Features of azalea care

[Belong]

Hi Anton,
My soil mix is 20% river sand, 20% potting soil, 15% compost, 20% peat, 10% dry organic fertilizer & 10%Perlite.
Temperature ranges from 16 - 22.
I use Sea Secret once a week, with 300ml of rain water.
Place tree in sun for 2 hours, then in shade

 

[bunjin]

My guess from afar is overwatering, and after reading the description of the soil mix, maybe over-fertilizing. Azaleas do best with simple care as opposed to the incredibly complicated instructions you will find on this site. To be successful, the answers will mostly come from your own observations, particularly the ability to judge moisture levels.

 

[Anton]

Hi Anton,
My soil mix is 20% river sand, 20% potting soil, 15% compost, 20% peat, 10% dry organic fertilizer & 10%Perlite.
Temperature ranges from 16 - 22.
I use Sea Secret once a week, with 300ml of rain water.
Place tree in sun for 2 hours, then in shade

2 hours in the sun? day / morning / evening sun?
I once had a similar color on the upper leaves, the phytolamp stood too close to the azaleas, and it got something of a burn. Gently remove the azalea from the pot with the soil so that the soil does not crumble. examine the roots, what color do they have?

 

[Anton]

The books you have ordered are good. The only ones I can think of that would help you you haven’t ordered are.

First. Floral treasures of Japan, Satsuki Azaleas, by Kennedy. This is a pretty straightforward explanation of techniques, nothing complicated in his delivery. One of my favorites along with Naka and Callaham below.

Second Satsuki Azaleas by Callahan. Perhaps the best overall on information. No one can beat Naka’s book on styling so far… Very good in depth guide, goes into lots of detail and also lots of information on different cultivars, although I see most of yours are fairly recent. This book is much sought after and out of print. So pricey on the used book market.

The book you have on order, Japanese Satsuki Azalea, by Watanabe is good, especially to learn about growing older trees, yet the translation is a bit off.

On video there is a guy called Bonsai Master on YouTube Try the link. I learned a good deal from him about working trees, requires patience and a bit repetitious, but good.

Your greenhouse cuttings are growing well! Is the greenhouse heated?

I grow cuttings on heat mats, then put these in a cold greenhouse during winter. Out temperatures are warmer then yours over all.

For those growing to be whips I grow out year around the first year on heat mats in my garage. The next year they grow out with the other bonsai, then winter over in the greenhouse until I wire and bend them next spring. Next year they’ll all go into the ground for a few years.

I too have a good number of cuttings this year. These are wintering in one of our cold greenhouses and growing out our garage. There are a couple older bonsai trees there. The other greenhouse has mostly pre bonsai 2yr whips and 3-4 year trees.

Oh yes, I don’t fertilize the cuttings the first 8 months except with a weak solution of fertilizer along with some Hydrogen Peroxide in with the spray bottle they get sprayed with every day.


View attachment 411695
cheers
DSD sends

btw: Please double tap your icon to edit your information by entering your location and USDA hardiness zone (6a). Then others will know right away where your approximate location is and what your basic climatology is.

Satsuki Azaleas by Callahan - very expensive book, I wanted to buy it. but, the price for it is very high on amazon. Yes, I am a beginner in azaleas.

The greenhouse is not heated because it is always at least 0-5 degrees (32-41 Fahrenheit), I store azaleas near the window to cool them as much as possible for the winter period. Only if we have a harsh winter (15-30 degrees of frost, -22-5 Fahrenheit) I open the window from the warm room, and warm air enters the greenhouse.
By the way, the hi-no-maru azalea is very sensitive and capricious.
Japanese azaleas are not sold in our country. Azaleas are not delivered either. It's good that there is one store that specializes in bonsai, I order through them, they bring from Europe (the Netherlands)
I grow cuttings on heat mats - what is it ?
I root the cuttings in two ways:
1) insert the cuttings into a wet kanuma.
2) I process the cuttings with Clonex gel. I insert the cuttings into a wet canum. Clonex gel performed better, especially with pine trees (result in the photo, 05.2020).
In the case of the first and second options, the cuttings are stored in a ZIP package. This ensures sufficient humidity. by winter, the cuttings have enough roots, I take them out of the ZIP package.
azaleas cuttings in the photo, September.
So far, I use trees for reproduction.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Callaham’s book is definitely pricey.

You learn lots by doing and sharing anyways. I document my procedures when something works well, often with photos.

I use both rooting powder or clonex, sometimes nothing for cuttings.



These are struck in 70 peat 30 perlite potting mix in groups of 4-5.



Then put in trays with covers on heat mats under LED lights. I use just sun too, but need lights to give even lighting. Then misted by hand 2x/day.

This year lots were propagated Six trays by the time I was done.



2-3 months later these are separated and put in 6 cm single pots





Heat mats get the roots started fast. These need a thermostat with each set of up to four.

Here’s a link for each.

Hydrofarm 19007 Hydroponic 12 x 48" 60 Watt Seed Start Seedling Propagation Heat Mat ... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G1PL2RP/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apip_SdTGw4GNxGX73

Inkbird ITC-306T Pre-Wired... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01486LZ50?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Your English is very good btw.

What is Canum?

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Belong]

2

2 hours in the sun? day / morning / evening sun?
I once had a similar color on the upper leaves, the phytolamp stood too close to the azaleas, and it got something of a burn. Gently remove the azalea from the pot with the soil so that the soil does not crumble. examine the roots, what color do they have?

2 to 3 hours of sun in morning. Color of roots are white

 

[Anton]

Hi Anton,
My soil mix is 20% river sand, 20% potting soil, 15% compost, 20% peat, 10% dry organic fertilizer & 10%Perlite.
Temperature ranges from 16 - 22.
I use Sea Secret once a week, with 300ml of rain water.
Place tree in sun for 2 hours, then in shade

Doesn't look like your color?
I either have this
1) Autumn. we got colder sharply.
2) Burn from phytolamp