Hi All,

This is my first post on this list, I am Jo and live in Innsbruck (Austria) and I was wondering if you could give me advice on Azalea's etc. I have one from a Nursery (not bonsai yet) and I want to re-pot it in a bonsai container and start working on it. Late summer is the right time, right?

I also have a few citrus trees and was wondering if I can use the special Azalea soil that I get from the nursery for the citrus trees?? The reason I was wondering about this is because both like acidic soil...

Is the Rhododendron soil I can buy at the nursery any good for bonsai Azaleas or should I take other soils or maybe mix it with a clay-granulate to improve drainage?

Thanks for any help.

Jo Trojer
Innsbruck

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I prune and repot Azaleas right after they flower. They set flower buds for follwing year right after they flower through fall. It seems as though right after they flower is a good time. I don't lose my Azaleas
Some people say it better to do it late winter, before it comes out of dormancy. They like water ,but they don't like sitting in it.

SteveW
Long Island NY


-----Original Message-----
From: Jo Trojer
To:
Sent: Fri, 20 May 2005 11:19:30 +0200
Subject: [IBC] Azalea bonsai soil questions


Hi All,

This is my first post on this list, I am Jo and live in Innsbruck (Austria) and
I was wondering if you could give me advice on Azalea's etc. I have one from a
Nursery (not bonsai yet) and I want to re-pot it in a bonsai container and start
working on it. Late summer is the right time, right?

I also have a few citrus trees and was wondering if I can use the special Azalea
soil that I get from the nursery for the citrus trees?? The reason I was
wondering about this is because both like acidic soil...

Is the Rhododendron soil I can buy at the nursery any good for bonsai Azaleas or
should I take other soils or maybe mix it with a clay-granulate to improve
drainage?

Thanks for any help.

Jo Trojer
Innsbruck

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Sue Crabtree++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Sue Crabtree++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Jo Trojer wrote:
Hi All,

This is my first post on this list, I am Jo and live in
Innsbruck (Austria) and I was wondering if you could give me
advice on Azalea's etc. I have one from a Nursery (not
bonsai yet) and I want to re-pot it in a bonsai container
and start working on it. Late summer is the right time, right?

I also have a few citrus trees and was wondering if I can

use the special Azalea soil that I get from the nursery for
the citrus trees?? The reason I was wondering about this is
because both like acidic soil...

Is the Rhododendron soil I can buy at the nursery any
good
for bonsai Azaleas or should I take other soils or maybe mix
it with a clay-granulate to improve drainage?

Thanks for any help.

Hey, Jo. Glad to see you made it to the ORIGINAL home of
the IBC. ;-)

Azaleas can be potted at the same time of year as most
temperate zone plants -- spring. You can either repot in
early spring, after removing all or most of the flower buds,
or wait until after the bloom is over and you have picked
off ALL of the flower remnants to prevent seed formation.

I think summer would be disasterous, except in an amergency
situation.

The azalea soil will be fine ADDED to bonsai soil, perhaps
50-50. Azaleas like acid soil. Normal bonsai soil is
neutral to slightly acidic, and the azalea soil -- pine bark
and peat/sphagnum -- is highly acidid. Azalea soil by
itself probably wouldn't drain well enough.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Nature
encourages no looseness, pardons no errors. Ralph Waldo Emerson

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Sue Crabtree++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

I agree with those who say wait till spring or after
spring flowering to re pot you azalea, but you can
begin styling without repotting.

The soil mix used in California zone 9 is composed of
akadama soil, lava, and peat. Is fast draining to
allow for heavy feeding and repeated soil flusing.

It is always better to get aquainted with a plant
before you get to a level of intimacy.

Kits
--- Jo Trojer wrote:
Hi All,

This is my first post on this list, I am Jo and live
in Innsbruck (Austria) and I was wondering if you
could give me advice on Azalea's etc. I have one
from a Nursery (not bonsai yet) and I want to re-pot
it in a bonsai container and start working on it.
Late summer is the right time, right?

I also have a few citrus trees and was wondering if
I can use the special Azalea soil that I get from
the nursery for the citrus trees?? The reason I was
wondering about this is because both like acidic
soil...

Is the Rhododendron soil I can buy at the nursery
any good for bonsai Azaleas or should I take other
soils or maybe mix it with a clay-granulate to
improve drainage?

Thanks for any help.

Jo Trojer
Innsbruck


************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Sue
Crabtree++++

************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ:
http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail
+++++


****
"Expectations are resentments under construction."

Anne Lamott

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Sue Crabtree++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Jo,

I use straight Kanuma for my Azaleas and they love it. Since it is
granular, there is no problem with drainage. If you have a bonsai shop
anywhere nearby, you should be able to get Kanuma from them.

Regards,
Roger Snipes
Spokane, WA. USA, Zone 5ish

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jo Trojer"
Subject: [IBC] Azalea bonsai soil questions


Is the Rhododendron soil I can buy at the nursery any good for bonsai
Azaleas or should I take other soils or maybe mix it with a clay-granulate
to improve drainage?


************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Kevin Bailey++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++