Nigel-I have watched this video many times, and I have learned a lot over the years about being particular with the roots of the tree. Incidentally, I repotted all of my tropicals this summer in a mix of akadama, pumice, and lava rock, and they are thriving! You have to be more vigilant about the watering schedule, but I can definitely tell the difference in their health. Kudos to you!! Jim Doyel - SoCal
I am kind of beginner in Bonsai field though I have been interested in it more then a decade. I am going download this video. Especially this video has lots of basics information for a tropical tree collector. Thank you for sharing this.
I'm learning a lot with your videos, Nigel. And thinking about your way to train and grow the plants. Thank you! The idea of no wiring the roots is nice. I loved the tip to use stones, that you gave in another video, and will use this option. Greetings from South América, where we just started a wonderfull spring!
Thank you Elmar, we have had really nice fall weather here so far. I can still ride around in a tee shirt! I think the frost will be coming soon though and I'll be back indoors!
The composition is great Nigel - tree is well-placed and the pot matches the tree really well. I appreciate how you styled this tree to look like mature rounded canopy deciduous tree, the proportions are lovely
Awesome bouganvillia! you've done a great job! This has to be one of my favorites of yours. So glad you share your passion and work on this bouganvillia as there's not much out there about bouganvillia bonsai. I have one of these, but mine is very young ( small nersery stock ) just started it 3 months ago. it's about the same size as your sons.
As ever Nigel, your demonstrations are exemplary. Such good running commentary while working on the trees! As for the tree...beautiful! I think you may well have inspired me to go in search of a bougainvillea for my humble collection. PS...great tip for the moss/soil on the top to help keep reduce surface evaporation. I've got a desert rose that I think will benefit from this. Thanks for yet another great video!!
Thanks Peter, I've tried two desert roses, my plant room is too humid in winter and I seem to rot the roots every time. I really like them as bonsai, maybe I'll try again and reduce my watering from very little to none in the winter.
The Adenium is certainly a beautiful tree so worth any effort to try get right!! My mother was raised in Zimbabwe and she calls it a Sabi Star (useless interesting fact). There is so much conflicting info about trying to maintain the tree so I intend to research summer & winter desert conditions in Southern Africa to get a little more scientific about the ideal conditions. At present, I'm thinking that Winter calls for limited humidity and very little water...but I'm sure some research will shed more light (excuse the pun). :)
Thanks Julian, you can post comments in your native language, I'll use Google translator and I usually understand completely what people are saying. My son is named Julian, great name!
Very nice shohin bougie, I tried growing one too in a much smaller pot and I would like the trunk to grow a bit thicker like yours, Thanks Nigel for sharing. here is my bougie video.
Hi Nigel , I thank you for the Information and sharing , the bonsai witch died on me was a Fukien Tee Bonsai . A very nice Bougainvillea there, Elisabeth,
Congratulations friend, I follow all your video, I love your channel and each plant is a surprise is very nice and beautiful bougainvillea, have a good week !!!
I don't know if it was commented before, but I think the crack in the pot might have come from those roots growing along the wall of the pot and eventually cracking the pot by gaining enough thickness.
very good to start the day watching one of his videos my friend .... just a curiosity, it's summer out there, I see that is without warm clothes ... great day Nigel, strong hug
We have had a warm summer in the 30's every day and full sun. It's only rained about 4 times in the last month and a half. It's hard to keep enough water in the rain barrels to water my trees. We have 4 large barrels that the ducks, chickens, garden and bonsai trees share. Some summers it rains 2 or 3 times a week, but this one is dry so far.
too bad my friend, but the man upsets the planet every error against nature, is a lot of greed without thinking about the future ... here in Brazil we have no reference for climate seasons, it's all mixed ... also reserve rainwater all my roof ... a hug and congratulations
I hear conflicting information about the bougainvilleas about do not disturb the roots and that it doesn’t like wet feet and so on I have two that I’m trying to keep happy till the winter is over, what is the best way to over winter them?
Obviously bonsai "soil" is unique. Can you tell me more about it please. I live in the Philippines and love bonsai and want to begin my own. Thank you! Tom
Hello Tom, I use 1/2 perlite and 1/2 turface, to this I mix in composted pine bark. You can replace turface with lava rock or pumice. The pine bark can be substituted with coconut husks. All materials are sifted to remove the fine and the course particles. The size I try for is 3 to 4 mm.
Great looking Bougainvillea! I just ordered one. Have to wait for warm Temps before it can be shipped. Since this is a "Tropical" where does it spend the Winter --- Indoors or Outdoors?
I stumbled across your videos and instantly fell in love with Bonsai. I just wanted to say thank you Nigel! I picked up 2 ginseng grafted ficus' and a sago palm about a month ago. Unfortunately, I only have a north facing window sill and I'm not really able to put them outside in my apartment. Do you have any recommendations for indoor lighting? Do I need a secondary lighting source?
I am working on a lighting video at this very moment! It should be completed in about a week. I have a promotion code for a Bonsai Zone discount on a great indoor light. Stay tuned!
I have just purchased my first bougainvillea bonsai and was wondering if you think it's too late in the summer to do any pruning. I live in the southern part of the United States. Any info would be great. Thanks love the channel.
sir, your video tutorial is really cool. i am not a botany student and i haven't done any bonsai before. but sir, am really looking forward to try my first bonsai from watching your tutorials. so kindly guide me how i can start it for a Bougainvillea bonsai from the beginning. do u have any video for the beginners from first step? please guide me sir
Hello Anirban, the best first steps are to study trees in nature, their form and structure. Find a tree you really like and try and duplicate the tree in miniature. Check out all the information you can on growing your tree and have lots of patience. Try to keep your tree alive is the second step, it is better to let your tree grow and be healthy than over pruning and setting the tree back in it's vigor. Here is a website with some basics.... www.mykitchengarden.info/2014/07/bougainvillea-bonsai-making.html
I have a question? If I took an apple seeds and put the seeds in the pot. Can I turn it into a bonsai? If so how do I do it properly and turn it into a bonsai?
I have to repot one in a bigger pot. My parents forgot to repot it this year, and after a strong summer here it's being smothered in its pot at this moment by its roots. I know may is better to repot. But is there anything I have to watch with this tree while repotting it during oktober? I would really appreciate your opinion about this.
I would slip pot it for now, place it in a bigger pot and put bonsai around the existing root ball. Later, early to mid summer is when I would re pot and prune the roots. Be sure to keep the tree out of the full sun after re potting and mist it often.
The tree was cut back hard when it was purchased as a small stick like bonsai about 18 years ago. It has been clip and grow since then.Much of the trunk taper comes from growing the surface roots in a flat radial pattern.
Nigel, I just acquired a dwarf yaupon holly from the nursery, iv heard that yaupon need to stay very moist. I have had 1 before that I think didn't get enough moisture in my mix. would you say I need more organic material or would a finer soil size work well? or both? what do u think of sphagnum moss? they sell it near by but I have no experience with it.. but im planning on adding perlite to my mix as well, will that already hold a enough more moisture? i don't want to over do it, I think with the trunk on this tree I have a very good start and I got a good deal on it too. yaupon holly often shows mature bark pretty early on, and often the bark gets awesome olive green tones. with beautifull translucent red berries. the leaves even contain tons of caffeine and its drank as a tea by some. native americans used it as a ceremonial drink. its a great species and iv wanted to work with them since I started bonsai. thanx for any input. and this bougainvillea is one of my favorite trees of yours, I always love seeing updates on it.
Thanks you, A great tree for your collection, I want to try some of that tea! I would stick with a standard bonsai mix and place a tray of water under your pot, so the tree can get moisture all day. I do this for my willow trees and it works really well. The other options you mentioned will work to make your soil retain more water. I don't have any experience with this tree, I know the willows prefer a porous soil with lots of water over a finer soil. The trees seem to like air spaces in the soil. I hope some one else with experience can help you on this question also!
a lot of fun facts and history about this species to research if you decide to try it. and thanx, that just about answers my question perfectly^^. il be sure to send you a link to a picture once I get it potted.
hi there , great video! I am new to bonsai , I have just got a "twick" like how you got it about 17years ago . May I know some tips? soil type? water?enviroment? thanks :)
Nigel, I have a very nice bougainvillea which I have been able to develop some increased ramification and small leaves. The problem with the tree is it has very large surface roots which are extremely ugly. I have heard you say in other videos that a nice tree can be ruined by a poor root structure. If I were to send you some pictures, would you be willing to help me?
Yes the best time to prune is after the flowers have lost their colour. You can prune as much or as little as you need to style the tree, it all depends on what you envision it to look like. This will help make your decisions.
Another amazing video bigg bro😊☺😇, u r simply a superb grandmaster of the BONSAI world....Nigel Saunders & kw bonsai rock....😊☺😊☺😇.plz tell in detail which soil media did u use in it?
It is 50 percent turface and 50 percent perlite. There is a small percentage of compost also, maybe up to 3 percent. All materials are sifted to remove the fine particles.
I haven't, I did have several Azalea's at one time. They grew well and flowered but one year they all got weak and died over winter. I think they got some kind of blight. I may try them again in the future.
I have seen many root bases on bonsai with deep scars in the roots from the wire that holds them in the pots. I prefer to use stones until the roots grow and the tree is solid in the pot. One more advantage that I found is when a tree gets blown off the bench by the wind, the tree doesn't get damaged as much as it is free to break free of the pot and it softens the impact with the ground!
Nigel, do you have a video where you show how to start a bonsai from the very first stages? like how to choose a cutting and how to prepare it to start the process. I have a bougainvillea at home and would love to make it cut bonsai but do not know how to choose the cut. Thanks for your great videos
Hi Nigel, I love your channel. I am having some issues with my Bougainvelle and I am not sure if it is normal or if it is sick. I am a newbie. Is there any way I could send you before and after photos to get your feedback?
I water mine when the top of the soil begins to dry out, but I do keep it in the greenhouse. The tree seems to like the heat and the humidity. When the roots are established, they can survive drying out more easily. Too much water will cause problems, you'll get rotting at the base and the tree will die back. It's better to keep the tree on the dry side, than too wet.
I would start with a tree from a regular nursery or if you can dig up a seedling from your garden or yard, even better. Start with inexpensive material and do lots of internet research on your tree type and care required for it. Study the natural look of a full size tree and then try and copy this style in your miniature tree. Good luck.
Nigel, do you have a video where you show how to start a bonsai from the very first stages? like how to choose a cutting and how to prepare it to start the process. I have a bougainvillea at home and would love to make it cut bonsai but do not know how to choose the cut. Thanks for your great videos
Great video Nigel. I'm really intrigued by how you achieve so much growth in such an inert soil medium, I would have thought the trees would have starved, do you use a lot of a liquid fertilisers? Thanks
I use a pinch of fertilizer with every watering can in the summer. This way the trees get a little bit of fertilizer every time I water them. I use a powdered 20-20-20 fertilizer.
I think every two to three years will be OK health wise. I re pot more frequently to try and keep the roots in balance. this prevents one root from growing too large compared to the others. Here is a video that explains this.... ua-cam.com/video/AcSu8SUQ0kE/v-deo.html
They stay inside an insulated coop, the coop is heated with light bulbs and they have a small barn they can go into on warmer days. You can see the set up in this video..... ua-cam.com/video/SHe-IC6iHCE/v-deo.html
Nigel, when did you start triming this tree? did you first let it grow (so that the trunk would get thick) and then start styling it? I have a bit less than a pinky finger size plant. it grew a lot, but the trunk did not gain much in diameter. When can I start pruning it. I already have it on support stick because otherwise it would tumble over.
It takes many years to get the trunk to thicken up, I think the tree is about 20 years old now and the trunk is just starting to thicken to a good size. I do let my branches grow long each year and them cut them back each time. It is a slow process!
Nigel-I have watched this video many times, and I have learned a lot over the years about being particular with the roots of the tree. Incidentally, I repotted all of my tropicals this summer in a mix of akadama, pumice, and lava rock, and they are thriving! You have to be more vigilant about the watering schedule, but I can definitely tell the difference in their health. Kudos to you!! Jim Doyel - SoCal
Thank you Jim, the little tree is growing well this year, I'm hoping it flowers for the fall show!
Nigel you are one of the Best Bosai Mentors on UA-cam!
Informative & Inspiring. Thanks for Posting :)
I am kind of beginner in Bonsai field though I have been interested in it more then a decade. I am going download this video. Especially this video has lots of basics information for a tropical tree collector. Thank you for sharing this.
Glad you enjoy the videos and the hobby!
I'm learning a lot with your videos, Nigel. And thinking about your way to train and grow the plants. Thank you! The idea of no wiring the roots is nice. I loved the tip to use stones, that you gave in another video, and will use this option. Greetings from South América, where we just started a wonderfull spring!
Thank you Elmar, we have had really nice fall weather here so far. I can still ride around in a tee shirt! I think the frost will be coming soon though and I'll be back indoors!
The composition is great Nigel - tree is well-placed and the pot matches the tree really well. I appreciate how you styled this tree to look like mature rounded canopy deciduous tree, the proportions are lovely
Thanks Mark, I think the new pot is a positive step ahead also.
ive been following you on utubefor quite sometime.fascinated n learned a lot..i wish i could learn more.
Awesome bouganvillia! you've done a great job! This has to be one of my favorites of yours. So glad you share your passion and work on this bouganvillia as there's not much out there about bouganvillia bonsai. I have one of these, but mine is very young ( small nersery stock ) just started it 3
months ago. it's about the same size as your sons.
They can develop quickly into a nice bonsai, and are one of my favorite species for bonsai! Good luck with yours!
As ever Nigel, your demonstrations are exemplary. Such good running commentary while working on the trees! As for the tree...beautiful! I think you may well have inspired me to go in search of a bougainvillea for my humble collection.
PS...great tip for the moss/soil on the top to help keep reduce surface evaporation. I've got a desert rose that I think will benefit from this.
Thanks for yet another great video!!
Thanks Peter, I've tried two desert roses, my plant room is too humid in winter and I seem to rot the roots every time. I really like them as bonsai, maybe I'll try again and reduce my watering from very little to none in the winter.
The Adenium is certainly a beautiful tree so worth any effort to try get right!! My mother was raised in Zimbabwe and she calls it a Sabi Star (useless interesting fact). There is so much conflicting info about trying to maintain the tree so I intend to research summer & winter desert conditions in Southern Africa to get a little more scientific about the ideal conditions. At present, I'm thinking that Winter calls for limited humidity and very little water...but I'm sure some research will shed more light (excuse the pun). :)
I really enjoy all your videos
Thank you, I enjoy making them!
Hi Nigel , is great to listen to your knowing ,
Thank you Elisabeth, I enjoy making the videos!
Sir I love you bougainvillea bonsai 🙏🙏👍👍🥀🌹
Thank you, this tree is looking really good at the moment, it grew really well all winter!
Love this community its sooo positive (sorry for my inglish). Great video Nigel!
Thanks Julian, you can post comments in your native language, I'll use Google translator and I usually understand completely what people are saying. My son is named Julian, great name!
Julian Chiarella n
Very nice shohin bougie, I tried growing one too in a much smaller pot and I would like the trunk to grow a bit thicker like yours, Thanks Nigel for sharing. here is my bougie video.
i love your videos too
Bonsai Iligan Rest in Peace :(
Thank you for the wonderful teps, sir I enjoyed watching. And I learned how to repotting again ones Again thank you so much from the Philippines
Thanks Junel, it is due for re potting once again!
Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone sir I have many bonsai years ago but sendong typon to destroy my plants.
Huge fan of your work!
Hi Nigel , I thank you for the Information and sharing , the bonsai witch died on me was a Fukien Tee Bonsai . A very nice Bougainvillea there, Elisabeth,
Thank you Elizabeth, I hope you give the Bougainvillea's a try!
Bonsai Bougenville super Beautiful 😍👍
thanks! For sharing your ideas.
Congratulations friend, I follow all your video, I love your channel and each plant is a surprise is very nice and beautiful bougainvillea, have a good week !!!
Thanks, I like the pots you made, keep up the good work!
I don't know if it was commented before, but I think the crack in the pot might have come from those roots growing along the wall of the pot and eventually cracking the pot by gaining enough thickness.
That could very well be, as the roots grow the pressure in the pots must increase and could cause cracking.
A congratulations to you and your son !!
Thank you Maritxu!
very good to start the day watching one of his videos my friend .... just a curiosity, it's summer out there, I see that is without warm clothes ... great day Nigel, strong hug
We have had a warm summer in the 30's every day and full sun. It's only rained about 4 times in the last month and a half. It's hard to keep enough water in the rain barrels to water my trees. We have 4 large barrels that the ducks, chickens, garden and bonsai trees share. Some summers it rains 2 or 3 times a week, but this one is dry so far.
too bad my friend, but the man upsets the planet every error against nature, is a lot of greed without thinking about the future ... here in Brazil we have no reference for climate seasons, it's all mixed ... also reserve rainwater all my roof ... a hug and congratulations
How to grow small bougainvillea? Thank you
Has anyone ever told you you sound like Steve Carrell? In Louisiana we pronounce this plant boo-gan-vee-yah. Love their flowers.
No, but he was creepy in that wrestling movie! Glad you enjoyed the video!
Do these species have to be in greenhouse year around or can Boston summer it stay out in?
I hear conflicting information about the bougainvilleas about do not disturb the roots and that it doesn’t like wet feet and so on I have two that I’m trying to keep happy till the winter is over, what is the best way to over winter them?
Obviously bonsai "soil" is unique. Can you tell me more about it please. I live in the Philippines and love bonsai and want to begin my own. Thank you! Tom
Hello Tom, I use 1/2 perlite and 1/2 turface, to this I mix in composted pine bark. You can replace turface with lava rock or pumice. The pine bark can be substituted with coconut husks. All materials are sifted to remove the fine and the course particles. The size I try for is 3 to 4 mm.
Great looking Bougainvillea! I just ordered one. Have to wait for warm Temps before it can be shipped. Since this is a "Tropical" where does it spend the Winter --- Indoors or Outdoors?
I stumbled across your videos and instantly fell in love with Bonsai. I just wanted to say thank you Nigel! I picked up 2 ginseng grafted ficus' and a sago palm about a month ago. Unfortunately, I only have a north facing window sill and I'm not really able to put them outside in my apartment. Do you have any recommendations for indoor lighting? Do I need a secondary lighting source?
I am working on a lighting video at this very moment! It should be completed in about a week. I have a promotion code for a Bonsai Zone discount on a great indoor light. Stay tuned!
I have just purchased my first bougainvillea bonsai and was wondering if you think it's too late in the summer to do any pruning. I live in the southern part of the United States. Any info would be great. Thanks love the channel.
Thanks, I think it would be OK to do some pruning now. You may not get any fall flowers, but it will get the tree in shape.
Where should we place a plant after repotting, inside or in the sunlight?
sir, your video tutorial is really cool. i am not a botany student and i haven't done any bonsai before. but sir, am really looking forward to try my first bonsai from watching your tutorials. so kindly guide me how i can start it for a Bougainvillea bonsai from the beginning. do u have any video for the beginners from first step? please guide me sir
Hello Anirban, the best first steps are to study trees in nature, their form and structure. Find a tree you really like and try and duplicate the tree in miniature. Check out all the information you can on growing your tree and have lots of patience. Try to keep your tree alive is the second step, it is better to let your tree grow and be healthy than over pruning and setting the tree back in it's vigor. Here is a website with some basics....
www.mykitchengarden.info/2014/07/bougainvillea-bonsai-making.html
thanks a lot sir for ur help and ur info. i will definitely try this. thanks again for replying my post so early. take care
I have a question? If I took an apple seeds and put the seeds in the pot. Can I turn it into a bonsai? If so how do I do it properly and turn it into a bonsai?
hi Nigel when is the season to bonsai a bougainvillea I'm from Philippines.
I would do most work after the plant has had a vigorous growing period. The conditions must be good for recovery, warm, sunny and humid.
thank you for the reply its a big help to me as a beginner.
I have to repot one in a bigger pot. My parents forgot to repot it this year, and after a strong summer here it's being smothered in its pot at this moment by its roots. I know may is better to repot. But is there anything I have to watch with this tree while repotting it during oktober? I would really appreciate your opinion about this.
I would slip pot it for now, place it in a bigger pot and put bonsai around the existing root ball. Later, early to mid summer is when I would re pot and prune the roots. Be sure to keep the tree out of the full sun after re potting and mist it often.
Thank you so much Nigel. How long did it take you to thicken the trunk and how did you do it.
The tree was cut back hard when it was purchased as a small stick like bonsai about 18 years ago. It has been clip and grow since then.Much of the trunk taper comes from growing the surface roots in a flat radial pattern.
Nigel, I just acquired a dwarf yaupon holly from the nursery, iv heard that yaupon need to stay very moist. I have had 1 before that I think didn't get enough moisture in my mix. would you say I need more organic material or would a finer soil size work well? or both? what do u think of sphagnum moss? they sell it near by but I have no experience with it.. but im planning on adding perlite to my mix as well, will that already hold a enough more moisture? i don't want to over do it, I think with the trunk on this tree I have a very good start and I got a good deal on it too. yaupon holly often shows mature bark pretty early on, and often the bark gets awesome olive green tones. with beautifull translucent red berries. the leaves even contain tons of caffeine and its drank as a tea by some. native americans used it as a ceremonial drink. its a great species and iv wanted to work with them since I started bonsai. thanx for any input. and this bougainvillea is one of my favorite trees of yours, I always love seeing updates on it.
Thanks you, A great tree for your collection, I want to try some of that tea! I would stick with a standard bonsai mix and place a tray of water under your pot, so the tree can get moisture all day. I do this for my willow trees and it works really well. The other options you mentioned will work to make your soil retain more water. I don't have any experience with this tree, I know the willows prefer a porous soil with lots of water over a finer soil. The trees seem to like air spaces in the soil. I hope some one else with experience can help you on this question also!
a lot of fun facts and history about this species to research if you decide to try it. and thanx, that just about answers my question perfectly^^. il be sure to send you a link to a picture once I get it potted.
hi there , great video! I am new to bonsai , I have just got a "twick" like how you got it about 17years ago . May I know some tips? soil type? water?enviroment? thanks :)
Here is a good basic care sheet....
www.bonsaimary.com/bonsai-bougainvillea-care.html
Thank You very much , looking forward to see your upcoming videos . Cheers
Nigel,
I have a very nice bougainvillea which I have been able to develop some increased ramification and small leaves. The problem with the tree is it has very large surface roots which are extremely ugly. I have heard you say in other videos that a nice tree can be ruined by a poor root structure. If I were to send you some pictures, would you be willing to help me?
I'll give my humble opinion... send pics to thekwbonsaisociety@gmail.com
thanks Nigel
Mr Saundwes, My Boungainvillea has lost all buds should start pruning now , and how much??
Yes the best time to prune is after the flowers have lost their colour. You can prune as much or as little as you need to style the tree, it all depends on what you envision it to look like. This will help make your decisions.
Mantap bonsai nya...
Another amazing video bigg bro😊☺😇, u r simply a superb grandmaster of the BONSAI world....Nigel Saunders & kw bonsai rock....😊☺😊☺😇.plz tell in detail which soil media did u use in it?
It is 50 percent turface and 50 percent perlite. There is a small percentage of compost also, maybe up to 3 percent. All materials are sifted to remove the fine particles.
Rahul Pandey
Quick question- have you ever tried to bonsai a grocery store azalea? Like those sold around valentines or Mother's Day
I haven't, I did have several Azalea's at one time. They grew well and flowered but one year they all got weak and died over winter. I think they got some kind of blight. I may try them again in the future.
Qual o substrato?
I wonder that why you did not fixed the tree on pot by wire?
I have seen many root bases on bonsai with deep scars in the roots from the wire that holds them in the pots. I prefer to use stones until the roots grow and the tree is solid in the pot. One more advantage that I found is when a tree gets blown off the bench by the wind, the tree doesn't get damaged as much as it is free to break free of the pot and it softens the impact with the ground!
Hey, what kind of water can / head do you use , I'm not sure where to get something that showers that lightly
I purchased mine here, it has lasted me 20 years!
www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?p=10412&cat=2,2280,42608&ap=1
Nigel Saunders Thank you kind sir
Why your son Julian didn't show his progress on his Bougainvillea like he did on the last Bougainvillea's video?
The new pot is nice!
I forgot, his tree is in flower now and looks nice. I'll have to do an update!
How do we propagate Bougainvillea from cutting?
They can be rooted in water or bonsai soil, the conditions need to be good, warmth, sunshine and humidity.
Thx. Was looking for any specific video on this, if available.
M frm India....which soil available here
Nigel, do you have a video where you show how to start a bonsai from the very first stages? like how to choose a cutting and how to prepare it to start the process. I have a bougainvillea at home and would love to make it cut bonsai but do not know how to choose the cut. Thanks for your great videos
I have some videos coming on growing cuttings!
Hi Nigel, I love your channel. I am having some issues with my Bougainvelle and I am not sure if it is normal or if it is sick. I am a newbie. Is there any way I could send you before and after photos to get your feedback?
Hello Jim, you can send me pics to....
thekwbonsaisociety@gmail.com
Hopefully I can help you out!
Thank you soooo much.
Hi Nigel. What soil mix do you use?
hi Nigel do bouganvillea need lots of water
I water mine when the top of the soil begins to dry out, but I do keep it in the greenhouse. The tree seems to like the heat and the humidity. When the roots are established, they can survive drying out more easily. Too much water will cause problems, you'll get rotting at the base and the tree will die back. It's better to keep the tree on the dry side, than too wet.
Does it have thorns? I'm new, i will try growing one from a cutting.
Bougainvillea can have thorns but it seems like this pixie variety has none from what ive seen
+Nigel Saunders do you ever reuse the soil left over from repotting?
No, it can have weeds and insects. I put my old soil in the garden out front.
Thanks
I want to start bonsai, what are the steps for newbie like me sir? thanks
I would start with a tree from a regular nursery or if you can dig up a seedling from your garden or yard, even better. Start with inexpensive material and do lots of internet research on your tree type and care required for it. Study the natural look of a full size tree and then try and copy this style in your miniature tree. Good luck.
Nigel, do you have a video where you show how to start a bonsai from the very first stages? like how to choose a cutting and how to prepare it to start the process. I have a bougainvillea at home and would love to make it cut bonsai but do not know how to choose the cut. Thanks for your great videos
Great video Nigel. I'm really intrigued by how you achieve so much growth in such an inert soil medium, I would have thought the trees would have starved, do you use a lot of a liquid fertilisers? Thanks
I use a pinch of fertilizer with every watering can in the summer. This way the trees get a little bit of fertilizer every time I water them. I use a powdered 20-20-20 fertilizer.
Sir can u use different soil for diff plants
I use the same soil on all my trees. Here is a good soil video from India....
ua-cam.com/video/1r6an_NbfJI/v-deo.html
Thanks !! Does it need to do so every year ??
I think every two to three years will be OK health wise. I re pot more frequently to try and keep the roots in balance. this prevents one root from growing too large compared to the others. Here is a video that explains this....
ua-cam.com/video/AcSu8SUQ0kE/v-deo.html
Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone Thank YOU !
thanks,i want to know what kind of these soil?
he said he used "very little organic matter with perlite and turface"
how your chicken survive at winter?
They stay inside an insulated coop, the coop is heated with light bulbs and they have a small barn they can go into on warmer days. You can see the set up in this video.....
ua-cam.com/video/SHe-IC6iHCE/v-deo.html
Hi Nigel. Did you get pics?
Thank Jim, I have sent a reply.
Nigel, when did you start triming this tree? did you first let it grow (so that the trunk would get thick) and then start styling it? I have a bit less than a pinky finger size plant. it grew a lot, but the trunk did not gain much in diameter. When can I start pruning it. I already have it on support stick because otherwise it would tumble over.
It takes many years to get the trunk to thicken up, I think the tree is about 20 years old now and the trunk is just starting to thicken to a good size. I do let my branches grow long each year and them cut them back each time. It is a slow process!
Sir pls teach how to bonsai step by stepfor new comers like me
Hello Ashwini, keep learning all you can from the internet and UA-cam!
It looks like a dwarf Northern Catalpa tree (Catalpa Speciosa) seriously DEAD ON! 😲
Thanks, that's the style I'm going for!
Great