A friend of mine at work says she is looking to get rid of azalea bushes in
her yard. I havent seen them. But she says they have been around her house
for at least the six years that they have lived there. one of them is about
five feet tall... and some with trunks about 2-3 inches. there are 8 in
all. I see this as a possible prime collecting possiblity. But know nothing
about collecting azalea. They are either in bloom at this point or are in
bud. Should i wait untill the fall? next spring? or should i just go for
it.... cutting them back and getting the best root ball i can?

thanks steve lancaster PA

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A friend of mine at work says she is looking to get rid of
azalea bushes in
her yard. I havent seen them. But she says they have been
around her house
for at least the six years that they have lived there. one of
them is about
five feet tall... and some with trunks about 2-3 inches. there
are 8 in
all. I see this as a possible prime collecting possiblity. But
know nothing
about collecting azalea. They are either in bloom at this point
or are in
bud. Should i wait untill the fall? next spring? or should i
just go for
it.... cutting them back and getting the best root ball i can?


You can collect azaleas while or after they're blooming. If
while, be sure to remove all flowers and buds.

Azalea roots are compact, so you won't need (or get for
6-year-old [in the ground] plants) a large root ball. If you
dig about one half of the diameter of the canopy you should be
fine. You can cut the top back to stubs, but keep in mind their
future potential.

I would plant them in a LARGE pot, preferably a shallow one. A
10-15-gallon nursery pot cut down to 8 inches, or so, should be
perfect. Use bonsai soil. Keep damp but not wet. Keep in
fairly heavy shade though the summer (maybe light shade in Pa, I
don't know what your summers are like). You can give 20-20-20
fertilizer in a week or so, then every 2 weeks through the
summer.

Next fall and winter, remove any flower buds that form. I'd let
them grow in these pots for a couple of years.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Our life is
frittered away by detail . . . . Simplify! Simplify. -- Henry
David Thoreau - Walden

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Thanks for the helpful azalea info Jim.

Like Steve, I have a six azalea's here in PA that are prime candidates for
pots.
All are 10 years old and must be removed to accommodate changes in my wife's
garden.
I guess Steve's trees where in better growing conditions than mine because
mine are only 2 feet tall with 1 inch multiple trunks.

During the past winter a number of them suffered from severe freezing and
most of the leaves are brown and apparently dead. I think this was a
combination of cold temps and wind. They don't look too healthy.
I first thought that most of the branches were dead, but near the ends of
some of them there are one or two leaves with a single flower.

I'm rather concerned about digging them up, because they have very few
leaves to support future growth.
But sooner or later, they'll have to be moved to make room for new trees
etc.

Any suggestions ?


Mark Hill - Harrisburg PA - Zone 6





-----Original Message-----
From: Internet Bonsai Club ] On Behalf Of
Jim Lewis
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2003 8:06 PM
To:

A friend of mine at work says she is looking to get rid of
azalea bushes in
her yard. I havent seen them. But she says they have been
around her house
for at least the six years that they have lived there. one of
them is about
five feet tall... and some with trunks about 2-3 inches. there
are 8 in
all. I see this as a possible prime collecting possiblity. But
know nothing
about collecting azalea. They are either in bloom at this point
or are in
bud. Should i wait untill the fall? next spring? or should i
just go for
it.... cutting them back and getting the best root ball i can?


You can collect azaleas while or after they're blooming. If
while, be sure to remove all flowers and buds.

Azalea roots are compact, so you won't need (or get for
6-year-old [in the ground] plants) a large root ball. If you
dig about one half of the diameter of the canopy you should be
fine. You can cut the top back to stubs, but keep in mind their
future potential.

I would plant them in a LARGE pot, preferably a shallow one. A
10-15-gallon nursery pot cut down to 8 inches, or so, should be
perfect. Use bonsai soil. Keep damp but not wet. Keep in
fairly heavy shade though the summer (maybe light shade in Pa, I
don't know what your summers are like). You can give 20-20-20
fertilizer in a week or so, then every 2 weeks through the
summer.

Next fall and winter, remove any flower buds that form. I'd let
them grow in these pots for a couple of years.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Our life is
frittered away by detail . . . . Simplify! Simplify. -- Henry
David Thoreau - Walden

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****
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

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You may find that you'll need a chainsaw to separate the trunks.

Regards,

Bart

----- Original Message -----
From: "EESiFlo (North America)"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2003 11:32 AM
Subject: [IBC] collecting azalea


Thanks again Jim

Wherever possible, it was my intention to make these single trunk plants.

My concern is that I'm being forced to pull out of the ground in a week or
two to make room for new garden plants/trees.

Do you think I can "cut them way, way, way back -- maybe to that single
trunk", dig a nice large root-ball and stick them into 15 gallon pots for
the remainder of the season? Or, I can re-plant them into the ground in
the
back of the yard where they'll get lots of sunshine, Miracid, TLC, etc?

Mark



-----Original Message-----
From: Internet Bonsai Club ] On Behalf
Of
Jim Lewis
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2003 10:55 AM
To:

I guess Steve's trees where in better growing conditions than
mine because
mine are only 2 feet tall with 1 inch multiple trunks.

Multi-trunk azalea make OK bonsai at best. You'll do better by
selecting one of the trunks and chopping the others -- tho it
will take longer.


During the past winter a number of them suffered from severe
freezing and
most of the leaves are brown and apparently dead. I think this
was a
combination of cold temps and wind. They don't look too
healthy.
I first thought that most of the branches were dead, but near
the ends of
some of them there are one or two leaves with a single flower.


If you dig them this year they won't survive. I'd cut them way,
way, way back -- maybe to that single trunk, mulch the roots --
then give them several doses of Miracid over the summer, mulch
them heavily over the winter and try next year -- assuming you
got growth this summer. If little or nothing happens this
summer, the liklihood of success in digging them up is small, but
so is their overall survival, so you might as well have a go at
it.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Our life is
frittered away by detail . . . . Simplify! Simplify. -- Henry
David Thoreau - Walden


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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++


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My concern is that I'm being forced to pull out of the ground
in a week or
two to make room for new garden plants/trees.

Do you think I can "cut them way, way, way back -- maybe to
that single
trunk", dig a nice large root-ball and stick them into 15
gallon pots for
the remainder of the season?


No.

However, if they're coming out anyway, all you lose is a little
time and effort.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Our life is
frittered away by detail . . . . Simplify! Simplify. -- Henry
David Thoreau - Walden

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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

two more quick questions for ya jim...

Im planning on a trunk chop for the 4-5 foot one...and of course cutting
back some of the branches.
how much foliage should i leave?

and the 1/2 diameter of the canopy for the rootbal.... is that a radius
around the trunk i should dig... or the approximate diameter of the final
root ball ?
i know.. im complicating this a bit.... but i like to get some rules of
thumb as i go.

thanks allot for your help

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