Good to hear. I looked both up and they seem really good choices for learning.
My advice on store bought azaleas purchased this time of the year is…..The sooner you can find a design line in these trees and prune to this, leaving as much green as possible, the stronger it will respond and the sooner you will get your trees to a state you can work on.
There are many different substrates out there that work with azaleas… some better, some not. I did a survey on site a couple years ago, most folks used Kanuma in some amount, all I asked said theirs worked best. But the key elements in a substrate for azalea don’t change and are what’s most important: acidic, free flowing media, high CEC and correct particle size for good root growth. I use Kanuma as it fits these criteria and is extraordinarily hard to overwater. Considering the deluges we’ve had up here this spring, I’m glad my azaleas are in kanuma.
If I was choosing a substrate in your neck of the woods, I wouldn’t use 90/10 Kanuma/pumice. I might use something like a 70/30 80/20 Kanuma/Sphagnum blend. Some folks would toss in some sifted small bark.
I use Boon mixes with extra charcoal for most of the rest of my trees. It dries out a bit faster under normal conditions up here.
Sadly bonsai media watering times don’t fit a schedule. It seems to me no good bonsai media is going to fit your criteria. Perhaps you might be best off. devising ways to help modify the micro environment your azaleas are in. For example limit sun, rig shade cloth, create a wetted pea gravel sink under the bench, timed misters etc
Good start on your cuttings! A couple hints.
- Take cuttings in the early morning and put in cold water as you cut each.
- Before striking leave only 3 leaves on each cutting. Use rooting powder or not.
- Best substrate to date is clean seedling soil mixed with 20% more perlite.
- Have well wetted before striking.
- use a humidity dome
- heat mat 72ish
- spray 2-3x day I use 1 TBSP 3% H2O2 in QT water. After 4 weeks add 1/2 tsp Miracid to spray water
- Safer soap asap if fungus gnats appear
- use double slotted seedling trays to facilitate drainage
cheers
DSD sends
