Beginner success with Azalea Bonsai — here is what helped

As a complete beginner I was nervous about starting with Azalea Bonsai. It turned out to be more forgiving than I expected, as long as I paid attention to repotting every two to three years with root pruning.

I grow mine in a bright indoor shelf for tropical species only which is working really well. seasonal change including blossom, foliage colour, and bare winter silhouette was a genuine surprise — I didn't expect it to look or perform like that. winter rest with protection from extreme frost for most species has been the highlight so far. My biggest mistake early on was ignoring spider mite and scale in stressful growing conditions, which I'd recommend addressing immediately.