Satsuki Azalea: Bonsai or Shrub?

Schiavo

Bob - your Tree looks great - how long did it take you to get it to that condition? Thanks!



Well...I think I screwed it up...Here is what i have done to it. Still a LONG way to go, much wiring yet. I find myself SCARED to cut it back far - is it too late in the year to cut ALL of the green off? Hopefully I can get some back budding going on to fill it in and get additional branch starts.

I think it also needs to lose one or two of the remaining large branches - this is my first tree from scratch, so I am being a total wuss about it - Plus I have no idea what I'm doing.

Did I ruin it? Please be BRUTALLY honest Pictured: Before, middle and after...

Thank for all of your input folks!

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naturesart

Not bad for your first tree! I would have waited before putting it in a bonsai pot. I think you should also redo the wiring from the pic it looks like a lot of cross wires that will hurt the tree. Oh and if you wire the small banches it will help it look more like a tree. Thats my humble opinion, I hope I did not offend you. Good luck it has potential.

Schiavo

Thank you for the feed back - VERY helpful and no, I am not offended at all...this is how one learns

As I was wiring the one branch with the crossed wires I was thinking, "I don't think this is right..."

As for wiring the small branches - should I go ahead and wire them or should I cut it back harder, leaving no foliage - I have a feeling that would kill it, especially since I have already trimmed the roots to fit it into the pot.

I just need to be more patient and learn to take my time.

Thanks again for the helpful advice!

-Adam

Mcspeed

Keep the top pinched back, and watch for all the buds you will get, with all the pruning youv'e done. You can direct the growth from there.

Keep an eye for growth, it looks like you got the wire fairly tight there, and the tree will girdle quickly. Also you want to try not to cross your wires, have them run parallel.

Schiavo

Good info on the girdling Speed...I have just corrected the crossed wires and will loosen the tighter wires a bit in a couple of days... bumpy branches are bad!

naturesart

I agree with Mcspeed just pinch the new growth. The next thing is just to wait. Try not to bend the branches after you set them into position. I know how tough it can be when you think its perfect and then you keep moving them it can stess the tree. You want it to recover quick so that you can see all the new buds and future branches. Im getting excited keep us posted with the progress.