Awesome, thanks so much! It rained today, so no watering necessary! I am trying to decide if it has already bloomed or not, and can't really tell. I'm thinking no but am not sure. There are what look like buds but they might be old buds that are growing seeds.
If the buds are brown and open, its last years. If green, it’s this years and likely not bloomed, after all it is pretty darn early for satsuki to bloom, unless this is a forced azalea and even earlier for seed pods. You can tell the buds though as they are hard nodules in the center of the rosette of new growth. Also Satsuki differ from many other types of azaleas in that they push new branches prior to flowering and many non satsuki push new branches after flowering.
Kazan, a satsuki 4/16/21 pushing new growth around bud, which is just right of center, apex pointed to left.
Hino Chrimson, a Kurume 4/16/21 days from full flower. Note it is not pushing new growth yet.
Also, my soil is mounded up to cover all the roots (whoever grew this plant kept the cutting in something too small for too long and there is a good sized ball of primary roots at the bottom of the trunk) but all the pictures I see have the soil level flat. Should I remove some soil?
Hmm, not sure what you are describing. Typically young azaleas grow a ball of roots around the base of the cutting and is grown out until it fills its container, then up potted.
Unless it is raised in kanuma or Napa type clay, the root ball is difficult to flush clean and properly sort out.
The surface level looks ok at this point
Finally, with the trunk suddenly splitting to 5 main branches at the same spot, what are my options for styling here? Can I cut all but one branch off and over time (years) create a single, main stem?
That’s the dilemma that one faces when working with a older nursery azalea. Here’s a Momo no Haru from Bill Valvanis a couple months ago. Similar situation, along with many more in my back yard. The idea is to pick the best line for your primary structure and trim anything else you don’t need. Then wire to help enhance the primary structure. In this case, I’m looking on a line that goes right then left, with a couple branches that will be able to fit the design. I’ll chop, prune smooth, cutpaste and hope for back budding that will help If so, next years repot will be have the tree planted on an angle to the left.
Here’s a first year nursery azalea that has been pruned and wired to a basic primary structure.
In any event when you do prune back, be sure to take and raise a half dozen or so cuttings, This will expand your options, allowing for grafting material and allowing you to potentially grow whips. Whips are the best initial material to use to create a primary structure with ease. Here’s an example of some whips which have been over wintered and up potted. They are now growing great guns.
cheers
DSD sends