Azalea Tune-Up

[Mellow Mullet]

I have been working on this azalea, species wakaebisu, that I picked up as a Home Depot plant last spring. Nothing fancy, just a trim, repositioned a few branches, and thinned and spread out the apex.



Here it is in its cut down nursery pot.


After the changes, kinda hard to see.


It has already set a few buds for spring.

 

[tmmason10]

Nice little start, good choice. Although I must say, I specifically enjoyed your signature.

 

[bougie nights]

How do you get get buds closer to the trunk? I was looking at some azaleas and while some had some decent structure, The leaves were at the ends of the branches. Would wiring and spreading them out a bit help? Can they be chopped?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Bill S]

Cut the existing ones off, is the simple answer, azeleas are one that can be chopped and will toss out new buds.

This plant is kind of thin for the height, either it needs to grow some girth, or be shortened considerably.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Thanks, Tom, on both counts, being a gun-nut is my second hobby.

Bill S. - you are right about the thin vs height, I am hoping that it will thicken some, if not, I will chop it. I had it wired down closer, but when I removed the wire it kinda sprung back into shape.

Bougie - Bill is right, cuttin the ends of the branches will make an azalea bud like crazy. Also spreading the branches out some to allow more light in will cause some budding also. Azaleas, overall, are pretty forgiving.
Go to youtube and search for satsuki azalea pruning and see how much they can be trimmed. There are some pretty trees that get hacked back to nothing after bloom, only to fill back in by the next year.

John

 

[xray360]

Nice find. Either direction you take it, thickening it or shortening it will be fine. In the first picture you can really see the small tree if you cover the top long protruding branch. It might be the easier direction to go so it depends how creative you want to get with it

 

[edprocoat]

Mellow Mullet, do not call yourself a gun nut ! You may end up on a government watch list. The liberals will think you are heading to a crowded place to randomly shoot people, so call yourself what I like to call my self, a gun aficionado, a devotee to the proper use and care of firearms exercising my second amendment rights while I still have them.

ed