Collecting azaleas

[Deep Sea Diver]

Oh yes… One thing you might think of doing is take some cuttings of each now. You may need these later. If there is space/material 1/2 dozen of each should do you.

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Shibui]

Straight out of the ground into a sprawling mess really no trunk at all.
Some of these has really small leaves.

Some varieties seem to have this growth habit. 'Sao tome' has small leaves does this and many years ago I worked with some 'gumpo' type azaleas that had small leaves and similar ground layering growth habit.
Probably related to the species used in the development of those varieties.

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

We are hoping to move soon, and I planted 4 azaleas (“Herbert” - pink flowers) in 2010 when I bought the house. Figured I ought to take one with me one way or another.

Dug this one out this afternoon. Limited experience outside of the ground with azaleas. Left much of the root ball intact soil wise and root pruned enough to get into… a bonsai pot. Obviously a long way to go if it survives but, the pot just fit well - I never place newly collected trees into a bonsai pot but have to say it’s a bit more satisfying despite further training needed.

The base on this is thick and not perfect, but powerful from my perspective, and compressing this image will be fun over the years should it survive. I pruned back to the closest foliage on each branch I intend on keeping, removing deadwood and branches I know won’t be part of the design. Hoping that extra sunlight into the canopy allows for some back buds long term and that leaving foliage aids in recovery.

@Leo in N E Illinois - I know this isn’t a deciduous, but you are passionate about azaleas - any advice? Reading through azalea threads the next few days!

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Good job digging the azalea out. Herbert is a very cold hardy azalea, so good for your neck of the woods.

One thing you might do is cut all trunk stubs back flush, convex, following the trunk line. Not concave like most other trees.

Next, seal all cuts great then 1/8” . Azlaeas tend to dehydrate easily.

Finally, after wetting the root ball down thoroughly, get a probe or chopstick and push it through the rootball multiple times to near bottom, by the trunk, angle the probe into the area under the trunk. If this doesn’t work use a 3/16-1/4” long drill bit and use that… just gentle pressure, allowing the bit to find its own way through.

This action will enhance water flow throughout the rootball, including the shin. Landscape azaleas are notorious for non percolating rootballs. I’ve personally received landscape azaleas that weren’t completely rootwashed by the past owners…. only to find the area under the trunk completely hydrophobic, packed tight with native soil (years after digging). Getting water to penetrate into this will enhance future growth.

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Good job digging the azalea out. Herbert is a very cold hardy azalea, so good for your neck of the woods.

One thing you might do is cut all trunk stubs back flush, convex, following the trunk line. Not concave like most other trees.

Next, seal all cuts great then 1/8” . Azlaeas tend to dehydrate easily.

Finally, after wetting the root ball down thoroughly, get a probe or chopstick and push it through the rootball multiple times to near bottom, by the trunk, angle the probe into the area under the trunk. If this doesn’t work use a 3/16-1/4” long drill bit and use that… just gentle pressure, allowing the bit to find its own way through.

This action will enhance water flow throughout the rootball, including the shin. Landscape azaleas are notorious for non percolating rootballs. I’ve personally received landscape azaleas that weren’t completely rootwashed by the past owners…. only to find the area under the trunk completely hydrophobic, packed tight with native soil (years after digging). Getting water to penetrate into this will enhance future growth.

Cheers
DSD sends

Can you expound on the pruning? I left foliage on thinking this would help. Would the tree back bud well? Haven’t take these back too hard while in the ground but have seen some back budding.

thank you so much for the tip on the root ball, will have to try this out. Greatly appreciated!
Based on your note about washing the roots, clearly ignorant on my part - first time digging one up and wanted to be as careful as possible with the roots.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

You are welcome.

Imho, leaving foliage is always a good idea. Virtually100% backbudding compared to much less on a bare branch.

In my post I was just remarking on the cut short stubs projecting off or near, yet unevenly on trunk. Get a chisel, grafting knife or whatever works for you and carve each down flush to the curve of the trunk … and aseal any fresh cuts no matter if you left foliage on or not. I use knob cutters carefully until I’m close, then out come the chisels or knife.

Please be careful, azalea wood can be exceptinally difficult to carve sometimes.

Best of luck!

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Ugo]

Good job there!! Nice material!
@Deep Sea Diver is right on on all of the above!
One "detail" is I have more success using a finition saw instead of a knob cutter on tree with thick cambium.
When using a knob cutter on Azalea or other thick cambium tree like a ficus, I find that it crush a little more then it should before bitting and cutting, sometimes resulting in the cambium detaching from the sap wood making the cut harder to heal ( I unfortunately have example if needed..)

Using a japanese finition saw first, then a sharp blade and putty as suggested by DSD is for me the safest way to do a flush cut.

 

[Ugo]

I use knob cutters CAREFULLY until I’m close, then out come the chisels or knife.

You mentionned it and used the right word...
In the end its probably just my inexperience handling the tool that comes in play...
Ill leave that to the pro's for now!

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Thank you both for weighing in! @Deep Sea Diver understood, I will clean up those cuts and apply cut paste for healing. I left the stubs in the theme of how I prune maples during the growing season, leaving a stub for dieback, but will clean up and patch flush to the trunk. Happy to hear that you agree with leaving foliage for recovery.

@Ugo I will use my detail saw from Kaneshin for cutting flush versus my knob cutter, and clean up with exacto blade to ensure it is clean!

You guys rock, appreciate the help here.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

@Brad in GR - sorry, I've been off line lately. @Deep Sea Diver has steered you correctly. I would have kept about 50% to 75% of the foliage, if possible. But you have enough you should be fine. I would be cautious about using a drill bit to loosen the "shin" in a fine ceramic pot, the risk is breaking the pot. But all in all good advice. Being in Grand Rapids area, your mild summers, compared to the rest of the country, make summer a pretty good season for repotting. August is when a lot of work is done in the blueberry fields. Sadly, we sold the farm. Actually, I don't miss the work, but I do miss the delightfully cool August mornings.

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

@Brad in GR - sorry, I've been off line lately. @Deep Sea Diver has steered you correctly. I would have kept about 50% to 75% of the foliage, if possible. But you have enough you should be fine. I would be cautious about using a drill bit to loosen the "shin" in a fine ceramic pot, the risk is breaking the pot. But all in all good advice. Being in Grand Rapids area, your mild summers, compared to the rest of the country, make summer a pretty good season for repotting. August is when a lot of work is done in the blueberry fields. Sadly, we sold the farm. Actually, I don't miss the work, but I do miss the delightfully cool August mornings.

Thanks Leo! Certainly a good 5-8 degrees cooler with the lake insulating the lakeshore, but I'm not too far inland. We did have dew points around 70-75 last week with 90 degree temps... but that scenario is roughly our peak heat. I waited for this week to dig it up as we are now dew points in the 50's with 80 degrees as a high, much more comfortable, and to your point, 50's in the morning!

Root ball appears to be draining through well, and yes, this pot is made by Bob Hunter and just got it this winter. I didn't have anything to put in it and expected to wait many years before using it. Just happened to be a nice fit. And, I think the pink flowers will actually look nice against the dark gray.

I am still bummed I never made it out to the farm! Hope you are well. Thanks as always for the guidance.

 

[Brim Gribley]

Collected this one, This thread definitely gives me hope!!!

 

[Shibui]

Collected this one, This thread definitely gives me hope!!!

I already saw your other post and made some comments.
The trunk on this one is great.