Azalea questions, need input please

[GrimLore]

As of this morning I was able to ID two poorly taken care of shrubs at our new place. The one in the picture is 2 foot tall and 3 foot wide and has black bark scale. The other is the same type but 3 foot tall and 4 foot around and appears to be disease free.

I will hedge them both down a lot after the blooms shrivel and "think" that is the correct time. After that I will treat the scale and I "think all should be ok. I am not certain of either and do not want to kill them but revive them and collect them in Spring as the have robust bases.

Will they take being cut back to lets say 2 foot by 2 foot? And is it proper to do after bloom shrivel?

I need to prep these before Spring as they must be moved before the heavy equipment gets in here to scrap off at least four inches of existing front "yard". Will Spring be ok for collection?


Thanks in advance

Grimmy

 

[Dav4]

I don't know of any azalea ( excluding a very unhealthy one ) that couldn't be cut back as you describe. I think the only reason to wait until after bloom is to see the blooms...you can cut back now or after blooming is finished.

 

[Poink88]

Chop as you described and collect at the same time.

 

[GrimLore]

Chop as you described and collect at the same time.

Collect after bloom? Are they that durable? I was figuring chop, treat, grow and wait until late fall or early spring.

Grimmy

 

[johng]

I have never "collected" any azaleas but I have drastically pruned both top and bottom of old nursery stock successfully hundreds of times....many far less healthy than what you have pictured... I don't think you will have any issues.
John

 

[barrosinc]

Check out johng video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWvNeuDbgGg

 

[Poink88]

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?13989-When-to-repot-Azalea-(George-L-Tabor-NOT-satsuki)

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I've collected plenty of azales at this time of year...chop them back as hard as you need to, brutalize the roots, pot them up, and stand back. Rubbing out suckers at the base helps encourage growth higher up on the trunk.

 

[barrosinc]

I've collected plenty of azales at this time of year...chop them back as hard as you need to, brutalize the roots, pot them up, and stand back. Rubbing out suckers at the base helps encourage growth higher up on the trunk.

what does that mean?

 

[Dav4]

what does that mean?

Azaleas are basally dominant and like to produce buds that pop and grow from the base of the trunk. Rubbing them out (removing them) keeps the tree's apex from weakening.

 

[evmibo]

I think he means rubbing off the new buds at the base to encourage growth at the top. Azalea are basally dominant as apposed to apically dominant like most trees we work with.

edit: Dav4 beat me to it

 

[GrimLore]

what does that mean?

They make new plants from the roots at the base of the trunk called suckers? I see that in the burning bush, geesh like crazy! Sorry if I sound so "not with it" but except for Trees this world of shrubs and such is new to me. Thank you all so much for the input!

Grimmy

 

[Dav4]

They make new plants from the roots at the base of the trunk called suckers? I see that in the burning bush, geesh like crazy! Sorry if I sound so "not with it" but except for Trees this world of shrubs and such is new to me. Thank you all so much for the input!

Grimmy

Not really new plants but new branches. However, if there are enough branches down low with closely associated roots, you can divide the multi branched shrub into smaller, individual plants. I've done this with box store bought satsukis on several occasions.

 

[GrimLore]

Not really new plants but new branches. However, if there are enough branches down low with closely associated roots, you can divide the multi branched shrub into smaller, individual plants. I've done this with box store bought satsukis on several occasions.

Good info! Thanks! To date I have had 4 Azaleas just growing inside for a few seasons knowing little to nothing about them. Because these two outside need moved and appear very old - The more I learn prior to collection from REAL experience is a blessing. Looking at what the Azalea Org says and reading a LOT of "opinions" was making me think to just trash them honest - everyone out there has a different opinion. Here I get solid advice!

Grimmy

 

[Harunobu]

Nakaharae hybrids do seem to grow new plants from the roots. Never tried taking root cuttings though.

 

[jkd2572]

Good god don't trash them. If you decide to Please pm me I will pay you for your time to send me the potted up stumps. I would kill for the opportunity to collect azaleas with large bases.

 

[GrimLore]

Good god don't trash them. If you decide to Please pm me I will pay you for your time to send me the potted up stumps. I would kill for the opportunity to collect azaleas with large bases.

Honest I posted this thread so I had the proper information to save them. Looking all over the net I was getting so many conflicting opinions I was "thinking" of just trashing them. Now that I have valid info they will be cut back, nurtured back to health, and then collected. We are not redoing the front landscape until next Spring so I have time to do it all proper.
Interesting though, there is a General Contractor across the street from me and he told me he has a large amount of old potted shrubs at his shop "pulled" from landscapes. I inquired and he said we can go someday and I can look and purchase any of them. Not certain when but I will take a camera and a real close look.

Grimmy

 

[Lazylightningny]

I have a kurume in a one gallon pot that I chopped hard a month or two ago. It bloomed fine, and I now have a lot of back buds. Is it too late to repot into bonsai soil? Will that harm the new buds?

Sorry for the hijack...

 

[GrimLore]

I have a kurume in a one gallon pot that I chopped hard a month or two ago. It bloomed fine, and I now have a lot of back buds. Is it too late to repot into bonsai soil? Will that harm the new buds?

Sorry for the hijack...

I am not an expert on Azalea BUT according to the posts here it seems they can handle a lot of abuse. I did a root chop, heavy trim, and a repot last week on 4 small ones and they are doing ok. I expect back buds in another week or so if they act at all like other "shrubs" in this zone.

Grimmy

 

[sbarnhardt]

For what it's worth, we have 3 azaleas just outside one of our bedroom windows. (North facing between the house and a concrete driveway) They were looking poorly and we decided to remove them. After they bloomed, I cut them almost down to the ground. I had stump 6-12 inches tall with the thoughts it would kill them off over the winter and they'd be easier to dig up come spring. Well, those things took off and are now the "best" looking azaleas we have. It was almost like they knew I was trying to kill them off and they said "OH Heck No!"