Holy crap. Even I was like... Xavier stop! you've taken too much off! And that's saying something 🤣🤣🤣

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

4 күн бұрын

All the foliage was dead - that is the real reason I went so hard. I'd like to say it was looking better but I fear we may next see it on the Bonfire of Shame :(

Love the viewer supplied photos of personal bonsai on occasion :)

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

23 күн бұрын

It helps remind me that there are a lot better enthusiasts doing this than me - keeps me grounded :)

Hey Xavier, the Azalee will say thanks to you with a massiv Green in two weeks. Please Show us the New growth of this Tree . 🍻 Cheers

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

24 күн бұрын

Will do Tom - I've just ordered some sequestered iron feed to help with the leaf discolouration.

My Azalea stared blooming last week and looks beautiful even if I do say so my self .

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

Noting better than flowers :)

@markjagger7139

25 күн бұрын

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat I was hopping it would flower earlier so I cut give it a hard pruning and repot but I think it will be a bit late in the year at the end of July.

3:00 Ha! Here in Australia it is evening, so I have a glass of wine!!! As they say, it is 5 o'clock somewhere in the world (or 7, as the case may be). I struggle with roots for my azalea, I think I need to up the acid level in the soil - a job for this summer I think. ❤

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

make sure you have a glass of wine whilst you do :)

@rebeccahunter725

25 күн бұрын

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat Hmm, experience tells me that might not be such a good idea . . . but root work sober on the azaleas hasn't worked, so who am I to knock back an invitation? 🥂

Sure it will thrive now, have faith ! Thx Xavier

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

Fingers crossed but this one took me by surprise :(

Great salvage advice Xavier. I really hope the azalea pulls through. Where I live, we've had a fungal disease ravage many azaleas in our public gardens - I think our wet winters prove good breeding grounds for that sort of stuff. I'll keep in mind your tips - I always come across struggling trees. Nice to have some options.

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

It may also be related to a hard water issue - not entirely sure.

❤ viewer pictures!

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

20 күн бұрын

Some nice things going on in the world

I’ve had azaleas that have not flowered one year and flowered the next. I gave mine a good feed of potash in the late summer after advice from Caz and all of mine have flowered really well this year. Sometimes they just naturally do it to give themselves a break. Fingers crossed 🤞 for it 😀

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

24 күн бұрын

I have definitely heard the same. The leaf wilt seems to be more about the soil acidity - more to figure out :)

Amazing way to start your day, cheers!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

Not for that Azalea :)

Awesome stuff Xav Thanks for sharing my friend 👊🏻

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

Azalea can be such a pain sometimes - I took my eye off this one :(

Hi Xav I have given up on Azaleas, the never seem to well for me, hope that on of yours makes my friend it’s looking a bit sick. I recently bought a small leaf Rhododendron from Harry Harrington, it’s a big tree with great trunk and having wired it now restyled it looks like a show of late flowers are getting ready to open, it has already flowered he tells me, look forward to getting a nice pot for it in spring next year. We have had a very sunny dry period in Nottingham as you are aware, we need rain my water butt is emptying fast and I hate using tap water, next year I am going to invest in an inline filter of some sort. Stay good my friend.

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

Will do Joe - thanks

Looks like a mineral deficiency. Have you considered Epsom salts? I use them them dissolved in water every 6 months, helps the roots to uptake certain minerals that they struggle otherwise. They are salts so will need to exercise caution in amounts and I would dissolve rather then use them in crystals. Also get that in the greenhouse, get it warm and humid. Best chance it will have.

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

I used epsom salts every couple of years but I think you might be right about the greenhouse - just need to remember to water :)

Good morning 😊😘

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

Morning Martina :)

Morning!

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

good morning Kate

Awesome, ❤ it.

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

Thanks jason - let's hopoe the azalea makes :)

@jasonashdown7358

25 күн бұрын

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat fingers crossed 🤞

Nice one, would you consider removing the top straight branch on the left? It would give you some crazy asymmetry.

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

That is a good idea - I shall wait and see if this responds with new buds first :)

We all loose some trees but it's how you6deal with it get too morethanks

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

This one was a surprise and the leaf wilt was pretty quick BUT I should have noticed it much sooner.

Azaleas to me are hit and miss. But on ur unhealthy one i would say maybe constantly mist it. Guess it cant hurt. I feel like once they get to that stage its do or die. Dont think i would have cut it all off though but i guess well find out. Mine used to go brown in the winter i guess it couldnt handle it but like in the book i read says u kinda have to kno the cultivar u have to understand its growing conditions and mimic them in ur own environment. Think peter warren did the same and wrapped one with a moist towel. I would give it a good fish and kelp treatment to boost it up too. I havnt bought one again over here since i lost my only one from japan. They go for thousands of dollars to get anything even descent

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

I definitely nthink they are temperamental and I won't pretend that mine have been an 'easy' grow option. Some years are trouble free but mostly they are diffiuclt to keep at a peak level. I ams till trying to get to grips with leaf discolouration issues as well. I shall try the kelp treatment too.

Awesome! How does one share photos with you?

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

Just email to me at expressionsbonsai@gmail.com

Just my guess, but if you're water is hard in your area? And you're watering them with it? If it is, then you have the issue i had. I was using kanuma but still my satuski they looked crap in no time. Same weird discolouration, brown spots and leaves father in dying. The solution for me was sprinkling sequestered iron over the pot once a month, just a light dusting. And in the spring an extra sprinkling of epsom salts on top pf pot instead. And water more than you think in the summer. The plants by the following year had all greened up nicely..put out nore growth .now have nice dark green leaves. Your mileage might vary but for me with ky inexperienced hand, it worked.

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

24 күн бұрын

Thank you - I will follow that advice. This is what i love about our community. We all have different experience to share :)

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

24 күн бұрын

Just purchased a kelp and iron fertilser to start the process :)

Hard water area? It might be raising the pH despite your acidic soil

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

I think you have identified a good point as this definitely seems to be affecting most of my azalea. I need to keep them with rainwater :)

Hi Xav, you know what caused the down turn for the one you hard pruned?

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

The common opinion relates to possible hard water issues - raising pH levels too much.

What colour are the flowers?

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

Pink

I don’t have any luck with Azalia….

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

If i look back i think my journey is one of a slow but very defiite decline :)

@johnhetherington1253

24 күн бұрын

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat I think you are doing great, your trees are certainly on the way up. 👍

👍👌🙂

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

Thanks Bruce

Hi Xavier, just writing because you asked. You are pruning it too much, the second tree at the end, has no foliage on it, it should not look like this, you are trying to shorten it because it is bonsai and bla bla all kinds of stuff - no place, ramification, etc. But azaleas not growing like this, they have long branches - let it grow 🫸

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

25 күн бұрын

I appreciate your advice but I have had a lot of succcess with branch shortening like this over the years. The leaves have fallen due to a soil issue and lack of water uptake by the roots. I do have a few that I have kept longer and this one was one of them. I chose to prune hard because I the foliage was already 'done for'. Let's see what happens.

@BonsaiForRoman

24 күн бұрын

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat Good to know, thank you. Did you see the regression when shortening the branches without leaving the leaves on them ? For example if you do it 2 times a year ?

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat

24 күн бұрын

@@BonsaiForRoman The hard pruning has been done on most of these just the once in the last 5 years. It has never resulted in any negative growth issues. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence suggeesting that Azalea (as bonsai) start dying off if they are not hard pruned. The leaf wilt is definitely more likely related to pH levels inthe soil getting too high.

@BonsaiForRoman

24 күн бұрын

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat thank you very much