It finally arrived...Neagari Satuski Azalea

[Cadillactaste]

I will ask Scott...who it came from. I'm sure he will agree Adair. There are no buds/ovaries from the blooms he removed those. He also sent me a PM to warn me of leaving them on to long on the one I got from Don. That in a nut shell is important...to remove. It's past time to have them off. If that's what your discussing...So we are what...discussing thinning to allow sunlight to come in...correct? Sorry I wasn't more specific in clearing up that they were removed already. Scott took care of it. WAY BACK WHEN! He's a great guy...and knows what he's doing.

 

[Adair M]

Yes, they needed to come off. If he did it, great! That's MINIMAL.

Now what is needed is thinning and cut back.

Look carefully at a branch where current year growth is happening. You will see where the bloom was. And where the ovary was removed. At the base. Now, there's most likely 3 new shoots with light green leaves. Behind that is last year's old dark green leaves. Right? There would be a circle of sorts right there. Of old leaves. Remove the old leaves. You can pull them off by hand if they come off easily, or you can cut them off with sharp scissors.

Now, look at the 3 shoots. Maybe there's 4. You only want to keep 2. If one is growing down, remove it. Leaving the two side shoots. If one is growing up, remove it, leaving two side shoots.

Now, look at the two remaining side shoots. You will see that leaves occur in pairs or triplets. Any leaf on the underneath side gets removed.

Now, you see that there will be a place where there are two leaves coming off the new stem, where the leaves are side by side. There may be two or three inches of new stem growing out beyond that. No matter, cut back to those two leaves!

I know, you're going to remove more than you keep! And !gasp!, you are cutting off flower buds! Oh! The horror! Be not afraid!!! You will get two new shoots, each with a flower bud from the base of the two leaves you keep!!

You see, doing this will stimulate the tree to make MORE SHOOTS! More shoots means MORE FLOWERS! Isn't that what you want???

If you don't do this, now, you won't get twice as many flowers. You won't get twice as many small branches! Instead, you'll get long, leggy branches! The shape of the bonsai will decline.

Oh sure, you could start it completely over next year when you see I'm right. But it will cost a couple years.

Anyway, fo what I just described all over the tree. Yes, it will look like a plucked chicken. For about 2 weeks. And then, it will reward you with twice the growth! Twice the density! Twice the beauty!

Kinda like like how Jesus fed the 5000 with a basket of loaves and fishes.

You just have to have faith.

 

[Cadillactaste]

@Adair M...I'm curious...what are your intentions by tossing out biblical stories to back your knowledge? I always respected your information/knowledge. But it comes across in a negative taste in my mouth the way you are now doing so.

 

[Adair M]

No,

Just trying to find a way to speak to you in language you understand.

I'll try another analogy:

The maintenance work I described is just that: maintenance. If you bought a Ferrari sports car, would you change the oil? Or would you be afraid to? If you don't change the oil, you'll ruin the engine.

There. Is that better?

 

[Dav4]

@Adair M...I'm curious...what are your intentions by tossing out biblical stories to back your knowledge? I always respected your information/knowledge. But it comes across in a negative taste in my mouth the way you are now doing so.

I think he wants you to have faith in what he's suggesting...seriously.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Tedious work, defoliation leaving two leaves per end of branch. A pro...would have done it in a day, and moved to another tree. I just have to move on...and save it for another day working little by little. When there is a noticeable more done than left on the tree to do. It's like a runner seeing the finish line.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Good, now wire every branch.

 

[Klinten]

Adair M was totally right about the maintenance and hard pruning.
Defoliating isn't actually the right way to do it....
You left leaves at the tips of the branches instead of cutting the branch back.. Result will be that the new growth will not start further back and that the shilhouette of the tree will get out of proportion.

I know you might be scared to really prune it, but trust me it's the only way you treat azalea's.

Azalea's need to be kept young to thrive. You do that by hard pruning after flowering and repotting when needed.
It looks radical but it is the only way.
In Japan the growing season is warmer and longer and there they cut them back almost bare.
They can grow themselves to death very fast and easy if you don't rejuvenate them.
Rootbound or no young growth in the branches and it stops growing and eventually dies.
They are basally dominant meaning most of the energy goes to the lower branches.
So while pruning them later in the summer keep that in mind, the top maybe a little more sparse.
They also have weird roots that will form a dense mat and easily fill the pot. If it does, repot them after flowering or early spring. Too much roots causes no water under the base of the tree and the top can die off.

I always prune them like a hedge first and then some detailed pruning leaving 2 leaves on a branch.
Try to not cut too big branches off and break rather than cut off the smaller ones. if you leave a tiny stump from a twigg new growth will sprout there looks weird so breaking makes the wound flatter.
You can prune them all summer because shoots will come out everywhere however later in the summer it will form flowerbuds for next year so be carefull then so you wont cut them off.

Long story, but trust me you will get use to it, they grow really fast. And it makes growing Azalea so much more fun!
Oh and feed them a lot organic stuff pellets like biogold they love it!

Good luck!

 

[Cadillactaste]

Adair M was totally right about the maintenance and hard pruning.
Defoliating isn't actually the right way to do it....
You left leaves at the tips of the branches instead of cutting the branch back.. Result will be that the new growth will not start further back and that the shilhouette of the tree will get out of proportion.

I know you might be scared to really prune it, but trust me it's the only way you treat azalea's.

Azalea's need to be kept young to thrive. You do that by hard pruning after flowering and repotting when needed.
It looks radical but it is the only way.
In Japan the growing season is warmer and longer and there they cut them back almost bare.
They can grow themselves to death very fast and easy if you don't rejuvenate them.
Rootbound or no young growth in the branches and it stops growing and eventually dies.
They are basally dominant meaning most of the energy goes to the lower branches.
So while pruning them later in the summer keep that in mind, the top maybe a little more sparse.
They also have weird roots that will form a dense mat and easily fill the pot. If it does, repot them after flowering or early spring. Too much roots causes no water under the base of the tree and the top can die off.

I always prune them like a hedge first and then some detailed pruning leaving 2 leaves on a branch.
Try to not cut too big branches off and break rather than cut off the smaller ones. if you leave a tiny stump from a twigg new growth will sprout there looks weird so breaking makes the wound flatter.
You can prune them all summer because shoots will come out everywhere however later in the summer it will form flowerbuds for next year so be carefull then so you wont cut them off.

Long story, but trust me you will get use to it, they grow really fast. And it makes growing Azalea so much more fun!
Oh and feed them a lot organic stuff pellets like biogold they love it!

Good luck!

I did prune this back hard. I left it to two leaves. I learned this the first year of owning it. Scott Lee/Adair gave me great advice way back when. I got this back in 2016. But thanks for your time in typing all that. BioGold is my choice of fertilizer, as well as half strength Peter's every 2 weeks...and once a month fish emulsion. That regiment came from Don Blackmond.

 

[Klinten]

Good! I just joined the forum didn't actually see it was an older post.
However keep doing that and all will be good.
You have a picure with flowers?

 

[Cadillactaste]

Good! I just joined the forum didn't actually see it was an older post.
However keep doing that and all will be good.
You have a picure with flowers?

Did you notice the before and after images of defoliated tree. As to how far it's developed? 2016-2020

 

[Clicio]

Did you notice the before and after images of defoliated tree. As to how far it's developed? 2016-2020

Yeap, and what a beauty! Love neagari myself.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Yeap, and what a beauty! Love neagari myself.

Thank You, yes...not for everyone for certain. But I absolutely love them. I've several species of them. Glad to hear of another admirer of the style.

 

[Crawforde]

You have done a great job with this.
It’s a great tree.
And that Pot! I really like that too.

 

[Cadillactaste]

You have done a great job with this.
It’s a great tree.
And that Pot! I really like that too.

Thanks...on all accounts. Yes, I'm quite the admire or Erin Pottery. To the point I've had four commissioned for specific trees. This would be one of them.

 

[Clicio]

Glad to hear of another admirer of the style.

Not hijacking your thread, but I've got quite a few in training, like this little JBP. Love them!

 

[Cadillactaste]

Not hijacking your thread, but I've got quite a few in training, like this little JBP. Love them!
View attachment 313936View attachment 313937

That's darling! Thanks for sharing .

 

[Cadillactaste]

Fall colors still holding. Warm winters day...so out for a photo grab.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Love this little tree...

 

[Mapleminx]

I can't speak highly enough of Scott Lee...his amazing fare prices and stunning material. So blessed with the contacts I have made in my journey with living so rural and out from everyone.

I had been worried of it acclimating and my leaving the country. So Scott was nice enough to hold it for me until my arrival back into the states. This arrived earlier this week. LOVE IT! Not for everyone...but meant for me.
View attachment 109058

Very cute with a lot of character. I like it, nice find!