Box Store Azalea Project

[small trees]

Like I'm sure plenty of you have done, I went by Home Depot to get some things for around the house, and came home with a plant. This particular one is an Azalea x 'Roblea' or Autumn Princess. It's some dwarf variety. Anyway, attached are pics of the trunkline, leaves, and flowers. I'm trying to figure out how much I can cut back before I do so, because all of the growth is out on the tips of the branches as it stands.

What do you guys think? I think I could have done worse for $20.

 

[tmpgh]

I do the same thing all the time. I have 4 or 5 similar azalea projects in the yard from just last year. I like the trunk in there. Good luck.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Nothing wrong with doing that...but, also know that the benefits to purchasing a pre-bonsai or Shohin is that it's been worked with at an early stage during development and more moment can be found in the trunk. So also keep that in mind. Not sure if it's the right time to be pruning it though...I'll let someone else tackle that who knows more on that species of bush/shrub.

 

[small trees]

I do the same thing all the time. I have 4 or 5 similar azalea projects in the yard from just last year. I like the trunk in there. Good luck.

Thanks. We'll see what I can find when I get to pruning.

Nothing wrong with doing that...but, also know that the benefits to purchasing a pre-bonsai or Shohin is that it's been worked with at an early stage during development and more moment can be found in the trunk. So also keep that in mind. Not sure if it's the right time to be pruning it though...I'll let someone else tackle that who knows more on that species of bush/shrub.

I already have plenty of material to work with. This is just for fun.

 

[discusmike]

Buy ones with small leaf and flower, the encores in my yard are rather large.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Pruning now is OK, you just have to make sure to protect the new tender growth if you have a cold snap. You can be pretty brutal on the cut-back, they back bud readily on old wood.

John

 

[small trees]

I have removed all the outer growth to help clear out the picture. I've left plenty of length on each branch so I don't limit myself. I really want to make an informal upright out of it even though it looks very much like a broom style to me. The problem with broom is that I feel like this tree will look more like what it is (a shrub) if I go that route. Therefore, I'm looking for ideas on where to take the tree.





Side note: Is there a difference between conifer/azalea cut paste and deciduous cut paste?



I tried to take a picture of the base but it's muddy so it's a bit hard to capture. I dug down a tiny bit and it has nice flare and pretty radial nebari from what I could tell.

 

[Poink88]

Review of lessons from Pomegranate thread...

- remove everything you are sure you do not need/want
- a cleaner palette sometimes help you make the next move easier or more apparent.
- reduce as needed (but in some species, as can be tolerated safely)...with the long term goal in mind. Even if it will look ugly now.
- ugly long trunk/branch will never get shorter on their own. Fix them.
- concentrate new growth where you want them.
- etc.

Remember, it will get easier.

Once you are done...post another pic.

 

[small trees]

Review of lessons from Pomegranate thread...

- remove everything you are sure you do not need/want
- a cleaner palette sometimes help you make the next move easier or more apparent.
- reduce as needed (but in some species, as can be tolerated safely)...with the long term goal in mind. Even if it will look ugly now.
- ugly long trunk/branch will never get shorter on their own. Fix them.
- concentrate new growth where you want them.
- etc.

Remember, it will get easier.

Once you are done...post another pic.

I kept all this in mind. I am in the point now where I am taking a step back and deciding what I want to do with the tree. I posted more or less for another eye to hopefully help see if there is an informal upright in there somewhere. I don't want to force it on the tree if it will not live up to its highest potential in that style, but I would definitely prefer it if possible.

 

[Poink88]

I am not sure myself. But if that is what you want, it can be attained. You may lose more than what the plant already have though. It is up to you on how long you can wait and the time you want to spend on it.

Where you have trident (peace sign like or chicken feet) branching...reduce those to 2. Most of the time you have to remove the center one but not always.

Look at you lowest left and right branches...do you think you can use those? Are they adding/helping the tree or taking away from it?

 

[small trees]

I am not sure myself. But if that is what you want, it can be attained. You may lose more than what the plant already have though. It is up to you on how long you can wait and the time you want to spend on it.

Where you have trident (peace sign like or chicken feet) branching...reduce those to 2. Most of the time you have to remove the center one but not always.

Look at you lowest left and right branches...do you think you can use those? Are they adding/helping the tree or taking away from it?

I'm 99% sure I will remove them, but I didn't want to do so before I had a chance to decide what route to take. I'll clean up a bit more and post another pic shortly.

 

[SimonDuval]

This tree clearly doesn't want to be an informal upright. Let the tree be what it wants to be, you are just there to help

 

[small trees]

This tree clearly doesn't want to be an informal upright. Let the tree be what it wants to be, you are just there to help

Broom just normally screams bush to me in a small tree like this, especially when the plant is naturally a shrub to start with.

 

[Jester217300]

Broom just normally screams bush to me in a small tree like this, especially when the plant is naturally a shrub to start with.

But you can still learn a lot from it and it can still be beautiful. if it bothers you place it next to a much larger tree and let this be an accent plant in its own right.

I can see a pretty obvious twin trunk. I don't think you can reduce it any further than that given the way the trunk has matured.

 

[SimonDuval]

You also have to remember that most deciduous trees in the "real world" grow in a broom form, and some look very old. For example, look at this European Beech from Walter Pall, broom style or you can call it naturalistic style.
Azaleas rarely grows in a pine tree shape, not saying it wouldn't look good but that's just the way it is.

 

[Poink88]

You also have to remember that most deciduous trees in the "real world" grow in a broom form, and some look very old. For example, look at this European Beech from Walter Pall, broom style or you can call it naturalistic style.
Azaleas rarely grows in a pine tree shape, not saying it wouldn't look good but that's just the way it is.

OMG Are those random design or that pot design depicts a bloody shogun war or civil war scene?

 

[SimonDuval]

Probably random, you watch too many movies!!

 

[small trees]

I am searching as we speak so if nobody answers it's okay, but with azaleas, do you need to reduce the root ball in proportion to the top? In other words, does this need to be repotted now or left alone?





Well here is what I have come up with. A few stubs I left as options but they may be removed later. Should these branches be shortened further? A small before/after:

edit: playing with paint yielded me this, just for fun:

 

[SimonDuval]

That's a good job there! Exactly what I would have done. The only thing I would do more is remove the middle branche from the right side of the tree. You sort of have 3 branches coming from the same point, I would remove the middle one in a V cut. That right side looks a bit tall compared to the rest but in the end, that might prove to be a good decision too.

Simon

 

[small trees]

That's a good job there! Exactly what I would have done. The only thing I would do more is remove the middle branche from the right side of the tree. You sort of have 3 branches coming from the same point, I would remove the middle one in a V cut. That right side looks a bit tall compared to the rest but in the end, that might prove to be a good decision too.

Simon

I wasn't sure if I wanted it to be even or not. I tried to go with the flow of the tree.


If I remove the middle branch, should I also shorten the back branch to the point where it has a secondary branch coming off of it?