Mike's "Azalea 2020-2025" Entry

[coltranem]

Just to be clear, is this your entry or the one in the cascade pot.......you can enter only one.

That growth looks good!

This is my entry. The other came in the same nusery pot but is not my entry. I was just showing off the cascade pot.

 

[coltranem]

Those new leaves look much healthier than the way the plant looked before you pruned. It was so brownish/grew, but maybe your entire photo had that colour? Was about to comment on the health of the plant when I saw that weeks ago. But in the very first picture, it looks proper and green. This is 'Shugetsu', right? Purple flowers with white centers.

I agree it did not look that healthy earlier this year. The picture you are talking about was during winter. I might re-evaluate my winter plans.

Yes This is shugetsu.

 

[coltranem]

I just wanted to document this before going into winter storage.

 

[Pitoon]

Spring is here and your azalea could be blooming (depending on your location) or starting to leaf out with this season’s flush……it’s time for updates!

I would also like to add at this time we have 3 prizes to award. Many thanks to @Forsoothe! and @Deep Sea Diver for donating. I am also donating a prize as well.

If you are no longer interested in continuing in the Azalea Contest, please let me know so we can close your thread, thanks.

 

[coltranem]

I am still waiting for the tree to wake up. It looks a little rough around the edges from the winter. I might need to change my winter plan for this one. I'll try to get a picture tomorrow.

 

[Pitoon]

Mine is starting to wake up. I need to dedicate some time to rewire it.

 

[JuniperSol]

Any 2021 updates?

 

[coltranem]

Looking a bit haggard but I think it will make it.

 

[JuniperSol]

Looking a bit haggard but I think it will make it.

View attachment 366718

Oh no, what happened?

 

[coltranem]

Oh no, what happened?

I suspect it got a little too cold over the winter. It looked rough last spring too. I will change things up next winter.

 

[Forsoothe!]

That looks more like too dry to me. A small pot like that should have more protection than most in MASS winters. ?

 

[coltranem]

That looks more like too dry to me. A small pot like that should have more protection than most in MASS winters. ?

It was stored in my bulkhead. The coldest it got was probably 28 F. I kept it on one of the warmer steps. Next year I might switch to my garage which stays warmer but I will probably need to provide light too.

 

[Forsoothe!]

If it is dry where stored it will need water every 3 to 5 weeks. Not a lot, but some, enough to keep the crown from drought. You need to remember that winter is much lower humidity than summer and any object/mass sitting in 20 or 30% humidity will assume that rate of humidity even though it is not "using" the water/moisture itself.

 

[coltranem]

The bulkhead humidity is usually above 60%. I do check for water a couple times a week and water when required. I would say 3-5 weeks is about right.

 

[Pitoon]

That looks more like too dry to me. A small pot like that should have more protection than most in MASS winters. ?

Agreed, that's extremely dry. I kept mine in my garage (garage door has glass panels) the entire winter and pulled it out occasionally when it was sunny. I water only when the substrate was starting to dry out.

 

[coltranem]

What a difference a month makes

 

[Pitoon]

Looks so much better now.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

What a difference a month makes

View attachment 374860

Nice! That’s the cool thing about azaleas. Mostly they can take a licking and keep on ticking!
DSD sends

 

[JuniperSol]

Very nice, I ended up getting an Azalea too cause I couldn’t resist the blooms

 

[coltranem]

Grew fairly well one cut back early summer