Azalea from a garden

Azaleas don't need to be styled as bonsai. Traditionally they were never bonsai to begin with as without metal wiring it was impossible to do anyway.

JohnOstranica wrote:

Now that is looking very nice.

JohnOstranica wrote:

I'm going to repeat myself. This plant WILL die if kept in this pot, especially with that mound of roots piled so high over the pot rim. Azalea must have more root room than typical bonsai.

And, Glaucus, they may not NEED to be styled as bonsai, but many of us enjoy doing it. And wiring is not impossible. Much as I dislike to wire, I do it every year to one or more of my Satsuki.

John . . . please edit your profile to tell us where you live. Many thanks.

Jim

that Azalea in my avatar picture was just planted into a 6 inch pot. What size should I have used? If thats too tight I need to make a move as soon as possible-

JimLewis wrote: I'm going to repeat myself. This plant WILL die if kept in this pot, especially with that mound of roots piled so high over the pot rim.

I hear what you're saying and would veer towards agreeing, for the most part, for larger azaleas. But this tree is a shohin. I have five Shohin azalea and all are in pots of similar size to that one of John's - including one with mounded roots. None of them has sufered unduly over the past few years, and they've had to endure two hard winters in more recent times. Two have already given me a splendid show this spring and the rest are coming through now. Additionally, the Japanese import that I picked up at Best of British three weeks ago, came in a shallow pot, and the one I rejected was in a pot which was if anything even shallower. ("rejected" btw only because the nebari on the one I bought was far superior)

John lives not too far from me and I suspect we have similar climates. Maybe it's something to do with that.

man on the mountain wrote:Jim

that Azalea in my avatar picture was just planted into a 6 inch pot. What size should I have used? If thats too tight I need to make a move as soon as possible-

Relatively speaking, that is a much larger pot that the one the azalea in question is planted in. You could have gone a bit deeper, but I think that one will be OK.

Well . . . he has been warned. Twice.

So Jim, what leads you to believe the physiological response will be any different than any exposed root style. I believe John Quinn posted one recently.
Wood

I wouldn't call this an exposed root; it's a lump of dirt and roots overflowing a very shallow pot.

Azalea have a very different root system that other plants -- a few major roots and a mass of very fine roots. It is the fine roots that keep them alive. If they dry out the plant will die. That is why you plant azaleas in larger (deeper) pots than you do for other bonsai. This one has almost no pot room for the fine roots, and that hump of root mass above the pot rim will not stay wet enough for those roots.

Jim

I slip potted him into something a bit deeper (that ugly 8 inch lotus I had the Cotoneaster in) Gave him a better soil mix too lots of decomposed pine bark, PH near 5, Roots looked fantastic. I might have been ok but you gave me a start so I went ahead with it anyway.

If John lives near Fiona he probably has more trouble getting the roots to dry out at all...

JimLewis wrote:I wouldn't call this an exposed root; it's a lump of dirt and roots overflowing a very shallow pot. Azalea have a very different root system that other plants -- a few major roots and a mass of very fine roots. It is the fine roots that keep them alive. If they dry out the plant will die. That is why you plant azaleas in larger (deeper) pots than you do for other bonsai. This one has almost no pot room for the fine roots, and that hump of root mass above the pot rim will not stay wet enough for those roots.

Hi Jim , In your expert opinion how long will it be before this tree dies ?

I thought you'd repotted it???????

But if it was growing around here and in that pot, with that mound of soil and root, I wouldn't give it a summer.

John Quinn wrote:If John lives near Fiona he probably has more trouble getting the roots to dry out at all...

I said it before and although I'd agree with the theory as expounded by Jim, the evidence of my own eyes makes me wonder. And I suspect that John's comment has a half in jest wholly in earnest aspect to it. I could certainly believe that in these airts and pairts longevity of trees is attributable to the fact that we don't get long dry spells, and when we do, we are careful to water.

JimLewis wrote:I thought you'd repotted it???????

But if it was growing around here and in that pot, with that mound of soil and root, I wouldn't give it a summer.

Hi Jim , So in your opinion it will defo die on will not produce any new growth ?

Well, I qualified that with "if it was growing around here" (which is a heckuva lot hotter than anything you get in spring or summer).

What I've said (before I knew where you lived) is that the pot is MUCH too small, the root ball was a mess built up over the pot like that, and that in my opinion it would die -- and soon. And here in North Carolina it would.

And you still haven't edited your profile to say where you live. My ancient brain needs help remembering those kinds of things and it is a big help for those who are trying to help you.

TNX