Trunk chopping azalea

[Hack Yeah!]

@Hack Yeah!

Just my opinion. Otherwise a nicely done job.

Thanks Leo, I have struggled with figuring out the best depth to plant azaleas to encourage the root system. In this case I felt the fine exposed roots were expendable to take better advantage of the taper. I suppose in time I'll see how the larger azalea roots develop, it's just hard to see how that transition happens from the fine root mat they naturally grow.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I understand. It took me a while to learn. Keep the nebari buried, then when repotting see what the roots just below the surface are, if all thin roots, keep em buried a few more years. (of course, do root arranging, and prune lower downward roots each time you repot) Then one of the cycles you'll check and you will have a nice radial nebari of roots large enough in diameter to survive being exposed. You will have a flat nebari.

What you did will give more a raised nebari, it is not "wrong" if it looks good and has a good arrangement of thicker roots, but sometimes you end up with holes in the arrangement, and then the only fix is ground layering. But it CAN be fixed, so go ahead and see how this one develops. It might be fine.

 

[Beav13]

I dig and repot azaleas in Aug/Sep, if that is what you are asking, @JudyB.
@Lazylightningny;s original question was specifically about bare rooting and trunk chopping (simultaneously).

hello, I recently dug up (2 weeks ago) a large landscape bonsai. I trimmed about 8-90% of foliage and left it. It now seems to be doing ok and I already see some new shoots (all too high to be used later on) and the remaining foliage is growing as well. Should I leave this foliage to help it recover through the winter Or chop to my bonsai level now? My long term plan will be to hard chop all limbs, either now or in late winter/spring but my first goal is for it to survive the winter. Of note, the tree is quite old and the trunk is about 6inches diameter.

 

[0soyoung]

Foliage is the sole source of energy.

 

[Beav13]

Foliage is the sole source of energy.

I agree but I find that if you take 60-70% of small roots, or more, then expecting the foliage to survive in 95F is a hard ask. Everything wilts and cannot make it. Defoliating some helps with that, at least in my limited experience. I do plan to leave the rest, which is doing ok, until late winter

 

[TN_Jim]

This thread is amazing, stunning frankly, thanks all.

 

[Cuzza]

I agree but I find that if you take 60-70% of small roots, or more, then expecting the foliage to survive in 95F is a hard ask. Everything wilts and cannot make it. Defoliating some helps with that, at least in my limited experience. I do plan to leave the rest, which is doing ok, until late winter

You need the foliage to regrow the small roots taken away. Even if only a small window of warmer weather is remaining it is much more beneficial to have the foliage than take it away.
That's my understanding at least, @0somay may correct me but I feel that's something I've learned from him.