Azalea propagation substrates

[Woodengun]

Hi all! I know Glaucus and Deep Sea Diver are very experienced in this so I’m aiming this question at y’all or anyone else who has satsuki propagation experience.
The past year I’ve been experimenting propagating satsuki varieties via cuttings. After A LOT of failures I have my method down. ( around 80% success ).
After rooting what is the best peat free option to grow the small whip / cutting in for the best success for future development?
I would like to grow 8-12” whips, then wire, then ground grow.

I talked with Jim Nuccio and peat / perlite seems to be the best but I’m really trying not to buy peat for anything anymore…
I have 10 rooted cuttings in pure kanuma, and 10 in a coir, perlite, worm casting mix. ( osakazuki). I just have not had a lot of luck with coir… so I’m wondering if there’s anything else to try? Kanuma is pricey and I’m reserving that for my mature azaleas. Thanks!

 

[Shibui]

Azaleas and azalea cuttings grow really well down here in my standard bonsai mix - pine bark, sand with some zeolite, dolomite to adjust pH, slow release iron and fertiliser.
At the last property I had little success with Azalea but that turned out to be very acid well water. Ground water here is neutral and everything thrives.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Can’t help you. We use the same media Jim Nuccio recommended to us.

We use 60:40 peat: perlite in 2 1/4” plastic grow pots until our whips are 8-18” high.

Takes about 10 months to grow out Osakasuki in our garage in these pots. Properly handled, these
might get more on the 18-24” zone.

Once in 4” to 6” grow pots the media is 50:40:10 peat: perlite:small bark.

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I’m really trying not to buy peat for anything anymore…

You don't really say why - but if it is for sustainability reasons, you can buy sustainably harvested sphagnum moss that is more or less the same thing - you just need to break it down a little.