Inherited a Bonsai

sansouci01

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Hello everyone
I was given a Bonsai from a co-worker. It's a small outdoor Azalea from Brussel's Bonsai. It was in a small pot and was VERY root bound so, I re-planted it into a larger pot. As for trimming, I have no idea what to do with it. Should I let it grow for a while befor trimming or start right away? Any advice would be appreciated....Here's a picture of it.
 

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sansouci01

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Not sure what you mean. It's Miracle grow potting soil.. Is that not good to use???
 

Jason_mazzy

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No. You will kill the tree. There was likely a reason it was in a small bonsai pot. The best course was likely to trim the roots and repot in same pot using a mostly (if not totally) inorganic soil.

You are likely to get root rot in your new setup.
 

Cadillactaste

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I know...some do use cactus soil verses bonsai soil with azaleas. I am sure they will pipe in. Congrats...azaleas have beautiful blooms.

Use the search engine...you will find a lot of useful information concerning your tree. :D

Welcome to BNut.
 

sansouci01

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OK..So miracle grow is out. Any thing local I can purchase to use instead
 

johng

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I have a lot of azaleas...and I use a potting soil similar to MG potting soil...not garden soil...that is disaster in a pot. They don't like to dry out and prefer moist soil...just watch your watering...it may not need to be watered daily. I have a hard time with pictures but it looks like you may have made a big increase in the size of the pot(over-potted)...if so, be careful again with over-watering. Ideally the soil should mostly dry out before you water...don't go so far that the plant wilts but do at least let the surface dry between waterings.

Trimming...Azaleas manage pruning very well...if you are not worried about blooms, you can prune judiciously through the summer. New foliage needs time to sprout, emerge, and harden off before cold weathers begins to set in.

You should be fine!
John
 
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QuintinBonsai

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Research "bonsai soil" on this message board. I won't go into what is best, but I can say that most will agree that any soil mixture should allow free drainage yet retain some moisture. Miracle-gro retains too much moisture. It does allow good aeration for roots. I personally use Boon's mix.
 

Jason_mazzy

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my azalea mix is primarily composed of pumice and diatomaceous earth. You could ad kanuma if you get a good deal.
 

bwaynef

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Please update your profile so we know where you are located and can respond accordingly.

With the userid Sansouci01, I too was wondering where you were located.
 
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