Giant Azalea!!! I am thinking Air Layering?!?!

[armetisius]

re: Giant Azalea hardiness

Yep; what he said.

Good to know. As a bonsai, that means it will need winter protection then if grown at the same locale. Thanks.

 

[armetisius]

Quit half stepping:

I have thought about taking the nicest few trunks to start with thoses then leave the rest. Keeping in mind i don't want to leave the appearence in too bad of shape. Then again it will grow back and fill back in. So i guess i can leave it lop sided if need be.

If that is an option: get to work on a LARGE foot deep grow box, [note: be sure to stop by the nursery and pick up a pretty "replacement" to plant there]; take a Saturday and dig the whole dang thing up. You do not want to remove anything below soil grade without plastering the hell out of it in a protective coating. Fungal disease and rot would run through that buried fresh tissue like a wild fire across the plains--nothing pretty about it and deadly. I would even suggest old school bitumin given that it is in the drip line of the house.
Sorry I forgot to point out that before. Just realized I had not already told you that. But either way you go that is all the info I can offer. If anything else of merit occurs to me I will PM you. Good luck.
a.
PS>Given the options I think I would just go for the
whole thing and work on it at my leisure in my greenhouse.

 

[bjones88]

Thank you everyone for the information and opinions. I have alot of thinking to do and weigh out my options. I am glad to know there is a good number of people on this forum who know about azaleas.

I think with being new to this hobby (few years now), i have alot more to learn. I am almost afraid to tackle that big of a tree right now. I think thats the biggest reason for a possible air layer of one of the med to small branches was my first thought. I really would like to get a dozen or more clones of this old plant just to have them to plant more around the yard. I havw looked at several nurseries when the azaleas are in full bloom, and nothing compares to this ones vibrant color.

I have my work cut out for me either route i choose to take. I think i might try first a small branch and see how well it takes to an air layer. Maybe one the thickness of my index finger or so.

If i were to try this when is the best time to start the air layer? After the last frost is what i am thinking.

Eventually i think this tree will get collected from its current home in my yard to a growing container. I would like to learn more about the azelea more before i do though.

In fact looking and azalea bonsai is what got me into it in the first place.

 

[armetisius]

Your comment:

I didn't even find anything, when reading back over the entire post, that could come off as either; thanks for the concern though. Takes a bit to do but I would PM you if I felt hurt, insulted, or in someway sleighted; to do otherwise is childish. What I did see was that, once again, I fell off into the "high handed instructor" mode completely dominating this thread. To each and every one of you, and to the board, I apologize for this.
It is not often that we trip across something I actually know something about.
Mia culpa.

I agree; this azalea would be sweet to get under my shears. And I am sure that, much like everyone else in the South, you have been in on the chop it down from 8' to 5' dig a root ball big enough for its own zip code and move it across town. When it comes to azaleas I do not believe in the "critter too big to dig"; the shallow root system lets you use them almost like "semi-permanently" placed here. Moved most all of my Grandmother's at one time or another around her yard and several from her place to the odd Great-Aunt's, neighbors', pastor's, stranger she met at the grocer's, etc. house. But I did learn from it.
You know we have had some really hot terrible summers for the last several years and very mild winters to top it off. Take another look at that maple. It should have buds bigger than all the last five years combined about now. The wet summer and fall we had compounded with the "goodness its cold" winter should have set that big girl just about straight unless its a root problem. Then the air layer would be best done quickly. Sure hope I am right on this though; I do so love a pretty lace leaf.
a.

I hear you and I hope my comment didn’t present itself as insulting or contradictory. It was meant to dissuade the notion that it may be too big to collect. Your overview of the possible conditions in which it has endured makes perfect sense. Perhaps even more weight should be given toward taking the whole azalea to ensure its ultimate survival? It’s a real beauty and would be a shame to lose it if it could be prevented. Your reply kind of reminds me of a grafted laceleaf JM I bought my wife for V-Day about 14 years ago. It started out as a beautiful foot and a half long trunk with many branches cascading from the apex. In its current state the trunk only measures about ¾” in diameter by 3’ long with zero branching until you reach the top. Time has not been kind to it and all that is left is a single 5” branch that had maybe ten leaves on it last year. Over the years it has been moved three times in an effort to revive the poor thing. I’m air layering it at the graft this year as a final effort to save it from the burn pile. Still learning..

 

[armetisius]

I am almost afraid to tackle that big of a tree right now. I think thats the biggest reason for a possible air layer of one of the med to small branches was my first thought.

Nobody can do anything but respect that. Move at your comfort level. And completely understandable.

I really would like to get a dozen or more clones of this old plant just to have them to plant more around the yard. I havw looked at several nurseries when the azaleas are in full bloom, and nothing compares to this ones vibrant color.

I made up a reading list for a student locally in a webdoc; give me a couple of days to locate it and there is tons of info available from states coop extension. It was pretty heavy on the culture and propagation end of things.

I have my work cut out for me either route i choose to take. I think i might try first a small branch and see how well it takes to an air layer. Maybe one the thickness of my index finger or so.

Hey I didn't realize you were talking that size. Of course you will have time to make it into a pot by freeze.

If i were to try this when is the best time to start the air layer? After the last frost is what i am thinking.

Right after flowering for the plant. I would pick the buds off the twig I was going to air layer though. Just to allow the tip buds, usually under calyx of the flower, to start growing.

Eventually i think this tree will get collected from its current home in my yard to a growing container. I would like to learn more about the azelea more before i do though.
In fact looking and azalea bonsai is what got me into it in the first place.

Already got you covered with that reading list coming.
Good growing and good discussion thanks.
a.

 

[Vin]

Nobody can do anything but respect that. Move at your comfort level. And completely understandable.

I made up a reading list for a student locally in a webdoc; give me a couple of days to locate it and there is tons of info available from states coop extension. It was pretty heavy on the culture and propagation end of things.


Hey I didn't realize you were talking that size. Of course you will have time to make it into a pot by freeze.


Right after flowering for the plant. I would pick the buds off the twig I was going to air layer though. Just to allow the tip buds, usually under calyx of the flower, to start growing.


Already got you covered with that reading list coming.
Good growing and good discussion thanks.
a.

I'd like to read that webdoc as well if you don't mind.

 

[armetisius]

re: reading list

I'd like to read that webdoc as well if you don't mind.

No problem Vin. As I mentioned it will take me a
couple to locate it. I made it up for a horticulture
student, who was driving me out of my wits, several
months ago. But when you start trolling through 8 Tb
of hard drives it takes a few. Just one of my bonsai
folders, have five, is 5.26 Gb so you see what I mean.
Always happy to share.
a.

 

[jkd2572]

Have you thought about chopping it down to about a foot off the ground and seeing if it grows back out and then collecting it the year after? It's a chancy ordeal, but.........

 

[Cadillactaste]

I was advised once to drape fabric over the part I wished to remove from my bonsai. I would imagine on a larger scale...you might be able to drape a bed sheet over area you are considering air layering. I would also imaging getting behind it and doing that process less noticeable from the front.

Beautiful shrub...I can see why you do not wish to ruin it's appeal to your yard. But also see your desire to have a section for bonsai,Good luck!