Fresh dug Azaleas

[Kevster]

I just dug up 3 25-30 year old azaleas from a customers house. They were going to get torn out so I figured I'd take them home and see what happens. All I know about them is the age and they have pink flowers. All three are the same species but the growth comparison (one was planted over a shallow sewer line) is quite different.
I wrapped the balls in plastic and taped them tight. The problem is I have nothing to put them in and won't be able to get wood for a box till the weekend. Will they be ok the way I have them and kept in the shade?
Also should I prune back the branches?
I don't have any pictures obviously being at work but I will put some up when I get home tonight.

Thanks everyone!

 

[jk_lewis]

Prune back the branches -- but always leave green behind! You might even prune back to a single (or pair of) trunk(s). They've probably expended the energy already, but if there are flower buds, you might remove them. If you can keep the root balls damp, you're probably OK for a day or two.

 

[Harunobu]

The rootball will be ok unless it dries out.

I can't tell you if you want to prune them. It all depends on what structure they are and what design they have.The more traditional of a bonsai you want the more you probably have to prune. One thing you of course want to know is the flower size. That will help deciding on a design. Azaleas give you perfert artistic freedom as are no azalea archtypes in nature. Futhermore, their flowers are half their merit so even if there is not that much traditional bonsai merit in the trees, you can still depend on the flowers for aesthetic value.

 

[Ang3lfir3]

You should be able to keep them in the plastic for some time.... like jkl said as long as they get some moisture you will be fine...

i won't repeat jkl's advice except to say that I agree with it

 

[Kevster]

Here are the pictures of the Azaleas. They were all planted at the same time just in different areas of the the yard. As you will see one is much bigger then the rest.

I have no idea really what to do with these bushes so please give suggestions. I have not cut any living growth off these plants. The suffered from heavy snow and ice breaking away branches.

On this bush the long branch shooting off is half dead. It looks as if the other branch thats putting out growth fused to it at some point.

 

[Kevster]

I have no clue where to even start with this! There is so much going on with it. I did cut all a lot of the dead branches off this.

 

[Kevster]

I think this could be a cascade at some point. Not sure how they do as cascade but it would be very easy to do with this bush.

 

[Kevster]

I know they all have to recover from being dug up. Not planning to do anything with them this year and maybe not next either. Just need a direction with how much to prune off and remove what branches.

Thanks everyone!!

 

[Harunobu]

I would just let them grow for now, let the foliage recoved on the more foliage-deprived parts. And maybe see if you get some automatic backbudding.

There isn't much you can change about the trunks. I am not a person who sees bonsai design but you can over time develop nicely tight foliage pads on certain placed of these trunks. Then when those flower for sure it looks good.

 

[Tim_T]

I have no clue where to even start with this! There is so much going on with it. I did cut all a lot of the dead branches off this.
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Maybe plant this one in the ground and do a bunch of air layers in the future. ?