Morddexxbonsai's "Azalea 2020-2025" entry

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This is my first entry for a contest so should be fun. Here is my Northern Hi-lights azalea. Not going to do anything until my area gets warmer but I plan repot onto a tube of different size kanuma on a pot to grow it neagari.279195
 
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Getting prepared for repot neagari style. I'm going to paint the water bottle white and fasten it in a one gallon pot. Using medium akadama sphagnum and sprinkling in large akadama to make interesting roots hopefully.20200128_111243.jpg20200128_224250.jpg
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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I just noticed the name of the azalea you are using for this contest. Rhododendron 'Northern Hi-Lights' is a deciduous azalea, which includes North American native azalea species in its background. The group is sometimes referred to as Exbury Hybrid Azaleas, though the more modern Northern Lights series does not have the typical Exbury species in their background. These have not been used much in bonsai. The collective "we" bonsai community is currently trying to figure out if they need special treatment or not to be used as bonsai. While they should, in theory, work as bonsai, we don't have any track record. Please take notes, as this will be an interesting experiment. Performing an exposed root style on a group that we are not confident will even submit to "typical" bonsai styles is bold indeed. In addition to the contest thread, please include your progress photos in the "Deciduous Azalea Techniques" thread.


the only other thread on BNut about deciduous azalea is this one, much older and pretty much defunct, being replaced by the above "Deciduous Azalea Techniques" thread.

in the thread below there is repeated confusion between Satsuki, Tsutsusi, and deciduous azaleas. Key is the Deciduous azaleas include one or more native to North America deciduous species in their background.

 
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I just noticed the name of the azalea you are using for this contest. Rhododendron 'Northern Hi-Lights' is a deciduous azalea, which includes North American native azalea species in its background. The group is sometimes referred to as Exbury Hybrid Azaleas, though the more modern Northern Lights series does not have the typical Exbury species in their background. These have not been used much in bonsai. The collective "we" bonsai community is currently trying to figure out if they need special treatment or not to be used as bonsai. While they should, in theory, work as bonsai, we don't have any track record. Please take notes, as this will be an interesting experiment. Performing an exposed root style on a group that we are not confident will even submit to "typical" bonsai styles is bold indeed. In addition to the contest thread, please include your progress photos in the "Deciduous Azalea Techniques" thread.


the only other thread on BNut about deciduous azalea is this one, much older and pretty much defunct, being replaced by the above "Deciduous Azalea Techniques" thread.

in the thread below there is repeated confusion between Satsuki, Tsutsusi, and deciduous azaleas. Key is the Deciduous azaleas include one or more native to North America deciduous species in their background.

I will definitely take photos and track techniques I'll use I mostly pick this because they are very cold hardy and have white flowers with a yellow inside. From the info I've been looking at it about them it should be interesting to try to ramify. Since most new branches all bud from previous flower buds on the tips. Going to cut a few of the tall branches down in spring and see how it handles a hard prune back to a smaller plant. I'd does have some smaller, shorter branches coming from the base so going to keep those and get rid off most all of the tall stuff. I did read while researching that the northern hi lights breed started from a university of Minnesota landscape arboretum bred for the cold.
 
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Getting prepared for repot neagari style. I'm going to paint the water bottle white and fasten it in a one gallon pot. Using medium akadama sphagnum and sprinkling in large akadama to make interesting roots hopefully.View attachment 281217View attachment 281218
Wow just realized I wrote akadama when I meant kanuma oops.
 

Dzhokar

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I did not know this was how that style was accomplished!
I always thought the plant was just gradually raised from the soil line over years.
Guess I could have looked it up lol.
 
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I did not know this was how that style was accomplished!
I always thought the plant was just gradually raised from the soil line over years.
Guess I could have looked it up lol.
I am fairly new to bonsai and this is an experiment based on an article I saw about creating neagari style. So fair warning I dont technically know if this will accomplish it.
 
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How's it coming along?
Not good my other azalea is doing much better. It leaved out in spring but then 3-4 weeks later it dropped all its leaves. I was probably way to aggressive on my trimming and repot. Definitely take it slower next time.
 

Pitoon

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Is it still alive? If it's dead you can replace it with a new entry. Just remember to follow the rules and post your progress pics.
 
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Yeah I dont know I have another that was also started from nursery that I have all the pics for that i bought in spring this year. So I could update with that but I havent done a scratch test or anything to see if it's dead yet.
 

Pitoon

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Yeah I dont know I have another that was also started from nursery that I have all the pics for that i bought in spring this year. So I could update with that but I havent done a scratch test or anything to see if it's dead yet.
Sounds good, maybe it's in shock? If you start a new tree remember it must be untouched nursery stock.
 
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That one is a orange flower deciduous Gibraltar I hard pruned and is doing well.
 
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Sounds good, maybe it's in shock? If you start a new tree remember it must be untouched nursery stock.
Oh you said untouched. I already started the other one. Guessing could go buy a new one if it comes to it maybe I'll buy evergreen th his time to mix it up.
 
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Oh you said untouched. I already started the other one. Guessing could go buy a new one if it comes to it maybe I'll buy evergreen th his time to mix it up.
This was purchased untouched in spring this year cant20200330_150613.jpg I just switch to this as my entry?
 

Pitoon

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This was purchased untouched in spring this year cantView attachment 313059 I just switch to this as my entry?
Sure you can switch if the other is dead. Purpose of the contest is to pick a plant, stick with it, and transform it to a bonsai annotating ones process on the journey. If everyone keeps switching plants no one would have anything presentable in 5yrs time.
 
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Sure you can switch if the other is dead. Purpose of the contest is to pick a plant, stick with it, and transform it to a bonsai annotating ones process on the journey. If everyone keeps switching plants no one would have anything presentable in 5yrs time.
Makes sense! I'm going to switch to this one I have the progress photos so I'll put them up now so the thread is up to date.
 
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