My Azalea Progress, Gumpo Pink

[just.wing.it]

End of season update...
Cleaned up a little.

 

[Lazylightningny]

I like your guy wire setup. Very clever.

 

[JudyB]

I like your guy wire setup. Very clever.

I do too, but would worry about it scratching the pot up without putting a buffer under the wire.

 

[just.wing.it]

I do too, but would worry about it scratching the pot up without putting a buffer under the wire.

Definitely something to consider...even tho its just a cheapo...
Thanks!

 

[just.wing.it]

I like your guy wire setup. Very clever.

Gracias!
They've been on for about a year and a half now...I was going to repot next spring I think, and see how the branches hold....they were very stiff when I did that.
We'll see.

 

[queenofsheba52]

That is great work on the Gumpo, JWI!

 

[Kendo]

Double trunk is interesting feature. I have one Satsuki most likely only in US like this double. Hai

This you have I think is not Tree but for the plant azalea. SOme make for Bonsai, but not in the Japan, this is for plant show,Hai.

Here is some Bonsai Satsuki my double trunk Satsuki. Interesting feature.

 

[Kendo]

Nove we are begin doing Mesuki. Patience is full.

 

[just.wing.it]

Double trunk is interesting feature. I have one Satsuki most likely only in US like this double. Hai

This you have I think is not Tree but for the plant azalea. SOme make for Bonsai, but not in the Japan, this is for plant show,Hai.

Here is some Bonsai Satsuki my double trunk Satsuki. Interesting feature.

Nice, mine has a long way to go before it could get thick like that!

 

[Kendo]

Nice, mine has a long way to go before it could get thick like that!

SO many times with the Bonsai patience is full. Hai

 

[tree4me]

End of season update...
Cleaned up a little.

What did you clean up, sucker growth and overly extended branches? Mine are looking really unkempt

 

[just.wing.it]

What did you clean up, sucker growth and overly extended branches? Mine are looking really unkempt

No suckers in this guy... Cleaned up dead and old looking leaves, a few long shoots, and downward growing shoots.
Over all though, I've been pleased with the even growth throughout.
Still waiting for buds in a couple key places, but its improving slowly.

 

[just.wing.it]

Update pics.
This this saw a few good freezes before making it into the garage....I removed the most damaged leaves and took the guy wires off, a couple branches bounced back about one or two millimeters, that's all.

 

[just.wing.it]

I am at a point with the shape that I'd like to see some flowers.
I've always cut it back and have never seen a flower on it yet.
I'm not totally sure but I think, in order to get it back on a blooming schedule, I need to let it grow freely next year, until I see flowers.
But that may not even happen till 2020, I'm thinking....unless it will make flower buds and bloom in the same season.

Currently there are no flower buds.
Maybe unchecked growth next in '19 will make flower buds, which will bloom in '20....then I can begin cutting back as blooms fade, and get blooms yearly....

I could be totally wrong about that, and if so, hopefully someone can correct me.
@Mellow Mullet any thoughts?

Edit: also, I've decided to not repot until it really needs it....I'd love a more shallow pot under it, but I can wait.

 

[Stormwater]

Why wintering in the garage vs outside? All your plants wintered inside your garage?

 

[just.wing.it]

Why wintering in the garage vs outside? All your plants wintered inside your garage?

I'm keeping some in there and the rest are under my back porch, on low benches, sort of protected on 3 sides from wind...
My garage has been staying cooler than I expected (first winter at new place), its usually between 30 and 40 F.
Also, my garage holds the cold on those warm days....which I think is good for the trees.
But yeah, the garage trees consist of anything recently worked, like that wild crab apple I dug up and deciduous /subtropical....Maples, Bald Cypress, Crape Myrtle, Hornbeams, Azaleas, Spireas, my Elms (which were severely worked this year) 2 yews (that were severely worked this year), my small boxwood (in colander)....maybe forgetting a few....

Outside bearing the cold are my other 4 yews and my 3 junipers...and maybe a couple more I'm forgetting...

 

[Stormwater]

I'm keeping some in there and the rest are under my back porch, on low benches, sort of protected on 3 sides from wind...
My garage has been staying cooler than I expected (first winter at new place), its usually between 30 and 40 F.
Also, my garage holds the cold on those warm days....which I think is good for the trees.
But yeah, the garage trees consist of anything recently worked, like that wild crab apple I dug up and deciduous /subtropical....Maples, Bald Cypress, Crape Myrtle, Hornbeams, Azaleas, Spireas, my Elms (which were severely worked this year) 2 yews (that were severely worked this year), my small boxwood (in colander)....maybe forgetting a few....

Outside bearing the cold are my 4 yews and my 3 junipers...and maybe a couple more I'm forgetting...

I picked up my first azalea this fall, out back buried in mulch surrounded by wind screen with all my plants. We’ll see how it goes.

 

[just.wing.it]

I picked up my first azalea this fall, out back buried in mulch surrounded by wind screen with all my plants. We’ll see how it goes.

I'm sure it'll be fine.
As long as its mulched in, and hasn't been cut back recently.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

I am at a point with the shape that I'd like to see some flowers.
I've always cut it back and have never seen a flower on it yet.
I'm not totally sure but I think, in order to get it back on a blooming schedule, I need to let it grow freely next year, until I see flowers.
But that may not even happen till 2020, I'm thinking....unless it will make flower buds and bloom in the same season.

Currently there are no flower buds.
Maybe unchecked growth next in '19 will make flower buds, which will bloom in '20....then I can begin cutting back as blooms fade, and get blooms yearly....

I could be totally wrong about that, and if so, hopefully someone can correct me.
@Mellow Mullet any thoughts?

Edit: also, I've decided to not repot until it really needs it....I'd love a more shallow pot under it, but I can wait.

Really starting to look good JWI. When did you prune it last, other than the cleanup that you mentioned above? If you did not hit it too hard past June/July, you might get a few flowers this coming Spring on the ends of those unpruned small branches. My Gumpos are the last ones to form visible buds, I can barely see them on one that I looked closely at last week. Being more northern than I, yours may not be showing yet so it is possible that you might get a few.

If you have been pruning heavily all summer/ fall, chances are you pruned the flowering ends off for this Spring. So, for 2019, let it grow and prune up until late June/ early July ( your cut off might be later due to climate). I leave mine alone after that, unless it is something obvious that needs to come off( like a downward growing branch or a very large sucker branch), and then after the flower buds start forming over the winter, I prune it to shape. Some of the buds are removed as a result of this, but there are usually so many it doesn't matter. If you do this you should have some nice flowers in the Spring of 2020.

John

 

[just.wing.it]

Really starting to look good JWI. When did you prune it last, other than the cleanup that you mentioned above? If you did not hit it too hard past June/July, you might get a few flowers this coming Spring on the ends of those unpruned small branches. My Gumpos are the last ones to form visible buds, I can barely see them on one that I looked closely at last week. Being more northern than I, yours may not be showing yet so it is possible that you might get a few.

If you have been pruning heavily all summer/ fall, chances are you pruned the flowering ends off for this Spring. So, for 2019, let it grow and prune up until late June/ early July ( your cut off might be later due to climate). I leave mine alone after that, unless it is something obvious that needs to come off( like a downward growing branch or a very large sucker branch), and then after the flower buds start forming over the winter, I prune it to shape. Some of the buds are removed as a result of this, but there are usually so many it doesn't matter. If you do this you should have some nice flowers in the Spring of 2020.

John

Hey, thanks John!
The last real pruning was in early June '18....after that all I did in Sept was cut back the longest strongest shoots and any wonky ones.
I'll keep my eyes peeled!