Thread: Satsuki Azalea
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Old 21-Apr-2008   #45
Victrinia_Ensor
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Location: Bremerton, WA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by constantstaticx
Thanks for the info. I think I'm gonna have to get one and I know where to get some nice looking stock for $15. I'm curious about the soil. I hear they don't like lime in the soil. I use a mix of lava, turface, pine bark, and a little akadama. Is that ok or should I buy a specific azalea mix? I have a garage for overwintering so that is not a problem. Thanks and good luck with yours!

Tom

Tom...

There are certinally those who propose that Satsuki should/ought to be planted in soil which is very specifically made for them. And it is certinally available on-line. But mostly I plant my trees in soil which is correct for the area I live in, and my watering habits. I tend to use a fairly high amount of inorganic material in my soil, as the weather here is wet to say the least, a lot of the year. It sounds as if you use a lot of inorganics as well, though I wonder at the addition of turface when you seem to have other (somewhat better) components available. (lava [assuming it's correctly sized], and akadama)

I try not to make my soils too complicated. I learned that lesson the hard way. My teacher makes it pretty simply.... 50% calidama, and 50% composted fir bark. The extra soil which was added with this partial re-pot was my teacher's mix. When I make it at home... I do about a 60/40 inorganic to organic.... but then again I am not watering 300+ trees at a time. So I can have a drier mix.

A lot of time's it's very situational.

Kindest regards,

Victrinia
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