Hahaha thanks Kelly it's nice to hear. Can I ask you a couple of questions? Which of my videos did you find first? Did any of the videos stick out as significant favourites for you ... and if so what made them better than others in your opinion? Of course you don't have to answer -- I don't want to sound like one of those online shops that makes you review their service! 😂 I'm asking you because I guess not many people binge watch my videos in one sitting (but I might be wrong!)
@@BlueSkyBonsai it's the least I can do 😁. I first found the 'how to prune part 1 and 2' after my initial search. I'd watched a few other channels and just didn't connect with them. Then I found yours and because your explanations are so great for beginners like me, I ended up watching a tonne and found information i didn't even know u needed. Your passion really shines through in each video and I just love your chilled out vibe. It's honestly so relaxing! I really loved the repotting video in your garden, and I think it's to do with your attention to detail which I found lacking in other channels. It's fine for people who know what they're doing, but I'm not just a novice to bonsai, I'm a novice to everything gardening. So your explanations and diagrams really help things make sense, or give me a base for further research. Sorry for the essay, I hope it helps 😂💚🌱
@@hells_kells thanks so much for your great feedback, I really appreciate it. I just wish I had more time spare to do more of these videos - I'm averaging about one a month this year 😊🙃🌳
Cheers Ian. Yep, the roots grow really quickly. Much more than the canopy... But the thing I really like about boxwoods is the bark makes them look like much older trees than their real age.
@@BackGardenBonsai the bark starts to crack surprisingly early I found, so you might not have to wait too long. But there are several different species of boxwood and all 5 of my boxwoods are one species - microphylla - so I don't have experience with other species like the European or American boxwoods. What's yours?
Well presented and informative video on aspects of repotting. Like your soil mixture, I use something very similar. One thing I would have done here is to raise the Boxwood higher in the pot, exposing more of the base roots. I have been doing that for many of our Bonsai, these past few years. And your emphasis on keeping the roots and foliage wet/damp during repotting is excellent. Your benches are looking good with your nice Bonsai selection.
Thanks Jeff, much appreciated. Yes I did think about raising the tree to expose the nebari more, but this is one of the great things about bonsai: there will always be another year to do that 😊
Thanks Jered! I was hoping you'd see this after you said that repotting stresses you out. For me the stressful part is having the camera there while I'm repotting. when I repot without fiming it I'm in bonsai heaven! But then no one sees that...
Thanks for a lovely video mate. These videos are so calming. Cool music and vibe all round. I would love a video on pre bonsai techniques. Thickening trunks, soil mix, fertiliser etc. Most of my trees are growing bigger in large pots but you don't see much about that topic.
Thanks Raphael, I appreciate your great feedback. That's a very good suggestion. I also have a lot of pre-bonsai trees in bigger garden pots, and they often appear in camio-roles or in my videos but have almost never taken the main spotlight. I recently repotted a tall nursery sycamore that is long-term fattening up, normally you would leave these in a large pot for several years, but I repotted it because I was sure the soil was bad and restricting root growth, and on unearthing it I was proved right. it's now in another deep garden pot but this time with better granular soil. I filmed the work, but TBH the footage is not good, a lot of it is closeup of the top of my head as I was stooped working on the roots. LOL.. a bit of behind the scenes in the Bluesky workflow there! Cheers 😊👍
@@BlueSkyBonsai it's funny how we spend most of our time working on the pre Bonsai but there are very few videos on the topic! I would click on the following link in a heartbeat: "10 tips for getting the most out of your Pre Bonsai" 1. What soul to use (hint, it's not akadama) What size pot? 2. In Ground or big pot? 3. Preparing the roots for the best nebari. 4. Wiring and branch management (always seems strange to me that people don't plan ahead with their branching). 5. Watering? More or less? 6. Fertilising for growth. 7. Pruning for growth and ramification (lower branches may as well start being ramified while the leader gets massive?) 8. Preparing for removal 9. Managing the transplant for least transplant shock (foliage removal as well?) 10. Chopping sacrificial branches straight away or give it a season to rest? These are all questions I have scoured the internet to find answers too and there is very little around.
@@raphaelwood7150 wow that is a great list of topics. Thank you! When I do my horticultural videos I'm sometimes concerned that my advice is based largely on my experience here in Spain where a lot of my decisions are based on intense heat for about 3 months every summer. So I set up my soil components with about 50% organic for high water retention, while still allowing immediate drainage. And I structure the soil from larger granules at the base to finer on the top, again to maximise retention. I'm pretty sure that this is unnecessary in cooler and wetter climates. I think a lot of the best practices are climate-based. Regarding the topic about preparing and minimising transplant shock, I never defoliate because: if the tree can't supply enough water to the leaves it will throw them off itself. But I prefer to keep the leaves for a quicker root recovery in the month or two after. Thanks again for these suggestions!
@@BlueSkyBonsai Dave, I look forward to whatever you put out. Of all my subscriptions to Bonsai UA-camr's I relish your stuff the most. Thank you for what you do.
Thanks! I did a video on bonsai pests a couple of years ago and it turned out to be a pretty bad video, maybe I should try again sometime. Problem is there are so many possible pests and pathogens! Anyway thanks for your suggestion 👍
Excellent video once again! I love the little cartoons you always use in your videos, they are very helpful indeed. We have had some chances of frost over night, so I delayed the repotting of my birch and field maple. The leaves are coming out, can I still repot these or should I have done it when the buds were still closed?
Thanks Dennis I really appreciate your feedback! It's fine to repot them still after the leaves have unfurled. There is still an upward movement of the sap which will harden off those first leaves and will push a second flush of buds in a few weeks. So it's fine to do it now. Even in early summer you could do it, but then there is more risk of drying roots during, or leaves after repotting. So now's the best time! HTH
Good day Mr Dave, Very refreshing change to video creation with humor, sensible edits and deep knowledge shares. a) Sir in the specific video, when we prune the roots - dont we have to administer antifungal treatment since we cut them. You do that when you cut the branches. I was sure to kill the plant without hearing from you either way. b) Lastly, have you delved into the thought of - what exactly is cutting paste made of? Thanks much
Thanks for your comments! Anti fungal treatment during repotting is usually not recommended. I have heard a statistic that 98% of fungi in soil are beneficial to the roots and some like mycorrhizae actually create a symbiotic relationship with the tree. This is especially so in conifers, and in some deciduous trees like oaks. For those kind of trees it can be helpful to actually re-use some of the old soil to keep the fungi alive and functional. So I never use antifungals when repotting. On the other hand, in a tropical climate if your trees are plagued by prolific fungal attacks, then yes you might need to treat the roots when repotting. You could try an experiment on two near-identical trees, put the antifungal on one's roots but not the other, then see what difference you notice in the following year. For branches, I don't use cut paste in summer, because the tree's own sap is probably the best wound sealant in nature! But in winter, there is nearly no sap flowing while the tree is dormant so no natural wound sealant. Then I just cover the chops especially around the circle of cambium so that no fungal spores or bacteria can enter the organism if it rains etc. HTH only in winter
Love your channel- just started attempting to grow a bonsai from an apple tree cutting, I am well prepared for some failures! Also, I think a cool video would be a tour of your bonsai trees (sorry if it's already been done, I am new here!)
My favourite bonsai channel! I have a Chinese elm that needs repotting due to arriving with heavy organic soil, do you recommend bare rooting it or leaving some of the original soil in the root ball?
Thanks so much Jeff! Elms are like obedient pets! You can safely bare root a Chinese elm, and it will help you to see the roots better, to chop the unwanted roots at their start. Remember to keep the leaves humid for a couple of days after!
Cheers Edinborogh! I guess most bonsai hobbyists will know most of these tips already, but if you get just one or two nuggets from this that you didn't know then it will all be worthwhile!
Just found your channel and I love it! Sorry if this has already been asked, but would you recommend repotting a bonsai when you first receive it? I’m new to the hobby and I can’t really tell what kind of soil is used
Hi, Gently lift the root ball out of the pot. If it is potbound you'll see that, and it will need repotting. But if you still see ample soil, and the roots are not pervading all the pot then it doesn't need repotting yet.
Actually it’s a nursery find, bought and potted up 2 years ago. I went easy on the initial root work and plan to repot soon (in Connecticut). On the initial potting the roots were dense and hairlike, not wirey and workable like yours.mit will be interesting to see what I find. Stay well, and keep those videos coming. Thanks
Thanks a lot!! Yeah these are just recommendations more than rules, and there are some species that survive repotting much more easily than others. Elms, Ficus, and Lonicera seem to be the easiest.. they could probably survive a bomb blast! 😉👍🏻
Excellent video!, Very useful for me as I will be doing my first ever repot soon, so when it comes to removing the wire after a couple of months do you just remove some of the surface soil, undo the wire, then pull the wire out from underneath the pot?, have you done a video on this particular subject
Thanks Steven! Good question, I have included it in the beginning few minutes of one video, you can see it here: ua-cam.com/video/B6wGeUdM44Q/v-deo.html The proper way is, in june or july, to rake back the surface soil and carefully untwist the wires so that they're not pressing down on the nebari, which could leave an ugly scar on the top of the root. But the lazy way, which I do more often! is to snip the wire underneath both side so you can then push them up a few mm . So you leave the twists in the top side but they're no longer pressing down. The proper way is better because it leaves a wire unerneath that could come in handy if you're guy-wiring branches down. Enjoy your repotting!
Cheers bro nice to hear from you! True that editing takes a lot longer than filming. Hey I see you changed your channel name did you get bored of boosted? 🍻
@@BlueSkyBonsai forreal lol, & not so much bored just the reason for the boosted was because I have a boosted car (turboed) & I'm planning to actually sell it so it wouldn't feel right after not been boosted lol u feel me
Thank you very much for the really insightful and enjoyable video. Can I put down a request for a future video? I live in Italy where, very much like Spain, summers are hot and dry. Do you keep your bonsais in the sun or do you build some shading structure over your benches? What do you do to increase the humidity around the plants? It might be a little early to talk about it, but some of us might want to be prepared... thank you!
Hi Guido, thanks for your kind words and your suggestion! My bonsai garden is on the east side of the house so that the trees get morning sun and afternoon shade. Even so, by mid-May through summer the midday sun is too strong and hot for some of the trees, like maples and azalea. So I am planning on building a pergola above the benches, with a mesh cover to allow dappled sunlight through. However getting new things done in my house usually doesn't get approved by the boss of the household, so I'll probably end up with a simple mesh cover alone, tied at the ends.
Also, in case you're interested, these are the videos where I designed and built the bonsai garden: Part 1 - ua-cam.com/video/cdZkqHAW73M/v-deo.html Part 2 - ua-cam.com/video/hC70CGR3hTY/v-deo.html
Thanks so much, Jeff! Btw, soon I'm planning to do a video about the benefits and the risks of using moss on bonsai soil. I'm very interested to hear your opinion on the subject? For me, if it starts growing on its own I let it grow and it looks nice, but there are problems like bird attacks, upward roots and permanently damp trunk base.
@@BlueSkyBonsai Hiya Dave. In addition to the possible problems you list here. The constantly high humidity created by excessive moss on the trunk allows for insect invasion, bacterial/fungal pathogens, physiological degradation and physical change to the appearance of the bark. That being said, there is very little one can do to the surface of one’s bonsai soil that is as pretty as nice moss. For me, moss that is kept so that it does not pose a threat to the tree but enhances the piece shows a level of artistry and technical/scientific skill that elevates the art to a higher level.
Hi, really like your videos! Wanted to ask two things if you don't mind. You mentioned that you cut the root holding wire after a few months. Do you do that with every tree or just this one? Also, I have some Hornbeam but they are quite small yet. I want them to grow a few years before I put them into shallow pots. What do you recommend in terms of pot and soil? Maybe a bigger pond pot and simple garden compost, or something else? Thank you.
Hi, and Thanks! I remove the root wires from all trees after a few months to avoid the wire creating a visible scar on future surface roots. Regarding pot size I did a video about this exact subject, including a section about developing trees. Please see: ua-cam.com/video/Ij5jLgU-ZxY/v-deo.html For soil, it's best to use granular soil even for your seedlings and developing trees, and not reguar compost soil. In this other video I showed the difference in root development between two seedlings planted at the same time, one in peat-moss-compost soil, and the other in granular vermiculite. You can easily see which is best for the development of the tree: ua-cam.com/video/Kj4CRj96goU/v-deo.html Hope those videos answer your questions!
25 tips and not a single one that addresses children and wives that don’t understand that bonsai takes a lot of time and attention. Maybe in your next video? I’ve always wondered about the wire that people often use to hold the tree into the pot. It seems like it would cut into the roots, but you never hear about the importance of cutting that wire at a certain point. Very helpful to hear that. I rarely put things into bonsai pots so I rarely encounter that.
😂😂😂Oh man you are so right. I don't have any tips for that. Except: when the kids are a bit older, say 5-7ish buy them a Chinese elm each and tell them to look after it like they would a pet! My youngest two even repot their own.. with daddy's supervision. That works for like two weekends a year 😂 For Mrs.Boston, get her an azalea when it's in full flower! My wife likes it, we have it in the kitchen now in Spring, outdoors the rest of the year. although I have to say she still complains about my time doing horticultural pursuits, so some problems have no solution 🤪 The wires, yeah I don't use them with deeper pots but in shallow pots especially with wind, cats, footballs, tennis balls, volley balls... you get the picture. Maples in the wind are like sailboats. Wiring on roots is a similar story to branches - it's no problem at all, until the thing grows a bit. A friend in UK sometimes puts flat wooden sticks across the top of the roots, then wires down the sticks. That sounds sensible but TBH I haven't really had a problem with straight wires. How's your spring repotting going?
@@BlueSkyBonsai clever re: the stick over root technique. Seems like more work than it’s worth though. Repotting is going horribly, I’ve only gotten one main tree repotted and there’s a bunch that need it. Encouraging to hear (from this video) that it’s not too late.
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot yep, it might also help to consider: it's almost impossible to kill a plant by NOT repotting it, so any that you can't do now could always wait for either next spring, or, you could slip pot to a bigger container temporarily in autumn if really needed. Thinking this way takes the pressure off somewhat. There's always another year! Also, one year I killed a Carmona repotting in spring, I left enough fine roots, kept it humid afterwards, it was fine until a couple of weeks later I chopped an unwanted branch and it quickly deteriorated and died. But then, Carmonas die if you sneeze near them. (Don't even look at it!) So, take it easy and enjoy it, that's my best advice!
i'm a newbie n i'd make an awful mess with your small 'basin' for repotting, i bought a large second hand plastic dog basket and i love it, contains the mess, even for me LOL!
Sounds like an excellent repotting environment. Perhaps I should get something similar for when I'm repotting indoors. When I'm outside I don't care about the mess... I just sweep it onto the grass after I'm done! but the advantage of that bowl is to keep the old soil, seive out the dust and use it again.
I just started watching your videos and subbed. I have some questions if you don’t mind. For background I have a Focus religiosa that I’m working with and it’s in a plastic pot since I didn’t want to repot when I got it earlier this summer. 1. It is pot bound now I want to just transfer it over to a bigger pot. It appears to have some soil that is regular soil with perlite and it drains fairly well. If I take the mass of roots and dirt without taking it and trimming, can I just put it into a soil mix like the one you use? Will having two different soils affect it? 2. With a repot method that doesn’t involve root trimming, what kind of fertilizer should I use and can that be given right after trimming? 3.I want to get it to grow bigger as it is very skinny and only about 7 inches tall. I would like 12-15 inches in height and a thicker trunk. Would you recommend just doing a full repot into a big pot and allowing it to grow from there? Or gradually increasing pot size without doing any root work? I’ll be sure to check out your other videos for possible answers but any help is greatly appreciated.
1. Slip potting into a larger pot with granular soil will be excellent for the ficus. Here's a video about slip potting: ua-cam.com/video/xJFa-dsNO9I/v-deo.htmlsi=UIEhlup_kCUV0yE_ 2. I would use slow-release fertiliser sprinkled on top. But if you have the bonsai indoors, an organic fert might smell so try to get some like "osmocote" slow release fertiliser. 3. Deep pots allow bigger faster growth. But remember that a deep pot will get dry up at the surface quicker than a shallow pot, so it's best to gradually increase the pot size every two or so years. Here's a video about pot depth: ua-cam.com/video/Ij5jLgU-ZxY/v-deo.htmlsi=e1Xf3wE6bepfdHgy Hope that helps!
Hi Dave. brilliant videos!! so calming. Very knowledgeable. Newbie!! What was the top dressing you use? BIG question! I have an Acer tree, large tree. I want to reduce the size to a Bonsai! Go to reduce branches (two of them), one at a time with a months break to help to recover!! Going to start repotting next year. How do you go about reducing root ball. How much can you reduce it at a time? Appreciate your help/advice. Terry
Thanks! For top dressing I generally use a mix of small-grain akadama with small-grain kiryuzuna. In my latest video I explain why I use that mix: ua-cam.com/video/HqoS2kaBQfQ/v-deo.html
And, regarding root pruning: If you do it in spring just as the new buds are swelling, but before the new leaves unfurl, you can prune an unbelievably massive amount off the root mass.. if the tree is healthy and vigorous you can prune off 90% or even more of the root mass, because all the sap is pushing up the trunk which carries on happening with or without roots! But of course you need to keep some of the roots so that when the leaves appear they can be supplied with water.
I'm from Kentucky, so I have an important question: In your slides showing the preparation stage and the equipment you use, I wonder if you would recommend Bourbon as an alternative to Beer? 👍😃
Other question, can I just leave my bonsai ( chinese elm, lorpetalum) in the heavy rain ? It has a draining hole but... but want to know just for some peace of mind. Thank you, good videos !
Hi, yes rainwater is good for them. When you water by hand, does the water come out the drainage hole freely and quickly? If so, the rain will do your trees good.
@@BlueSkyBonsai I have my moments, what can I say. Thanks for your vids Dave, your approach keeps viewers attentive to the information and your relaxing delivery makes these very enjoyable to watch after a hard day at work. Bring on the spring and new buds. Cheers.
@@user-li5wk2yq4b cheers I really appreciate that. I just remembered in Nov 2019, y'know when it was still ok to travel, ... I met Peter at Herons: flic.kr/p/2hKFVDy
Hi Dave, I have already followed your tips and advice on how to root my olive tree. I was able to root it and it only has 1-2 leaves. I used moist coco coir in planting the cuttings and 1 month has lapsed since they have rooted. When is it safe to repot and bring out the newly rooted cutting out of the propagator? I am still a bit scared to take them out of the propagator and repot it because the cutting only has 3 small roots in the coco coir. Thanks again. :)
Great job! I would leave it in the propagator until it has several more roots, and keep it in there until you see the first set of new leaves. For my olives that was like another 4-6 weeks after I first saw roots so I left them in the propagator for that extra time. All eight cuttings I planted in my video "How to ensure roots from cuttings" are still alive and growing healthily in their small nursery pots.
I got a very skinny tall bonsai about half a year ago and I have never had any experience with bonsais so seeing this is really good. Do I have to wire it down?
You only need to tie it down if it will be in the wind, or if you have animals or kids (or vacuum cleaner!) that could knock the tree. And then you only need to tie it down for 3-5 months, until enough new roots have grown to ground it in the new pot/soil.
Aussie Dave here, great video, one question regarding flowering trees in spring, like my jacaranda which flowers from late spring -mid summer. When is the best time to root prone?
Thanks Dave! I don't have any jacarandas, but I'm told they are similar to other flowering trees, the best time to root prune is in early spring just before the new buds start to unfurl. HTH
@@BlueSkyBonsai Dave, you should get some jacaranda seeds, they are easy to grow and when they flower they cover the entire tree. They are beautiful.. Google some photos you will be impressed 😉
@@davidmorgan3508 yes they're beautiful trees, on my list of definites for someday. But I'm at the limit of what I can manage timewise at the moment. So the jacaranda will have to wait for another year. I also have some albizia seeds on my desk here, they are gorgeous trees. I've been delaying planting them for months, wilp hopefully do after summer. And after I can offload a batch of seedlings and cuttings from the last couple of years... 😊
You will be surprised to know how resilient a tree is after two or three years, your work looks good but honestly trees of that age dont require that amount of fiddling to thrive at all.
It did work when I first got it 4 years ago. The eyes were brighter, the head swivelled continually even in a slight breeze, and I placed it in a different position every day. But now the birds seem to ignore it. As do I ! Nowadays to deter the birds I hang several strips of reflective tape and discs from the trees and the shade cloth etc. The reflective tape works well but pooks a bit messy.
Good question, I have included it in the beginning few minutes of one video, you can see it here: ua-cam.com/video/B6wGeUdM44Q/v-deo.html The proper way is, in june or july, to rake back the surface soil and carefully untwist the wires so that they're not pressing down on the nebari, which could leave an ugly scar on the top of the root. But the lazy way, which I do more often! is to snip the wire underneath the pot, both sides so you can then push the vertical wires up a few millimetres. So you leave the twists in the top side but they're no longer pressing down and hindering the root growth. The proper way is better because it leaves a wire unerneath that could come in handy if you're guy-wiring branches down. Enjoy your repotting!
Hi sir, just wanted to ask about bonsai soil. The macadamia tree which was planted in my akadama soil and pumice mixture suddenly died from root rot. Can i reuse the soil to plant my olive trees in? Do i need to disinfect the soil and use copper fungicide to sterilize it? Thanks a lot in advance for the advice :)
Hi Richard, I have never seen a tree die of root rot in akadama and pumice. Only once have I seen a tree get rotten roots in akadama, when I found the water was not draining out the bottom after about 6 weeks, but the tree survived (an elm). So, how did your macadamia get root rot? Maybe the water wasn't draining out the bottom of the pot? Anyway, I guess you can reuse the soil if you sterilize and disinfect it first. But be sure to check your pots are draining through every watering.
@@BlueSkyBonsai hi, my macadamia tree was previously planted in clay loam soil then i replanted it in akadama and pumice where it died out. Can i use copper fungicide to disinfect the soil? Thanks a lot for your advice 😊
@@richardandrew01 well I have only used copper fungicide in a spray on leaves to get rid of funfal infections and mildew. I have heard that copper does not get washed away from the soil and if it builds up it could contaminate the roots. So personally I would rinse the soil with boiling water to disinfect it, if you cand do that safely. On the instructions of your fungicide, if it say you can use it directly in the soil then I guess it's fine. But if the instructions don't mention use in the soil, then it probably means you shouldn't.
Yes it's one measure I use to try and keep the birds off my pots. But it doesn't work unless you move it everyday to a slightly different position. Some people near me hang their owl from a garden tree so it scares off animals too, and I guess it naturally moves around a bit in the wind.
I don't use wires for the small cuttings and seedlings. If you have animals running around I recommend the wires. Or strong winds. Or earthquakes lol. If you know that the pot and plant will stay still for 2-3 months you don't need the wires.
@@BlueSkyBonsai Awesome. I have a snake, but he's not allowed among the flowers, and we don't have earthquakes here, and they're on my balcony or indoors. :)
Hi, my name is Carmen, I just received an bonsai tree from my sister that somebody has given it to her as a gift sure what went on, but the tree lost its leaves, however, I replanted it I live in Pennsylvania, also would like to know how much water does it take, and how much should I how many time should I let it?
Hi, the most common reason a bonsai loses its leaves is because it went for a day or two without water. The other possibility is that the bonsai tree species is deciduous, which means it would automatically loose its leaves in Fall. For watering advice I created this video: ua-cam.com/video/E2dBOrA7tOs/v-deo.html - I hope that helps.
The beautiful bonsai tree that i bought from a nursery comes in a pot filled with clay rich soil and the water stagnates before slowly getting absorbed every time i water it. The leaves also had dropped off a little and i noticed some roots that were arching above the clay soil surface. So I tried removing the clay rich compacted soil by raking it a bit but i found the soil was holding on to the roots too strongly ...i couldnt even dig down to appreciated the nebari fully. So i just removed the bottom root bound roots and sort of slip potted it into a larger pot and left it be for fear of damaging the roots. This was done a week ago. I would really love to go back and remove the clay soil completely and place the roots back into a more oxygen rich soil. Any ideas as to how i can acheive this please?
If it were me, I would let it recover from the last root pruning for at least 6 months - or more - before working on the roots again. After you prune the roots, you need to let it grow lots of new root hairs so it's best to leave it to recover for a few months. After that, when you return to continue the clay removal job, you could try something like I did in this video to get rid of the clay but trying not to damage the roots: ua-cam.com/video/wAjHZC1qBoM/v-deo.html
Hi again! So, I planted like 9 lemon seeds in one pot, and for some reason 8 of them grew. XD So, how long do I wait before repotting them into separate pots? I didn't expect so many of them to sprout. (I also got one orange, but that one's in a separate pot already).
Hi Syster, Great work! The longer you leave the seedlings, the harder it will be to separate them. So if you want them separate in the future, better to do it now. Yes 8 pots is extra space but maybe not all will survive so it's worth doing. In the last couple of years I've been using square grow pots for seedlings because you can fit more together and then watering is easier too.
@@BlueSkyBonsai lol, today the last one poked out of the dirt too. All nine made it. XD Alright, I'll replant them soon. But they're gonna have to live with smaller pots, I don't have any big seedling pots. Good thing it's soon summer so they can live on the balcony. XD
Hola! si miras mis vídeos en un ordenador, UA-cam te da la opción de autotraducir los subtítulos en español. El app de móvil no nos da esa opción, por tanto en el móvil solo ves los subtítulos que he traducido manualmente. En algún momento cuando tenga tiempo, traduciré los otros vídeos también. Gracias por ver mis vídeos!
Dave I have a question...whenever I place green moss in the pot...the moss always gets yellow.no matter how many times I spray it with water...what should I do?
@@JSam1 Great question! I am seriously not an expert in moss, it just seems to keep coming back on my bonsai soil. But you could try to keep the humid moss in the shade for a couple of weeks, it's possible that it is drying out too quickly on the soil surface depsite your spraying. Another possibility you could try: Take some "fresh" green moss, and trim a few millimetres off the top off the moss then sprinkle that across the bonsai soil. Then that moss will grow organically and slowly, it might be a few months before you get the lush covering, but it should be greener and thicker than if you just pick a few matts of moss and lay them out on the soil. Btw I have some problems with moss, the birds keep on attacking it... maybe a subject for another video...
Heya quick question. I've repotted my 5 year old jacaranda in spring. And noticed there were ants in the soil. A month after repotting (summer) and its not doing well :( what should I do?
Hi! your tree's problem right now is that there are not enough fine roots to feed water up to the leaves while they transpire. So you need to reduce the transpiration. Put a clear plastic bag over the whole tree to keep it at 100% humidity. In a bright place but not in direct sunlight. This will slow down the transpiration in the leaves, so they don't try to draw up as much water from the depleted root system. I doubt the ants are to blame. But it is worthwhile checking to make sure the ants didn't bring some other pathogen that is causing the problem, like Mealybugs, or Scale, both are cleverly farmed by ants.
@@BlueSkyBonsaithere's no more leaves on the tree but there are buds that struggling to grow. Should I repot and check for root rot or is it gonna be too much for the tree. Thank you so much for your time.
@@louiegiezbloodlyn don't repot, it would be too risky. But if you see buds trying to pop out, then the plastic bag trick is still worthwhile trying so that as soon as the new leaves emerge they won't dry up. When it has lots of leaves again, you'll need to gradually acclimitize it to life without the bag again, over a few days.
Sir please have me as ur assistant. I dnt know which u belong to, let me join u. I want to learn it from you. Its not an ordinary comment i want to join you
My fingers are too fat and stubby at this age. To poke the soil nicely under the trunk base you need something thinner. Although, I do agree with you that doing it by feel is good.
Your videos are so relaxing to watch. I've binge watched a tonne. You sir, are a bonsai wizard!
Hahaha thanks Kelly it's nice to hear. Can I ask you a couple of questions? Which of my videos did you find first? Did any of the videos stick out as significant favourites for you ... and if so what made them better than others in your opinion? Of course you don't have to answer -- I don't want to sound like one of those online shops that makes you review their service! 😂
I'm asking you because I guess not many people binge watch my videos in one sitting (but I might be wrong!)
@@BlueSkyBonsai it's the least I can do 😁. I first found the 'how to prune part 1 and 2' after my initial search. I'd watched a few other channels and just didn't connect with them. Then I found yours and because your explanations are so great for beginners like me, I ended up watching a tonne and found information i didn't even know u needed. Your passion really shines through in each video and I just love your chilled out vibe. It's honestly so relaxing! I really loved the repotting video in your garden, and I think it's to do with your attention to detail which I found lacking in other channels. It's fine for people who know what they're doing, but I'm not just a novice to bonsai, I'm a novice to everything gardening. So your explanations and diagrams really help things make sense, or give me a base for further research. Sorry for the essay, I hope it helps 😂💚🌱
@@hells_kells thanks so much for your great feedback, I really appreciate it.
I just wish I had more time spare to do more of these videos - I'm averaging about one a month this year 😊🙃🌳
@@BlueSkyBonsai think big! Make it a sustainable business you can make money from. Imagine a life where your job is your passion 💫
@@hells_kells 👍🏻now yer talking life philosophy! I have sometimes thought about it but for now I am also happy with my day job 🧘🏼♂️😊
great tips as always. the boxwood is looking excellent as well. they are always such vigorous root growers
Cheers Ian. Yep, the roots grow really quickly. Much more than the canopy... But the thing I really like about boxwoods is the bark makes them look like much older trees than their real age.
@@BlueSkyBonsai yeah the bark is great. Although mine is really skinny and i dont get to enjoy it as much as yours.
@@BackGardenBonsai the bark starts to crack surprisingly early I found, so you might not have to wait too long.
But there are several different species of boxwood and all 5 of my boxwoods are one species - microphylla - so I don't have experience with other species like the European or American boxwoods. What's yours?
Well presented and informative video on aspects of repotting. Like your soil mixture, I use something very similar. One thing I would have done here is to raise the Boxwood higher in the pot, exposing more of the base roots. I have been doing that for many of our Bonsai, these past few years. And your emphasis on keeping the roots and foliage wet/damp during repotting is excellent. Your benches are looking good with your nice Bonsai selection.
Thanks Jeff, much appreciated. Yes I did think about raising the tree to expose the nebari more, but this is one of the great things about bonsai: there will always be another year to do that 😊
Great video my friend. Great for all levels of bonsai broskis
Thanks Jered! I was hoping you'd see this after you said that repotting stresses you out. For me the stressful part is having the camera there while I'm repotting. when I repot without fiming it I'm in bonsai heaven! But then no one sees that...
Thank you for wonderful quality videos.
Thanks Richard! I appreciate that.
Thanks for all your help man! I live in Granada but originally from America, love what you do!
Awesome! Thank you!
@@BlueSkyBonsai of course, sir!
Thanks for a lovely video mate. These videos are so calming. Cool music and vibe all round.
I would love a video on pre bonsai techniques. Thickening trunks, soil mix, fertiliser etc. Most of my trees are growing bigger in large pots but you don't see much about that topic.
Thanks Raphael, I appreciate your great feedback. That's a very good suggestion. I also have a lot of pre-bonsai trees in bigger garden pots, and they often appear in camio-roles or in my videos but have almost never taken the main spotlight. I recently repotted a tall nursery sycamore that is long-term fattening up, normally you would leave these in a large pot for several years, but I repotted it because I was sure the soil was bad and restricting root growth, and on unearthing it I was proved right. it's now in another deep garden pot but this time with better granular soil. I filmed the work, but TBH the footage is not good, a lot of it is closeup of the top of my head as I was stooped working on the roots. LOL.. a bit of behind the scenes in the Bluesky workflow there! Cheers 😊👍
@@BlueSkyBonsai it's funny how we spend most of our time working on the pre Bonsai but there are very few videos on the topic!
I would click on the following link in a heartbeat:
"10 tips for getting the most out of your Pre Bonsai"
1. What soul to use (hint, it's not akadama)
What size pot?
2. In Ground or big pot?
3. Preparing the roots for the best nebari.
4. Wiring and branch management (always seems strange to me that people don't plan ahead with their branching).
5. Watering? More or less?
6. Fertilising for growth.
7. Pruning for growth and ramification (lower branches may as well start being ramified while the leader gets massive?)
8. Preparing for removal
9. Managing the transplant for least transplant shock (foliage removal as well?)
10. Chopping sacrificial branches straight away or give it a season to rest?
These are all questions I have scoured the internet to find answers too and there is very little around.
@@raphaelwood7150 wow that is a great list of topics. Thank you! When I do my horticultural videos I'm sometimes concerned that my advice is based largely on my experience here in Spain where a lot of my decisions are based on intense heat for about 3 months every summer. So I set up my soil components with about 50% organic for high water retention, while still allowing immediate drainage. And I structure the soil from larger granules at the base to finer on the top, again to maximise retention.
I'm pretty sure that this is unnecessary in cooler and wetter climates.
I think a lot of the best practices are climate-based.
Regarding the topic about preparing and minimising transplant shock, I never defoliate because: if the tree can't supply enough water to the leaves it will throw them off itself. But I prefer to keep the leaves for a quicker root recovery in the month or two after.
Thanks again for these suggestions!
@@BlueSkyBonsai Dave, I look forward to whatever you put out.
Of all my subscriptions to Bonsai UA-camr's I relish your stuff the most. Thank you for what you do.
@@raphaelwood7150 Thanks so much! 😊😊😊
Exquisite tiny Trees!
Thank you Sophia!
Quality content and well edited! Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you @Osmar OS! More coming soon 😊
Amazing video, doing my first re pot soon, wish me luck!
Thanks!
You'll do a great job, you don't even need luck 💪👍
Great video and tips! Your benches are full of lovely trees
Thanks so much! Yeah I'm going to need more brenches soon...
@@BlueSkyBonsai the greatest problem of every bonsaist 😁😁
@@RosarioCostanzo true! 😂
Your videos are amazing! I just learned a lot in the last month. Thank you very much 😊
Thanks so much for your kind words! And I'm very happy to hear you're learning from my videos. 🌳👍
Nice video. All that info in a row is nice.
Thanks Ernst 👍🏻
Thanks, very helpful. Nice vid.
Thanks @Green Machine Sweden! Glad you liked it.
You should make a video of how you deal with pests, love your vids btw
Thanks! I did a video on bonsai pests a couple of years ago and it turned out to be a pretty bad video, maybe I should try again sometime. Problem is there are so many possible pests and pathogens! Anyway thanks for your suggestion 👍
nice tips for healthy repotting ...
Thanks Bonsai Corner!
Thanks for the knowledge 😍.. video quality of making is tooo good 😊.
Thanks so much! 😊👍🏻
Thanks so much love your style of teaching I really enjoy all your work!!!!!
Thank you!! Glad you're enjoying 😊👍
Excellent video once again! I love the little cartoons you always use in your videos, they are very helpful indeed.
We have had some chances of frost over night, so I delayed the repotting of my birch and field maple. The leaves are coming out, can I still repot these or should I have done it when the buds were still closed?
Thanks Dennis I really appreciate your feedback! It's fine to repot them still after the leaves have unfurled. There is still an upward movement of the sap which will harden off those first leaves and will push a second flush of buds in a few weeks. So it's fine to do it now. Even in early summer you could do it, but then there is more risk of drying roots during, or leaves after repotting. So now's the best time! HTH
@@BlueSkyBonsai Thank you for answering! I will repot them then when it is a bit warmer outside.
@@DnHVid enjoy it!
Good day Mr Dave,
Very refreshing change to video creation with humor, sensible edits and deep knowledge shares.
a) Sir in the specific video, when we prune the roots - dont we have to administer antifungal treatment since we cut them. You do that when you cut the branches. I was sure to kill the plant without hearing from you either way.
b) Lastly, have you delved into the thought of - what exactly is cutting paste made of?
Thanks much
Thanks for your comments!
Anti fungal treatment during repotting is usually not recommended. I have heard a statistic that 98% of fungi in soil are beneficial to the roots and some like mycorrhizae actually create a symbiotic relationship with the tree. This is especially so in conifers, and in some deciduous trees like oaks. For those kind of trees it can be helpful to actually re-use some of the old soil to keep the fungi alive and functional. So I never use antifungals when repotting.
On the other hand, in a tropical climate if your trees are plagued by prolific fungal attacks, then yes you might need to treat the roots when repotting. You could try an experiment on two near-identical trees, put the antifungal on one's roots but not the other, then see what difference you notice in the following year.
For branches, I don't use cut paste in summer, because the tree's own sap is probably the best wound sealant in nature! But in winter, there is nearly no sap flowing while the tree is dormant so no natural wound sealant. Then I just cover the chops especially around the circle of cambium so that no fungal spores or bacteria can enter the organism if it rains etc. HTH
only in winter
Love your channel- just started attempting to grow a bonsai from an apple tree cutting, I am well prepared for some failures! Also, I think a cool video would be a tour of your bonsai trees (sorry if it's already been done, I am new here!)
Thanks so much! Enjoy the apple bonsai experience!
My favourite bonsai channel! I have a Chinese elm that needs repotting due to arriving with heavy organic soil, do you recommend bare rooting it or leaving some of the original soil in the root ball?
Thanks so much Jeff! Elms are like obedient pets! You can safely bare root a Chinese elm, and it will help you to see the roots better, to chop the unwanted roots at their start. Remember to keep the leaves humid for a couple of days after!
Awesome tips!
Cheers Edinborogh! I guess most bonsai hobbyists will know most of these tips already, but if you get just one or two nuggets from this that you didn't know then it will all be worthwhile!
@@BlueSkyBonsai its always useful to go over the basics. Your presentation makes it clear, understandable and fun to watch.
@@edinborogh Thanks again! 😊👍
Just found your channel and I love it! Sorry if this has already been asked, but would you recommend repotting a bonsai when you first receive it? I’m new to the hobby and I can’t really tell what kind of soil is used
Hi, Gently lift the root ball out of the pot. If it is potbound you'll see that, and it will need repotting. But if you still see ample soil, and the roots are not pervading all the pot then it doesn't need repotting yet.
Did you see this video, 10 reasons to repot a bonsai: ua-cam.com/video/eFdWy-MfFrs/v-deo.html
Thank you very much. I will watch that video now. I really appreciate your help and how easily you explain things
@@samalama1725 you're welcome.
Please also watch the part 2, Reasons to Not repot your bonsai.
Thanks for your kind words!
Nice to meet you from Indonesia buddy🙏
Thanks for commenting, nice to meet you too! 🌳👍
Excellent video
Cheers Nick!
Great video
Thank you!
Be fd
Wow very beautiful. Super
Thanks so much!!
Great video again! Cant wait for the next one! (:
Thanks again Jonne! I guess the next one will be shorter, some simpler repotting videos I think. 😊👍🏻
Nice root development. My boxwood has a very fine, dense root system. Thanks
Thanks Matt. That's good, it probably means you have done a good job of root pruning it in past repots
Actually it’s a nursery find, bought and potted up 2 years ago. I went easy on the initial root work and plan to repot soon (in Connecticut). On the initial potting the roots were dense and hairlike, not wirey and workable like yours.mit will be interesting to see what I find. Stay well, and keep those videos coming. Thanks
Cheers Matt! My bet is on long noodles in the lower pot... enjoy repotting it!
Oops; broke a couple of those rules but everything turned out fine. Great advice nicely explained thankyou.
Thanks a lot!! Yeah these are just recommendations more than rules, and there are some species that survive repotting much more easily than others. Elms, Ficus, and Lonicera seem to be the easiest.. they could probably survive a bomb blast! 😉👍🏻
Wow so beautifoll your bonsai good work my bro ☺❤🌳
Thanks bro! 😊👍
@@BlueSkyBonsai most welcome my friend I need 1000 subscriber so please spot me
thanks for your knowledge and advice, greetings as a hobby
Greetings! Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@BlueSkyBonsai 👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿
Excellent video!, Very useful for me as I will be doing my first ever repot soon, so when it comes to removing the wire after a couple of months do you just remove some of the surface soil, undo the wire, then pull the wire out from underneath the pot?, have you done a video on this particular subject
Thanks Steven! Good question, I have included it in the beginning few minutes of one video, you can see it here: ua-cam.com/video/B6wGeUdM44Q/v-deo.html
The proper way is, in june or july, to rake back the surface soil and carefully untwist the wires so that they're not pressing down on the nebari, which could leave an ugly scar on the top of the root.
But the lazy way, which I do more often! is to snip the wire underneath both side so you can then push them up a few mm . So you leave the twists in the top side but they're no longer pressing down.
The proper way is better because it leaves a wire unerneath that could come in handy if you're guy-wiring branches down.
Enjoy your repotting!
@@BlueSkyBonsai thanks for the reply
@@stevenvitali7404 y/w 👍🏻
nice video bro! it takes me like a week just to put a couple clips and make them 1 🤣 I like how u edit ur shit bro 👍🏼 legit tips too!
Cheers bro nice to hear from you! True that editing takes a lot longer than filming. Hey I see you changed your channel name did you get bored of boosted? 🍻
@@BlueSkyBonsai forreal lol, & not so much bored just the reason for the boosted was because I have a boosted car (turboed) & I'm planning to actually sell it so it wouldn't feel right after not been boosted lol u feel me
@@cencalbonsai6429 got it. Take care man! 🍻👍
Nice video🤗
Thanks!
Thanks for the video, Dave!
Thanks for watching & commenting CnG! 😊👍
Thank you very much for the really insightful and enjoyable video. Can I put down a request for a future video? I live in Italy where, very much like Spain, summers are hot and dry. Do you keep your bonsais in the sun or do you build some shading structure over your benches? What do you do to increase the humidity around the plants? It might be a little early to talk about it, but some of us might want to be prepared... thank you!
Hi Guido, thanks for your kind words and your suggestion! My bonsai garden is on the east side of the house so that the trees get morning sun and afternoon shade. Even so, by mid-May through summer the midday sun is too strong and hot for some of the trees, like maples and azalea. So I am planning on building a pergola above the benches, with a mesh cover to allow dappled sunlight through. However getting new things done in my house usually doesn't get approved by the boss of the household, so I'll probably end up with a simple mesh cover alone, tied at the ends.
Also, in case you're interested, these are the videos where I designed and built the bonsai garden:
Part 1 - ua-cam.com/video/cdZkqHAW73M/v-deo.html
Part 2 - ua-cam.com/video/hC70CGR3hTY/v-deo.html
Really excellent. Well done.
Thanks so much, Jeff!
Btw, soon I'm planning to do a video about the benefits and the risks of using moss on bonsai soil. I'm very interested to hear your opinion on the subject?
For me, if it starts growing on its own I let it grow and it looks nice, but there are problems like bird attacks, upward roots and permanently damp trunk base.
@@BlueSkyBonsai Hiya Dave. In addition to the possible problems you list here. The constantly high humidity created by excessive moss on the trunk allows for insect invasion, bacterial/fungal pathogens, physiological degradation and physical change to the appearance of the bark. That being said, there is very little one can do to the surface of one’s bonsai soil that is as pretty as nice moss. For me, moss that is kept so that it does not pose a threat to the tree but enhances the piece shows a level of artistry and technical/scientific skill that elevates the art to a higher level.
@@jeffdodson1675 all very good points. Thanks again!
Great stuff, thanks Dave!
Thanks Kate! I guess you probably knew all this already but hope you enjoyed it anyway 😊
very good....
Thank you! 🌳😊
Hi, really like your videos! Wanted to ask two things if you don't mind. You mentioned that you cut the root holding wire after a few months. Do you do that with every tree or just this one?
Also, I have some Hornbeam but they are quite small yet. I want them to grow a few years before I put them into shallow pots. What do you recommend in terms of pot and soil? Maybe a bigger pond pot and simple garden compost, or something else? Thank you.
Hi, and Thanks!
I remove the root wires from all trees after a few months to avoid the wire creating a visible scar on future surface roots.
Regarding pot size I did a video about this exact subject, including a section about developing trees. Please see: ua-cam.com/video/Ij5jLgU-ZxY/v-deo.html
For soil, it's best to use granular soil even for your seedlings and developing trees, and not reguar compost soil.
In this other video I showed the difference in root development between two seedlings planted at the same time, one in peat-moss-compost soil, and the other in granular vermiculite. You can easily see which is best for the development of the tree:
ua-cam.com/video/Kj4CRj96goU/v-deo.html
Hope those videos answer your questions!
25 tips and not a single one that addresses children and wives that don’t understand that bonsai takes a lot of time and attention. Maybe in your next video?
I’ve always wondered about the wire that people often use to hold the tree into the pot. It seems like it would cut into the roots, but you never hear about the importance of cutting that wire at a certain point. Very helpful to hear that. I rarely put things into bonsai pots so I rarely encounter that.
😂😂😂Oh man you are so right. I don't have any tips for that. Except: when the kids are a bit older, say 5-7ish buy them a Chinese elm each and tell them to look after it like they would a pet! My youngest two even repot their own.. with daddy's supervision. That works for like two weekends a year 😂
For Mrs.Boston, get her an azalea when it's in full flower! My wife likes it, we have it in the kitchen now in Spring, outdoors the rest of the year. although I have to say she still complains about my time doing horticultural pursuits, so some problems have no solution 🤪
The wires, yeah I don't use them with deeper pots but in shallow pots especially with wind, cats, footballs, tennis balls, volley balls... you get the picture. Maples in the wind are like sailboats.
Wiring on roots is a similar story to branches - it's no problem at all, until the thing grows a bit. A friend in UK sometimes puts flat wooden sticks across the top of the roots, then wires down the sticks. That sounds sensible but TBH I haven't really had a problem with straight wires.
How's your spring repotting going?
@@BlueSkyBonsai clever re: the stick over root technique. Seems like more work than it’s worth though. Repotting is going horribly, I’ve only gotten one main tree repotted and there’s a bunch that need it. Encouraging to hear (from this video) that it’s not too late.
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot yep, it might also help to consider: it's almost impossible to kill a plant by NOT repotting it, so any that you can't do now could always wait for either next spring, or, you could slip pot to a bigger container temporarily in autumn if really needed. Thinking this way takes the pressure off somewhat. There's always another year!
Also, one year I killed a Carmona repotting in spring, I left enough fine roots, kept it humid afterwards, it was fine until a couple of weeks later I chopped an unwanted branch and it quickly deteriorated and died. But then, Carmonas die if you sneeze near them. (Don't even look at it!) So, take it easy and enjoy it, that's my best advice!
i'm a newbie n i'd make an awful mess with your small 'basin' for repotting, i bought a large second hand plastic dog basket and i love it, contains the mess, even for me LOL!
Sounds like an excellent repotting environment. Perhaps I should get something similar for when I'm repotting indoors. When I'm outside I don't care about the mess... I just sweep it onto the grass after I'm done! but the advantage of that bowl is to keep the old soil, seive out the dust and use it again.
I just started watching your videos and subbed. I have some questions if you don’t mind. For background I have a Focus religiosa that I’m working with and it’s in a plastic pot since I didn’t want to repot when I got it earlier this summer.
1. It is pot bound now I want to just transfer it over to a bigger pot. It appears to have some soil that is regular soil with perlite and it drains fairly well. If I take the mass of roots and dirt without taking it and trimming, can I just put it into a soil mix like the one you use? Will having two different soils affect it?
2. With a repot method that doesn’t involve root trimming, what kind of fertilizer should I use and can that be given right after trimming?
3.I want to get it to grow bigger as it is very skinny and only about 7 inches tall. I would like 12-15 inches in height and a thicker trunk. Would you recommend just doing a full repot into a big pot and allowing it to grow from there? Or gradually increasing pot size without doing any root work?
I’ll be sure to check out your other videos for possible answers but any help is greatly appreciated.
1. Slip potting into a larger pot with granular soil will be excellent for the ficus.
Here's a video about slip potting: ua-cam.com/video/xJFa-dsNO9I/v-deo.htmlsi=UIEhlup_kCUV0yE_
2. I would use slow-release fertiliser sprinkled on top. But if you have the bonsai indoors, an organic fert might smell so try to get some like "osmocote" slow release fertiliser.
3. Deep pots allow bigger faster growth. But remember that a deep pot will get dry up at the surface quicker than a shallow pot, so it's best to gradually increase the pot size every two or so years. Here's a video about pot depth: ua-cam.com/video/Ij5jLgU-ZxY/v-deo.htmlsi=e1Xf3wE6bepfdHgy
Hope that helps!
Thank you this wonderful info. Sir
Thanks for your kind comment! 😊👍🏻
greetings a hobby from Indonesia
Greetings and thanks for dropping in here! 🌳👍🏻
Hi Dave. brilliant videos!! so calming. Very knowledgeable. Newbie!! What was the top dressing you use? BIG question! I have an Acer tree, large tree. I want to reduce the size to a Bonsai! Go to reduce branches (two of them), one at a time with a months break to help to recover!! Going to start repotting next year. How do you go about reducing root ball. How much can you reduce it at a time? Appreciate your help/advice. Terry
Thanks! For top dressing I generally use a mix of small-grain akadama with small-grain kiryuzuna. In my latest video I explain why I use that mix: ua-cam.com/video/HqoS2kaBQfQ/v-deo.html
And, regarding root pruning: If you do it in spring just as the new buds are swelling, but before the new leaves unfurl, you can prune an unbelievably massive amount off the root mass.. if the tree is healthy and vigorous you can prune off 90% or even more of the root mass, because all the sap is pushing up the trunk which carries on happening with or without roots! But of course you need to keep some of the roots so that when the leaves appear they can be supplied with water.
I'm from Kentucky, so I have an important question:
In your slides showing the preparation stage and the equipment you use, I wonder if you would recommend Bourbon as an alternative to Beer?
👍😃
Hi Mark, lol! bourbon would be acceptable, although I would recommend a good scotch.. but then I would say that coming from Great Britain!
Green is good ...
Yep, maybe green suits the broadleaf evergreen leaves.
Other question, can I just leave my bonsai ( chinese elm, lorpetalum) in the heavy rain ? It has a draining hole but... but want to know just for some peace of mind. Thank you, good videos !
Hi, yes rainwater is good for them. When you water by hand, does the water come out the drainage hole freely and quickly? If so, the rain will do your trees good.
I think if this fellow and Peter Chan had a baby. It would be the second coming of Bonsai Christ.
Lol that is funny!
@@BlueSkyBonsai I have my moments, what can I say. Thanks for your vids Dave, your approach keeps viewers attentive to the information and your relaxing delivery makes these very enjoyable to watch after a hard day at work. Bring on the spring and new buds. Cheers.
@@user-li5wk2yq4b cheers I really appreciate that. I just remembered in Nov 2019, y'know when it was still ok to travel, ... I met Peter at Herons: flic.kr/p/2hKFVDy
@@BlueSkyBonsai Fantastic. I've been wanting to travel back home just to meet him as well. What's got you in Spain then?
@@user-li5wk2yq4b My Spanish girl convinced me to move here over 20 years ago. And the The weather convinced me to stay! Where are you living then?
Hi Dave, I have already followed your tips and advice on how to root my olive tree. I was able to root it and it only has 1-2 leaves. I used moist coco coir in planting the cuttings and 1 month has lapsed since they have rooted. When is it safe to repot and bring out the newly rooted cutting out of the propagator? I am still a bit scared to take them out of the propagator and repot it because the cutting only has 3 small roots in the coco coir. Thanks again. :)
Great job! I would leave it in the propagator until it has several more roots, and keep it in there until you see the first set of new leaves. For my olives that was like another 4-6 weeks after I first saw roots so I left them in the propagator for that extra time. All eight cuttings I planted in my video "How to ensure roots from cuttings" are still alive and growing healthily in their small nursery pots.
I got a very skinny tall bonsai about half a year ago and I have never had any experience with bonsais so seeing this is really good.
Do I have to wire it down?
You only need to tie it down if it will be in the wind, or if you have animals or kids (or vacuum cleaner!) that could knock the tree.
And then you only need to tie it down for 3-5 months, until enough new roots have grown to ground it in the new pot/soil.
Aussie Dave here, great video, one question regarding flowering trees in spring, like my jacaranda which flowers from late spring -mid summer. When is the best time to root prone?
Thanks Dave! I don't have any jacarandas, but I'm told they are similar to other flowering trees, the best time to root prune is in early spring just before the new buds start to unfurl. HTH
@@BlueSkyBonsai thanks Dave I'll do that.. cheers👍
@@BlueSkyBonsai Dave, you should get some jacaranda seeds, they are easy to grow and when they flower they cover the entire tree. They are beautiful.. Google some photos you will be impressed 😉
@@davidmorgan3508 yes they're beautiful trees, on my list of definites for someday. But I'm at the limit of what I can manage timewise at the moment. So the jacaranda will have to wait for another year. I also have some albizia seeds on my desk here, they are gorgeous trees. I've been delaying planting them for months, wilp hopefully do after summer. And after I can offload a batch of seedlings and cuttings from the last couple of years... 😊
You will be surprised to know how resilient a tree is after two or three years, your work looks good but honestly trees of that age dont require that amount of fiddling to thrive at all.
Maybe it's different for different species and different climates?
does the owl work?
It did work when I first got it 4 years ago. The eyes were brighter, the head swivelled continually even in a slight breeze, and I placed it in a different position every day. But now the birds seem to ignore it. As do I !
Nowadays to deter the birds I hang several strips of reflective tape and discs from the trees and the shade cloth etc. The reflective tape works well but pooks a bit messy.
How do you take out the wire later?
Good question, I have included it in the beginning few minutes of one video, you can see it here: ua-cam.com/video/B6wGeUdM44Q/v-deo.html
The proper way is, in june or july, to rake back the surface soil and carefully untwist the wires so that they're not pressing down on the nebari, which could leave an ugly scar on the top of the root.
But the lazy way, which I do more often! is to snip the wire underneath the pot, both sides so you can then push the vertical wires up a few millimetres. So you leave the twists in the top side but they're no longer pressing down and hindering the root growth.
The proper way is better because it leaves a wire unerneath that could come in handy if you're guy-wiring branches down.
Enjoy your repotting!
@@BlueSkyBonsai thanks!! Just saw that other video. Love your videos !
@@SSS-hf3kb thanks!! 🌳👍🏻
Hi sir, just wanted to ask about bonsai soil. The macadamia tree which was planted in my akadama soil and pumice mixture suddenly died from root rot. Can i reuse the soil to plant my olive trees in? Do i need to disinfect the soil and use copper fungicide to sterilize it? Thanks a lot in advance for the advice :)
Hi Richard, I have never seen a tree die of root rot in akadama and pumice. Only once have I seen a tree get rotten roots in akadama, when I found the water was not draining out the bottom after about 6 weeks, but the tree survived (an elm). So, how did your macadamia get root rot? Maybe the water wasn't draining out the bottom of the pot? Anyway, I guess you can reuse the soil if you sterilize and disinfect it first. But be sure to check your pots are draining through every watering.
@@BlueSkyBonsai hi, my macadamia tree was previously planted in clay loam soil then i replanted it in akadama and pumice where it died out. Can i use copper fungicide to disinfect the soil? Thanks a lot for your advice 😊
@@richardandrew01 well I have only used copper fungicide in a spray on leaves to get rid of funfal infections and mildew. I have heard that copper does not get washed away from the soil and if it builds up it could contaminate the roots. So personally I would rinse the soil with boiling water to disinfect it, if you cand do that safely.
On the instructions of your fungicide, if it say you can use it directly in the soil then I guess it's fine. But if the instructions don't mention use in the soil, then it probably means you shouldn't.
Is the owl decoy to keep birds away? Do they help keep squirrels away? Thanks!
Yes it's one measure I use to try and keep the birds off my pots. But it doesn't work unless you move it everyday to a slightly different position. Some people near me hang their owl from a garden tree so it scares off animals too, and I guess it naturally moves around a bit in the wind.
How important are the wires you use to keep the tree in place? I didn't use any for mine this time around, but then they are very small yet.
I don't use wires for the small cuttings and seedlings. If you have animals running around I recommend the wires. Or strong winds. Or earthquakes lol. If you know that the pot and plant will stay still for 2-3 months you don't need the wires.
@@BlueSkyBonsai Awesome. I have a snake, but he's not allowed among the flowers, and we don't have earthquakes here, and they're on my balcony or indoors. :)
@@SysterYster easy squeezy then 😁
How is your collected cotoneaster?
@MUKESH PATEL thanks for asking, but I don't have any cotoneasters. It's on my bonsai wishlist, for when I have some space on the benches...
Hi, my name is Carmen, I just received an bonsai tree from my sister that somebody has given it to her as a gift sure what went on, but the tree lost its leaves, however, I replanted it I live in Pennsylvania, also would like to know how much water does it take, and how much should I how many time should I let it?
Hi, the most common reason a bonsai loses its leaves is because it went for a day or two without water. The other possibility is that the bonsai tree species is deciduous, which means it would automatically loose its leaves in Fall.
For watering advice I created this video:
ua-cam.com/video/E2dBOrA7tOs/v-deo.html - I hope that helps.
👍
The beautiful bonsai tree that i bought from a nursery comes in a pot filled with clay rich soil and the water stagnates before slowly getting absorbed every time i water it.
The leaves also had dropped off a little and i noticed some roots that were arching above the clay soil surface.
So I tried removing the clay rich compacted soil by raking it a bit but i found the soil was holding on to the roots too strongly ...i couldnt even dig down to appreciated the nebari fully.
So i just removed the bottom root bound roots and sort of slip potted it into a larger pot and left it be for fear of damaging the roots.
This was done a week ago. I would really love to go back and remove the clay soil completely and place the roots back into a more oxygen rich soil. Any ideas as to how i can acheive this please?
If it were me, I would let it recover from the last root pruning for at least 6 months - or more - before working on the roots again. After you prune the roots, you need to let it grow lots of new root hairs so it's best to leave it to recover for a few months. After that, when you return to continue the clay removal job, you could try something like I did in this video to get rid of the clay but trying not to damage the roots:
ua-cam.com/video/wAjHZC1qBoM/v-deo.html
@@BlueSkyBonsai : Thank you so much Dave. You are truly a life saver. I just watched it.
Did the Azalea recover after that repot.
@@GoodSamaritan1972 yes it did, no problem!
Hi again! So, I planted like 9 lemon seeds in one pot, and for some reason 8 of them grew. XD So, how long do I wait before repotting them into separate pots? I didn't expect so many of them to sprout. (I also got one orange, but that one's in a separate pot already).
Hi Syster, Great work! The longer you leave the seedlings, the harder it will be to separate them. So if you want them separate in the future, better to do it now. Yes 8 pots is extra space but maybe not all will survive so it's worth doing. In the last couple of years I've been using square grow pots for seedlings because you can fit more together and then watering is easier too.
@@BlueSkyBonsai lol, today the last one poked out of the dirt too. All nine made it. XD Alright, I'll replant them soon. But they're gonna have to live with smaller pots, I don't have any big seedling pots. Good thing it's soon summer so they can live on the balcony. XD
@@SysterYster you must have the magic touch!
@@BlueSkyBonsai lol, thanx. :D But I gotta keep them alive now. XD
@@SysterYster it's Spring, they will be fine!
That's weird... that tooth brush your using is exactly the same as my old one that I'm also using on my trees lol.
Lol as long as you don't accidentally get it swapped with your actual toothbrush!!
Creí que la mayoría de tus videos estarían subtitulados en español.
Hola! si miras mis vídeos en un ordenador, UA-cam te da la opción de autotraducir los subtítulos en español. El app de móvil no nos da esa opción, por tanto en el móvil solo ves los subtítulos que he traducido manualmente. En algún momento cuando tenga tiempo, traduciré los otros vídeos también.
Gracias por ver mis vídeos!
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Thanks bro! 😊
@@BlueSkyBonsai 🌳🌳🌳🌳
@@JSam1 🌲🌳🌲🌳🌲🌳🌲👍🏻
Dave I have a question...whenever I place green moss in the pot...the moss always gets yellow.no matter how many times I spray it with water...what should I do?
@@JSam1 Great question! I am seriously not an expert in moss, it just seems to keep coming back on my bonsai soil. But you could try to keep the humid moss in the shade for a couple of weeks, it's possible that it is drying out too quickly on the soil surface depsite your spraying. Another possibility you could try: Take some "fresh" green moss, and trim a few millimetres off the top off the moss then sprinkle that across the bonsai soil. Then that moss will grow organically and slowly, it might be a few months before you get the lush covering, but it should be greener and thicker than if you just pick a few matts of moss and lay them out on the soil. Btw I have some problems with moss, the birds keep on attacking it... maybe a subject for another video...
Heya quick question. I've repotted my 5 year old jacaranda in spring. And noticed there were ants in the soil. A month after repotting (summer) and its not doing well :( what should I do?
Hi! your tree's problem right now is that there are not enough fine roots to feed water up to the leaves while they transpire. So you need to reduce the transpiration. Put a clear plastic bag over the whole tree to keep it at 100% humidity. In a bright place but not in direct sunlight. This will slow down the transpiration in the leaves, so they don't try to draw up as much water from the depleted root system.
I doubt the ants are to blame. But it is worthwhile checking to make sure the ants didn't bring some other pathogen that is causing the problem, like Mealybugs, or Scale, both are cleverly farmed by ants.
@@BlueSkyBonsaithere's no more leaves on the tree but there are buds that struggling to grow. Should I repot and check for root rot or is it gonna be too much for the tree. Thank you so much for your time.
@@louiegiezbloodlyn don't repot, it would be too risky. But if you see buds trying to pop out, then the plastic bag trick is still worthwhile trying so that as soon as the new leaves emerge they won't dry up. When it has lots of leaves again, you'll need to gradually acclimitize it to life without the bag again, over a few days.
@@BlueSkyBonsai truly appreciate your knowledge. Thank you. Wish me luck 🤣
@@louiegiezbloodlyn good luck!
Καλή σας ημέρα παρακαλώ πολύ στα ελληνικά
Ευχαριστώ πολύ!
Sir please have me as ur assistant. I dnt know which u belong to, let me join u. I want to learn it from you. Its not an ordinary comment i want to join you
If do not want me as ur assistant then have me as some kind of labour. I will do all of labour work.just let me learn it from you personally
Why use a chopstick, because others say use a chopstick….use your fingers….you can’t tell where there are air gaps with a chopstick…
My fingers are too fat and stubby at this age. To poke the soil nicely under the trunk base you need something thinner. Although, I do agree with you that doing it by feel is good.
👍 💚🤍❤
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