Bonsai care - How to keep your bonsai healthy (forever)

[@GoodSamaritan1972]

Thar car breaking sound effect nearly gave me a heart attack...😅as I was listening to this whilst driving😂😂

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

I'm so sorry! But that is quite funny as long as I didn't cause an accident!!

[@maryoverton7245]

thank you. I love the way you talk to us and not preach down to us

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks for the great feedback. If I do ever accidentally preach down, be sure to let me know and give me a slap on the wrist! 😊

[@tobywilson4876]

Yes Dave I've watched all your videos in the space of a week. Only complaint is that there aren't more!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Wow that is quite a compliment. Thank you! I'm really appreciating, someone who has watched all my videos in one week: In your opinion, what are the bits that work well, and which parts should I drop or maybe tone down? There are many videos that I want to do in the future and spare time (lack of) is really my only limit.

[@tobywilson4876]

@@BlueSkyBonsai I'm relatively new to bonsai, so I find a lot of videos on youtube (at least the larger channels) quite daunting because they work on very well-developed trees. This isn't the case for you (don't get me wrong, your trees are still beautiful) - you work on a range of different sizes from young to old, and explain the theory behind your decision making which I personally find very helpful. I'm just going through the stage of reading as much as I can on bonsai so seeing the earlier stages of development done practically helps me visualise the theory I've learned. Your editing is very good and the more relaxed music while you're working suits the tone well. Thanks to these videos it has definitely inspired me to start recording my trees' progress so maybe when my collection has taken off I can start a channel of my own! Really enjoying it so far - keep it up.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@tobywilson4876 thank you so much for this, it is great feedback for me and very useful information! Yep I made a conscious decision early on - probably in my second video - to show work on some smaller trees as well as bigger. Because they all need work, and I would guess more people in the world have smaller trees. For recording the progress of your trees I recommend flickr, because you can create a free account for up to 1000 photos and create as many albums as you need. I have (mostly) one album for each tree, except for cuttings and seedlings etc. which just get put into a species-cuttings album. I'm not on any commission! But if you're interested you could set up an account and send me your link? You can see my albums here: www.flickr.com/photos/davidhseymour/albums

[@tobywilson4876]

@@BlueSkyBonsai Thanks Dave I just had a quick rummage through your flickr page and I like the layout and display options a lot so I'll definitely look into that. I think that you're well on the way to rivalling some of the larger bonsai youtube channels (in terms of viewership and quality) considering how much growth you've seen in just the last 9 months! Also saw that you visited Herons this year - I was lucky enough to take part in one of Peter's workshops just a month or so ago and it was a fantastic experience learning from a master and seeing his lovely nursery. Were you ever part of any societies while you were in the UK? Such a shame that they can't go on at the moment otherwise I'd be all over that. Toby

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@tobywilson4876 thanks, yeah Peter is brilliant, when I visited he kindly signed two books that I've had for years, original copies of Bonsai Masterclass and Bonsai: the art of growing miniature trees. He also added his personal symbol to his signature with a stamp that he had made. If you have any of his books you can see it on some of the pages, chapter headings etc. On one hand he was very generous, but at the same time he was very proud, I suppose having a fan ask you to sign original copies of his books was probably flattering him! I used to live in East Grinstead, a few miles down the road from Herons. We used to go to the Wiremill pub there a lot but that was >30 years ago and the nursery had only just started up, so the irony is I never even registered it was there back then. I moved away up north in the late 80s. Toby thanks again for your kind words!

[@davidmorgan3508]

Aussie Dave here, this video is very well presented 👍and taught me the right time to work on my bonsais..

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Cheers Aussie Dave! Btw where in Australia are you? I guess there is a massive difference in climate between north and south...

[@davidmorgan3508]

@@BlueSkyBonsai I live in Brisbane, Queensland

[@davidmorgan3508]

@@BlueSkyBonsai seasons are opposite to yours in Spain.. here now it's winter... 10 c to 22c ... it's bloody cold hahaha

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@davidmorgan3508 haha of 10c is the coldest it gets I don't think you have to worry about frost damage!!

[@MartinaRepiská-b6g]

I watched like 20+ of your videos today :D and Im just thinking "that man allready saved million of trees". Thank you very much! Learned a lot, subscribing ;)

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Great to hear! Welcome! Which was ypur favourite video of all ? Or maybe you need to see the other videos before choosing??

[@MartinaRepiská-b6g]

@@BlueSkyBonsai all of them are great, i also watched the oldest ones where you didnt talk 😀 and i was happy when you started 😀, but most fascinating was that one with triple trunk when you moved the base up (twice) 🧐 amazing, and i really liked that you showed it over more years so i really could see its growing process, after that i asked boyfriend to go with me to forest😀 and today ordered my second bonsai - deshojo (really hope it will make it in some box)

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@MartinaRepiská-b6g Deshojos are fantastic, you won't regret it!

[@BackGardenBonsai]

Great information. Nothing but straight facts the whole way through 👍👍👍

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Cheers Ian.Yep, the fact is I've been meaning to make this basic health guide for a few months and now at last I've got it out of my system! 😅

[@ph-vf5hx]

Beautiful garden and trees

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@bonsaitherapy1468]

As long as we learn something between tree killings we can only get better. Great video!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks! Yes every bonsai grower has to lose a few trees to learn what's really needed to keep them alive.

[@shomenm]

Thanks. Loved the last 20 seconds :-)

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hahaha yes my son knew I was recording but he had to come into shot! 😁👍🏻

[@davidmorgan3508]

Aussie Dave here David, WOW again a fantastic well presented video. I have been waiting for your superb advice on bonsai care. It's spring here in Australia so my many bonsai are blooming because of your advice 😂❤. Take care and I'll be happy to see your next post 😂

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks Aussie Dave! I guess you saw this video now because you followed the link at the end of the magic method video? If so that's cool, it shows my link works! Cheers Dave 😊👍

[@bigspender107]

Superb video. On the level of Mirai.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thank you very much! That is a great compliment 😊👍🏻

[@cencalbonsai6429]

hell yeah nice video 📹 👌 loved the wave at the end

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks mate! Yeah that wasn't supposed to happen 😂🤣

[@TrishaBonapace]

Soooo Awesome Dave. Critical information for people to understand, presented really well!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@TrishaBonapace thanks so much! I received a lot of questions following this about why fert isn't so important, don't I fertilize my trees etc. My point was that you can keep a tree alive for many years without adding fertilizers, you just need a little now and then to help with vigor and defense against pathogens. Since then I've wanted to do a follow up vid about fertilizing bonsai but never got round to it. They'll just have to read my book when it gets published 😉

[@paulw9792]

You're an excellent presenter Dave. Love all of your videos and learn so much from you.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks so much Paul for your kind words! It's very gratifying to know my experience is helping people.

[@sakubonsai]

Thanks for the video, very important tips and nice bonsai trees👍🏻

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

And thanks Juan Jose for watching and commenting! 🌳👍🏻

[@BostonBonsaiIdiot]

Taking us all to school Dave. This should be seen by beginner bonsai artists AND beginner gardeners alike, really. I always wonder what percentage of bonsai people come from gardening/ horticultural backgrounds vs. the percentage that just found bonsai and jumped right in. There's certainly both from what I've seen in the world wide webs. Cheers man, great vid.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Yup! My 3 kids have studied this to different depths at school and it's pretty basic stuff but I guess if someone had've told me these in my first couple years of bonsai I would have lost much fewer trees. That's a good question. I guess people who come to this with gardening experience should know this stuff. I came into it after years of indoor houseplants and was totally surprised when my first tree died for no apparent reason. Anyway now I've got this video out my system I can go back to normal tree work! Cheers 🍺👍🏻

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

BTW BBI, looking forward to your next video! No pressure! 😜

[@BostonBonsaiIdiot]

@@BlueSkyBonsai seeing this incredible effort has made me want to finish the 2-bit update video I’ve been working on for about a month. I’ll try to make the final push...

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@BostonBonsaiIdiot Yeah editing is a real time thief.. but IMHO it's better to take the time and get it right. 🍺👍

[@BostonBonsaiIdiot]

@@BlueSkyBonsai OR to take the time and get it wrong, aka "my specialty"!!

[@stevenliddell9705]

This was really helpful !!! great video, undoubtedly stoped me killing trees 🌲 🌲 🌲

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

I'm so glad to have helped! I really appreciate your gratifying comment! 🌳🌳🌳👍🏻

[@mattbrennan647]

Thanks Dave, great tutorial.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks Matt! 🍺👍🏻

[@Gabriel-dm1du]

First time here... it was amazing and soothing thanks love the channel

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks so much!

[@pedroreyes5158]

Excellent class. Thanks

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thank you for watching and your kind comment! 😊👍🏻

[@hermesmoralesvazquez7641]

Thank for your advice. Thank a hug from cuba

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Muchas gracias amigo. Espero que la pandemia no os haya afectado. Un abrazo

[@standardgaming50]

Very detailed. You just got yourself a new subscriber and fan! Keep them videos coming! Goodjob!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks so much! Great to have you on board!

[@ReinhardvonHolst]

Another wonderful video. Thanks. I have so many seedlings sprouting now.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks! Seedlings are a great gift for family and friends, after a year you could already put them in cheap plastic bonsai pots and see if you can entice youngsters into the art of growing tiny trees 👍

[@carlmcclain6934]

Thank you Dave! With your wonderful videos maybe, hopefully, I will be a successful bonsai enthusiast.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

You're welcome! My recommendation is to include in your bonsai collection these three species that are very resilient: a Ficus for indoors, a juniper outdoors, and a Chinese elm for inside or out. And above all, enjoy it!

[@complicatedscene7484]

hello - new guy here. Your vids are super helpful as I try to understand what I'm trying to do, thank you for the great content!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi! Welcome!

[@kilthsenarc]

Thanks Dave, clear and informative, thanks ,greatly appreciated.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks for your comments, also greatly appreciated 😊👍🏻

[@joelhiggins6156]

Awesome visuals! Bravo sir.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks so much! 😊👍🏻

[@joelhiggins6156]

@@BlueSkyBonsai On your recommendation I bought Modern Bonsai Practice. Awesome book! I interpreted Morton’s advice on root pruning as it can be done any time, but we should especially take advantage of the fall growth spurt of roots and do repotting in the fall if possible. I was curious how you interpreted his advice since you are saying not to root prune at all in the fall. Thanks for your advice sir!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@joelhiggins6156 great question, glad you're enjoying the book. I interpreted it this way: the autumn root growth is powered by all the tree's sugars going down to the trunk base to the roots, getting converted to carbohydrate ready for the dormant period. That mass of energy is needed in early spring when the tree wakes up, converts the starch back to glucose which then rises up the trunk again ready for bud burst. If you take advantage of the increase in root growth in fall and prune the roots then, you are effectively removing a large quantity of that stored energy. And even in early autumn before leaves change colour, by pruning roots then you reduce the tree's capacity to store the carbohydrates over winter. Most trees will probably survive this, but give a weaker response in spring. Evergreens can cope with it after summer as long as they still get enough light over the remaining months of the year. But, what's the rush? it is much less risky in spring-summer. Several years ago I was experimenting with pomegranates, I repotted one in early autumn. It lost its leaves in tree shock. They all budded out again weakly in mid autumn when the tree was supposed start losing its leaves. The new leaves did not grow very big, then they dropped in december and the plant died. Since that experience, I don't risk it! Hope that helps 😊👍🏻

[@joelhiggins6156]

@@BlueSkyBonsai Thank you for your advice! It certainly makes sense that fall root pruning would come with greater energy interruptions to the plant, this is why I found it confusing when the book recommended it. Thanks again!

[@adammlynek433]

Myslím, že jedny z nejlepších rad, co jsem četl v knihách, nebo se díval na videa o bonsajích. Moc děkuji.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Děkuji mnohokrát za váš skvělý komentář. Jsem rád, že vám to pomohlo.

[@maryperrysmith5815]

Hi. Dave?? Your videos are jammed packed with knowledge!!! I’m learning so much a huge thank you❤. Mary in Indiana USA 🇺🇸

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi Mary, thanks again! Glad you're learning so much. Sounds like you're binge-watching my videos!! I'm very happy if you are.

[@bonsaibuenobyalexb]

Nice sharing. Very educational.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks so much!

[@79alexb]

Great video! ...and thanks for the book suggestion too!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

And thanks to you for watching! That book, when I got it no kidding I read it from beginning to end twice over and it took almost a whole year. It gets pretty heavy reading at times, so if you do decide to get it, make sure you have some spare time! 🌳👍🏻

[@frodokhunt]

I have several of the same books as you ! That really spun me out as I'm on the other side of the world to you

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

That is cool. The 501 principles book was pretty expensive here in Spain, but well worth it. Where are you living?

[@frodokhunt]

@@BlueSkyBonsai yeah there definitely not cheap ! I'm from Queensland Australia , love your videos to keep up the good work 🙏

[@twinsbonsai6170]

thank you for sharing sir your have great knowledge about bonsai I'm watching and sending my love and support from philippines👍🙏

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks so much! 🌳👍🏻

[@Tiger313NL]

I looked up the book you showed at the start of the video, decided to splurge and spend the €70 to buy it. I was not disappointed: I've pinpointed quite a few issues that I've run into over the years and that have cost me a bunch of trees. Will do better from now on. :) Edit: hahah loved the little kid waving at the end. XD

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Wow, 70 quid is a lot, I got mine 4 or 5 years ago and it was about £50 then, I suppose inflation has pushed all the prices up for everything. Agreed, this book does not disappoint. I have read it twice right through, and left a load of tab stickers on many of the pages that I sometimes go back and revisit. Like all the NPK chapter. One thing to mention though, I find some of his science a bit questionable when he talks about electrons in the stems, and I think he really means sugars/glucose which provides chemical energy. Sure chemical reactions depend on spare electrons for bonds, but I think he either explained it a bit wrong or didn't fully understand that part himself! Ultimately I think it's great. It's the only bonsai book I've ever seen that tries to scientifically explain the horticulture of growing trees in small pots, and yes it can help us keep our trees alive and healthy for many more years.

[@Tiger313NL]

@@BlueSkyBonsai Have to say, some of my former poor health attention hogs have been doing very well, having changed some of my habits due to reading the book. :) As for watering with rain water, I wish I could do so, but I have my trees on a balcony and don't have a way of collecting rain water since I'm not allowed to cut the rain pipe. As a result, my rhododendrons (will probably always) suffer in summer. Unless I win the lottery and move to a house with a garden. :S

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@Tiger313NL have you measured the pH of your tap water? If it's quite alkaline, there are some "safe" additives available to reduce the pH which might be worthwhile investigating for your acid loving plants...

[@cdundercover]

Great information my friend

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks friend! 😊👍🏻

[@spiroskaltsoukalas9692]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge! Well made videos they helped me a lot!!!! Thank you again.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thank you! Glad you found the videos helpful!

[@elementalbonsai]

Great video very informative !👌👍💯

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks so much ! 😊👍🏻

[@garretttrang7998]

How do you not have more views?! This information is amazing

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks so much Garrett! I suppose it's because I only started uploading earlier this year.. so KZbin are still not exposing my videos sufficiently... please share with your friends and acquaintances!! Video shares seem to prompt more KZbin exposure ... thanks again! 😊👍🏻

[@GutalacZNBonsaiMaker1991]

Very informative ,thank you so much I've learned a lot about bonsai ,I am a beginner for making bonsai.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks Gutalac ZN, enjoy the bonsai journey! And remember, it's the journey that is most important; not the destination! 👍🌳

[@CConn-df7hy]

The video production quality and content is always top notch. I always enjoy watching. I am curious if you are an expat Brit enjoying a better climate for bonsai in Madrid or are you a spaniard with an impeccable english UK accent? Cheers and all the best

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks for your kind words! One person commented on another video that he couldn't detect where in UK I'm originally from... I lived the first 18 years of my life in Sussex so that is probably engrained on my accent. Now lived here for over 20 years so maybe it's getting diluted. My kids talk English in what I would call a KZbin accent, kind of mid-atlantic so I'm trying to steer them back to British! Most Spanish kids don't have a native English speaking teacher (or parent) and sadly all the international films are dubbed into Spanish so most can never develop an English accent regardless of how good their grammar is. Thanks for watching and commenting! 😊👍🏻

[@rohitgavande1689]

Thank you for depth knowledge it's really enjoyable

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Welcome! Glad to hear you're enjoying the videos.

[@naturetherapyfilms]

Thank you very much. This’s great information. Your trees are very nice and your knowledge is much appreciated Sr.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks to you for your kind words!

[@naturetherapyfilms]

You’re a good teacher and knowledge person. Thanks for sharing importante and valuable information

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@naturetherapyfilms you're welcome! I really appreciate your great feedback.

[@BonsaiJCan]

Really good video with a lot of great information👌👌 Thank you

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks J! Glad you enjoyed it 🍺👍🏻

[@invisiblespark]

Excellent video, as always ! Can you make some follow-up videos with trees that you have pruned in past videos?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks! Good suggestion. Haven't had any free time recently for new videos, but if you're on instagram you can see some of the trees updated more recently @blueskybonsai

[@randyrobinson-i4f]

Thank you for the excellent information

[@SysterYster]

Always enjoy your videos. Thank you for all the tips! :D

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks Syster, always enjoy your comments!

[@rohitgavande1689]

Thank you I learn the basic from you

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@тахирсафиуллин-з8ж]

Дейв, благодарю вас за хорошее грамотно снятое видео. У вас отличный оператор. Желаю удачи.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thank you, I appreciate your kind words.

[@raymondplodzien7459]

Thank you for another informative video!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

You're welcome! Thanks for your comments.

[@PlantCraftDIY]

Goof work my friend😍😍

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks so much!! 😊👍🏻

[@willtansley3544]

Hi Dave, another amazing instructional video, you’re turning us all into Bonsai nerds 😀

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks Will! You probably noticed, I like to know the underlying biology in my trees 😊🌳

[@Tore1972Wisdom]

This is a great video and explain important knowledge very simple. Dave it´s not my first visit on your channel........lol. I am rather new to the bonsai hobby and i love it. Got my first 40 trees the first year. You can might as well go all in.....LOL.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi Tore thanks so much. Be careful because before you know it, 40 will turn into 140 !! 👍🏻🌳🌲🌳🌲🌳

[@Tore1972Wisdom]

@@BlueSkyBonsai* I don´t have to worry, because i simply havn´t got the space for so many trees. I think there is a great learning in bonsai, when it comes to being satisfied with what you got and work with that.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@Tore1972Wisdom Wise words! Very true, it's good to consider that bonsai is teaching me a lot while I am merely pruning, photographing and transplanting. Or I should say, snipping, snapping and potting?!

[@frankmanson3]

Great video, I love the watering, I’ve been so hesistant on my trees on watering. But They’ve died from being underwatered

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks Frank! Yep the #1 cause of trees dying is through letting the roots get dry.

[@Akatsuki-En]

Learn something new everyday

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

A good motto to live by!

[@FELIXXXXXX7]

i love your channel you are so helpful !!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks so much! Glad you find my videos helpful.

[@carolficorilli9768]

Great video, I enjoyed it.

[@jeffwatts4264]

great video dave ,and very well explained , keeping your tree alive is far more important than any of the other bonsai elements , once you can do that ,the other parts will fall into place

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks Jeffrey! Yes absolutely, there's no point in keeping a beautifully sculpted bonsai in a pot if it's continually suffering, or dead!

[@SanjayKumar-yj2wr]

Really well explained & very helpful information for the beginners making their bonsais more healthy keep it up sir

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thank you so much, I will certainly try! 👍🏻

[@daveskate123]

Just commented on your repotting video but also want to add something here! When you mention good soil could you give examples of this? My biggest fear is the soil not being suitable ... When you say that over-watering is not possible I feel very safe knowing that! But now I’m concerned about my soil. Thanks again! And no complaints about your videos I think they’re easy to follow and very informative. If I am ever in Madrid (Barcelona is my home) I would love to have a coffee and a chat!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi again Dave, as in the repotting video, the single most important aspect of the soil is that it allows good drainage and holds its structure so that it will still have good drainage after 1 year. Or 2. Or more. But it also needs to retain some of the water and nutrients, so for example small gravel is not good unless you're prepared to water it many times a day. It's good to mix some harder components like pumice with some more absorbent components like akadama or pine bark so you get both structure and retention. Seramis does both, I believe, like some fired clay aggregates and also Sanicat Pink cat litter but careful because not all cat litter is suitable. Clumping is bad, dust is bad.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Btw are you a Brit moved to BCN or do you have family there?

[@daveskate123]

@@BlueSkyBonsai hi dave, will just reply here to keep it simple! Thanks for the info I appreciate it! Today I bought some perlite and hydroleca which is a type of clay and also some bark for orchids (think it’s pine bark) so I’m sure it’s fine. I mixed it all up with some peat compost and re potted the trees I’ve got. Not sure if it’s a good idea at this time of year but I’m sure they will appreciate it. Will see what happens! Im just experimenting atm really. And im from the U.K. but moved to Barcelona 5 years ago and now I’m just visiting home for an extended period of time. Can’t wait to get back to Spain and start growing there. I also wanted to ask if you have flown with bonsais before? I’d like to take all my trees with my but not sure if I can. Will definitely be taking 2 of them (the Zelkova and ficus). The other trees are ones I’ve dug up and potted or small shrubs/ trees from garden centres. Sorry the long comment ! Wish we could speak in private messages haha

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@daveskate123 sounds like you've got it under control! Repotting is ok any time of year if you don't prune the roots, hence slip potting. I killed a pomegranate about 5 years ago, repotting it in autumn with root pruning, learnt my lesson there. It lost its leaves then started budding again in november, was dead by end of that year. I have flown with three pre-bonsais from Herons in my suitcase. I wrapped them up in plastic bags, it was fine. 1 year ago. My guess is you probably can't take them as hand luggage because the soil & container might count as liquid. I wouldn't risk having them confiscated anyway. On top of this, I don't know how things will change after brexit, I guess the inspectors might get tougher for a few months... If you want you can send me an email to [e-mail]

[@HAJUBONSAI]

Very nice...

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks very much! 😊👍🏻

[@kino410]

Thanks a lots for your support You are very kind and you help us a lots with our bonsai ☺️journey🙏

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

You're welcome!

[@stevenvitali7404]

Very helpful video, thanks, you have a great selection of amazing bonsai trees !

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thank you too!

[@stevenvitali7404]

@@BlueSkyBonsai hi again, my bonsai is doing really well after that severe prune, new buds and leaves are growing all over, plant is looking great now!, My question is that I have always had it in a north-northeast window and it only gets a tiny bit of direct sunlight early in the morning, also I have never turned the plant so all the leaves lean towards the window, I'm not to worried as it's done good in this position but I'm thinking maybe it may do even better if I had it on one of the other windowsills that face southeast, I've always been worried that the leaves could get scorched there, your advice would be great

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@stevenvitali7404 I have all my Sageretias on a south facing window sill. As long as the soil doesn't dry out, they will be fine with more sunlight. It's also important to realise that inside a window not all of the sunlight reaches the plant since a lot reflects off the glass. Might seem counterintuitive but the higher the sun, the more reflects off the glass because it's at a more glancing angle. In summer I put my sageretias outside for about 3 months a year so they do have some direct sunlight. They get morning sun and afternoon shade, so the hot dry afternoons don't dry out the soil. Being outside allows little beetles and ladybirds to feast on the Scale insects and mealybugs that somtimes infest my trees indoors.

[@stevenvitali7404]

@@BlueSkyBonsai thanks for the reply, it was a great help

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@stevenvitali7404 👍🏻

[@maraflute]

Magnífico Dave. Very clear and well explained. Thanks

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Muchas gracias!!

[@KarIiah]

Informative video as always. I'm actually going to get myself some smaller grow-lights as supplement for my "indoor" plants during winter. Wish I had rainwater available, but here in the 9th floor it's kinda difficult. I have to make do with a water filter thing since the quality of the tap water is just horrible. Lots of lime and rust.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks Karliah, yep filtered water is definitely better than tap water. You could get a pH test kit... if the pH is 7 neutral or higher then you might benefit from acidifiers which are available online. Maybe your bonsai supplier would have them, then you know you're getting a trustworthy additive. Grow lights are really handy. Another thing worth considering is grow mats for your seedlings, on the other hand I guess on the 9th floor it doesn't get too cold there so maybe not necessary..

[@pikepic]

Great information! Worth watching!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks so much! 🌳👍🏻

[@bobbymalta73]

Thanks For sharing mate you'r amazing Bless You.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Cheers mate! 👍🏻

[@sheridans.harrell5256]

Great teaching !!!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks! Glad you liked it 👍

[@howtokillaplant]

Your videos are amazing! If your bonsai is in well-draining soil, should you water it everyday?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks so much! Yes if it's in well-draining soil and the water is not welling up under the pot to the level of the pot base, then yes you can water every day, even more than once a day if it's getting hot out. Make sure the water does drain out the bottom so you know it's sucking down oxygen through the soil too. Water as many times as you need to make sure the soil doesn't dry out. But some trees are more drought tolerant than others. For Portulacaria Afra I do let it dry out between waterings because it's really a succulent more than a tree. HTH 😊

[@howtokillaplant]

@@BlueSkyBonsai Thanks so much!

[@ericrichard2581]

Great tutorial Dave, this will definitely give a kick-start to caring for my first bonsai.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Cheers Eric! Take pics of your bonsai every month or so! It will help you in the long run. Check the soil condition in early spring to see if it needs repotting into better draining soil. Take care & keep in touch!

[@acisclobujalance1819]

Hello David, the video is very interesting, for their health the trees need a lot of light. I have a question, I would like to know if it is better to put the deciduous species in the sun in winter or if they should be kept in the shade to prevent them from being burned by frost if they sprout. I understand that these species, if they do not have leaves, do not need to do photosynthesis, but it is not very clear to me. Thanks and best regards,

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi Acisclo, Where are you? And how warm does it get in the sunshine during winter? Here in Madrid I keep all my deciduous trees outside in the sun/rain/snow all winter, because they generally don't start budding until March. Now in January it's sunny but the outdoor temperature won't go above 7 or 8° so I know the trees will stay dormant even in the sun. So there's not much chance of frost killing the new buds here. Correct, there's no photosynthesis happening when the tree is dormant. But later in Feb / March, as the trees wake up, young trees can start photosynthesizing even through their trunk and branches, before the leaves grow. That's why you sometimes see young trees with green stems. If you think your trees might "wake up" early and start budding during this frosty season, then yes I would put those trees in a cold shelter during this month to ensure they don't bud out early. They don't need sunlight during the next month or so.

[@acisclobujalance1819]

Thank you very much for your prompt and extensive response. I live in the south of Spain, in winter it is generally not very cold, although sometimes we can go down to 2-4 degrees. I always have conifers and perennials receiving maximum sun all year. Regarding the deciduous ones, even in winter some are beginning to sprout, hence the question of shading them or not. A pleasure to greet you and I will continue to watch your channel with great interest.

[@hakanozdemir6113]

Hi Dave, nice video however im not sure with the over watering comments. you can over water white pines on own root stock as they need to dry out a little, regardless of the soil. its about understanding how they are in the natural climate. white pine being high up in the mountain which is dry and does not rain as much. also the red and blue lights are ideal for flowering plants, having spoken to the technical people at Telos led who make some the best professional LED lights, they confirm its about the kelvin strength. my LED produces approx 4000 - 4500 kelvin which is the equivalent of mid day sun. I'm no expert however this is the research I have on the subject

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks Hakan. I have two white pines, and water them just the same as my junipers, olives and holm oaks. Some might say that I overwater them but they're all positively thriving. I mention these for species because like you said, they survive drought and dry soil better than many other species. So I think it's a matter of well-aerated granular soil so that oxygenated water reaches all the roots every watering. Have you lost a pine as a result of over watering? I hope not! I haven't... my point in this video is that all bonsai enthusiasts that I know have at some time lost trees due to underwatering; we all paid too much attention to the advice "make sure you don't overwater it" and consequently one or two trees died in warm weather. Having said all this, clearly climate has a lot to do with it. Here in Madrid it's so dry in summer that I have to water twice a day, and even three times on the hottest days. If you live in a cool humid climate then I guess you would be wasting a lot of water if you used the same regime as mine. Re. Lights, clearly sunlight is better than any LEDs 😉 Thanks again for your comments!

[@RefayetAhmed]

You have mentioned not to prune roots and branches at the same time. But we see that in order to keep the balance we need to prune both or else the tree might go in shock. Winter time pruning of branches are discouraged my ppl, they say that the tree goes in dormant and does heal well. Is that true?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

For tropical trees like ficus that are vigorous all year round, sure you can prune the branches and roots at the same time. I wouldn't though, because you're basically reducing the tree's energy at both ends. I would do one first, then wait for new leaves to grow, then do the other. But in my experience a lot of species, including carmona, azalea, and a lot of deciduous species, if you chop the top and the roots together, you run the risk of killing the tree by reducing its energy too much. It depends on the species. After pruning the roots, a tree only "goes into shock" if it's not kept with high humidity. Keep the tree in 100% humidity for a week or two after root pruning, and the tree won't suffer. The shock that you mention is caused by transpiration at the leaves in the dry air, which cannot be supplied enough water in the tree because the reduced roots can't supply enough water. Winter branch pruning works fine for my trees.

[@Pawpawlogan]

I use collected water stored in rain barrels with goldfish in them to fertilize my trees. I heard the nitrates in the fish emulsions in the water are easier on the trees than chemicals.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Sounds like a good idea. As long as you don't have to add any other type of chemicals to treat the fish...

[@Zacvlee]

Hey Dave! Been enjoying and learning so much :) I've been inspired to grow maples like yours but here in Singapore, it seems like the common wisdom is that they will die out after 1-2 years, getting too tired without a winter dormancy. Is there a way to help them survive? I read some comments below and I saw your suggestion (If I understood it correctly haha) to place them in shade in a cool month when growth slows. Earlier this month, it was growing quite aggressively but now the growing has stopped and new buds seed to dry out but the tree seems healthy. If so, how should I know when it's ready to go back into a new growing season? Thanks so much, supporting you always!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks! They need temperatures below 10°c for a couple of months. Shade helps, sure, but really it's the prolonged cold temperature that makes it drop its leaves and rest dormant for a couple of months. If your tree is small enough you could try a fridge!! But i have never done this, not sure I would risk it.. maybe you would need to gradually get it accustomed to the lower temperature. Good luck!

[@nickkarlsons673]

Great knowledge

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks!

[@kikokoussi7594]

Does the seasonal pruning affect countries that have summer all year round?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

It's all about winter dormancy of trees. So if the species never has a dormant period, then there's no seasonal pruning and you can do it any time of year.

[@robertwozniczka9099]

Quick question with the energy cycle for example pruning. I know you can prune deciduous trees in the winter but does that also apply to evergreens?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi, yes you can prune evergreens in winter. I recommend to always leave a stub, because the collar flange contains the defense mechanism that seals off the wound, to ensure any die-back does not reach the trunk. You can always remove the deadwood stub the following summer or winter if you want. For coniferous trees, remember if you remove all the foliage on a branch, that branch will die. If you want that, then in the future you can use the dead branch for a "jin" which can look great on conifers, but once dead you can never change its direction by wiring (unless you leave the wire on forever....) If you're interested, I did a video about the horticulture of winter pruning here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioOyn6miepl9fJY

[@robertwozniczka9099]

Thank you for the response! I live in Orlando Florida and it’s hard finding any information on raising bonsais in a subtropical climate. I have about 20 species in my collection right now and have learned all my horticulture skills from you. I watched every video about 10 times and even bought the horticulture book. Good work and great videos! Cant wait for future ones.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@robertwozniczka9099 thanks, glad you're finding the videos helpful! I have some more planned, but my only issue at the moment is spare time, or lack of it...

[@kino410]

Hi Mr I have a question Lonicera , is it outside or inside tree Like can a treat here like a tropical tree? I don’t have cold room? And I live in Montréal, canada.. so it’s around -35 winter 🥶

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi, Lonicera is really a vine /creeper more than tree. It should be outdoors nearly all year, but in your extreme cold Montreal winters you probably need to protect it so that the roots don't freeze solid. They can take temperatures down to deep freezing like -15° but I wouldn't risk leaving a bonsai out below -20°. Do you have a greenhouse or cold plant room or basement? When the temperature goes below -15 you could try bringing it inside at night and out again in the daytimes..

[@wolfywolf7197]

Hello i just choped the head of my chinese elm bonsai it has no branches now and half of the top is cutt off i wanted new branches to grow for brom style and have it abit shorter should i do something or how long would it take for new growth branches to come im keeping it indoor south window

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi, Chinese elm is very resilient. My best advice is be patient and eventually the new shoots will come. Where are you? - I guess northern hemisphere if you have it in south window. In northern hemisphere you might need to wait several months til spring, but don't give up on it! Keep watering and keep it in good light.

[@wolfywolf7197]

@@BlueSkyBonsai ok thank you for the reply 😊 i live in sweden

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@wolfywolf7197 i love Sweden, went to Stockholm, Linkoping and Lund. Nice country nice people! You might find a grow lamp can help your elm recover sooner from the chop. 👍🏻

[@jamirovdk448]

Thank you for this amazing video! I visited your website and wanted to send u a mail, but the contact browser didnt work for me :(

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks for your kind words! You can email me at [e-mail] - if that doesn't work you can always contact me here on KZbin 🌳👍🏻

[@glennmcfadgen4137]

Hi Dave Love your site, explanations and your presentation. A question if you don't mind, I have an issue with green leaves dropping off my Chinese Elm and struggling to come up with a reason. How much heat/sun do you allow your trees to get as I wondered if I wasn't weathering my trees properly and they may not be getting enough sun. The other thing I thought about after watching your video is that my Elm had a great 1st flush which I pruned off back to 2-3 leaves and I see you say no pruning in spring. Do you think the prune could have caused this problem ie. stressed the tree out hence the leaf drop. I live in Melbourne Australia so summer can be very hot but I may have caused the problem. There is so many opinions about pruning the first flush once it's hardened or not to , and then the if you don't your internodes will be too big so I don't know maybe some clarification from you will help and as I said I may be the problem because I pruned. Cheers Glenn

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi Glenn, Chinese elms are very resilient in general, so if it loses some leaves, it should hopefully pull through ok. But I'm curious as to why it might be throwing off leaves that are still green. Are they green but crispy dry? Or are they still soft and spongy? Does it look like they're curling at the edges before they drop? I'm wondering if it could be too much fertilizer. Or insecticide? Or do you have any pets that might have wee'd into the pot? The most normal reason for a bonsai to throw off leaves is drought response - sometimes more than a week after the moment that the roots got too dry. But when that happens, the leaves are either crispy dry (which is a very severe drought response) or they go yellow for a week before dropping which is not so severe. Did you repot it this spring? If so, you might need to use the revival trick I showed in my most recent video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGjSaa1rmrmSi9ksi=Z3xRMnO10M0MGxm4 To your questions: Chinese elms can survive indoors or outside in direct sunlight, so it's probably not light issues causing the problem. A lack of light makes bigger, lacklustre leaves; not leaf drop. Also, pruning in spring is okay after the first flush has fully grown and hardened. Although personally I would leave it longer, that alone would not cause an elm to start throwing off leaves.

[@glennmcfadgen4137]

Thanks very much for replying Dave Ok the leaves don't seem to crispy or curling of the edges before dropping. I have just looked at the tree and the leaves seem to be a mottled colour ranging from the vibrant new growth green mixed with a paler green tending to pale yellow. In other parts it still has healthy dark green larger leaves which seem unaffected. There are no pet issues I'm aware of and the tree was only slip potted back in late July so repotting should not have been an issue. I have sprayed the tree 3-4 times since start of spring with Mavrik and Rose Shield as there were a few white fly around (I do spray all my trees at regular intervals) but nothing directly associated with the Elm. I use a 9mth slow release fertilizer with high nitrogen content as the tree is still in development and is in a large black nursery pot I get from Bonsai-En in Sydney. So I don't know, at first I thought it was too hot for it where it is on the bench but some other comments from other people I'm beginning to doubt that. So gee Dave I don't know, the new foliage in places is certainly not the vibrant green of an Elm tree and a bit blotchy but where leaves have dropped there are buds reappearing so hard to say what I'm going to get. Some of the fresh bud growth has got black tips so I assume they will die off. It's very frustrating to say the least so maybe this extra info may help you find a solution to my headache. Appreciate your input and advice. Cheers Glenn

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

I really don't know what the issue is. Ok so it's definitely a positive sign that it's producing new buds. The black tips on the new leaves could be a sign of a few different possibilities - maybe it's lack of light -- but if you've had it on your bench presumably it's getting enough sunlight. You've slip potted it so I doubt there is any root problems. There's a small chance that it might be an internal fungal or bacterial infection, but I doubt that. I wonder if maybe it's a deficiency of one or two essential elements. You used high nitrogen slow-release fert several months ago. Last week I was re-studying some fertilizer science and learnt some new stuff (which I'll publish someday). I learnt that the claims from fert manufacturers are often not fulfilled by the product. 9 months controlled release is questionable. So maybe there isn't much in your soil. Or... another alternative I learnt, is that too high nitrogen concentration prevents roots from taking in potassium, which is needed for processes all over a plant. So maybe there's not enough essential elements, or maybe too much nitrogen preventing the other elements from entering... you're flying blind unless you can test the soil. About 6 or 7 years ago I bought a soil testing kit, you can test both the pH and the NPK content. Something like this - www.amazon.es/Luster-1609CS-Rapitest-Garden-Testing/dp/B0019AI7PU/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=FC9L5APGLSMX Before you buy that, you could test the pH because a pH test kit is much cheaper...

[@glennmcfadgen4137]

Thanks very much Dave for taking the time to reply , it's much appreciated. I'll see how it goes in the next few weeks and maybe even give you an update Cheers Glenn

[@MMbalibonsai]

Nice.... Thank for sharing...

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@richardandrew01]

Hi Dave, you told us in th video not to prune the tree and do root pruning at the same time. I have a very large peach tree which has been left unpruned for more than 4 years. I also have several apple trees grown from seed which I am training for bonsai. I have pruned the roots a lot but never the branches. I live in the tropics where we always have the same hot temperature. In case I root prune it, how many months interval should I wait before I could prune the branches? Can I still prune the trees even if we do not have winter? I am really very cautious in doing these as they might kill my precious trees if I am not so careful. Thank you very much in advance.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi Richard, great question. For mature trees the advice from the book in this video is: "don't do two major insults to the tree in the same year". By "insults" he means significant root pruning, or removing a big branch or more. But that's not so for younger trees. If you have all year round warm weather, a younger tree could recover in a few months, they recover their energy and regrow new fine roots by generating more photosynthates in the leaves. So you could prune the branches within 6 months if needed. One question for you now: peach trees are deciduous and in cooler climates they lose their leaves in autumn/winter. Older, mature deciduous trees need a dormant rest period each year, even if they don't completely lose their leaves. Are your deciduous trees getting a dormant period when they stop growing for 2 or 3 months? If not, then they might benefit by being placed in a cool, shaded place during the coolest season of the year just to give them a rest each year. The opposite season to fruiting. For example if they are fruiting in June - July, then put them in cool shade from December through January.

[@richardandrew01]

@@BlueSkyBonsai Thank you very much for your advise. I will defer on pruning the branches now as I am planning to trim the roots. As we don't have cold weather here like it does in cold countries, it has never fruited since I started it from seed but I have just planted it from seed since I love peach trees. Today is December and we are having some cold temperatures being at 20 degrees C plus at night. My tree is becoming dormant because there is not so much significant growth right now unlike during the rainy season when it had a lot of new growth. It is always in a shaded place ever since I started it from a seed.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@richardandrew01 you're welcome. Sounds like your tree is in good hands!

[@stickyman7585]

Was that a bonsai elf? Interesting your take on fertilizer. I will stop worrying and reduce the feeding regime. I have just started so many of my trees are in 'trainer' pots. You seem to use deeper standard pots. Makes semse; what then orvwhen does a 'trainer' pot come into its own?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Haha yes it was! I plan to do a fertilizer video at some point, hopefully this summer. From a real horticultural point of view. The biggest point which I'm sure you know but bonsai beginners and houseplant hobbyists keep getting wrong: fertilizer is not "plant food". Glucose is plant food and it's made by the plant itself with sufficient light, water and carbon as you saw in this video (thanks for watching btw). So having read all about it and experimented for four years, I am convinced that we don't need to use half the amount of fert that the manufacturers instruct. They, after all, just want to sell more product! So I think of fertilizer more like vitamins for the bonsai. Put a bit of balanced fert in every now and then and all the plants and trees are really healthy. In the developing / fattening trees I use the full dose recommended by the manufacturer, but I use a cheap liquid diluted fert because I suspect more than half of it leeches away out the pot anyway... (I'm not angling very well for product sponsorship in my videos, am I??) 😉

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Also, about pot size. When you're ready for the trunk to stop thickening, that's the time to put it in a shallow pot. Or when you're ready to display in a show. But either way we have to recognize that the smaller the pot, the more restricted the root growth and the less canopy growth. Some people use a healthy regime of one year in a small show pot, two years in a big, healthy pot. Trees need to grow and only the most vigorous can take yearly root pruning year after year for decades. Have I answered your question?

[@gregganderson9299]

nice video, thank you

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@kino410]

For the tropical tree .. I put them inside my house under horticulture lights.. so do the know that is summer or winter??? Like can I repote or purne or doing cutting in winter??

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Tropical trees don't really discern between summer and winter. You can repot them or prune them in winter because they're indoors and don't even know it's winter. But personally I would not do both branches and roots at the same time. After repotting, keep it in high humidity for a month or two before you decide to prune the branches again.

[@monkey4424]

How hot and how cold does it get where you live? Here it gets up to 90°f+ even to the 100’s but never exceeding 110°f. And in the winter it gets as cold as 5°f maybe 3°f. So what do I do with my bonsai? I have a mugo pine which I know can be outside in -40°f - -50°f and o have a Japanese juniper and a thoweil hinoki cypress so I don’t know what I would do when it exceeds high limits or low limits. What temp do I bring my bonsai inside?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Here in Madrid it gets up to 110°F at the hottest and about 15°F at the coldest. I never overwinter any of my hardy trees, they survive fine outside. But if there were a longer period at 15° or if it went colder still, then maybe I'd put most valuable trees in the garage for a few days until the coldest spell has passed. In summer I put a 50% shade over the benches to reduce the watering needs and to reduce the leaf burn in the hot sun. Note that all my cold-sensitive trees (ficus, chinese privet, sageretia, carmona) are all indoors from about October through May every year. Hope that helps.

[@monkey4424]

@@BlueSkyBonsai ok thank you! If my bonsai are on my front porch, with the shingles shade thing over them. Do I need a shade cloth? They get about 5-6 hours of morning sun, and if it’s cloudy then they get light but not sun. Will those shades work? And when they are in the garage should o turn the light on in the garage? Also what do you do with youre maples? When it’s hot or cold?

[@louiegiezbloodlyn]

Hello! I've got trees growing from seed for about 5 years now. I've just repotted them and they are too long minimal trunk taper and I was planning to do a trunk chop next winter. So my question is, how low is too low? 😁

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi, it depends on the species. For most deciduous trees, you can cut them down incredibly low, even down to ground level! And they will give you new branches in spring (as long as the roots are healthy and not pruned significantly.) But coniferous trees are more risky. If your remove too much of the foliage-carrying limbs on a conifer, you risk killing the tree. So don't chop a conferous tree too low. Finally there are the broadleaf evergreens. These vary widely. Most tropical and mediterranean trees like ficus, or olive, can be chopped quite low, say down to the first or second branch. I would not do that to an azalea though, azaleas are not apical-growing trees but lateral-growing shrubs and their growth behaviour is very different. If you cut off a large area of am azalea, a corresponding large section of the roots will die off.

[@louiegiezbloodlyn]

Thank you so much. You're like an encyclopedia for bonsai hehe

[@louiegiezbloodlyn]

@@BlueSkyBonsai can you please make a video of your brave trunk chops hehe what you mentioned about the different type of trees is pretty much mindblowing for me 😁

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@louiegiezbloodlyn good idea. This winter I will probably do some new trunk chops, as the first step from nursery tree towards bonsai...

[@jaydeanda7327]

I’ve had a bonsai for about a year now and have to do my first major pruning. I’m very nervous and not sure where to start! Any tips?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hello Jay, biggest tip of all, "think tree" 😉 but seriously take a look at this video, kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYCqcn1rntaKnM0 if you watch part 1 and part 2, then you will be in a strong position to approach your pruning confidently!

[@jaydeanda7327]

@@BlueSkyBonsai thank you! I’ve watched those videos too so maybe I’m ready ☺️ I think I just need to get the courage to make the first cuts 😬

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@jaydeanda7327 you will do great! What tree is it?

[@jaydeanda7327]

@@BlueSkyBonsai it’s a Natal plum☺️

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@jaydeanda7327 🌳👍🏻

[@pjbabu2169]

What kind of fertilizer please noticed

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

I recommennd generic liquid fertiizer, approx NPK 6-6-6 or so. With micronutrients. Dilute in water following instructions on the bottle. If your trees are refined bonsai, they need LESS fertilizer than the manufacturer says. In that case, use about half the amount that they say on the instructions. The manufacturers want you to use more fertilizer so that they sell more product! Only use the "full" dose if your bonsai is in developement and you're trying to grow it like crazy to fatten up the trunk. Hope that helps!

[@ae.miramontes]

Hello Dave. I've had my first bonsai for over 6 months and I like to believe my juniper has survived thanks to your informative videos, however I've stumbled upon an obstacle. My juniper came with lovely, healthy looking moss, and now that we're approaching winter, the moss has turned into a white powdery fungus looking thing. Should I remove the moss or is there a way to treat it. Thank you, I do appreciate your valuable time.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi Adriana, haven't heard from you for a while! Glad to hear your juniper is doing okay. The fungus on the moss might be a sign of not being allowed to dry... or could be simply a fungal infection passed by spores from something else. Either way, I would carefully remove all the moss and dispose of it trying not to let any spores pass through the air, to avoid cross-infection to something else. Most fungus species are harmless, and in fact juniper roots have a special relationship with a good fungus called mycorrhizae that protects and promotes the root growth. However, fungi on moss never looks good, and is of no benefit to your tree. I want to do a video soon about moss, but just haven't had time. Anyway, the main point is that moss looks nice under a tree but it's never really beneficial to your bonsai. So I let moss grow if it's growing naturally, but then I am perfectly happy to remove the moss once a year when it's getting too thick or starting to grow on the tree trunk. So, remove all the moss carefully and don't lament its loss because it's not so important, and besides it will possibly grow back naturally again some day. HTH

[@ae.miramontes]

@@BlueSkyBonsai Thank you so much for your advice, and for taking the time to reply. I'm going to take care of the moss now. I'm always looking forward learning about bonsai caring through your videos. May you and your family have a lovely new year.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@ae.miramontes thanks and wishing you and your loved ones a happy new year!!

[@master624]

@@ae.miramontes 👍🙏🙏🙏

[@jimenseys6702]

Hey Dave can u tell what soil do u use? Is it akadama, catlitter etc.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hey Jimensey, I've been wanting to do a video about the soil I use someday, just always had more urgent vids to get out there, like repotting at the moment. In today's video (due in a couple hours) I briefly show what soil I use. For a lot of my developing trees I use nun-clumping cat litter. For my "good" trees I use a mix of about 40% akadama, 20% kiryuzuna or pumice, 40% organic components like pine bark or peat, all seived to 3-5mm granules. Percentages are approximate- by eye. HTH.

[@jimenseys6702]

@@BlueSkyBonsai thanks alot I have watched alot of people use non clumping cat litter here and wondered if it works well as I have moved to london 3yrs back. Back home in Goa India i am used to a more different soil that's working best in our climate, here i am still trying my hands on orange dream Japanese maple in development and eager to report it this year in a larger pot, had purchased it last summer it's in pine bark n peat based compost so planned of using non clumping cat litter/molar clay as potting soil hope everything goes well. Fingers crossed 🤞.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@jimenseys6702 sounds like you've got it well under control! I think cat litter seems to retain even more water than akadama. I gather in UK the aspects of drainage and maintaining structure are more important than water retention, because the wetter climate (which you are surely accustomed to now after 3 years!) means there is less need for high water retention. But, evidently ice breaks down akadama more than it does molar clay, so using cat litter is a good plan. Alternatively, a mix of Akadama and Kiryuzuna would be excellent - the kiryu holds its structure in ice like pumice does. Whatever you use, make sure to seive out the dust and fine particles first so they don't clog up the drainage. Good luck!

[@jimenseys6702]

@@BlueSkyBonsai sure I'll do that. Thanks alot looking to watch more videos from u in d future. I like d way u explain things in simple way. Hopefully will share some pictures of my native collection of trees I did last autumn, waiting for them to leaf out, only thinking they might not got killed 🙈... also looking forward to try my hands on airlayering of crabapples from a woodland nearby by first week of may (Hope it's good time to do it)Thanks again tk cr n stay safe.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@jimenseys6702 Cheers - take care too!

[@master624]

Nice video i like hello from Bali Indonesia 🙏🙏

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi, thanks so much!

[@miguelguzman3016]

looks like you've got a bit of a camera collection too!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@miguelguzman3016 yes, a small collection. But they just sit there doing nothing! not as fun as bonsai...

[@SysterYster]

My aspen got its leaves burnt the other day. I'm not sure if it had had too little water, or if it was the water on the leaves in direct sunlight that did it. But the other trees were fine, and they were watered and had wet leaves too. It's been crazy warm last few days.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

One thing to consider, drought can kill a tree but leaf burn won't do. Just looks poorly for the rest of the year .. and you can still defoliate if it looks really bad. Leaf burn usually leaves some green on the veins and near the petiola so you know the leaf is still functioning. Whereas drought makes whole leaves go yellow and drop.

[@SysterYster]

@@BlueSkyBonsai Yeah, I know that. I just meant, what caused it? If it was caused by the water on the leaves. Or by too little humidity for the roots. Some leaves got a black burn on the middle of them, but the rest of the leaves are still green. :)

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

i don't buy in to water on leaves causing leaf burn otherwise you'd see a lot of small burn spots, one for each water droplet. But I don't know... Btw, for the white stuff on oak leaves, look up milldew - you can easily get rid of it with a plant-safe fungicide spray.

[@SysterYster]

@@BlueSkyBonsai Yeah, that was my thoughts too. Probably it had too little water then, making the leaves more susceptible to the heat. Oooh, I'll do that. Thanx! :) I think that does look like it. But mine have very little so far.

[@howto7798]

Nice ❤️

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks 😊

[@fifty5712]

Love it. Thanks!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks GS!

[@mikecipriani7792]

Well the Cryptomeria I spoke with you about didn't make it. I'm down to one Ficus and one Mugo pine now. Bummer.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

That's indeed a bummer. Ficus are pretty good survivors, though. But mugo can be a bit sensitive so you're doing well of you keep that going. Good luck; I hope it works out for you.

[@ngekseng]

Just got a Lavender Star Bonsai imported from Japan and i live in a tropical country aka Singapore, would their energy cycle switch over? its mostly warm sunny weather here..only during October-Jan Its our winter which just rains, but thats about it, just warm and humid

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi @Ek Seng Ng, congrats on the Lavender Star, they are really beautiful and make wonderful bonsai. They flower for so much of the year, this is right near the top of my wishlist because I can't buy grewia here in Spain so I plan to buy seeds online and grow it from seed. What I've heard from the bonsai community, in a tropical climate you can prune them any time of year. They create lots of "sap suckers", (long leggy shoots that take the energy away from your main branches that you want to develop and ramify) so when you see those suckers forming in the wrong place you need to prune them off sooner rather than waiting. So prune branches at any time of year, but not at the same time as root pruning. HTH. 🌳👍🏻

[@ngekseng]

@@BlueSkyBonsai thanks for the advise, u do have a video on root pruning right?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@ngekseng Yes, several videos on root pruning. These ones are deciduous trees of various sizes and root conditions (with on-screen instructions, no talking): kzbin.info/www/bejne/pma7d4R9nsaprKs kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHbHpoCHhsiUhbM kzbin.info/www/bejne/npCsaZx_d5WYpck These two videos are root pruning broadleaf evergreens (3 tropical Sageretias and a wild olive): kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJ3RqoBsftp3ptE kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHOToH2YnKZoq5Y Watch all five then you'll be confident when you're repotting! One more piece of advice: keep your tree in high humidity for a few days after repotting, so that it doesn't throw off its leaves. (For example use a clear plastic bag over the whole tree, with a wet drip tray underneath).

[@ngekseng]

@@BlueSkyBonsai Thanks for the awesome guidance..im not planning to repot anytime soon, as i bought the plant in a decent looking glazed ceramic pot.., was pretty bald with a few leaves and some flowers. and plenty of new leaves after 2 days have begun to appear.so im trying to learn as fast on where or what should i watch out for to prune and keep

[@jasonseaward8506]

I have to use artificial light as the only light source. I've been trying to find out what light cycle it needs (I have a ginkgo tree) and I can't find it anywhere. Do you know how much it needs?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Where do you live? Ginkgos should be kept outdoors because they're deciduous. They just need to be overwintered in a cool garage if the outdoor temperature is freezing for more than a few days consecutively. If you must keep it indoors, give it 8 to 12 hours a day of light in spring and autumn. Give it 12-16 hours a day in summer. And put it somewhere cool in winter, like below 10°C (below 50°F) for about 3 months. Hope that helps

[@jasonseaward8506]

@@BlueSkyBonsai I live in the most southern part of Ontario Canada which does freeze for long periods so I have a "shed" which is basically a garage without the big door and I have to use led lights because there are no windows. So it will get cool enough but my ginkgos are just babies, with only 4 leaves on them so I am trying to geth them through this winter without killing them and I have them in a warm area right now with led lights but only because I don't know if they are ready for the cooler area. The root system doesn't even fill the tiny pot that they are in (3inch very small pots)

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@jasonseaward8506 yeah definitely the first year you can keep them indoors with grow lights for 8 to 12 hours a day.

[@jasonseaward8506]

@@BlueSkyBonsai I'm pretty sure these just recently rooted and it's fall where I am so should I keep them warm then this winter so that next fall I can leave them outside?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@jasonseaward8506 yes that's exactly what I am doing with two ginkgo cuttings here. They're indoors this winter and will go outside sometime next year when I'm convinced their root system has developed enough