3 Experts share their Top Bonsai Secrets

[@adkenzo]

Love Corin and Peter’s videos , I would watch and listen to them talk about trees all day

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

I was really spoilt. Peter spent nearly 2 hours just chatting about everything. Corin was just as talkative and it is interesting how they chat about other bonsai professionals and their respective approaches to bonsai. These visits have just opened my mind even further to the charms of this incredible hobby

[@adkenzo]

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat absolutely it’s great , I would definitely visit both places if I was in the UK , it definitely is great hobby and very rewarding

[@massimiliano.giacometti]

Yeah! BIG THUMB UP! Please, tell us such gatherings are just the beginning. What a community!😊

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

I'd love to do more but it's hard trying to get other bonsai enthusiasts to visit. Unfortunately I don't work so travel can be an economic issue sometimes.

[@massimiliano.giacometti]

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat sure, I understand. Let's just enjoy every occasion we may have!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

@@massimiliano.giacometti I will keep trying to meet and chat with others. An unlucky visitor to my garden is on the next breakfast chat 😁

[@marbacc]

Thank you so much for sharing this. It was great seeing all of you together.

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

It felt like one of those magical moments that 'just happen' :)

[@NoQuarter01]

Great video 🤓😬😀

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Cheers...all of them are great guys

[@mchlbk]

Prima video Xavier. Peter is a treasure. There are so many bad things in the world and so much stress. But working on the trees makes one concentrate on something completely different and accept that things can't be rushed. There are many valuable life lessons in his videos, he is a wise man.

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

He had no bad words to say about his contemporaries - he is at peace with his bonsai and himself. A great day

[@MeadowViewBonsai]

Loved it mate, Corin is a legend, I always love being in his company. The chopper is a great bloke too, I always enjoy visiting Herons, a really inspirational place.

[@MeadowViewBonsai]

I love the bounce off of you two, you have a Scott and Ryan mentality, obviously you two have further to travel to make videos 🤣🤣🤣

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

We definitely connect and ideas bounce around when filming stuff. Still got a couple more to edit

[@Jacob-yb6bv]

4 legends. great video.

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

I am hoping I can persuade Corin to be involved in a little something with Juniper. Fingers crossed

[@markthejanner5427]

Love theses videos with herons greenwood and yelle , I watch all the chanells.

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

So do I...well not my own so much! I was lucky to be able to do this.

[@notionbonsai]

Loved this video Xavier! Looked like you had such a great time at Herons! Thank you for the mention too on the Lime Sulphur!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

It's easy recommending your products Adam😊

[@notionbonsai]

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat 😁

[@deepanjanbanerjee3491]

Wow! All my favorite KZbinrs and bonsai guru’s together! Saving this one and look forward to more.

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Jelle and I have done a couple more serious vids

[@deepanjanbanerjee3491]

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat Keep ‘em coming!

[@robertscarborough68]

Amazing work guys :) you guys work amazing and are amazing together on camera, hopefully in person too... ;) really appreciate ! Brought a smile and made me chuckle loads with this series, after a tough week, just what the doctor ordered! 🙏

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Jelle and I clicked on our collabs in 2022 so it was a relief that we got on even better when we met at Heathrow. We didn't stop talking for 3 days

[@marosbonsai]

Great episode. Peter's nursery looks amazing. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Even I was surprised by just how much stuff he has growing in the fields.

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Thanks again for the shout out. The parent shishi was about 6ft tall, bought from the local garden centre and an obvious candidate for air layering. Sadly a couple of the air layers dried out and didn’t make it, but I got about 6 from the parent plant. Great to see the footage from both Herons and Greenwood Bonsai. I’ve met Peter twice and found him very welcoming and gracious, he made us coffee, gave us the tour and chatted with us at length. I’ve met and spoke with Corin briefly only once while sourcing a big pot for my Heron’s crab apple when I first repotted it. The new shop at Greenwood looks incredible and I need to make a visit to check out the pots. 👍

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Nothing more I can add to that Jason. Jelle did like the airlayer

[@markjagger7139]

Excellent as always Xaz, great to see Peter a true gent.

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Both Corin and Peter were willing to chat and offer great advice too.

[@paulcropper4568]

thank you both for great series of vids together, you need to go visit Jelle next. I would love to see that

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

I am definitely looking into it. As always finance may be the real issue.

[@TalkingLoon]

The best bonsai content on KZbin! Informative, inspiring, entertaining, a whole variety of trees, styles, development stages and perspectives. Very well put together. Thank-yous!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

It was great being able to see my collection through Jelle's perspective. So helpful

[@malsrfun2956]

Wow! All my favorite bonsai people on one video????🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ THANK YOU XAVIER!!!! And you are one of those faves. On soil, I have spent the day at the North Carolina Arboretum with my club getting a special tour of the bonsai collection with Arthur Joura, who said that you can pot in anything successfully if you have good drainage and you adjust your watering to accommodate the water retention. Every tree in the collection is potted in 3 parts pine bark, 1 part spagnum moss, and different levels of a locally made porous slate grit. Food for thought...

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

It is amazing how successful other people are with different techniques. Water and sun is the key for me

[@backbudbonsai]

I thoroughly enjoy these bonsai collaborations u do with other well known and respected bonsai artists!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

I learnt a lot from Jelle. It was a treat having someone who has had so much training and experience in my garden.

[@joegarland4885]

Hi Xav great to see you and Jelle you both work great together, the trips you made to Herons, Greenwood's etc was a joy to watch, pity Jelle is over the water but maybe you can go see him in his garden.

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Hopefully something can be arranged next year. Economics is always the thing that gets in the way.

[@terryvirta311]

What a delightful video.

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Thanks, I feel lucky to be able to be a part of this 3 days of bonsai we did. More tree videos to edit.

[@user-OMF]

Brilliant stuff again, get Saturday evening watch

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

It was always tough trying to keep it different from Jelle's Heron's video

[@itisjustmedude]

What a great time you guys had. As an aside, something that I learned this last year is that pomegranate seeds don’t need any help. I put them in a plastic bag with a wet paper towel and put them on a shelf and they sprouted. I put some in a pot of mix and they sprouted. Siberian crabapple seeds on a wet paper towel in a plastic bag in the fridge sprout like crazy. You will have an easy time getting them to sprout for you.

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Thanks for that - I shall wait by the fridge with joy :)

[@fletcherlewis]

Excellent Xavier, great video with Jelle ❤

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

He is so much fun to work with and a generous man too

[@Thomdoodle]

Such a great video. All of the best I've seen on KZbin

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

I appreciate you taking the time to watch and say that. It is easy when you get to have Peter and Jelle in the video :)

[@raymondbirds2392]

Great videos yis have put together, thanks lads

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

It was a lot easier because we got on so well from the start at Heathrow airport

[@dreamingofbonsai]

Great one! I love the way you added in my question! Thanks for that! You and Jelle have great banter back and forth. Great video, Xavier!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

It was a lot of fun

[@garybrown8143]

Well that’s made my Saturday evening, great video again lads

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

I am happy you enjoyed it. It would have been a premiere if I hadn't already been on my way up to Orkney for my break.

[@maryoverton7245]

great video, so glad you put it together,

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Thanks Mary, I was just lucky to get the opportunity to host Jelle

[@Dannysbirdshed]

Awsome video, What a guy jelle is could watch his videos all day

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

He knows his stuff and is a genuine and kind with it.

[@DroiDolf0]

I just found out about this channel through Jelle's channel. Cheers from Netherlands!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Thanks for dropping in. Jelle and I have done a few things together over the past three years - a very knowledgeable guy :)

[@oachkatzlsmum]

Seeds in the glasses- yes, I actually thought about that 🤭 Ancient looking trunk 🥰 and so many more inputs you both just throw in 😍 Thank you Xavier and Jelle 🙏 Lovely words from Peter Chan. 👍 Absolutely enjoyed and can’t wait to replay 😍❤️ Cheers 🙋‍♀️ Martina

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Always appreciate your comments and support

[@oachkatzlsmum]

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat It’s my pleasure ❤️😘

[@carolficorilli9768]

Great video-i enjoyed watching it along with everyone in it.

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Thanks carol

[@sueb1317]

I loved the collaborations on tree goals and improvement. I appreciate that a lot of pruning is to personal taste and esthetics. It's always interesting to see how multiple people view and interpret styling decisions on the same material. Loved the trip to Greenwood and Herons. Sad that Jelle's trip has come to an end. You must both be exhausted from your non-stop schedule. Well done!!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

We both felt quite depressed afterwards. Jelle actually said he wished we were a lot nearer. I am now recovering on my annual retreat in orkney with Kat. But you will hear about that on Tuesday at brreakfast :)

[@sueb1317]

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat A pretty special connection you both made. Enjoy your retreat and power up with joyful thoughts!

[@joekerr5152]

Corin had some great ideas for that oak! Awesome video!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

The best idea was feeding it :)

[@peterzukof7942]

Absolutely fabulous! Love to see all my favorite peeps together!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

I felt very humbled amongst all that talent :)

[@Donpapibonsai]

Another great fun video Thank you

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

It is one of the most memorable days I have...such an open and honest gentleman.

[@Donpapibonsai]

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat I bet yeah can learn a lot from them as well

[@HoundStuff]

Another kudos on this video!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Great fun making it :)

[@m.t.jenner5016]

Great stuff! More trees than on all of Stronsay!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

So true Miriam - so true :)

[@ScottTheExperimentalist]

Thanks for discussing Vermiculite!! I have been using the course and chunky size. I think it’s 3 to 5 mm

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Same size as me

[@SteveAllotment]

Guys great double act ... So much fun and information. Such a relaxed approach. Can we have a repeat visit film sometime. Any chance of doing a montage of a calendar with links to your favuorite video of that month.. Covering not just the basics but the big ticket items like best time to do big trunk chops best time to collect / dig up etc

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

I really like the idea of a 'video of the month' montage. Not sure i have the following to make it very workable BUT I shall definitely think hard on that over the winter. We do intend a revisit at some point but budgets always get in the way. I have a series on what I do during different months - not sure if that is what you meant?

[@maryweber4176]

Please don't let Jelle go back home. You guys are great together!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Heron's capped off an incredible 3 days. It was like saying goodbye to an old friend

[@Bonsaicrazy]

Love it Xavier 👊👊👊

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

You are still the breakfast star Andy

[@misupport6735]

Random question. Is Jelle's real name, David Ducovny? 😆

[@backbudbonsai]

LOL!! I agree, but don’t u mean Fox Mulder?

[@misupport6735]

@@backbudbonsai 😆 exactly! It's a yamadori cliffhanger on what secrets bonsai and Xavier will reveal next!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Good spot....though I'm not sure I would make a convincing Scully 😮

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

​@@backbudbonsaiscary

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

​@@misupport6735the ideas are already churning

[@jamesbutcher7171]

Evening Xav great video, good to hear both you discussing the trees. Quick question I have a red maple in my garden I want to hard chop to start making it into a bonsai, is now a good time to make the major chops or should I wait for spring? Any guidance is appreciated

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Truthfully I would probably wait till Spring. I'm not a fan of the purpureum if that is what you mean? They don't seem to respond easily to bonsai training. What are your thoughts?

[@jamesbutcher7171]

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat I think it is a purpureum but it has a nice root spread due to being in the grown then in a pot then back in the ground, I agree it will not be ideal for bonsai training but as I plan to leave it in the ground I hope the vigour will help with growth so I hope to have more to work with 🤞

[@Brosef19]

We have kitty litter here in Australia from the supermarket $10 for 10 kg zeolite clay. Pines and most trees love it

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Mine are definitely thriving in the non-organic mixes.

[@Brosef19]

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat my experience is the same. I will use organics in pre Bonsai . By the time they go into Bonsai pots they are all in 100% non organic substrate.

[@jasonashdown7358]

How much was that amazing pot that he bought 🤔

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

I have been sworn to secrecy BUT he could sell it for twice as much in Germany...

[@ScottTheExperimentalist]

Just to clarify… if I have unsuccessful cuttings, can I recycle that substrate or is it trash?

[@GrowingBonsai]

❤

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

If the cuttings died through disease then trash. I have many cuttings that never sprout roots...I always reuse that soil.

[@ScottTheExperimentalist]

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat ok thanks! I will reuse the soil. It would be a lot to trash. 🧐

[@melhillocks8061]

Nice pot, but i think a little too deep for that Elm

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

The pot was nice. I always find getting the depth right difficult. Thanks for your comment

[@andreasweber1533]

If your fertilizer is expensive you're buying the wrong stuff (maybe something labeled "Bonsai" fertilizer or shipped around the globe, typically weak stuff like 4-4-4, sold in small bags like it's precious). Get some professional grade controlled release fertilizer meant for professional nurseries (not bonsai, general plant production), where people will look at their return of investment. I use Basacote Plus 9M; 3..5 g per liter substrate will supply a plant for a year, and 5 kg are 38 EUR (+ shipping) - that's 1000+ liters of pots provided for one year ... If you need more the original 25 kg bag is even less per kg.

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Thank you for that great recommendation. I have generally used a combination of blood and bone. I highlight the fertiliser cost as a means of pointing out to other newbies that you dont need to buy expensive products for unfinished trees.

[@BenshobbyStuff]

thoroughly enjoyed this mate.. although jelle has it in for me he just wont entertain even looking at my acer... thanks xavier mate i appreciate you looking mate :)

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

It won't be deliberate. I see how many requests and photos he gets sent. he has a full time job and struggles to even look at his own trees properly. Please don't be hard on him :)

[@BenshobbyStuff]

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat yeah gathered hes pretty busy so gave up asking him dont want to peee him off :)

[@BenshobbyStuff]

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat in all fairness you 2 make quite a good team. good fun to watch :)

[@dennisrobinson4588]

👍👍👍👍👍👏👏♥️♥️

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Thank you for the support

[@bonsaikastur]

Better Mr yellow than Mr pink or Mr Brown , you know

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

So true 😊