Enjoyed watching the transformation of the tree with all that wiring, its what we do when in doubt, wire every branch and place them so the tree is then wonderful to look at. The bonus was the update you did at the end.
Thank you. I'm hoping to reach a point very soon where I won't be using up so much wire. I figured people would appreciate the update. Too many times we see a tree being styled on UA-cam, but finding an update is difficult. Last night I spoke with a friend who has been doing bonsai for close to 40 years. I asked him about my idea to use a spade-bit to drill straight down and hollow out the trunk. He said there shouldn't be a problem with the health of the tree and that the idea could add depth to my future deadwood ideas. Now THAT is going to be a fun video. Maybe I'll mount the camera to the drill. Maybe I'll figure out a way to position a drill-press above the tree for a more steady cut. I guess I still have a way to go and many videos to make regarding this tree. I'll be doing the next video on this tree at the end of December when I wire it for Spring.
See how it develops, another idea is to carve it down the line of the trunk chop, making a hollow and reducing the depth of the hollow as you carve down the trunk and then that becomes your front and I have this right, the third leg of the tripod would also be at the front. I thought I would throw that in for you to ponder on. Look forward to the update in December. I know what you mean about updates on UA-cam, I think this happens as the trees get sold and that's the end of its progression videos. I enjoy watching your videos.
Someone wanted to make offers on my project trees. I declined. I did sell him a bunch of other yamadori, so it wasn't a total loss. I just don't want a tree series to end before it makes it into a pot, and before I get to do a goodbye video.
In nature they naturally form a flat top canopy. Even though I’m not in the swampy part of Arkansas, I’ve seen them along the Arkansas River and some large lakes. They make a great bonsai that you can’t over water. I’ve seen them grow in a bucket of water
Your hagiography on the specimen's namesake is appreciated. I believe it is pronounced "Kah-teer-ee". "Kateri" is the first name of a young girl who was associated with my parish some time ago, and I believe that is how her name was pronounced; she was named for the Saint. God bless you!
"I am not a prolific poster" lol I beg to differ! You may not post heavy quantity but you're among the best at BC's (best I've found in >1yr of being into BC's) and these videos aren't some quick 5min comment-video they're well done demo's, thanks a ton for posting these (again! :D ) it's fantastic being able to view them in the mornings this time of year when BC's are all that's on my mind!!! (will see you back on BN, wonder if you can tell my alt by my writing style, it is kinda unique ;P ) Thanks again for everything am going to the BN 'BC megathread' to ask some specifics ;D
I found your channel looking for information on Bald Cypress Bonsai since I just received some bare root saplings from the Arbor Day Foundation and wanted to make them bonsai. Thanks for all your info.
Thanks for watching! For best results, bald cypress saplings will need to be fattened up for a few years before beginning the first steps. I recommend potting them in an oversized nursery pot. With room to grow, the roots will spread out and the tree will fatten up. If you put the trees in the ground, they'll fatten a little quicker BUT the bald cypress will send a tap root deep in to the soil. This will make your tree hard to extract and it will not respond very quickly to being placed in a growing container.
We can grow the very hardy pines like, mugo, scots, austrian also larch, spruce. The douglas and amir maples do well up here also. Our big problem is that we're so far removed from bonsai people. We're doing our best to catch up the rest of the world. We got books on bonsai in the beginning, but, the books teach you how to prune to refine a tree. It was years before I learned you have to develope a tree (the branches) before you start to refine it. UA-cam is becoming a great teacher with men like yourself showing what you do.....Thank you.
The interesting thing about your predicament is that your group may develop techniques and styles without the bonsai elite telling you you shouldn't be doing those things. Then, as you learn the ways that bonsai are developed everywhere else, you adapt your ways to fit with the world. That's one way innovation can improve bonsai for all of us. Try not to unlearn all the techniques in favor of doing things the "right" way. For example, Fats Domino taught himself to play the piano. When he became popular, he impressed other musicians with his unique style of play. As to developing the tree, bald cypress can begin by first developing the roots. If we want to fatten up the base and maybe grow knees, we work on the roots for a few years, then we can start on fattening up the trunk. After that, the branches can be developed. We can skip some steps, but the ones we skip cannot be developed later without throwing the entire tree out of style and starting over.
to UA-cam Good advice, again. Thank you. Right now, for us, our temps are in the low single digits at night to the mid teens in the day time. Thank the Lord for my ficuses that can keep me going till spring.
Glad there will be more on this tree! Looking forward to it. I have a bald cypress of my own now . A little thicker than a pencil and not sure how it will do here in the uk. Well see I guess. Cheers. Sid.
I call that species envy. I used to be upset that I could not get any pines but black pines. Or only a few maples will work in New Orleans. Once I accepted it and realized the treasure I have in the swamps, I because a happier bonsai grower. I'd be curious to see the bonsai of Alaska.
I may be over-reacting. The sap is clear and there's no obvious hole. I'll poke around at it this weekend. Maybe I'll set up the camcorder. A cloudy sap containing frass (sawdusty borer excrement) would be more concerning. Thanks for watching!
BillsBayou I was curious about the borers as well. I have seen some here in ponderosa and shore pines, but didn't know other species had similar pests.
Great progression story, Bill. What is the name of the tool that you used for bending branches ? I am seeing it for the first time. For the price of all your wires, i could have bought a nice shohin sized bonsai here, since metal is expensive in my country 😃
Good to see you again. Search the web for "bonsai branch lever" and you'll see several types. I got the one you see when I was at a convention in Louisville, Kentucky in 2009. It's a simple tool, so don't spend very much on it. I like the one I have because the plastic on the lever's tongs are not glued in place. They will roll just a little if necessary. Otherwise, I'd be concerned that pushing the tong of a lever against the bark will damage the tree as the tong moves. Any other questions and I'll be glad to help.
I'd like an oval or rectangular with rounded corners. Gloss glazed in a darker green with a lighter green dripping down and little yellow flecks. The tree is feminine in her form, so the rounded pot. I want a gloss glaze because the tree is deciduous and that's how I like deciduous trees potted. The green with yellow flecks is for the duckweed you see in the swamps. Thanks for watching!
Hey Bill, I live about an hour south of New Orleans. I've been wanting to collect a bald cypress for a year or two now and was wondering where you go to collect yours. Is it private land/ is it legal and how do I get there? Thanks Collin Serigne
Not all of my friends know where I dig. One of us gave the location away to someone from Houma. Then he started digging in our area. Like, don't you have enough trees down near Houma? Start coming to the Greater New Orleans Bonsai Society meetings. The meetings are typically held the second Tuesday of each month (unless some special event is happening). We currently meet at the Marine League hall in Kenner. We're sort of jealous of our own personal dig locations and share them with the closest friends. You may be able to insinuate yourself into the club and pick up some clues. Are you "south of New Orleans" towards Buras, Lafite, or Houma? I have strict rules about where I'll dig. Nothing below Hwy 90; the area cannot be part of a coastal barrier; no area that looks like it is wasting away; it must be heavily forested. This rules out the Buras and Lafite directions, and the southern side of the road towards Houma. I know someone who digs near Thibodaux. I'll be up near Monroe after Mardi Gras. A friend has a private lake that is part of a river wash. Next Summer, I'll be on a little-used road by Catahoula Lake. I've been told the beavers cut off the tops of cypress when the lake is flooded. During the summer, the lake is dry and the beaver bonsai bald cypress are hollowed and look abused. That's perfect.
I'm not sure where its legal to dig down here but I definitely see trees with potential. I'll look into who owns what. There's a lot of deer management areas that I could possibly get permission to dig on. I am south of highway 90 but not exactly the coast, but thibodaux isn't very far. As far as the meetings, I have a weird school schedule some i'm only home for a few days every month or so, but if i ever get a chance i'll show up and see whats up! Thanks a ton!
Beautiful. How fortunate to have such wonderful material for your vision, talent and skills. Thank you from Boston.
Awesome work
The tree is looking very natural and very Cypress like! It just shows what good wiring can do!
That means a lot to me, thank you.
The music on your vids is fabulous! Not to mention the content, which is incredibly informative, inspiring and above all, fun...
Excellent video series and beautiful tree. As a fellow Catholic bonsai enjoyer I appreciate the fitting name. Thanks from Southwest Florida!
Great Tree. Look forward to more videos on it.
I'm looking forward to making them!
She looks beautiful bill, nice wiring job.
Thanks. On weekends, I use it to access my neighbor's WiFi.
BillsBayou lol! Probably could get free television channels as well.
Enjoyed watching the transformation of the tree with all that wiring, its what we do when in doubt, wire every branch and place them so the tree is then wonderful to look at. The bonus was the update you did at the end.
Thank you. I'm hoping to reach a point very soon where I won't be using up so much wire. I figured people would appreciate the update. Too many times we see a tree being styled on UA-cam, but finding an update is difficult.
Last night I spoke with a friend who has been doing bonsai for close to 40 years. I asked him about my idea to use a spade-bit to drill straight down and hollow out the trunk. He said there shouldn't be a problem with the health of the tree and that the idea could add depth to my future deadwood ideas. Now THAT is going to be a fun video. Maybe I'll mount the camera to the drill. Maybe I'll figure out a way to position a drill-press above the tree for a more steady cut.
I guess I still have a way to go and many videos to make regarding this tree. I'll be doing the next video on this tree at the end of December when I wire it for Spring.
See how it develops, another idea is to carve it down the line of the trunk chop, making a hollow and reducing the depth of the hollow as you carve down the trunk and then that becomes your front and I have this right, the third leg of the tripod would also be at the front. I thought I would throw that in for you to ponder on. Look forward to the update in December. I know what you mean about updates on UA-cam, I think this happens as the trees get sold and that's the end of its progression videos. I enjoy watching your videos.
Someone wanted to make offers on my project trees. I declined. I did sell him a bunch of other yamadori, so it wasn't a total loss. I just don't want a tree series to end before it makes it into a pot, and before I get to do a goodbye video.
You are very disciplined. On a number of occasions I have sold and the updates end.
In nature they naturally form a flat top canopy. Even though I’m not in the swampy part of Arkansas, I’ve seen them along the Arkansas River and some large lakes. They make a great bonsai that you can’t over water. I’ve seen them grow in a bucket of water
Your hagiography on the specimen's namesake is appreciated. I believe it is pronounced "Kah-teer-ee". "Kateri" is the first name of a young girl who was associated with my parish some time ago, and I believe that is how her name was pronounced; she was named for the Saint. God bless you!
"I am not a prolific poster" lol I beg to differ! You may not post heavy quantity but you're among the best at BC's (best I've found in >1yr of being into BC's) and these videos aren't some quick 5min comment-video they're well done demo's, thanks a ton for posting these (again! :D ) it's fantastic being able to view them in the mornings this time of year when BC's are all that's on my mind!!! (will see you back on BN, wonder if you can tell my alt by my writing style, it is kinda unique ;P ) Thanks again for everything am going to the BN 'BC megathread' to ask some specifics ;D
I found your channel looking for information on Bald Cypress Bonsai since I just received some bare root saplings from the Arbor Day Foundation and wanted to make them bonsai. Thanks for all your info.
Thanks for watching! For best results, bald cypress saplings will need to be fattened up for a few years before beginning the first steps. I recommend potting them in an oversized nursery pot. With room to grow, the roots will spread out and the tree will fatten up. If you put the trees in the ground, they'll fatten a little quicker BUT the bald cypress will send a tap root deep in to the soil. This will make your tree hard to extract and it will not respond very quickly to being placed in a growing container.
This one is so on target, its gorgeous❣
We can grow the very hardy pines like, mugo, scots, austrian also larch, spruce. The douglas and amir maples do well up here also. Our big problem is that we're so far removed from bonsai people. We're doing our best to catch up the rest of the world. We got books on bonsai in the beginning, but, the books teach you how to prune to refine a tree. It was years before I learned you have to develope a tree (the branches) before you start to refine it. UA-cam is becoming a great teacher with men like yourself showing what you do.....Thank you.
The interesting thing about your predicament is that your group may develop techniques and styles without the bonsai elite telling you you shouldn't be doing those things. Then, as you learn the ways that bonsai are developed everywhere else, you adapt your ways to fit with the world. That's one way innovation can improve bonsai for all of us. Try not to unlearn all the techniques in favor of doing things the "right" way.
For example, Fats Domino taught himself to play the piano. When he became popular, he impressed other musicians with his unique style of play.
As to developing the tree, bald cypress can begin by first developing the roots. If we want to fatten up the base and maybe grow knees, we work on the roots for a few years, then we can start on fattening up the trunk. After that, the branches can be developed. We can skip some steps, but the ones we skip cannot be developed later without throwing the entire tree out of style and starting over.
to UA-cam
Good advice, again. Thank you.
Right now, for us, our temps are in the low single digits at night to the mid teens in the day time. Thank the Lord for my ficuses that can keep me going till spring.
Glad there will be more on this tree! Looking forward to it. I have a bald cypress of my own now . A little thicker than a pencil and not sure how it will do here in the uk. Well see I guess. Cheers. Sid.
Awesome tree, man. I wish I could do bald cypress here in Alaska, but, not hap'nin. I'll just enjoy what you do. Keep up the good work.
I call that species envy. I used to be upset that I could not get any pines but black pines. Or only a few maples will work in New Orleans. Once I accepted it and realized the treasure I have in the swamps, I because a happier bonsai grower. I'd be curious to see the bonsai of Alaska.
Love your bonsai! :) subscribed
Very instructive series. Thanks for sharing!
Question: what are you doing to get borers out?
I may be over-reacting. The sap is clear and there's no obvious hole. I'll poke around at it this weekend. Maybe I'll set up the camcorder. A cloudy sap containing frass (sawdusty borer excrement) would be more concerning.
Thanks for watching!
BillsBayou I was curious about the borers as well. I have seen some here in ponderosa and shore pines, but didn't know other species had similar pests.
Great progression story, Bill. What is the name of the tool that you used for bending branches ? I am seeing it for the first time. For the price of all your wires, i could have bought a nice shohin sized bonsai here, since metal is expensive in my country 😃
Good to see you again. Search the web for "bonsai branch lever" and you'll see several types. I got the one you see when I was at a convention in Louisville, Kentucky in 2009. It's a simple tool, so don't spend very much on it. I like the one I have because the plastic on the lever's tongs are not glued in place. They will roll just a little if necessary. Otherwise, I'd be concerned that pushing the tong of a lever against the bark will damage the tree as the tong moves.
Any other questions and I'll be glad to help.
Where can I get that branch bender you use in this video?
Can I put my new balled cypres under grow lights 24houres a day to speed grouth
Bill, will you ever put this into a new pot? if so what kind?
I'd like an oval or rectangular with rounded corners. Gloss glazed in a darker green with a lighter green dripping down and little yellow flecks. The tree is feminine in her form, so the rounded pot. I want a gloss glaze because the tree is deciduous and that's how I like deciduous trees potted. The green with yellow flecks is for the duckweed you see in the swamps. Thanks for watching!
You've put some serious thought into this I see. I hope you will film this repotting.
很漂亮的树!我看完了你所有的视频,学到了很多,期待你的新作品!
+Gary Xie 謝謝！更多視頻很快
Hey Bill,
I live about an hour south of New Orleans. I've been wanting to collect a bald cypress for a year or two now and was wondering where you go to collect yours. Is it private land/ is it legal and how do I get there?
Thanks
Collin Serigne
Not all of my friends know where I dig. One of us gave the location away to someone from Houma. Then he started digging in our area. Like, don't you have enough trees down near Houma?
Start coming to the Greater New Orleans Bonsai Society meetings. The meetings are typically held the second Tuesday of each month (unless some special event is happening). We currently meet at the Marine League hall in Kenner. We're sort of jealous of our own personal dig locations and share them with the closest friends. You may be able to insinuate yourself into the club and pick up some clues.
Are you "south of New Orleans" towards Buras, Lafite, or Houma? I have strict rules about where I'll dig. Nothing below Hwy 90; the area cannot be part of a coastal barrier; no area that looks like it is wasting away; it must be heavily forested. This rules out the Buras and Lafite directions, and the southern side of the road towards Houma. I know someone who digs near Thibodaux.
I'll be up near Monroe after Mardi Gras. A friend has a private lake that is part of a river wash. Next Summer, I'll be on a little-used road by Catahoula Lake. I've been told the beavers cut off the tops of cypress when the lake is flooded. During the summer, the lake is dry and the beaver bonsai bald cypress are hollowed and look abused. That's perfect.
I'm not sure where its legal to dig down here but I definitely see trees with potential. I'll look into who owns what. There's a lot of deer management areas that I could possibly get permission to dig on. I am south of highway 90 but not exactly the coast, but thibodaux isn't very far.
As far as the meetings, I have a weird school schedule some i'm only home for a few days every month or so, but if i ever get a chance i'll show up and see whats up!
Thanks a ton!