My 'Ben Oki' azalea

[JudyB]

And that pot!

 

[Djtommy]

And that pot!

Is what i would say!

 

[Giga]

Looks great!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Signs of life...

 

[Nybonsai12]

Looking damn good. Will you be reducing the flower buds to one or two per cluster?

Azalea related question. How aggressive are you on the roots when you repot if removing branching from the top as well? And after repot are you removing all flower buds?

 

[JoeR]

Very nice, love the pot too. More naturalistic for sure.

I can't help but notice the very straight sections on the right trunk. If you could pull some foliage down to cover it a little, it would be greatly improved.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Looking damn good. Will you be reducing the flower buds to one or two per cluster?

Azalea related question. How aggressive are you on the roots when you repot if removing branching from the top as well? And after repot are you removing all flower buds?

Yes, I'll reduce each set of flower buds down to 1.
I am not aggressive on azalea roots; try to avoid repotting it at all.
@JoeR: it is a straight section indeed. Rather forgivable when blooming, and pretty well covered when in leaf. About 5 years ago, a big branch fell out of the oak tree from above, and sheared off a branch about the size of a dinner plate, which obscured that section very well. in all, I was lucky that was all the damage sustained.

 

[Jester217300]

I am not aggressive on azalea roots; try to avoid repotting it at all.

Is this personal preference, or do you think that they cannot handle aggressive root work?

I have a handful of them but I'm largely still learning and trying to go slow. I dug a big one from the same field as the hormbeam and reduced the roots by about half to get it into a large training pot. I wasn't able to bare root, the rootball was too dense and the roots too delicate.

 

[JudyB]

I imagine you'd forgive this tree just about anything when it blooms. Oh, that pot!

 

[JoeR]

I'd forgive it too, just was wondering how you were going to handle that.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Is this personal preference, or do you think that they cannot handle aggressive root work?

Azalea can easily handle very aggressive root work, but the roots grow slowly and very shallow, so once it's contained in a pot, I don't bother repotting until it becomes difficult to water. Since its in fairly coarse kanuma, it seems to take a long time before watering is a problem. This one is on about a 5-year repotting cycle; '08, '13, and in no hurry for the next one.

@JoeR , no plans to handle it at all...that's the tree.

 

[Jester217300]

Gotcha, thanks. That's what I thought and you're explanation makes sense. I'm just not at a point of refinement yet with mine.

 

[Shorty54]

WOW....seeing this progression is amazing and shows me the Journey is Worth the Wait! BEAUTIFUL, thank you for sharing! Now I want a nice Azalea!!!! I have a little Satsuki Azalea now. I'm new to the Bonsai World!

 

[erb.75]

awesome tree...it is a really interesting progression. initially I didn't like the design. After I see what it has become, I've totally flipped my opinion of the tree's design. It looks SO GOOD now I just can't believe it! The progression was very informative for me. Thanks for posting.

 

[Kimberley82h]

Brilliant thread I hadn't seen this, you make me want an azalea even more now! Absolutely stunning

 

[Djtommy]

Nice progression, looks stunning in bloom.
Just wondering, i went over this thread and noticed Bill mentioned changing the angle of the tree to have the straight part less attracting, didnyou consider this during repotting? Or do you prefer how it is now? I dont think its disturbing though, not noticable in bloom

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Nice progression, looks stunning in bloom.
Just wondering, i went over this thread and noticed Bill mentioned changing the angle of the tree to have the straight part less attracting, didnyou consider this during repotting? Or do you prefer how it is now? I dont think its disturbing though, not noticable in bloom

I did try it when I repotted it a couple years ago, but the base and what little nebari it has made an angle change prohibitive, and in person, it looked very unstable tilted, so I just left it as it has been.

 

[bonsairxmd]

Azalea can easily handle very aggressive root work, but the roots grow slowly and very shallow, so once it's contained in a pot, I don't bother repotting until it becomes difficult to water. Since its in fairly coarse kanuma, it seems to take a long time before watering is a problem. This one is on about a 5-year repotting cycle; '08, '13, and in no hurry for the next one.

@JoeR , no plans to handle it at all...that's the tree.

Awesome Azalea Brian! Do you use an acidic fertilizer or is there no need if planted in 100% kanuma since it is acidic enough itself? If not, then you use your organic cakes?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Awesome Azalea Brian! Do you use an acidic fertilizer or is there no need if planted in 100% kanuma since it is acidic enough itself? If not, then you use your organic cakes?

I feed it like all my other trees, Plant-Tone cakes and regular doses of liquid fish fertilizer.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Getting closer, nice thunderstorm this morning makes for good pix.