Awesome Itoigawa Tanuki Part 2 - Arkefthos Bonsai

[@phillipwaterman5721]

Very good quality video nice work thanks

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Phillip! I appreciate it!

[@nerinat8371]

They both look absolutely amazing 😮

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Nerina! The deadwood by itself is exquisite!

[@bonsai_life_style]

Hi Nerina 😀

[@JohnThurlbeck]

That is developing into a wonderful tree, and I loved the rainbow shot!😁

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Indeed it does! Thank you John!

[@Bonsaicrazy]

That’s a really nice Tanuki mate love it 👊👊

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

I'm proud of this one. And all the difficulties to get here. Thank you mate!

[@Bonsaicrazy]

@@ArkefthosBonsai yeah I would love to have a nice piece of wood like that. My tanuki didn’t make it, all 5 trees I put on it died this year. I have to start again with it. The way you put the nails on is the best way I think I’ll try your way. Thanks fella 👊👊

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

@Bonsaicrazy the safest.

[@bafatakisa]

Χάρηκα που είδα αυτή την φορά δύο shimpaku στο βίντεο, και όπως πάντα την καλή μελετημένη δουλειά σου.👍👍👍

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Σε ευχαριστώ! Πάντα προσπαθώ να συνδυάσω όσο περισσότερο υλικό μπορώ σε κάθε ένα βίντεο.

[@acer_p_bonsai]

Great job on delicately removing the bit-in wires. Projects get away from us, but looks like she’s back on track! 👏🏽

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you man, very well said! Cheers!

[@bonsai_life_style]

No way, that's 2 years since you made that tanuki. Time fly.😮

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Well, one and a half, but yes, I felt the same when I searched for the old footage... Cheers!

[@emiliosaita6704]

Molto interessante non vedo l ora di vedere l l'evoluzione grazie

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Grazie Emilio! Have a great Sunday!

[@W9SL9Y]

Thank you for your time Fotis, this is great content, love that you show the success and failures that are part of Bonsai. Looking forward to seeing this tanuki in future!

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Wesley! I was lucky enough to have no failures (in bonsai) this summer, which is weird! Have a great Sunday!

[@trybonsai]

Brilliant work, inspires me to attempt a composition like it but smaller...😊🎉🎉🎉

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you! Keep in mind, much smaller is harder. A medium size is the easiest to develop. Cheers!

[@trybonsai]

@@ArkefthosBonsai ah!! Thanks for the advice... I will keep that in mind when I attempt doing a tanuki 🎉🎉🎉

[@robertobreglia9224]

Great video,as always,my friend! Two beautiful trees created with an excellent application of the tanuki technique. Your project is fantastic and i'm sure you'll be able to make it happen in the best possible way. Very compliments!👏👏👏💯

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

The most positive person on earth! Thank you Roberto, your vibe is always uplifting!

[@robertobreglia9224]

@@ArkefthosBonsai 💪💪

[@bouggiesandmixbonsai4603]

Thanks for sharing sir

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

You are most welcome!

[@MokumaBonsai]

Perfect! Both trees will be spectacular in the future. The second one grew like crazy in the last two years. Just shows that this method of using Young plants is the best method. It was also perfectly visible how you used the natural groove between old live vein and deadwood. If you ever decide to sell one of these let me know. My Next Video will be about Tanuki as well and I use very similar technique. I also Love your landscape shots. Thank You for Sharing!

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you, I appreciate it! Yes, young tree with a big ceramic pot filled with aggricate inorganic substrate, is a growth explosive and I take advantage of that to develope them faster. So essentially, the biggest deadwood you use, the faster the tree develops. I'll be sure to tune in to your tanuki and enjoy the quality of your videos mate!

[@darkinhoo2]

MOM COME QUICK FOTIS JUST UPLOADED A VIDEO

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Ha ha ha it's been a while...

[@MatarasX]

Μπράβο ωραίο βίντεο!!! αν δεν κάνω λάθος αυτό είναι Chinese juniper?Αν μπορείς να μού πεις απο μπορώ να αγοράσω? γιατί δεν μπορώ να βρω.. Ευχαριστώ!!!

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Σε ευχαριστώ! Ναι είναι Chinese juniper αλλά η διαφοροποίηση Itoigawa από την Ιαπωνία, με καλύτερο φύλλωμα. Σε ενδιαφέρει να αγοράσεις προχωρημένο μπονσαι ή σε αρχικό στάδιο; Μικρό η μεγάλο; Στείλε μου στο Instagram τι σκέφτεσαι να σου δώσω πληροφορίες.

[@SeanFowlie]

Very nice vigorous growth, any tips for maximum juniper growth?

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Of course! Well airated substrate (I use pumice and zeolite and nothing else), lots of water and foliage mist daily. Most junipers love humidity on the foliage as long as there is not much during the day and it is able to dry out after an hour or two. Normal fertilizer, I don't think that plays the greatest role. Cheers!

[@alexandros1973]

Beautiful work master 👌. It is very interesting following these projects as the trees grow. The closeup shots are very successful. It must be challenging to work while trying to have an open view from the camera. Now the trunk at the lower part of the first tree seems to be thick enough so that you could put nails directly through the live wood. That would be a cleaner option I think. What is your thinking for choosing to put supporting nails on the deadwood instead?

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Alexandre! It is indeed quite challenging in the close up, so what you see, is what is left after editing all the shots with my hands or head in the way of the shot! My opinion is that the tree is not thick enough to put a nail or a thin screw through it. It will split in two and probably die back. I will do that though once it gets to 5cm approximately, so I'm guessing in 2 years time. Thank you!

[@alexandros1973]

Thank you for the reply. Yes… I, think you are right.

[@s.k.9891]

hm, question, how the plang are going to stick at old wood? i probably would left the nails in und let it grow over... do you use any conservation on dead wood? thanks for interesting and professional looking video, was fun to watch.

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you! This the second part video for this tree. The first one was back in March 2023. In that video I show exactly how I apply wood hardener on the bottom part of the deadwood, the part that stays under the substrate. The live tree already stays attached as it has hardend and thickened on that shape. Of course, a proper force can detach it though. That's why, in a few years, when it is thick enough, nails or screws will go through the center of the live tree, into the deadwood and left there for the rest of its life to keep them attached. Now, it is just too small to do so safely. However, I've left one nail that has gone too far into the bark already. Not safe, as junipers have very thin cambium layer and that nail might cut circulation before the wound gets fused. It's a risk now. Cheers!

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌

[@Chillfam]

How do you preserve the deadwood from rotting?

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

You can see the full process in the first video about this tree, a year and a half ago. The link is here kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWmzfYZ7ma98d5Ysi=JQ03-7PSqg5NGxtI It evolves a wood hardener application, 2 coats. Cheers!

[@Chillfam]

@@ArkefthosBonsai thank you!

[@78tjeerd]

Hi thanks for uploading . Why not quit with the nails and use a screw with a washer on the end if is gets to tight you can just loosen the screw a little bit.

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Excellent question! The tree is not thick enough for that yet. If I do it now, the trunk will probably split in two and that might be fatal for the foliage above the screw. This is something to be done in the future when the trunk has thicken to 5cm (2in) or more. Thank you!

[@78tjeerd]

@@ArkefthosBonsai No screwing in the the tree is needed ,in the deadwood next to it hence the washer. 😉

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

@78tjeerd ooohh now I got it. That is actually clever! I'm doing that next time! Thank you!

[@chriscarol4965]

Don’t use nails. Simply use wire to hold the live part of the tanuki in place until it is so thick that it interlocks with the grove it is placed into.

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

That is what I've done with the second one, the big deadwood. For the first one, mails work just fine and as the live tree gets 2in thick, I will drive screws through it, into the deadwood. Cheers Chris!

[@mattss7886]

you havent released a video in over a month and you do a video on something not pine related?

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Ha ha ha I get what you say, really! But I do have lots of pine related videos on schedule, starting next week, Matt! Thank you mate!