Last year I grew a batch of azaleas that had recently been bare-rooted. To help the trees get established, I let them grow freely all year. By fall they were healthy and full of new leaves.
Normally I like to thin azaleas in fall, but because I wanted these trees to continue growing vigorously, I postponed pruning until the following spring.
It turns out this was a bad idea – and not just because the trees didn’t grow as much as I’d expected. The problem is that it’s hard to get rid of thrips on azaleas with dense foliage.
Wanting to avoid a similar fate this year, I’m thinning all of the azaleas in the garden. In addition to helping them resist infestation, thinning:
- improves branch structure
- ensures interior shoots get the sunlight they need to grow strong
- balances vigor by reducing the amount of foliage on strong branches
Thinning is also a lot of fun. The work goes quickly and trees can look much better when the work is complete. Here’s a clump-style Osakazuki before and after thinning.
Clump-style satsuki azalea ‘Osakazuki’
After thinning – 23″
Although the tree is still in early stages of refinement, at least I can now see clearly what needs to happen next: wiring, improved branch ramification, and a more refined silhouette.
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Saverio Barbieri says
Hi Jonas, I’ve been reading your blog for a long time and I want to congratulate you on the quality of the content you post. Great!
I love azaleas, and my question is about what climate is in the area where you live. In what position do you keep these plants and what temperatures and sun take during the various seasons? Where I live I haven’t managed to make a plant survive more than a year (mostly small plants) I think the reason is that I haven’t found a right corner of my garden where they can grow.
Jonas Dupuich says
Thanks Saverio – and great question! My climate is mild. Summer doesn’t get too hot and it rarely freezes in winter. I keep the trees in full sun from November through April and under 30% shade cloth from May through October.
I think the biggest challenge is getting the watering right (I mention some tips here: https://bonsaitonight.com/2019/08/20/top-5-tips-for-keeping-azalea-bonsai-healthy/). If azaleas get enough warmth and water, and are protected from the wind, they can grow in a variety of climates.
If you have specific questions about how to proceed with azaleas in your garden, feel free to post the specifics on the forum and I can follow up there: https://ask.bonsaitonight.com/