Giving this tiny Azalea a start

[Tak]

This is an offshoot from a bigger garden center azalea I got. I am letting the big one get bigger but wanted to play with this one.

I see a line in blue and further in green but I am thinking perhaps I should cut shorter (red).

Thoughts?

TIA

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Looks best to let it grow. This year. .,

However when there are more than four leaves on a branch extension or branchlet at a growth point, would trim back to 2 leaves so it ramifies and back buds. Do until mid July. This will also build some trunk thickness.

Next year in spring one would trim off 2 of the 4 branches on that cartwheel, then work on doing similar trimming for 2026

Eventually will want to repot at a better angle to the ground. Do the two upper remaining branches may need bending

A couple notes.

It really helps for us to know your approximate location and USDA Plant Cold Hardiness zone. This helps us from giving inappropriate or plain wrong advice

Also please post what media the azalea it’s planted in next post?
Thanks

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Shibui]

You already have a tree to develop larger so working on the assumption that you want to try making a bonsai out of this now, even though that will be a skinny little tree and will stay small and skinny because you are pruning and keeping it in a smaller pot.

Some principles:
Tall trunks look thin. The same trunk cut short will always look thicker.
With that in mind I'd be cutting at red rather than going way up to the top of the higher branches. After cutting you can expect lots of new shoots along the trunk because that's what azaleas do. Choose suitable new shoots as branches and remove all others.
Allow chosen branches to grow long so they get thicker before chopping them back to get secondary ramification (probably next year)
Repeat until you have your little bonsai bush.

Be aware that this will keep your azalea skinny for many, many years. If you'd rather have a thicker, more interesting trunk, follow @Deep Sea Diver advice above.

 

[Tak]

I am in zone 6 but they got a head start under my grow lights. About to go outside. They are in a loose mix of coco choir-perlite-composted pine bark.

Here are the two "mums" that I am letting grow. Not touching them for a while.

I wanted to shape the future of this little one a bit and see how they react to learn. My plan was to reset the shape and then let it grow again for a few years. Still lots of room in that basket for the roots to grow.