Repot Azalea During Clip-and-Grow Process

[LeftHandLuke]

I picked up this azalea at a discount in 2022, moved to training pot (first pic) in May of that year. I let it grow pretty much freely the first year and the trunk base / root flair / taper progressed nicely (second pic from July 2022). Last year I started the clip-and-grow process and I like where it's headed. Third pic is from last August. Third and fourth pics are from today. My question is: Should I repot now?

Water pools on top of soil and is sluggish to drain, although it does drain through bottom of pot. Soil has become somewhat compacted and I don't see a ton of feeder roots near the top after digging down a half-inch or so. I'm not sure what's underneath and hesitant to slip it out for a quick look. (Side note: This is the deciduous type of azalea.)

It's been in this pot for two years, one of which was free-growing. On one hand, I want to keep the process moving forward, so repotting unnecessarily will slow the progress unnecessarily. On the other hand, if I forego repotting am I opening up the risk of root-rot or other problems?

 

[LeftHandLuke]

PS - I didn't realize until today that the "John Geanangle method" (@johng ) is something that's widely recognized. That's exactly what I'm attempting to do with this tree. In fact, mine coincidentally looks a lot like the sample JG illustrates in his YT video, Developing Azalea Bonsai through drastic pruning. JG doesn't talk about repotting in the video so that's really my question. Wondering how many seasons you can go without repotting.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

I picked up this azalea at a discount in 2022, moved to training pot (first pic) in May of that year. I let it grow pretty much freely the first year and the trunk base / root flair / taper progressed nicely (second pic from July 2022). Last year I started the clip-and-grow process and I like where it's headed. Third pic is from last August. Third and fourth pics are from today. My question is: Should I repot now?

Got fooled by the clip and grow remarks! Very familiar with this method.

We see an awful lot of folks that go right ahead and repot a weaken tree after radical pruning.… and many have disastrous results.

Roots drive the foliage and foliage production. So one would not want to repot just because drainage is slow. Actually healthy azaleas in pots tend to have slow drainage in the third year… it usually happens due to the skyfall accumulating in the moss ( which all azaleas should be completely covered with imho), coupled with root growth. In this case it looks like the top layer of the media is a bit gunked over from wintering over successive years.

So two things to do in this situation. First soji (remove the top 1/2” with radially sweeps with chop stick starting from the trunk Outwards and replace with new media and completely cover with moss.). Second, if this doesn’t satisfy…..carefully drill the rootball with a 1/8 - 3/16 drill diagonally inward towards the core about 10 -12 times for this set up.

Repeat this next year as needed, but do not repot until the following year when the foliage is well established.

If it were a tree in our collection, wouldn’t cut back until there was a plethora of branches at least 6 leaves long this year at the least. Then cut to two for the strongest ones and continue only until August… at least this year… considering the tree’s location.

The bud response is going to vary depending on the cultivar of azalea.

This cultivar (on the right) is a bit recalcitrant and is going into its third year… not going to be a bushy kind of design, cut back twice last year and finally finding its way. Note multiple lower young branchlets by scars to help improve the flow and heal the scar areas. Will repot next year.



cheers
DSD sends

 

[LeftHandLuke]

So two things to do in this situation. First soji (remove the top 1/2” with radially sweeps with chop stick starting from the trunk Outwards and replace with new media and completely cover with moss.). Second, if this doesn’t satisfy…..carefully drill the rootball with a 1/8 - 3/16 drill diagonally inward towards the core about 10 -12 times for this set up.

Repeat this next year as needed, but do not repot until the following year when the foliage is well established.

Wow... Thanks so much for this response. This is enormously helpful. Regarding that last sentence, do you mean that that's the "year" to repot, when the branching structure is well established, or are you specifically saying to wait until later spring or early summer that year, when the foliage has established for the growing season?

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Basically the intent was to repot next year (2025)… if the foliage becomes well established. If not well established repeat soji-drill again for another year.

In case a second year is needed and the foliage becomes well established repot in late winter until the tree begins to push.

At repot a decision will need to be made… what media? We use a 90/10% Kaunuma/Pumice with 5% more Biochar mixed in. A complete root wash is required if another media is used. One shown not mix medias, that’s asking for problem.

There are a lot of ifs, ands and buts being skipped. One might check out other azalea threads to help.

Finally, can’t tell the scale of the tree, but consider using a Tokoname training pot, perhaps 7-9” size… depending on the actual size. btw azaleas should not go in shallow display pots. There root mass and growing habit requires a deeper pot to remain healthy.

cheers
DSD sends

 

[LeftHandLuke]

Thank you, my friend. @Deep Sea Diver Much appreciated!

 

[LeftHandLuke]

Time to face the music on this one. I clearly left the primary branches too long on first trimming. First image is from May 5, 2023, when I made the initial cut. The images with the new buds are from May 2024, when I started to suspect things weren't going to end up balanced. And the others are from last week. It's probably hard to tell from the two-dimensional images but I suspect two out of the three "trunks" will work with where I'm headed, but I'm almost positive that lower one with the elbow has become a disaster of reverse taper and general ugliness. Anyone have advice on how I might turn this around or what to do next?

 

[Gabler]

If you carve out the spots where you pruned it, you might get it to heal over smoothly.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Hmm…. If you were to choose one, which would be your choice? …and where would you cut it back? If two?

Noticed many of the cuts were not properly sealed and the wood is starting to rot in the middle. If these areas are kept, each needs to be cut smoothly to live wood, sealed with Top Jin. Once dry, seal over with green tipped cut paste

What is the media?

Were the roots washed and nebari set up properly?

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Shibui]

Noticed many of the cuts were not properly sealed and the wood is starting to rot in the middle

Where are you seeing this? Looks like well sealed cuts to me and I can't pick up evidence of rotting in the pics I looked at.

I suspect two out of the three "trunks" will work with where I'm headed, but I'm almost positive that lower one with the elbow has become a disaster of reverse taper and general ugliness.

Maybe the pics are misleading but that lower branch/trunk appears to have the best shape to me. Without that one I suspect you have a slingshot trunk with 2 evenly sized sub-trunks and no discernible taper.
Maybe showing your preferred options would help us see it too?
PS. photos from an appropriate viewing angle help a lot when deciding what actually looks better or not. Top down photos distort the shapes and give very misleading view of what's really there.

 

[LeftHandLuke]

PS. photos from an appropriate viewing angle help a lot when deciding what actually looks better or not. Top down photos distort the shapes and give very misleading view of what's really there.

Thanks for the advice on photography. Always challenged with that and looking for best practices.

 

[LeftHandLuke]

were not properly sealed

Nah, mate. Those are all spot-on wound interventions based on how the tree responded. They are all doing well. I do see how it looks that way and very much appreciate the observation, so good eye! Media is described above and roots will be addressed at next repotting. Thing is, the wound care seems to be the only thing I've done well (in addition to the potting, mossing and patience that, you in particular, and others suggested, which I so much appreciate.) My question is: You don't see this composition being a problem? Or maybe as @Shibui suggests, I should grab better photos? Again, not concerned about health, etc., but would love some advice on proportion, design, etc.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Respectfully disagree. The newer cuts appear decent, it’s the older ones with the recessions in the middle. Perhaps it’s the images…

Passed these photos around to the folks our azalea workshop and most spotted these very quickly… also asked these questions.

Anyways just our thoughts.

Good luck with your azalea.

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Gabler]

In the recent photos, the old cuts below the wye seem to be healing over just fine.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Certainly, from an other species perspective. For Maples, these would be great signs of healing over, compartmentalizing the dead wood.

However, Azaleas don’t compartmentalize well. If a cut has any dead wood the rot will slowly spread internally down the water line of the tree. We’ve worked on many older azaleas with hollow trunks traced back to improperly sealed wounds.

Treatment, if caught early, is to cut out all the rot, double seal - inspect the seal periodically, to insure the bond is intact. Resealing as needed. Then the thin cambium will slowly grow over living wood and the tree will return full health.



Cheers
DSD sends

 

[LeftHandLuke]

Again... my question was about composition and proportions. I appreciate the additional advice and will keep it in mind but was hoping someone could tell me if it's feasible to achieve something like this example given the current design. I suspect the primary branches (or secondary trunks or whatever they should be called) were not cut short enough in the beginning and are not tapering appropriately.

 

[LeftHandLuke]

Sometimes this forum can be a big box of idiocy. You ask for directions to the nearest hotel and people critique the shirt you're wearing. I'll go ahead and retire this thread. No additional "advice" needed. For anyone who stumbles upon this with similar questions, I'm more than certain I left the initial branches too long. Now that I know the character of how this tree buds back, I would have cut the initial forks at one inch, versus 2.5 inches. Haven't yet decided if I'll start this one over -- which can certainly be accomplished -- but definitely love this whole practice for the azaleas. Hoping to find a few more this spring and get them started.

 

[Gabler]

Most people say "Thank you."

 

[RaginCajun]

I learned some hard lessons working trees too hard the first few yrs in the hobby. Now, when I repot I don’t do any pruning that year, no matter which species it is. Last yr I cut back my azalea 5 times I believe and I cut it back pretty bare every time. Gonna do it a few times this yr, and repot next spring. No pruning next year.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Sorry there wasn’t more feedback. This is the busiest time of most of our years.

You are correct about the cuts, too long to achieve the aesthetic of the model presented.

However the thought that keeps buzzing around my brain is the model is flawed. It doesn’t seem to match the growth habit of the azalea you possess.

It looks like the azalea purchased was either a deciduous azalea or a form of R. Stenopetalum “Spider Azalea. It doesn’t appear the actual name of the this cultivar was mentioned. This is vital information to effectively work azaleas into a style. Otherwise one ends up trying to force the tree to do what it does not want to do.

@Glaucus - any thoughts on th azaleas identity?

If it’s the former would recommend you search for the deciduous azalea thread.

If it’s the latter, Spider azaleas need to be formed as a larger bonsai. About 24-30” minimum. In that case would begin by making these cuts, then grow out the azalea, forming branching as close as practical while growing out the azalea. Modified clip and grow.



If it survives, In succeeding years, allow branches to grow in the direction desired and flower. Once flowered, cut off the branchlets once two leaves have formed, When the next set forms, remove all but two branchlets that go in the direction desired. Continue this process yearly until size is achieved. Then cut the branchlets back two times to force interior back budding.

Not going to elaborate on the nebari at this time. The tree will need to achieve a critical mass of foliage before this is can be addressed, if at all.

A couple cultivars to look for the future if your desire to start learning to develop azaleas. Chinzan, Momo no Haru, Kozan, Nikko, Hino Maru, Kazan, Hakurei. The younger the better imho, unless you are experienced in styling azaleas.

Good Luck
DSD sends

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