As a teacher I love when summer finally gets here...I have celebrated by purchasing some azalea nursery material.  The plan for this material is to get a start on creating some nice shohin azaleas.

This is the first load of material... I ended up going back for another load:) 29 in all.


several varieties but all Satsuki...this is a 'chinzan'



beginning to see what is really hiding in there



after about 30 minutes of chopping back and reducing the roots...this is still a very rough state.  Much has been removed but a great deal remains than may be removed in the future.



After a while I gave up on the hand saw and just used the chain saw:)



This is the waste from just 1 plant...cuttings anyone:)



After cutting back each plant I reduced the size of the container by half or more and repotted the azaleas using a high quality potting soil. I ended up cutting back 25 of this size.  Here is a video after most are done...

Creating small azalea bonsai from nursery material


I will do my best to update this thread as this material progresses....
This is only the shohin size material...I cut back just as many that will be mame size...I haven't taken any pics of those but they have already started budding:)  

Why so many??  ...I think this material has the potential to make very nice workshop material down the road 2 growing seasons or more.

Thanks,
John

What do you think...am I nuts???  

Great video, 25 at one time, you must have great source and a ton of soil. It will be nice to follow the progression. Do you offer workshops? Since we live in the same state it would be nice to learn from someone as advanced as you are. Still looking forward to going cypress harvesting.

Dano

Update:
Right at 2 weeks later from the initial work and all 25 are pushing buds

John

Here is an update from just over a month after the initial cut backs.  Every plant responded beautifully.  Still much to be done before any of these are going to bonsai.  I will keep the pics coming as things progress...by this time summer 2011 a few of these should really be starting to show some potential.