Satsuki Azalea styling and pruning feedback

[BonsaiOnTheBrainTX]

Hey everyone!
So I picked up 2 Azaleas this year. Both nursery stock, 1 from Home Depot the other from MrMaple. Com.
This one I got from Mr Maple. It’s a Holly Springs ‘Astronaut’ Satzuki. It was quite bushy when I received it a month and a half ago. I repotted into bonsai soil, trimmed the roots a bit, and did some pruning but left some foliage. I know a lot of people like to prune them down to nubs and regrow everything. I did that to the other one. I’m pretty happy with how this one turned out, it’s back budding like crazy. I guess my plan is to let grow until early next spring, then make some more decisions on branch selection and any major cuts.
I’d like some feedback on how I did and any suggestions or thoughts anyone has. The 1st picture is what I’m currently going with as a front. The other pictures are 1/4 turns from the there and 1 from the top.
Thanks! I don’t have a before pictures unfortunately.

 

[S0n0fChr0n0s]

Feedback from someone at seed status may not mean much, but it looks great from here lol. The wiring job is neat, the leaves are vibrant and in that pot your trunk should expand nicely. Still learning but I figure I know that much.

 

[R0b]

Not something you can change now but I would not put Azaleas in colanders they don’t like their roots drying out. I would let it grow and indeed do major work early next year before buds start to push (protect from frost) if you get sufficient growth otherwise wait a year this is fairly sparse and you might get backbudding without prunin. Your wiring can be more widely spaced typical around 40-45 degrees.

 

[bunjin]

1. Your wiring technique needs improvement. Plenty of tutorials to watch.
2. Since there is no wrapping under the wires, they will cut in quickly and should be removed in just a very few weeks.
3. Sort of looks like it has two apexes. One would be better if you are going for Moyogi style.
Good luck with the azalea!

 

[NeedlesAndLeaves]

Also during the next repot keep in mind that Azaleas thrive in more acidic soil like Kanuma.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Astronaut is a large flowered large leaf azalea. So think large tree.

The basic framework of all azalea bonsai and most other bonsai is bifurcations… or only two branches come off the trunk in any junction, one up one to the side.

Another basic concept is taper.

Finally for azaleas wire is used to create movement for the initial primary and secondary styling. Clip and grow techniques are used from there.

Azalea wire doesn’t need to be wrapped if one is experienced with azaleas and watches for signs of the wire cutting in. However it really helps for beginners. Most importantly one’s wiring technique needs to be solid when working on azaleas. Echoing @bunjin.

Just a couple thoughts for you.

Best
DSD sends

 

[BonsaiOnTheBrainTX]

1. Your wiring technique needs improvement. Plenty of tutorials to watch.
2. Since there is no wrapping under the wires, they will cut in quickly and should be removed in just a very few weeks.
3. Sort of looks like it has two apexes. One would be better if you are going for Moyogi style.
Good luck with the azalea!

I’ve watched some videos on wiring can you elaborate or what’s wrong with it here?

I agree with the 2 apexes. One of the things I’ve had a hard time with when working with nursery stock is picking a single trunk like.

And thanks for the feedback! I’ve really fallen for this hobby and am enjoying the hell out of it I’m sure I’ll be posting updates

 

[BonsaiOnTheBrainTX]

Not something you can change now but I would not put Azaleas in colanders they don’t like their roots drying out. I would let it grow and indeed do major work early next year before buds start to push (protect from frost) if you get sufficient growth otherwise wait a year this is fairly sparse and you might get backbudding without prunin. Your wiring can be more widely spaced typical around 40-45 degrees.

Ah I see regarding the wiring thank you.

It has started back budding a lot. I was surprised at the amount

 

[BonsaiOnTheBrainTX]

Astronaut is a large flowered large leaf azalea. So think large tree.

The basic framework of all azalea bonsai and most other bonsai is bifurcations… or only two branches come off the trunk in any junction, one up one to the side.

Another basic concept is taper.

Finally for azaleas wire is used to create movement for the initial primary and secondary styling. Clip and grow techniques are used from there.

Azalea wire doesn’t need to be wrapped if one is experienced with azaleas and watches for signs of the wire cutting in. However it really helps for beginners. Most importantly one’s wiring technique needs to be solid when working on azaleas. Echoing @bunjin.

Just a couple thoughts for you.

Best
DSD sends

Thanks I really appreciate the tips
I’ve been wiring a lot of my current trees, some of which may not need it but I want to keep practicing to get better.

 

[BonsaiOnTheBrainTX]

Astronaut is a large flowered large leaf azalea. So think large tree.

The basic framework of all azalea bonsai and most other bonsai is bifurcations… or only two branches come off the trunk in any junction, one up one to the side.

Another basic concept is taper.

Finally for azaleas wire is used to create movement for the initial primary and secondary styling. Clip and grow techniques are used from there.

Azalea wire doesn’t need to be wrapped if one is experienced with azaleas and watches for signs of the wire cutting in. However it really helps for beginners. Most importantly one’s wiring technique needs to be solid when working on azaleas. Echoing @bunjin.

Just a couple thoughts for you.

Best
DSD sends

Thanks I really appreciate the tips
I’ve been wiring a lot of my current trees, some of which

Also during the next repot keep in mind that Azaleas thrive in more acidic soil like Kanuma.

it’s has about 20% Kanuma in there. But I definitely see people use 100% Kanuma. Maybe that will be better.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

There is no doubt everyone can use a refresher on wiring. When one of the more experienced azalea BonsaiNuts mentions it’s time to study up, (and I am echoing) its worth stepping back and going over the basics.

Here are three guides Ihave used

Craftsy Wiring Essentials

Bonsai Mirai Wiring

Structural

Detail Wiring

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[BonsaiOnTheBrainTX]

There is no doubt everyone can use a refresher on wiring. When one of the more experienced azalea BonsaiNuts mentions it’s time to study up, (and I am echoing) its worth stepping back and going over the basics.

Here are three guides Ihave used

Craftsy Wiring Essentials

Bonsai Mirai Wiring

Structural

Detail Wiring

Cheers
DSD sends

Ah good to know regarding experienced bonsainut, gave him a follow. I’ll check out these links.

 

[BonsaiOnTheBrainTX]

Here are some updated pictures of this Azalea. I removed the old wiring and applied some fresh. Question on the branch section circled in red. Do I need to remove one of the 3 branches to avoid future inverse taper? I was having a hard time deciding, I feel like if I remove one it will leave a big void in the developing canopy. The section under that is very straight, I could go back and apply some thicker wire to that section to create some movement… or a last option, remove that entire branch and just be left with the sections on the right and left. It would eventually leave me with a pad to the lower left and a main canopy/apex to the upper right. Open to suggestions! Thanks

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

It’s really hard to create a decent primary and secondary structure now.

The tree hasn’t enough critical mass to produce the foliage options one needs to make an informed decision.

Of course one could force the azalea into a style of one’s choice, leaving long lanky internodes that will have a hard time filling in.

Or the hobbyist could ‘stay in place’ and develop the internal mass of foliage which will provide multiple decent options.

To do this, the foliage needs to be either pushed back at the growing tips or stopped at the growing tips. Guessing the latter would be best for this situation.

This operation will need to be done multiple times to keep the energy contained in the zone within the pruned boundary to force backbudding…. Then-pruning the foliage again and again. This will create a healthy and robust tree

If successfully done, each time one prunes the styling options will multiply until choices will be clearly evident… but one has to be patient

The only variables then will the hobbyist horticultural skill and the parentage of the tree. (Some trees do not like this treatment. However in our tests most will.)

Hope this answers the question.

Cheers
DSD sends