Satsuki Trunk Thickening

[AJL]

I think to get the real size in a reasonable time frame (10 years) they have to be grown in the ground. This was not the grow field but the burlap yard for a nursey in Kanuma in 2012.
View attachment 472677View attachment 472678View attachment 472679View attachment 472680View attachment 472681View attachment 472682

I wonder how long they keep them above ground like that in just the burlap wrapped rootball? - it must certainly stunt their growth- or is that why theyre doing it to slow the growth while developing the pads??

 

[Glaucus]

I suspect these were just dug up to be sold. Hence the burlap and the price tag. That said, at that price wouldn't it be more sense to put them in a pot?

 

[AJL]

I suspect these were just dug up to be sold. Hence the burlap and the price tag. That said, at that price wouldn't it be more sense to put them in a pot?

Maybe he ran out of pots?!

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

I am going to up pot this azalea tomorrow. Would it be best to use bonsai style media or a mix of compost, potting soil, and perlite?

I have both

I use 90/10. Kanuma/pumice… once pulling out of the peat based mixes they are grown it. This works for me as I have many trees and it’s easy to work.

Not a fan of perlite. It can work for younger trees, but gets all over if dry. Also a real pain to repot.

That said… There are many mixes that will work with azaleas… most tend to use an organic to try to compensate for lack of use of kanuma. Each has its positives and negatives…

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Rivian]

I watched that satsuki channel video and it surprised me they were fattening the trees in red clay, 'any soil will do' (I would at least use black soil)
He said he can make thick trunks in 10 years but we dont know what exactly he started with
Also fear removing the necessary thick branches might lead to dieback
But I like his twig pruning technique and will try that

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Red ball clay? That’s akadama.

One has to get the tree really energy rich for that type of cut back.

The master also says you can grow them out in pots and boxes btw.

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Rivian]

I dont know, it didnt necessarily look like Akadama but maybe they happened to have that or a similar high quality soil naturally at his nursery.
But its encouraging it wasnt Kanuma at least and he still got great results

Personally I will use a raised bed

You mean strong branches can be cut back without creation of dead veins if the tree is vigorous?

 

[leatherback]

You mean strong branches can be cut back without creation of dead veins if the tree is vigorous?

I would venture a guess that half-cuts are beneficial for wound healing (!?)

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

It’sa really different story growing out the way the Japanese do it CVS the way we treat landscape trees.

The first hand reports say the azalea trunks coming out of nursery “field” soil are actually fairly soft at first. Unlike those in my landscape. Don’t know why this is.. I think I heard it from Jonas or Bill V, don’t remember who first mentioned this situation.

Why, Soil, climate, watering dunno. Perhaps @Glaucus has a clue

The roots are cleaned then and branches chopped as they are out of scale. Only branches that are well placed and small are kept.

This technique is shown and explained in Satsuki Bonsai by Watsnabe, sold at Bonsai Tonight last I looked.

I would venture a guess that half-cuts are beneficial for wound healing (!?)

Yes. That’s the way older styled potted tree branches are cut. It’s more conservative and works well.

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Glaucus]

Red ball clay? That’s akadama.

One has to get the tree really energy rich for that type of cut back.

The master also says you can grow them out in pots and boxes btw.

Cheers
DSD sends

They say 'akatsuchi' so not akadama. So red soil and black soil.

You can leave leaves on the branches while still reduce the number of shoots just before the growing season starts.
Then remove the flower buds manually, keeping the leaves around it.
I believe he just chops everything off at many parts because it's convenient. But I also wonder if they do any cleanup of new growth when shoots start to backbud.
You may get a ton of buds. But he explains that 'fewer buds is better, and let them elongate as much as possible'.

Never heard of 'soft trunks', You mean the bark is softer when field-grown compared to potgrown? I also have never read Watanabe's book.

Anyway, I don't believe in using cut paste. There is no reason to use it because of Shigo's work on plant wound healing & CODIT.