Satsuki Azalea

Victrinia_Ensor

Tom...

I'll take some photos when the flowers come in... I also eagerly await their arrival. If I knew how touchy Satsuki are in the NW I'm not certain I would have bought one. I'll have to be very careful about overwintering it, as they will languish in our weather. They like it a little warmer... they'll do fine if you protect them well. So that requiers a place to do that... cold enough to go dormant without being exposed to frosts or hard freezes.

Branches on evergreen azaleas are also famously brittle. A lot of care has to go into their wiring... so needless to say, big bends tend to be problematic... though not impossible by any stretch. A lot of care in the application of the wire will prevent the miserable sound of "crack" from reaching your ears.

Hino crimsons are a non-satsuki variety of azalea which THRIVE in the NW.... Those are an excellent option for up here... Though the wiring issue is still the same.

Kindest regards,

Victrinia

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Victrinia_Ensor

Thank you so much Rob!!!!! I am so glad you love it. I've got to shave down the "mound" a bit on the right side next year... but I didn't want to brutalize the roots... so I stopped myself from making the mound perfect. Next year it'll be an easy fix when the tree has had a chance to send down roots into the new soil.

I am so glad everyone seems to like the pot... I know when I suggested this pot before people weren't sure they'd like it... but I tell you... when I stuck it in there... it was like the pot had been made exactly for that tree... it was a sweet moment.

Your friend,

Victrinia

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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

Victrinia_Ensor

KC....

Ahh.... but my dear friend... there is drama... and then there is balance... one had to be subordinate to the other when I realized the left had to come off.

I was reading a wonderful book the other day which talked about the japanese expression of bonsai being such perfectly rendered art, that it no longer felt like it was alive. For whatever reason, the tree was very carefully... lovingly even, buried deep... and the tree grown in such a way as to have a very stylized feel to it. By bringing the branch back in proportion to the tree, I greatly reduced triangle which had been created within it. And in lifting the tree to it's proper position (to my asthetic taste)... brought back it's realism... it's living feel. imo of course....

I am glad you can appreciate her current incarnation though....

Your master has given you an asthetic view which loves that highly stylized feel... and there is nothing wrong with that. Even I appreciate it in my moments... but it's kind of like watching a runway model show.. I look at the clothes and think... that's cool... but I don't want to wear it.

I want my trees to have the natural balance and elements found in their larger cousins. Will I depart from it from time to time, and play with that more stylized feel? I imagine so... after all the most important thing is to have fun. But not this time...

Your friend in all things,

Victrinia

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Ms. Vic

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Victrinia_Ensor

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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Ms. Vic

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constantstaticx

Thanks again for that info. I use the turface for the opposite reason that I use the lava. The turface is there for drainage while the lava is there to retain moisture.

Two more things if you don't mind, What do you use to fertilize? I've read that they need a acidic fertilizer. It seems they are quite finicky but you make it out to be that they aren't. Lastley, I read that tey dislike hard water and that it is best to only water with rain water. Is this true? It also said that if you do use hard water that once every month, you should water with a small amount of diluted white vinegar. Is this true?

Sorry about the questions If you can't tell I've absolutely no experience with azaleas.

Tom

Victrinia_Ensor

Interestingly I think a good many things aren't as complicated as they are often made out to be.

I will use bio-gold with this tree and, a shot of miracid from time to time to make it happy. Because Azalea species are indeed acid loving.

Truth be told... nothing "likes" hard water, but some trees tolerate it better than others. I do not have hard water... so I would have to recommend that you speak to someone who lives in your area about how they address that. I have no doubt someone could chime in here to help with that question as well.

It's more important to have a good eye to judge quality material than worry about how fussy the tree may be. Speak to the place where you intend on acquiring the satsuki... I can almost guarentee that they do not fuss about the water or possibly even the kind of fertilizer used.... But remember... all the rain water and miracid in the world won't make a great tree out of one which has no character. (Unless of couse you have the luxury of a lot... and I do mean a lot.... of time.)

Kindest regards,

Victrinia

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Ms. Vic

Le belle cose prendono tempo...

www.elandangardens.com

constantstaticx

Thank you so much for all your help. I will definitely talk to them about there watering and and fertilizing habbits. The thing is they are in florida and I'm in New Jersey so this will have to happen through internet. The pics show very healthy trees and he seems like a very respectable guy. They are small and will take a long time to become bonsai but I'll learn along the way and hopefully get to enjoy the flowers also. Thanks again.

Tom

Victrinia_Ensor

I hope you all enjoy these as much as I am enjoying them. I took these photos this evening.

The one flower with the stripe is the only one with real color so far... all the rest are white or have a tiny fleck of pink. Any way to encourage more color next year??



Warmest regards to all,

Victrinia

Attached Images

	MySatsuki_sm.jpg (70.8 KB, 80 views)
	MySatsuki_crown.jpg (71.2 KB, 48 views)
	MySatsuki_macro.jpg (67.6 KB, 59 views)

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Ms. Vic

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