Satsuki azelea overwintering.

[jkd2572]

First year to over winter this guy. Also my only satsuki. From the pic I obviously don't want to take any chances. Please anybody with satsuki experience chime in. I need to know the happy temp for this guy. How low can the temps go before sheltering in garage which I don't let dip below 30 degrees f. I can move in and out no problem. I do what ever it takes for my trees. This is also the only tree I told my wife I bought for her, because she loves azaleas. So I would throw myself on a Grenade to get this right. . Please only respond if you have one as there is a lot of confusing answers on the Internet. My avatar has it in bloom.

 

[Adair M]

You should have no trouble keeping it outside in Texas. It can take freezing weather. Last winter, I just set mine down on the ground. It is evergreen, so the real danger is if it's in full sun, and the pot is frozen. The leaves could lose moisture due to the sunlight, but if the soil is frozen, the roots can't send any water up. That's how freeze damage occurs. If in shade, usually no problem. Snow and freezing rain are generally no problem. Don't water it if it's frozen, but remember, since it's an evergreen, the leaves can dry out in cold windy (but not freezing) weather, so be sure to keep it watered. You can mulch the pot with pine bark chips or something. Maybe protect it from strong winds.

Nice tree, by the way!

Was the picture taken before or after it bloomed? If after, it needs trimming and wiring. Should have been done just after it finished blooming.

And that wire crossing over the roots? Gotta go. Azaleas scar up pretty easily. You don't want that pretty nebari scarred. It looks to have been potted by an inexperienced potter. There are ways to wire a tree into the pot without running wire across the nebari. Azaleas have a very fibrous roots system, and usually form firm root balls. Easy to wire into a pot. (Run wires around the root ball, not across it.)

 

[jkd2572]

Pics were taken before I bought by someone else. The blooms looked like that for me this spring. The pics without bloom looked they were taken after last years bloom and hard cut back. Now it is full and looking forward to the first nice pot I'm going to place it in this spring. Thanks for the feedback. Sounds good. I will move into garage if temps ate expected below 25 degrees f.

 

[Adair M]

I wouldn't worry unless it goes down into the teens.

The pic without blooms shows a lot of vertical twigs. These needed to be wired out flat to make pads.

But you REALLY need to get that wire off the roots.

 

[jkd2572]

I will cut the wire tomorrow. It's firmly in its pot. All wire is also covered with tubing and not cutting in. Gone in the morning. Future tie downs will be done below service roots. Thanks again.

 

[jkd2572]

Going to replant in kanuma in the spring. This of all my trees I really want to baby. Thanks for the advice as semi deciduous trees are hard for me to pin point what they want and this one I can take no chances. From what you said im going to leave out unless temps get to 27 degrees f. Then move to the garage. The garage does not get below 32 degrees f I will then and then move them back out if temps climb above freezing.

 

[Ris]

I am no pro but have a few in my collection, the main thing is
no direct wind
Used only stale or bottled water
Make sure soil gets to dry out on surface area
Early morning sun is good
Look out for spiders.
Try avoiding in and out different temps...

 

[Dan W.]

From my professional opinion... cough...cough... I think you had better send it out here to WY. I'll gladly take it off your hands so you don't have to worry about it. -- I'm sure the Wyoming climate would be much easier on it too...

 

[johng]

Hey Jeremy, I have over 200 satsukis and probably have very similar winters to where you are. I set mine on the ground and protect from wind...if its going to get below 20 I will cover them with a blanket. I have never had any problems with winters. I have a couple from Japan that I have been carrying for since 2000 and the rest were grown locally.

One another note...the only good one I have ever lost was one that I put in Kanuma! It didn't make it through the first season! I can't say for sure it was the kanuma but its kind of like growing them in straight perlite...very tough to keep watered...even with a layer of sphagnum on top. After that I just mixed the rest of my kanuma in my regular soil and never bought any more. If I were you I would be very hesitant to put a good tree in kanuma without experimenting on some lesser stock first....mine do great in a standard bonsai mix and I have the majority in just a quality potting soil...I prune the hell out of them and they grow like weeds.

John

 

[Adair M]

My azalea was imported by Brussel's. so when I got it, it still had their soil. I did not repot it immediately. I purchased it in June. In fact, I waited for a year and a half before I repotted so it could recover from the quarantine, and get used to my climate.

Then, I repotted into straight kanuma. Whoa! Much better growth, and more color in the blooms. The leaves appear healthier, too.

Last January, Owen Reich was giving workshops, so I took it. It was covered in ice when I put it in the car and drove to Atlanta. Anyway, Owen asked about the potting medium. I told him "straight kanuma". It did have a layer of sphagnum on top. Anyway, he said he agreed with the straight kanuma.

It's doing great. But I d make sure to keep it watered.

 

[jkd2572]

What are guys feeding your azaleas? I have been using miracle grow for azaleas. Half strength every two weeks.

 

[Poink88]

Going to replant in kanuma in the spring. This of all my trees I really want to baby. Thanks for the advice as semi deciduous trees are hard for me to pin point what they want and this one I can take no chances. From what you said im going to leave out unless temps get to 27 degrees f. Then move to the garage. The garage does not get above 32 degrees f I will then and then move them back out if temps climb above freezing.

My George L Tabor (an Indica and not Satsuki) stayed outside the whole time last winter w/o any issues and we had several 20s. It is also newly collected. Not sure if that info is useful to you.

 

[jkd2572]

So the first winter with this tree is here. I have not let the tree get below freezing. The point of posting is that the leafs are starting to turn a very pretty brick red. Is this normal? I searched the internet and found were some varieties will turn brick red in the winter time. Could not find much info. Have any of you seen this before? Trying to figure out if this is something I sure be worried about or not.

 

[Nybonsai12]

I don't have satsuki, but my azaleas change color too. They come back green in spring. I don't think it is anything to worry about, even more so if you haven't let it below freezing.

 

[Wee]

Jeremy....You may have already watched this and know this guy personally if so tell him I really enjoyed this workshop even if I just watched it on YouTube....He seems to really know his stuff when it comes to Satsuki Azalea...He says in one of the (4) parts of this workshop that they are semi-deciduous and will get fall colors...Anyway here is part 1. That is a great tree you got there.

[video=youtube;M3AX9qYAGtY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3AX9qYAGtY[/video]

Brian

 

[jkd2572]

I have not seen this and double thanks.

 

[Harunobu]

Some (satsuki) azalea change colour. Some do not. Maybe having most of the chlorophyll intact is a disadvantage so azaleas that stay green could be more winter hardy if they did lose chlorophyll. Not 100% sure.

 

[jk_lewis]

My Satsuki -- including the mame -- all stay out on my tables all winter and have for years, thru temps down into the teens. I've had no problem. Planted in Turface and pine bark mulch.