Olga, here is a slightly different perspective. The University where I work
was re-doing some landscaping late summer before last and yanked some dwarf
azaleas out by the roots. By the time I got there, they had been out of the
ground over a day. I salvaged a number and put them up in 50/50 peat moss
and vermiculite. My recovery rate was just under 50% which I didn't think
was too bad considering the season and the rough treatment they had
received. They are tough little beggars.

One recovered so well that I put it into regular bonsai soil last spring and
did major styling. It's going to be a tubby little sumo mame. The others
were left in their original potting through the summer. Now I find that the
peat moss/vermiculite mix is draining very slowly and I will be getting the
others into a mix that drains better this spring and styling some of them.

End result is that I found even 50% peat moss to give too heavy a soil after
a very short while. While I will be using peat moss in the next potting,
I'll be limiting it to 10%. My advise is to watch your drainage with such a
high percentage of peat moss in conjunction with the vermiculite. I suspect
that the nursery folks use a much coarser mix than what I used.

I do echo Kits advice, "keep the plant moist not muddy". Good luck with
them - jay

Jay Beckenbach - Melrose, FL - Zone 8b/9a -


-----Original Message-----
From: Kitsune Miko ]
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 2:35 PM
Subject: repotting azalea


Olga, I can't speak to season or your growing
conditions, but I can tell you abit about azaleas.
Your soil mix sounds fine. Commercial azaleas are
usuall planted in pure peat, they have lots of fine
roots that resemble the peat. If your new soil is in
good contact with the rootball you left behind and you
keep the plant moist not muddy, you should have no
problem. Do not feed until you see new growth
starting.

Kits
--- Olga wrote:

Hello,
I live in Toronto, Canada. Few days ago I bought
Azalea in Home Depot.

I noticed that roots filed the pot and there was
almost no soil. There were tree plants in one pot.
So I decided to report it. (Not a good idea?)
I trimmed the roots, removed all the flowers, and
repot in three deferent containers. Soil: 2 parts
peat moss, 1 part vermiculite.
Is there any hope?
Since I am in Toronto I have to keep it inside. All
of them are in the basement under fluorescent light
at 10-12C. Any advice?
Thank you,
Olga

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