan to pot her up in a temporary pot. The one that it is in is kinda small and the soil doesn't take the water like it used to. Since it is late in the season, it won't be a complete repot, just an upsize with a mild teasing of the roots.
 

Mellow Mullet

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Repot and new home for this one. It really makes me hate squirrels even more when I look at this one. If you did not see the thread, a squirrel dropped a green pine cone on this one knocking it off the perch and causing it to land upside down, removing the entire apex branch. I have a new shoot growing at the right place to replace it, but it will be a few years before it gets there. Oh, the pines are going to be removed in April and I have killed/ trapped and relocated over 40 squirrels since this happened. It is a loosing battle, as they are always replaced by newcomers.

Here it is today, with a new cascade pot that I got in a FB auction. I tend to gravitate to the brown unglazed ones, I just think they look better on the azaleas.

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Look at all of these roots. I tend to differ on opinions about what azaleas need to grow. You don't need akadama, kanuma, or any other magical soil component for Japan. This was grown in a mixture of pumice, lava, and fir bark, oh, and maybe a little turface thrown in for good luck.

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The root mass all trimmed up. I like to cut small wedges out on some of them just to refresh the main structure. I will cut different ones out next year.

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Potted and mossed up in its new home:

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It is loaded with buds and should put on a good show, just hate it will only half a show---f-ing squirrels!
 
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GrimLore

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It is loaded with buds and should put on a good show, just hate it will only half a show---f-ing squirrels!

I agree with @JudyB and personally would tilt it a little further to the right in the last picture although it is just a picture and could be the lack of 3D. The one I have developed two more braches off the one that had the hose in hose, total of 15 or so buds on them right now but it will be awhile being up North. One thing for certain, once treated and trimmed this type of Satsuki buds a LOT all over... Great plants :)

Funny the top of your Pumice container says "Same Great Taste" :p

Grimmy
 
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