Bonsaify | Mame Tricks: Repotting and Rebuilding a Mame Tray

In a follow-up to our most popular video "One Mame Trick to Rule Them All" ( • Bonsaify | One Mame Tr... ) Eric shares more growing and maintenance tricks for mame bonsai.
00:00:44 Some of the mame in the tray need to be repotted, and some are rooted into the tray.
00:01:26 The soil in the tray is fine lava sifted to a coarse sand consistency, and it now contains lot of liverwort (flowerless, spore producing plant) in addition to the lovely green moss. Eric will be replacing the soil for all new.
00:02:01 A tip for escape rooting: it can cause drainage holes to plug up, so stay on top of a repotting schedule.
00:03:29 Portulacaria (Dwarf Jade) in a cement pot: growth improved after Eric put it in the mame tray.
00:04:38 Eric uses a new large mame tray (from Thomas and Kathy Arakawa: www.bonsaify.com/collections/...) and uses a first layer of regular medium bonsai soil.
00:05:37 Shohin aoki mix added on top of the first layer of soil.
00:06:17 Eric's tip for sifting out dust for mame size soil particles and adding a third soil layer.
00:07:19 Repotting a cotoneaster: with mame it is likely you will need to improvise with tools because of the small size of the trees.
00:09:01 Three pot options for the tiny cascade; Eric selects and preps mame container.
00:09:47 Another tip on how to make a tie wire for mame - create a staple and run it up from under the pot.
00:10:53 Placing tree in pot to highlight the trunk and adding soil.
00:12:06 Putting all the repotted mame into the new tray. Eric uses shredded sphagnum moss with medallions of live moss also shredded to lay over the surface of the fine lava mix.
00:13:25 All mame are in the tray - how do you think they look?
Thank you for watching! Share your tips for mame bonsai in the comments below. Like this video and share it with your bonsai community!

[@snejinka_in]

love these videos on mame, you are one of the only bonsai content creators that make them!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

This is awesome Eric, I've used regular playground sand in my under trays and it seems to work well. I'm sure the fine bonsai soil will work even better!

[@Bonsaify]

Thanks Nigel! I'm guessing they're gonna love it!

[@wreagin1]

I’ve watched the first video about mamé many times, glad to see more info on tiny trees

[@jeremystandifird5884]

I'm just now getting into doing mame bonsai, and this is a great peek at the possibilities. Thank you!

[@traufunk7086]

Ohhh my god they are so cute… look how small they are 😮😮❤❤

[@richarddorfman5170]

Please keep these mame videos coming, Eric. Extremely helpful. Many tiny trees on my calendar to repot this Spring. This will be year 2 of using a bed of lava rock similar to yours. All good.

[@locutia7]

Yamasibon also makes videos (Bonsai Diary). They have no speech, but they are very relaxing.

[@Bonsaify]

I love their videos! Such cute little plants every time!

[@daizamaker-jerrybraswell1997]

Really enjoyed this video. Learning a lot!

[@coreymorrison1980]

Would have loved to see all the repotting tbh but great video

[@cherylandrews3195]

I made a mame "garden" after I watched your last video! Thank you so much for your ideas and teaching!

[@jonezkat]

Really enjoy these Mame videos. Thanks for the content

[@estherlovesveges]

So cool to see the tips and tricks, thank you.

[@bobcatbonsai]

Another great Bean video. Thank you for sharing!

[@gabewashburn5756]

Absolutely excellent

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Always superb content Eric. Greatly appreciated. 👍

[@waterlover]

Just wow on how cool these are

[@sharonbuckley4591]

Thanks , just beautiful and I love your clear instructions , it’s a real help on how to proceed with my own .

[@somersetreefer1168]

Love this!

[@baldyeti]

Daggum, that’s pretty slick, brother! You’ve given me some inspiration. I’m diggin this!!

[@ricbethsbonsai638]

Beautiful , I like your jobs

[@ayrasirliyalnair]

hello from Indonesia

[@JacobFirlotte]

Grateful for mame

[@aflatminor]

Oh WOW! These are beautiful, I'd love to have a go at something so small now I don't work 12 and more hours per day, I think they would have dried out and perished through summer before but now I have no committments and can look after them much better! At the moment I have from Shohin sized uppards! Keep up the fabulous work! 🤩

[@9daywonda]

Some nice specimens there especially the 2nd one along from the bucket in the1st not second row.

[@Bonsaify]

I don't see any bucket. 🤷‍♂️

[@kawin9]

So cute .I like mame

[@Breathing_bonsai]

Cool 👌

[@chaquatics9512]

New camera Eric? This video looks super crisp👍🏻

[@S-series1977]

Nice 🙂👍👍👍 video

[@locutia7]

Ah, so, I need a mame tray!. And bent nose tweezers!

[@DavidScheltema]

#MameMonday 🎉🎉🎉

[@Drummmer]

Ďakujeme.

[@Alex1ong]

Wow

[@adalidsdna]

Dope.

[@chasingthefish9042]

I always put my loop ends out of the pot. Roots grabing the screen and the wire drives me batty vs them just grabbing screen.

[@dudesjir74]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@mm6918]

Such cool little bonsai! Really appreciate all the informative videos. I've never had a mame. Would Conifer mame live outside in the winter of grow zone 5 or would I have to keep them in my garage to keep them from freezing since I don't have a greenhouse?

[@Bonsaify]

I think you'd want to protect them. 32-40F is good for dormancy without causing twig dieback etc. Some conifers will handle very cold temps (larch comes to mind) while others will not - black pine isn't super cold tolerant.

[@mm6918]

@@Bonsaify Thanks Eric!

[@fatkurrohmanofficial6572]

Gud luck....

[@steveanacorteswa3979]

I wonder if you put the used lava in the oven for a few hours if it will kill off any spores, my black lava is getting harder to find. Thanks for the video.

[@Bonsaify]

I thought of that - but then I figured it would stink up the house. Of course, I could also wash it and remove the roots, then bleach it, but seemed like too much effort for a couple scoops of lava.

[@steveanacorteswa3979]

@@Bonsaify I would use it on the stored up lava but I also use the old stuff in my pre-bonsai grow mix that is mostly Pine bark, pumice and composted manure, the Telperion mix

[@ponderanceofagravedigger2564]

I love that little soil scoop. Where did you get it?

[@Bonsaify]

It was actually a gift from a friend, who I think found it in an antique shop. I suspect it's an old kitchen utensil. Here is an Etsy link to a listing of one that is similar: www.etsy.com/listing/1291008698/vintage-kitchen-scoops-primitive-kitchen?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=vintage+small+scoop&ref=sr_gallery-1-28&organic_search_click=1

[@ponderanceofagravedigger2564]

@@Bonsaify thank you!! Love your channel by the way! Its great!!!

[@nickanderson8305]

Would these die in a cold climate during winter? I still dont gully understand how potted plants survive freezing winters

[@Bonsaify]

I'm not a cold expert. Start here: bonsaitonight.com/winter-care/

[@ronniebruce]

Low energy in this video, is that what rain does to a Californian? haha I have to make one of these trays for myself. Thanks!

[@pietropieroni5685]

Hi i'm from Italy. I have a question about a white pine. I got it from a bonsai center, something must have happened to it, the size is between mame/shohin. it has partially green/yellow needles, but I have seen that some needles on each bud are always green. we made a deal he priced it low and if he dies I get a voucher. apart from this, if I could send a photo it would be better, that's what I'd ask first, in your opinion, I'll do a false repotting, removing a bit of old soil around it and then I'll impust it and put it in a cold greenhouse while praying. Thank you

[@Bonsaify]

I would encourage you to explore help from the community on bonsainut.com.

[@vishallagoo]

I usually remove all old soil from root base. Is that correct? Or should I leave some of the old soil in there while repotting? Means basically should i clear all of the bonsai soil around roots like we do to medium or large bonsai trees?

[@Bonsaify]

I tend to leave some if the quality of the soil is good and the roots are healthy. But, many species you can bare-root completely during the ideal repotting window.

[@vishallagoo]

@@Bonsaify thanks man ✌🏻

[@dawnpowless]

Is there a way you can sterilize the old soil so that it can be recycled without risk of the liverwort coming back?

[@Bonsaify]

Yes, heating it like in an oven, or using a bleach/peroxide or alcohol would kill the spores.

[@HommeTerre]

🌈✨👍

[@boxCatalogue]

Lovely bokeh in this one. New camera?

[@Bonsaify]

Yes! One of the reasons I have not been able to make as many videos recently is that I've been spending so much time learning how to use a new camera and editing software. Up to this point I had just used an iPhone for all the videos, but decided to get a Sony A7iv. I quite like the soft background - better separation.

[@boxCatalogue]

@@Bonsaify Yeah I noticed it was much easier to see the finer details of the mame trees than in other videos. What editing software are you using?

[@Bonsaify]

I was using iMovie for a long time, but just switched to Final Cut ProX, which has not been as hard as my last attempt to switch to Adobe Premier Pro...gave up on that, just took forever to get anything done. FCPX is pretty intuitive, and has a full set of features - The snag with iMovie was that you can't color-grade the footage if it comes in as sLog or other professional color profiles. In FCPX I can just apply a LUT and do a quick levels correction and then edit as normal. I'd recommend the "DSLR Video Shooter" channel here on KZbin if you want to get some great info on shooting videos.

[@caseykja]

how and when do you feed these guys? Would think that you couldn't be very aggressive

[@Bonsaify]

Actually, I feed them pretty much like larger trees - using mostly liquid fertilizer. But sometimes I try to squeeze a single BioGold pellet onto the surface also. You actually don't want them to grow tooo fast, so enough fertilizer to keep them healthy is good, but not too much more.

[@westcliffsmusic]

where can I buy a mame tray like that?

[@Bonsaify]

Alas - I had these custom made. But, I'm going to see if I can have Kathy and Thomas make some more so we can sell them also. The old pot that I was using was an elongated Chinese container - so they do exist, but not super common.

[@westcliffsmusic]

@@Bonsaify I saw an elongated rectangle on your site, maybe Mitunobu? would that be good? by the way I have an Arakawa chawan from japan town made by Thomas, I love their work!

[@Bonsaify]

Oh, I forgot - yes we do have the Ito elongated rectangles. They are a bit smaller than this one, but would still work for probably 5-8 mame depending on the exact size.

[@blueridgebonsai9155]

Eric, great tips. I have been getting more interested in mame and shohin lately after carrying my big tees down the hill for winter storage. I found a couple of really good Japanese channels: Bonasi Q and Kimi’s Bonsai. Today’s video on Bonsai Q blew my socks off, take a look kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4q7qnarZ66qlas . BTW, my chinese elm and cork oak seem to be doing fine in my window well. They are about 3’ below land surface with a clear plastic cover so it is basically a cool greenhouse. Have a great week-Larry

[@Bonsaify]

Suffice to say - the Japanese growers are trouncing all of us Americans at the moment. Incredible work going on there for sure. Thanks for the link.

[@questionablecooking7019]

Best trick I can recommend for growing mame is to yell at them, and threaten violence

[@Bonsaify]

That might stunt their emotional development.😜

[@questionablecooking7019]

@@Bonsaify lol we're making trees here, not snowflakes !! 🤣🤣🤣