This azalea has been very infrequently repotted; 2008, 2012, and now in 2017. Azalea roots are fibrous, shallow, and small. They dry out quickly in the air, so it is important to keep a hose nearby. It’s been in this production-grade Chinese pot for 9 years, and while it was a good fit, it is ready for a better pot.
Except for an occasional aeration and top-dressing, it’s been repotted into straight kanuma each of the last two repots. Here are the roots, combed out; and as expected, even after 5 years since the last repot:
This time, I added a bit of pumice and lava. The automatic watering system seems to keep things just a little on the wet side, and this should dry just a bit faster:
Before the reveal…and just for fun, here is a look back 10 years…2007:
And 2017:
The new pot is a larger Aiba Koyo; 18.5″ wide, green glaze over a dark clay. The effect is very similar, as this pot is only a couple inches wider. It works pretty well. Can’t wait for blooming season!
Nebari Bonsai 