Back in February I potted up around 60 bare-root satsuki azalea bonsai. Having not worked with bare-root specimens before, I was really curious to see how the trees would do with so few roots.
Most started out slowly due to cool weather, but since spring warmed up, they have been growing quickly. And now that summer has begun, all are under 30% shade cloth.
To get an idea of what the flowers looked like, I left a few buds on each tree. Here are photos of the five varieties I’ve been working with in bloom.
Yata-no-kagami – 9″
Momoka – 16″ wide
Shisen – 28″
Hi-no-maru – 12″
Koyo – 24″
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Charlie Mosse says
To be able to grow Satsuki Azaleas would be a dream come true in San Diego. Well, there are a few people gaining ground. It seems that doing the following is leading to significant improvements and one might even say success:
-Grow in 100% Kanuma as you do,
-Only RO water or rain water. Our water averages pH 8 and is very salty/mineralized
-Grow on the ground with less wind exposure and higher humidity,.
-Keep the ground moist to raise the humidity.
-Use acid fertilizers. Which fertilizer(s) do you recommend?
-Shredded sphagnum on the soil surface.
Comments or any other suggestions?
Thanks!
Jonas Dupuich says
Good points Charlie. I’d definitely try using a shade structure were I in your area to keep down the wind and slow evaporation. I don’t have specific fertilizer recommendations, but I tend to use fairly gentle organic options for azaleas. This year I’m using fish emulsion and Omakase (aka OOF).
Charlie Mosse says
The OOF comes in different sized pellets. Which size is best for the Azaleas and do you use OOF on other trees. Any particular pellet size that you prefer?
Jonas Dupuich says
That’s an interesting question. I’ve been using the small size pellets in tea bags, though I’ve heard others recommend spreading the small size across the surface of the soil. I like providing concentrated amounts in several locations, though I haven’t measured whether or not there’s a difference. Likewise pellet size. I’d imagine whatever size you’re used to working with will be equally effective.