Kurume Azalea

cmeg1

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Thank you. I wonder if I should have thinned out the buds more than I did, but it does look amazing. It fairly glows. I noticed @Brian Van Fleet said he thins out individual blossoms in each bud. I didn't do that at all, just thinned out buds close to each other before they opened. If you read this Brian, can you tell me if that is advantageous over just thinning out buds?
Thanks everyone for your kind remarks, I had little to do with how this tree looks as of now, but plan on doing some work on the pads if we ever get out of this "spring".
I think I will be able to get all my stuff out this Wednesday,so not far off for you,as for this cold Spring.
Awesome bonsai you got there!
 

Brian Van Fleet

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If you read this Brian, can you tell me if that is advantageous over just thinning out buds?
Yours looks nice in bloom, and isn’t too congested. Does it have 3 flowers per bud? My Kurume does, so ideally I thin it down to 1 flower per bud so they all have space to open. I can also leave flowers in the same stage so the blooming peak appears to be really consistent throughout the tree. It is really labor-intensive though, and at a time where there is no real venue to share it. The only horticultural benefit is it reduces the weight on the branches, and the need for water, which is nearly constant when it’s fully blooming out.

Here are three buds with 3 flowers each, and when open, it’s crowded:
E1AF474F-9207-40F7-BCED-02DCFFB231EF.jpeg0A83F7E2-EB73-4DC2-B9E0-E3914BC62A06.jpeg

And here are three buds thinned down to one flower each, and more room to bloom:
D6CE392D-9AD0-4587-BC2A-34AD183BF096.jpegF98AB89F-5CB5-45B6-9515-2A58538A50B6.jpeg
 

JudyB

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Yours looks nice in bloom, and isn’t too congested. Does it have 3 flowers per bud? My Kurume does, so ideally I thin it down to 1 flower per bud so they all have space to open. I can also leave flowers in the same stage so the blooming peak appears to be really consistent throughout the tree. It is really labor-intensive though, and at a time where there is no real venue to share it. The only horticultural benefit is it reduces the weight on the branches, and the need for water, which is nearly constant when it’s fully blooming out.

Here are three buds with 3 flowers each, and when open, it’s crowded:
View attachment 186105View attachment 186108

And here are three buds thinned down to one flower each, and more room to bloom:
View attachment 186106View attachment 186107
Yes it has 3 per bud, I only thinned the whole buds, so this is another thing I can look to do. I did take it down to about one bud every 3 square inches or so. I was surprised how long that alone takes much less going back after they open to take out more. I guess I'm lucky this one is so large that the flowers don't overwhelm it. Thanks Brian.
 

JudyB

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@JudyB ... as I defoliated my satsuki last evening...I was curious how long it takes you to do this big fella?
I have not defoliated it, but have taken the flowers off, and it's a couple hours steady at it. A lot of work these are.
 

LanceMac10

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Let's figure she meant "de-flowered".....o_O:p:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

I'm really hoping you can get this tree dialed in so it will flower for you next year.;):mad::D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Lots of tree here, a real big specimen that surely takes center stage. Bign'!!!!!!!
 

Cadillactaste

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I have not defoliated it, but have taken the flowers off, and it's a couple hours steady at it. A lot of work these are.

Right!?! I had no idea either. Defoliation and leaving 2 leaves so you can't just wack them all off. Tedious...I was reminding myself of how small mine was. Matt Smith had a large one and it took 8 hours and he still wasn't done defoliating it. o_O But yours in bloom...what a show stopper...take ones breath away.
 

Cadillactaste

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Let's figure she meant "de-flowered".....o_O:p:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

I'm really hoping you can get this tree dialed in so it will flower for you next year.;):mad::D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Lots of tree here, a real big specimen that surely takes center stage. Bign'!!!!!!!
Why wouldn't it flower? It's not like a wisteria. Just curious of your statement.

But back to what Judy said...pines you hear a lot of needle selection. I can't say it dawned on me Satsuki needed defoliated. I always said I could never do pine (to myself) because of the dedication to needle counting. Then here I am last night making sure to leave two on each branch. Cutting the majority of the cluster off. No clue until Adair enlightened me...but now that I do know...I won't be in such a rush to add more. Which I had contemplated. Until I get over the shell shock. Lol wasn't that bad...just repetitive. When I thought I had progressed father. Stepped back and was sadly mistaken. ? reminded myself my tree most likely isn't even a pad to Judy's beast...and to suck it up.
 

JudyB

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Why wouldn't it flower? It's not like a wisteria. Just curious of your statement.

But back to what Judy said...pines you hear a lot of needle selection. I can't say it dawned on me Satsuki needed defoliated. I always said I could never do pine (to myself) because of the dedication to needle counting. Then here I am last night making sure to leave two on each branch. Cutting the majority of the cluster off. No clue until Adair enlightened me...but now that I do know...I won't be in such a rush to add more. Which I had contemplated. Until I get over the shell shock. Lol wasn't that bad...just repetitive. When I thought I had progressed father. Stepped back and was sadly mistaken. ? reminded myself my tree most likely isn't even a pad to Judy's beast...and to suck it up.
So are you actually talking about taking leaves off or flowers?
 

Cadillactaste

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So are you actually talking about taking leaves off or flowers?
The leaves. Leaving two on each branch top makes for a more careful exfoliation process if you as me. But after hearing what time it took to remove your spent blooms...I won't complain on defoliating leaves. For that was what I had in doing it. Never realised one had to do that with azaleas.
 

jimib

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Not a great shot as the greenhouse is too cluttered to set up the photo area, but I'll try to get a better one before it's done. Two cold nights, so back in the greenhouse for everyone...
View attachment 237302
That thing is just incredible...without flowering ..I can’t imagine how beautiful it is now
 

KiwiPlantGuy

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Why wouldn't it flower? It's not like a wisteria. Just curious of your statement.

But back to what Judy said...pines you hear a lot of needle selection. I can't say it dawned on me Satsuki needed defoliated. I always said I could never do pine (to myself) because of the dedication to needle counting. Then here I am last night making sure to leave two on each branch. Cutting the majority of the cluster off. No clue until Adair enlightened me...but now that I do know...I won't be in such a rush to add more. Which I had contemplated. Until I get over the shell shock. Lol wasn't that bad...just repetitive. When I thought I had progressed father. Stepped back and was sadly mistaken. ? reminded myself my tree most likely isn't even a pad to Judy's beast...and to suck it up.

Hi @Cadillactaste,
Would you be able to give me/us a brief lesson on why you would defoliate Azaleas. As this is the first I have heard of it.
Is it a balancing vigour thing? Or the over-crowded thing?
I have collected over 30 Kurumes, and a handful Satsukis. And now I see a problem ???.
Great thread @JudyB ? oh and great tree.

Many thanks to you both,
Charles
 

Cadillactaste

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Hi @Cadillactaste,
Would you be able to give me/us a brief lesson on why you would defoliate Azaleas. As this is the first I have heard of it.
Is it a balancing vigour thing? Or the over-crowded thing?
I have collected over 30 Kurumes, and a handful Satsukis. And now I see a problem ???.
Great thread @JudyB ? oh and great tree.

Many thanks to you both,
Charles
Scott Lee where my tree came from...instructed me to do so. I'm not sure if it's to see the structure better or that they just grow so fast they need it occasionally. Mine is just as full now...and I did that last year.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Scott Lee where my tree came from...instructed me to do so. I'm not sure if it's to see the structure better or that they just grow so fast they need it occasionally. Mine is just as full now...and I did that last year.
Here is a video from Peter Warren which will give you the hows and whys of hard-pruning Satsuki Azalea. Worth the watch in its entirety, but if you’re looking for the quick answer to the question why, skip to about 6:20.
 
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