I've got a coupla hundred satsuki, from eight years old to last years
cuttings. The only time I've had bark splitting is when I've
accidentally left a small one outside and it has frozen. Even a light
ground frost will do this. Once they are a few years old they seem to be
able to take a light frost without splitting.

I had some very bad damage on a couple earlier this year and took
photo's. I was really surprised that the trees survived and it appears
that they will, eventually, heal up and perhaps generate new bark. The
cambium layer was unaffected. Alex Kennedy's book says that this will
slow them right down for a long time though. I'll try to take shots of
them now and post to the gallery.

Cheers

Kev Bailey
Vale Of Clwyd, North Wales


Subject: [IBC] Satsuki problem - bark splitting

I thought I'd post this and see if I can get some help. I have perhaps
12-15 Satsuki ranging in size from 4" starter pots up to a gallon size
or a bit bigger. I have bought all of these in the last two years, so
I don't have a lot of experience with them. Two months ago or so I
started seeing bark splitting in 7-8 of the plants, some very severe.
I have tried to seal them up as well as possible with Lac Balsam, but
I assume the condition is irreversible. What caused it?? From what I
have found, freezing can do this, but I think we only had 5-6 days
below 32F last winter here. Maybe 28F. was the lowest temperature.
I've also read that fertilizing too late in the summer can cause this
(which I probably did). The plants were also pruned late in the year,
around August. Most of the information I've found has been vague, and
I'm hoping to find someone with some experience to confirm this or
perhaps add to it. I obviously don't intend to fertilize or prune this
late again. But I'm afraid to do much of anything at this point,
although I have a couple new plants that I feel need pruned back. Any
help is appreciated.
Thanks,
Lauren
NW Oregon, zone 8



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In a message dated 5/18/2004 11:05:36 PM Eastern Standard Time,
writes:
What caused it?? From what I
have found, freezing can do this, but I think we only had 5-6 days
below 32F last winter here. Maybe 28F. was the lowest temperature.
I've also read that fertilizing too late in the summer can cause this
(which I probably did). The plants were also pruned late in the year,
around August. Most of the information I've found has been vague, and
I'm hoping to find someone with some experience to confirm this or
perhaps add to it. I obviously don't intend to fertilize or prune this
late again. But I'm afraid to do much of anything at this point,
although I have a couple new plants that I feel need pruned back. Any
help is appreciated.
Lauren:

Satsuki do not like to be frozen. The superficial damage to your trees is
most likely the result of a hard freeze.

Remedy: The best thing that you can do at this time is to aggressively feed
or Superfeed the specimens and to allow them to grow unchecked (no pruning or
wiring) for at least one growing season.

Minimize late season pruning, and stop the aggressive feeding in early
August. All should be well with your trees.

Cordially,

Michael Persiano
members.aol.com/iasnob

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Thanks for your help guys. I appreciate it.
Lauren

Since you are accumulating a good number of Satsuki potensai, you
probably should get Alexander Kennedy's "Floral Treasures of
Japan: The Satsuki Azaleas." It's self published (Splatt Press
(!) in England) and the only place _I_ know of that carries it
here (USA) is Stone Lantern -- www.stonelantern.com.

Kennedy has another, shorter and cheaper book, "Satsuki" but it
lacks the detail and is VERY hard to find. Splatt Press again.
Our best local plant nursery occasionally has a copy.
(www.tallahasseenurseries.com)

Peter Adams' "The Art of Flowering Bonsai" also has a nice
section on Satsuki.

Odd that the best of the available (in print) Satsuki books are
all by Englishmen.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

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Thank you Jim. I have both of those books, and have about worn out my
copy of Floral Treasures of Japan. John Naka also co-authored a book
on Satsuki, which I have been on the lookout for. I was saddened today
to hear of his passing.
Lauren

On 19 May 2004 06:35:54 -0700, (Jim Lewis) wrote:

Thanks for your help guys. I appreciate it.
Lauren

Since you are accumulating a good number of Satsuki potensai, you
probably should get Alexander Kennedy's "Floral Treasures of
Japan: The Satsuki Azaleas." It's self published (Splatt Press
(!) in England) and the only place _I_ know of that carries it
here (USA) is Stone Lantern -- www.stonelantern.com.

Kennedy has another, shorter and cheaper book, "Satsuki" but it
lacks the detail and is VERY hard to find. Splatt Press again.
Our best local plant nursery occasionally has a copy.
(www.tallahasseenurseries.com)

Peter Adams' "The Art of Flowering Bonsai" also has a nice
section on Satsuki.

Odd that the best of the available (in print) Satsuki books are
all by Englishmen.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

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In a message dated 5/20/2004 2:03:30 AM Eastern Standard Time,
writes:
Michael Persiano wrote:
HI
Remedy: The best thing that you can do at this time is to aggressively feed
or Superfeed

what do you mean by *aggressive*?
wich values of NPK?
It is not so much the value of the NPK as it is the frequency of the feeding.
I use a 20-20-20 with a fast-draining soil. All chemical feedings are
supplemented with fish emulsion, etc.

Some are concerned about residual fertilizer in the soil from frequent
feedings. I have yet to experience this problem with fast-draining soils.

Cordially,

Michael Persiano
hometown.aol.com/iasnob

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HI

Michael Persiano wrote:

what do you mean by *aggressive*?
wich values of NPK?
It is not so much the value of the NPK as it is the frequency of the feeding.
I use a 20-20-20 with a fast-draining soil. All chemical feedings are
supplemented with fish emulsion, etc.

ok thanks
I have fish emulsion superthirve and Peters 20-20 20
Some are concerned about residual fertilizer in the soil from frequent
feedings. I have yet to experience this problem with fast-draining soils.
I useD briar soil or peat so tehy are not very fast draining .. and
generally I fertilized twice per year
will try a little more
thanks again

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L'Umiltà è la Peggiore delle Presunzioni
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In my experience, it is very easy to overfertilise Azaleas. If fed
regularly with chemical feeds such as Miracid, they soon develop a
darker than normal leaf colour. If feeding is stopped, normal growth is
rapidly established. Carried on for just a little longer the leaf tips
turn brown and the plant will often die. An interesting side effect is
that also become more brittle and consequently harder to style.

I can't say if this happens in a free draining soil as I have yet to
transfer any of my Satsuki over to expensive Japanese proprietary brands
such as Kanuma. Mine are grown in peat and bark based mixtures which
can't really be described as free draining.

What works for me is a fortnightly feeding with Miracid or similar and
organics on the soil surface right through the growing season.

Cheers

Kev Bailey
Vale Of Clwyd, North Wales

It is not so much the value of the NPK as it is the frequency of the
feeding.
I use a 20-20-20 with a fast-draining soil. All chemical feedings are
supplemented with fish emulsion, etc.

Some are concerned about residual fertilizer in the soil from frequent
feedings. I have yet to experience this problem with fast-draining
soils.



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In a message dated 5/21/2004 5:16:53 AM Eastern Daylight Time, writes:

In my experience, it is very easy to overfertilise Azaleas. If fed
regularly with chemical feeds such as Miracid, they soon develop a
darker than normal leaf colour. If feeding is stopped, normal growth is
rapidly established. Carried on for just a little longer the leaf tips
turn brown and the plant will often die. An interesting side effect is
that also become more brittle and consequently harder to style.

Kevin:

This may, indeed, be the case with Miracid (do not know why). However, I Superfed a 300-year old azalea for nearly a decade and never experienced leaf burn. As for flexibility, the azalea was extremely cooperative with respect to branch positionings. Of
course, Azalea branches are generally difficult to bend--especially on older wood.

I can't say if this happens in a free draining soil as I have yet to
transfer any of my Satsuki over to expensive Japanese proprietary brands
such as Kanuma. Mine are grown in peat and bark based mixtures which
can't really be described as free draining.

The Japanese soils are poor vehicles for the transfer of fertilizer, and for this reason frequent flushing of fertilizer and the addition of organic content (from cakes) is an excellent practice. However, the 300 year old azalea was planted in a standard
mix of turface, haydite, orchid bark, and coarse sand.

As for leaf color, I am accustomed to seeing reasonably dark leaves on Kurume, and Superfeeding in no way interferred with the common color and appearance of the leaves.

Cordially,

Michael Persiano
members.aol.com/iasnob

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Michael Persiano wrote:
HI
Remedy: The best thing that you can do at this time is to aggressively feed
or Superfeed

what do you mean by *aggressive*?
wich values of NPK?

Minimize late season pruning, and stop the aggressive feeding in early
August.
ok

MSN messanger / or ICQ 25 666 169 4

L'Umiltà è la Peggiore delle Presunzioni
(la Rochefocault)

«»«»«» Just for today...be happy «»«»«»

I may be wrong, but I think it's from the branch expanding rapidly. It
doesn't sound like a problem to me

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