RIP Tony. You have played a very big part in the development of my interest in Bonsai. Especially field stock to Yamadori. The best thing of all was that we all can easily attest that we are listening to a generally kind man that loves playing with his trees. Heaven just inherited another magical garden!
Tony, your videos are some of the best available. The production quality, with a lapel mic, effective close-ups, and great editing, make them easy to watch. You focus in on specific topics that i am looking for, like this one on taper. They are the perfect length, plenty of information with no time wasted on blather and transitions. And, you seem to be a "regular guy", working in your backyard instead of a big greenhouse, and you make mistakes along the way - just like us. Bravo. Keep them coming.
Thank you for the message Craig. I really appreciate your positive feedback. I try to make a mixture of content. Some are like this, and some are a bit more just me waffling on while I work on my trees. You're the first to ever comment on my lapel mic. I have recently switched from a foam cover to a furry cover so that I can film on windy days. They don't look particularly cool, but one thing I can't be doing with is poor audio. Have a great day!
Tony, this was so overdue and is perfect for the beginner bonsai dabbler! It is funny that I am currently going through all of my projects and drastically reducing heights to increase the taper. I think my biggest single failing in the first 10...15 years was my fear of cutting back too much. instead I would convince myself that the tree was fine and try to use wire to hide th obvious problem. The biggest point is to be bold and realistic AND be certain the tree is healthy first. And of course make sure to use a good cut sealant. Brilliant Tony...
Thank you Xavier. I really appreciate that feedback. I've been doing the same thing, but I haven't had my trees for as long so there isn't the same attachment. It must be a hard thing to do with trees that you have been caring for, for 10-15 years. Good on you though for doing what you know needs to be done! Which cut sealant do you use?
Great video Tony. wrt the field Maple, my vision, even before you mentioned it, was to cut at the 2nd branch and tilt the planting at the next repot. The taper would have been more obvious 3" above the root base. But where you did the cut will still produce a nice tree. Let's hope the budding happens in the right places for you. 👍👍
Morning Guy! Yes, I thought that the maple would divide opinion. I think both options were definitely workable. It's a shame I didn't have two so that I could have done both and compared the two as they developed. These field maples are pretty tough and I'm confident that it will produce plenty of buds in the future.
Excellent video, thanks for this. I am just starting out and this really is very clear and helpful. All then questions you ask (and answer) are the questions I had!
Very nicely done. Clearly explained and demonstrated 👍 I find that in bonsai often the more interesting results come from the boldest actions. This comes from taking the longer term rather than short term view of how the tree will develop.
Thanks Jason. Yes, the idea of instant bonsai is nice, but the danger is that it leads us into short-sighted choices. I'm a lot more brutal now than I was twelve months ago, and hopefully, I'll have some trees like yours down the line!
Awesome lesson! Showing all the various trees really showed a good way to think through the cutting process. You need to be brave with bonsai - as long as your trees are healthy! Thanks again for putting these videos together!
Thanks Peter. I love creating videos like this. As you say, we definitely have to be brave and chop them down if we want them to become something on the future!
I had a lesson today with my teacher, and he was doing chops on some of my trees. He would get his loppers in position and then he would say are you sure you're ready for this? And of course Ready or not, we chopped! great video, this one, it's perfect reinforcement for my lesson today
Thank you for the excellent demonstration and explanation. I especially appreciate that you work with trees accessible to most bonsai enthusiasts. Some demonstrators use yamadori specimens that cost tens of thousands of dollars. Please keep up the good work!
Excellent video for the noobee Tony. I needed to see this to have that extra confidence to create the taper i want to achieve. Its great how you have given us several examples which could easily be a tree I am also working on.
Another cracking video Tony. Trunk chopped my 2 field maples last week. Yes, sometimes you have to make the tree look worse for it to improve in the future. Love the literati
Thanks Shane. Sounds like you had the same idea as me with your maples. I'm sure they will look great in a couple of years, and that's how we have to think in bonsai.
Enjoyed that video lol try and use a minagure saw first then cutters to clean it up....love your stuff wish I had so many tree thou.....to experiment on..
Hi Rocardo. Great idea about the saw cut first. I'm going to do that going forward thank you. I'm lucky to have so many trees to play with/experiment on!
I've been nervous about dramatic chops. I have a few trees I've bought as 6 footers from the nursery. I cut back a foot or so at a time, make sure the tree leafs out lower and regains health before moving on. It's OK to move slowly, but you're right, we have to chop. It can quite nerve wracking at first, though.
I'm no expert, but the problem of repeated chopping as I see it, is that each time you do it, you are weakening the tree and taxing it's stored energy reserves, so better to wait until the tree is nice and healthy with lots of stored ebnergy in the trunk and roots, then chop back to where you want to. In todays video I chop back a turkey oak, and I don't chop back all the way, but this is because I only collected that tree last spring and I also applied some heavy wire and a big bend, so instead of chopping back all the way, I left some extra length with some strong buds on for the health of the tree
Amazing video Tony! Can I ask when you chopped your trees? I'm in West Wales and have a couple of horn beams and a beach you have made me want to give tapper to.
Hi Robert. Yes, I chopped this just a few weeks ago. I have quite a few beech which I want to work on, but I will be waiting until next February before I undertake any big chops.
Hey why don't you like Ash for bonsai Tony? I find them quite a good subject.. east to grow..abundant so you can get one easily. Some of my favourites are Ash.i guess the branching structure isn't always ideal... Just wondered...
Hi Matthew. I do actually have a few small ash on the go myself, more for the challenge than anything else. the leaves are quite big and the internodes are long, so they are not generally rated as good material for bonsai, but like you I say they have to be worth a go!
i think the maple decision was good! i think the hawthorn would look much better if you cut it back harder to that finer branch with movement lower down. then the proportions and taper would be perfect in my eye
Hello. That is a good question. With maples I now definitely cut back much higher up, but I have found that oak, beech, birch and hawthorn all do just fine being cut right up to the branch. Perhaps I have just been lucky but I've never really had any trees die back yet.
@@TonysBonsai ahhh okay i understand thank you! So cutting and creating a new leader everytime is to get movement in the tree and not necessarily to speed up thickening correct?
Kind of yes. It does add movement, but the main reason is to make the truck thinner as it goes up. If you just leave a tree to grow, it will be say 5cm at the base, and 30cm up it will be 4cm and 60cm up it will be 3cm. This is too gradual for bonsai. By cutting the trunk, we can get it 5cm at the base and at 30cm up it might be only 2cm which is much better.
RIP Tony. You have played a very big part in the development of my interest in Bonsai. Especially field stock to Yamadori. The best thing of all was that we all can easily attest that we are listening to a generally kind man that loves playing with his trees. Heaven just inherited another magical garden!
What happened to him
@@R4YH4N_13Sadly, the cancer returned. 😢
Sometimes you just need someone to point you in the right direction. I definitely learned something from your video. Thanks Tony
Thank you Margaret. Get out those cutters and do some chopping!
Rest in peace, Tony. 🙏 You always will be reminded in our hearts. ❤️ Condolences to the family. Martina
Tony, your videos are some of the best available. The production quality, with a lapel mic, effective close-ups, and great editing, make them easy to watch. You focus in on specific topics that i am looking for, like this one on taper. They are the perfect length, plenty of information with no time wasted on blather and transitions. And, you seem to be a "regular guy", working in your backyard instead of a big greenhouse, and you make mistakes along the way - just like us. Bravo. Keep them coming.
Thank you for the message Craig. I really appreciate your positive feedback.
I try to make a mixture of content. Some are like this, and some are a bit more just me waffling on while I work on my trees.
You're the first to ever comment on my lapel mic. I have recently switched from a foam cover to a furry cover so that I can film on windy days. They don't look particularly cool, but one thing I can't be doing with is poor audio.
Have a great day!
Absolutely...you just said what has been on my mind
This is the best YT tutorial on bonsai tapering. Thank you! 🙏👍🏼🌳
Thank you, That's a really nice thing to say. much appreciated bruh!
Tony, this was so overdue and is perfect for the beginner bonsai dabbler! It is funny that I am currently going through all of my projects and drastically reducing heights to increase the taper. I think my biggest single failing in the first 10...15 years was my fear of cutting back too much. instead I would convince myself that the tree was fine and try to use wire to hide th obvious problem. The biggest point is to be bold and realistic AND be certain the tree is healthy first. And of course make sure to use a good cut sealant. Brilliant Tony...
Thank you Xavier. I really appreciate that feedback. I've been doing the same thing, but I haven't had my trees for as long so there isn't the same attachment. It must be a hard thing to do with trees that you have been caring for, for 10-15 years. Good on you though for doing what you know needs to be done!
Which cut sealant do you use?
@@TonysBonsai ive got the grey putty type paste for these sort of cuts and a tube one for small cuts. Both japanese makes.
Thanks. I'll have to look into getting some of that putty sealant I think!
Great video Tony. wrt the field Maple, my vision, even before you mentioned it, was to cut at the 2nd branch and tilt the planting at the next repot. The taper would have been more obvious 3" above the root base. But where you did the cut will still produce a nice tree. Let's hope the budding happens in the right places for you. 👍👍
Morning Guy! Yes, I thought that the maple would divide opinion. I think both options were definitely workable. It's a shame I didn't have two so that I could have done both and compared the two as they developed. These field maples are pretty tough and I'm confident that it will produce plenty of buds in the future.
Tony my hometown is Ashland Maine....your right about Ash trees and Bonsia. Nice taper lesson. Thanks.
Ashland. Never heard of that place, but it sounds nice!
Man you aren't afraid to make serious cuts. Way to go.
I just go for it John, and I seem to have been lucky so far!
Excellent video, thanks for this. I am just starting out and this really is very clear and helpful. All then questions you ask (and answer) are the questions I had!
Very nicely done. Clearly explained and demonstrated 👍
I find that in bonsai often the more interesting results come from the boldest actions. This comes from taking the longer term rather than short term view of how the tree will develop.
Thanks Jason. Yes, the idea of instant bonsai is nice, but the danger is that it leads us into short-sighted choices. I'm a lot more brutal now than I was twelve months ago, and hopefully, I'll have some trees like yours down the line!
@@TonysBonsai all my nice trees I bought 😂
🤣🤣
Awesome lesson! Showing all the various trees really showed a good way to think through the cutting process. You need to be brave with bonsai - as long as your trees are healthy! Thanks again for putting these videos together!
Thanks Peter. I love creating videos like this. As you say, we definitely have to be brave and chop them down if we want them to become something on the future!
Some good examples of decision making, thanks!
I had a lesson today with my teacher, and he was doing chops on some of my trees. He would get his loppers in position and then he would say are you sure you're ready for this? And of course Ready or not, we chopped! great video, this one, it's perfect reinforcement for my lesson today
Thank you for the excellent demonstration and explanation. I especially appreciate that you work with trees accessible to most bonsai enthusiasts. Some demonstrators use yamadori specimens that cost tens of thousands of dollars. Please keep up the good work!
Thanks Michael. I think that bonsai should be available to everyone, so I really appreciate your comment.
Great tutorial Tony. It’s always difficult not only to decide to but also where to make those necessary cuts. Thanks, keep growing
Thanks Matt. yeah, I definitely have more fo an idea than I did twelve months ago, but still on the steep part of the learning curve
This is a great video/tutorial. I've learned a lot.
Thank you for the many great lessons.
Thank you. It takes me a while to get round to answering comments on older videos, but they are very much appreciated cheers
Great video Tony, as always. Developing and improving tapering is crucial to grow a good bonsai
Thanks Lorenzo. yes, I'm decsovering this more and more as time goes on.
Nice, clear, easy to understand explanation & plenty of examples to look at. Thank you.
Thank you. I appreciate the feedback and I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Очень тяжело было узнать , что ушёл от нас интересный человек и полезный учитель .
Learnt a lot from this video ..thank you Tony
Thank you Steve. It takes me a while to get round to answering comments on older videos, but I'm really glad you enjoyed it.
Good explanations Tony well done mate.
Thanks Joe. Appreciate that mate!
I just took your advice and removed the central leader from my olive tree. And I LOVE the results! Thank you for the inspiration!
Excellent! It's great when we make a big decision and it works out. Nice one
Best explanation yet
Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it
Regarding the first hawthorn, if i was you i would cut it back where is the last years cutting. Great work as usual ...
Thanks Tatar. I think I might revisit that hawthorn and look at chopping it back further!
Great video and helps me understand what I need to do with many of my trees to improve taper. Somthing I wasn’t too sure about before
Thanks Sal. Glad it was of some help to you, and hopefully we'll both end up with some trees with nice taper in the future!
@@TonysBonsai hopefully 🤞🏽😊
I really like your videos. Thank you ! Best regards Thor
Thanks Thor. Much appreciated mate!
Fantastic video Tony
Thanks Wullie. Glad you enjoyed it!
Really well made video Tony, excellent stuff - literati hawthorn was my fav
Cheers mate. That tree was a bit of a revelation considering I was just going to chop it low down!
Nigel? Is that you Nigel? Ha ha, nice big cuts and clip and grow Tony! 😂🐦💙
🤣🤣 You sound like someone at a bonsai seance!
Excellent video for the noobee Tony. I needed to see this to have that extra confidence to create the taper i want to achieve. Its great how you have given us several examples which could easily be a tree I am also working on.
Thank you Thomas. I'm glad you appreciated this video as I spent a bit more time than usual planning and then filming it
Another top video. I'm totally with you on all those cuts. Particularly liked the hawthorn literati. 👍
Thanks Rhys. Yes, I was surprised how much I like that tree. Might be a decent bonsai in the future fingers crossed!
Another cracking video Tony. Trunk chopped my 2 field maples last week. Yes, sometimes you have to make the tree look worse for it to improve in the future. Love the literati
Thanks Shane. Sounds like you had the same idea as me with your maples. I'm sure they will look great in a couple of years, and that's how we have to think in bonsai.
Enjoyed that video lol try and use a minagure saw first then cutters to clean it up....love your stuff wish I had so many tree thou.....to experiment on..
Hi Rocardo. Great idea about the saw cut first. I'm going to do that going forward thank you. I'm lucky to have so many trees to play with/experiment on!
Great video and great wisdom from experience to learn from for everyone.
Thank you. I'm definitely improving and learning all the time, so if it can help people that's great.
Thanks Tony!
My pleasure mate
Yep 👍 🙏
I've been nervous about dramatic chops. I have a few trees I've bought as 6 footers from the nursery. I cut back a foot or so at a time, make sure the tree leafs out lower and regains health before moving on. It's OK to move slowly, but you're right, we have to chop. It can quite nerve wracking at first, though.
I'm no expert, but the problem of repeated chopping as I see it, is that each time you do it, you are weakening the tree and taxing it's stored energy reserves, so better to wait until the tree is nice and healthy with lots of stored ebnergy in the trunk and roots, then chop back to where you want to.
In todays video I chop back a turkey oak, and I don't chop back all the way, but this is because I only collected that tree last spring and I also applied some heavy wire and a big bend, so instead of chopping back all the way, I left some extra length with some strong buds on for the health of the tree
Great video mate!
Cheers mate!
Amazing video Tony! Can I ask when you chopped your trees? I'm in West Wales and have a couple of horn beams and a beach you have made me want to give tapper to.
Hi Robert. Yes, I chopped this just a few weeks ago. I have quite a few beech which I want to work on, but I will be waiting until next February before I undertake any big chops.
Take a piece of tape to save the Bark split👍👍👍
Ah yes, excellent idea. Thank you for that tip!
VERY WELL EXPLAINED SIR
Thank you for the kind comment Gurinder.
Nice one Tony
Thank you, Andrew!
Hey why don't you like Ash for bonsai Tony? I find them quite a good subject.. east to grow..abundant so you can get one easily. Some of my favourites are Ash.i guess the branching structure isn't always ideal... Just wondered...
Hi Matthew. I do actually have a few small ash on the go myself, more for the challenge than anything else. the leaves are quite big and the internodes are long, so they are not generally rated as good material for bonsai, but like you I say they have to be worth a go!
In my opinion, the other maple branch has a better flow... I would cut the first one.
Yes, that was definitely a good option, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to create a compact tree.
Great video👍
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it mate!
@@TonysBonsai 👍👍
Same with me🤘🤘🤘
Im always pissed to cut away the half tree 🤣🤣🤣
It feels strange, but It just has to be done mate!
i think the maple decision was good! i think the hawthorn would look much better if you cut it back harder to that finer branch with movement lower down. then the proportions and taper would be perfect in my eye
Thank you Anna. Very interesting thoughts. I'm going to pop and take another look at that hawthorn now!
@@TonysBonsai so tony waddaya say? choppin?
Why do you make a cut so close to the new apex branch? You do not worry about die-back?
Hello. That is a good question. With maples I now definitely cut back much higher up, but I have found that oak, beech, birch and hawthorn all do just fine being cut right up to the branch. Perhaps I have just been lucky but I've never really had any trees die back yet.
Hello. Is it possible to briefly remove the trunk of a field maple? will it sprout?
👍cutting💚💚
Thank you!
Nice cutting
Thank you Louise!
Lowest branch into new trunk. Fine.
Thanks Lynn. It;s since sent out some new shoots at the bottom, so I think It's going to develop ok this tree!
Tony, is it oke to cut branches in the warm season? I thought it was safe to cut them during winter time or early spring. Thank you.
Sadly, the cancer returned and Tony is no longer with us. 🙁
It’s very much a two steps forward one step backward
Yes, it definitely feels like that.
if you cut the current leader, it will stop thickening right?
It won't stop thickening, but it will definitely slow it down quite a bit.
@@TonysBonsai ahhh okay i understand thank you! So cutting and creating a new leader everytime is to get movement in the tree and not necessarily to speed up thickening correct?
Kind of yes. It does add movement, but the main reason is to make the truck thinner as it goes up. If you just leave a tree to grow, it will be say 5cm at the base, and 30cm up it will be 4cm and 60cm up it will be 3cm. This is too gradual for bonsai. By cutting the trunk, we can get it 5cm at the base and at 30cm up it might be only 2cm which is much better.