Another great find at New England Bonsai

[Dav4]

This is my latest acquisition off the sales table at New England Bonsai Gardens... an imported Satsuki azalea. The tree was on the sales table because it needed re-potting and had lost vitality. I slip potted the azalea into a slightly larger pot and it is beginning to push some new buds. I plan to do a more vigorous re-pot next year. It will take some TLC, but I think this tree will be a show stopper in short order. The tree is 20" tall and has a 7" root spread at the soil. There were other great trees for sale there, but I can only bring home one new tree at a time (I'll be going back next week)

Dave

 

[kytombonsai]

Dave,

Will be a nice tree when it is healthy. I would lose the curly apex though and bring the new apex over the center of the base. If I may ask, what did you pay for it?

Tom

 

[Dav4]

Thanks for the input, Tom. I will think about your suggestion concerning the apex. The tree was listed at $895...right now the sale is 40% off list...I think I got a great deal. They have many other imported Satsukis, some that were recently imported and are recovering from bare rooting. Though these trees aren't discounted (there are a few shohin satsukis on the sales table right now), they are very reasonably priced, some starting as low as $300-$400 for an azalea with a 4-5" nebari. The trees on the sales table are always great deals...the best of my collection, mainly yamadori juniper and pine, have all been purchased at the summer sale.

Dave

 

[Just Duane]

Nice tree Dave & at a discount to boot! You definitely scored.

 

[Dav4]

Thanks Duane. I'm always out looking for good material at a good price...if I wasn't moving to Georgia in a month, I would have purchased alot more then just this one

Dave

 

[Attila Soos]

Beautiful trunk, at great price.

I bought a similar one in Vancouver, Canada, 10 years ago, for $400. I wrapped it in a box and mailed it from the Vancouver post office, it arrived 2 days later to Los Angeles. I thought that was a steal for $400, but for $800 it's still a bargain. It takes about 30 years to build a trunk like that.
I like the apex the way it is, by the way.

 

[Dav4]

Thanks Attila. I have always been drawn to the thick, powerful trunks and spreading nebari of the Satsuki azalea but have never considered owning one because of where I live and the difficulties in over wintering them. With my move to Atlanta, I will finally live in a place where they won't require extreme winter protection. So, it was an easy decision for me to snatch this one up...as you say, that trunk has taken decades of work and effort to develop. Thanks again,

Dave

 

[TimD]

Dave will there be room for furniture when you move? It looks like you are taking half of NEBG with you lol. Please we need some trees up here.

Just tell me you'll be all moved before the 80% off sale hits? hehe joking.
But when you do get all settled down there I want some pics of this huge backyard setup and all these trees you stole from us.

Awesome tree Dave. Will need some updates on this guy for sure.

 

[Dav4]

Thanks, Tim. Don't worry, I left at least 2/3 of New England Bonsai intact and I will only be needing a 26' moving van to get the trees down south...and I will hopefully be long gone by the time it gets to 80% off. For the record, I've never seen the real good stuff last that long...it usually goes way before the sale gets that steep. I'll continue to go up there at least once a week, as Hitoshi is constantly putting new trees out for the sale...I feel one more bargain may be had before I'm done

Dave

 

[kytombonsai]

Dave,

That was a good price. I might have to plan a family vacation around New England Bonsai's summer sale next year. My wife hasn't complained too much when I have to strap a large bonsai in the back seat on the way back from vacations. The key is to get rid of any bugs before you hit the road. Especially the spiders!

Tom

 

[Bill S]

Fugitaboutit

Sorry Dave, I'm going to try to clean them out before you can get back there. Another nice grab for sure.

 

[Tiberious]

Definately a steal and a beautiful tree, congrats!

 

[Dav4]

Dave,

That was a good price. I might have to plan a family vacation around New England Bonsai's summer sale next year. My wife hasn't complained too much when I have to strap a large bonsai in the back seat on the way back from vacations. The key is to get rid of any bugs before you hit the road. Especially the spiders!

Tom

I, too, will be planning my vacation around visiting New England Bonsai Gardens next summer, as well. Up until recently, I took it for granted that I lived so close to such a great bonsai resource...I only live Approx. 20 miles away right now. Oh well, I will be going there every week until I move, and then 2 times a year after that.

Dave

 

[Dav4]

Soooooooo.....I really buggered up this tree right after I bought it....wired it out....tried to move some thick branches.....bad idea. I found out that azalea branches don't just snap....they tend to tear off at the trunk. After screwing around with it for about a year, I realized that the tree needed a top to bottom redo....an entire new set of branches... and would need to be strong. I re-potted the tree in the spring of 2011 and have done nothing other then feed and water. The left side of the the lower trunk has continued to be weak but will there are some small branches to work with there. I'll be doing the first of the work this coming Feb/March.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

A nice find. I also would rework the apex - I always find it a little disconcerting on an informal upright if the apex points in the opposite direction as the base of the trunk. HOWEVER... apex is easy to fix on azaleas if they are strong.

Get the sucker healthy - and don't forget the peat moss!

 

[Dav4]

Thanks for the post. This one is pretty healthy now, so It should respond well to whatever I do to it next year. As far as the apex goes, I haven't made a decision on it yet but I'll have a better idea after I start cleaning it up and picking older branches that will stay, newer branches that need to be developed, and branches that need to go.

 

[tmmason10]

Looks healthy Dave. You bought the tree for its nearing and trunk, so a restyle of the branches is no biggie.

 

[Dav4]

Soooooo, I was cleaning up some of the scars left from pruning dead branches when this happened....oops.

 

[Adair M]

Just don't cover the soil with gray gravel!