Collected Azalea - Advice/Guidance Appreciated

[bonsaivienna]

Azalea from my front yard that I’ve been planning to replace for a few years now. Turns out, has an interesting trunk and nebari, so taking a shot at turning it into bonsai. Not sure what kind of azalea it is, or exactly how old. The house is almost 30 years old, so it could easily be about that age. This was collected about a month ago. I live outside of Washington DC, and until recently we had an unseasonably cold/delayed spring.

The pictures may not convey this, but it is a substantial piece. For reference, the trainer pot it is in is 19" across on the long side.

Will obviously just let this grow and get healthy for awhile, but would appreciate thoughts on (a) how best to care for it, (b) whether I should cut back further and get rid of some branches, and (c) which side would make the best front! Thanks in advance.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155708308382736&set=pcb.1430311127074580&type=3&ifg=1

 

[just.wing.it]

Good save, certainly interesting!
Best advice is keep it moist!
Put it in a plastic bag if need be... though lately around here, it's been like the whole DC metro is under a plastic bag...

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I have a couple big azaleas in Anderson grow flats that I am trying to reduce. I see you sealed the cuts, which is good. I would personally let it grow freely this year (no pruning whatsoever) to help it grow roots and get established in that grow pot. Then next spring, assuming it looked really strong in the fall, I would prune all the branches back to the trunk, seal them, and let it bud back.

As you know azaleas like acid soil, so once it is showing new growth, make sure you use acid fertilizer.

 

[Hyn Patty]

Wow, that is a nice find. I love that long serpentine root that rolls out the side. If the nest of roots right underneath were previously covered by soil, you'd do well to heap up media up around that area to keep it damp and not dry out too fast. You can lower the media slowly over time to expose the roots but being freshly collected, suddenly exposing a lot of root mass can be extremely hard on your azalea. If it makes it it's going to be stunning in time.

 

[bonsaivienna]

Very helpful advice, thank you!

 

[Stan Kengai]

Azaleas are pretty vigorous, but severe cut back in two consecutive growing seasons is not recommended when in container culture or with root reduction. It can significantly weaken the tree. I would give this tree 2 full seasons of recovery before cutting back further.

Additionally, when you do cut back, try to leave green at the end of the branch. They will bud out on bare wood, but not always reliably.

 

[bonsaivienna]

So, as I noted in my post, it has been about a month since I cutback and potted my azalea. The few shoots with leaves in the picture are doing fine, and pushing out some new growth. But no buds are popping from any of the old wood branches, or even from the main trunk area. Should I be concerned? Such great potential, I hope I haven’t permanently damaged it!

 

[Underdog]

Nice. I'm following this one. I have one similar. My fingers are crossed for both of us.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

@bonsaivienna
Nice stump, would love to have it on my bench. If it were mine I would have planted it much deeper. Buried all the exposed roots, buried it to the point where the roots fuse to form the nebari. You can always expose roots later, right now, but if you have it too high, it becomes difficult to bring the roots down later, after the bark has formed on the exposed roots, planting the trunk lower will be difficult, multiple year process. But it's too late now, you can lower the trunk in 2 or 3 years when you next repot.

@Stan Kengai gave you good advice, no major pruning for 2 years, get this beast growing.

 

[bonsaivienna]

Thanks, Leo! As the temps are rising here, and in response to your feedback, I added a layer of sphagnum moss and actual moss from my backyard to cover the exposed roots. Not quite the same as burying deep, but hopefully is a helpful interim measure.

Would still really appreciate any guidance from folks on (a) whether I should be concerned about the lack of back budding -4 weeks after cutting back and potting, and (b) if there is anything I should be doing to promote growth. I have done one application of MiracleGro Quick Gro (root stimulant) but have not applied any fertilizer yet. The shoots continue to push out some new growth—should I cut those back and “force” new buds?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

The moound and moss will help.
If you were going to get back budding on the bare wood branches, likely you would have seen some evidence by now. You can try pruning out just the growing buds at the end of each of the branches, but don't cut back enough to remove any mature leaves. Right now you need every leaf you have. Leaves make the food, the fuel for growth. The fertilizer is analogous to vitamins, you can eat all the vitamins you want, but without food, the vitamins are useless. Don't over fertilize the plant. You have too few leaves to need much fertilizer.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

If the bare branches die off, consider it a design opportunity, you will still have a decent trunk & base.

 

[bonsaivienna]

@Leo in N E Illinois, super helpful. Thanks so much!

 

[Hyn Patty]

I would be inclined to cut nothing. Let it grow a year or two and fill out as much as it will without stressing it anymore or you could loose it. I agree not to feed it for a while either. It looks good!

 

[CWTurner]

I wouldnt give up on getting backbudding just yet. On branches that still have leaves fhe backbudding might be delayed.

You might consider bagging it. Azalea have thin bark so that will help keep it damp, which should promote budding. I use white trash bags. Careful how much sun it gets or youll cook it.
CW

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

@CWTurner is right, bag it in a clear or white plastic bag, set it in bright shade, give it 2 - 6 weeks in the bag, if it hasn't responded to the bag treatment by 6 weeks, it probably won't.

 

[Hyn Patty]

I've had great success with bagging also to help produce roots. Tony Tickle actually suggests a black bag and lots of heat and after having tried that myself, I got tons of new roots and a heck of a lot more shoots coming out of old wood than I had expected (on a collected hawthorn this spring). Trick is keeping down mold for those few weeks and then easing the bag open slowly and eventually off without shocking the tree - whichever bagging method you use. I hope this one does well for you. A clear bag may be better so you can keep an eye on what is going on and not be quite such an extreme transition for buds and new leaves.

 

[Underdog]

Giving it a try on my beast. North foundation so out of the sun mostly. Didn't have a big enough clear or white bag.

 

[bonsaivienna]

Thanks everyone for the guidance. My good friend is redoing his landscaping, so picked up two more very interesting, very old azaleas this weekend! All three are under wraps, and praying at least one of them makes it!

 

[Underdog]

Great to have friends in the business! I got a 14ft burning bush dropped off last week ?

2 days under the black bag seems to be helping. Humidid as heck under there. Some new green peaking.