9 Do's and Don'ts of Choosing Bonsai Material

[@grobonsai]

Let us know where you are and what species work well in your area?

[@hyperionhelios190]

Just getting into it this season and focusing on indoor here in Canada. I purchased a ficus benjamina "too little" and trying to root some barberry and boxwood from the front garden.

[@grobonsai]

Both reliable species, hope you get success rooting them

[@dabblingwithbonsai]

I've got a common juniper Nana (collected in Finnish Lapland); two scots pines (likewise) several white birches, one collected from Lapland and a few seedlings volunteered in the moss which didn't survive; and young oaklings started from seed in the spring. With the young ones I'll have to see, if they survive next winter, but with6the conifers I'm quite confident, since they have survived - 40c and heavy snow. The juniper is just over its second growth spurt and should be cut, but it's so hooooot. For indoors I got a schefflera, a ficus (maybe benjamina) and if I succeed with them a mango, avocado and some chilis. The last three I've grown from seed this year, so it's a long way. 😶 Edit: I live in Southern Finland, in Helsinki area

[@petesavage5846]

Hi Darren. I'm in Worcester UK, I have boxwood, berberis, yew, and working on some maple air layers that are going well. Thanks for another informative video.

[@terrorofdeath3280]

I'm in Southern Washington in the Greater Portland Metro area. Previously I've had Deshojo Maples, Golden Yew, Juniper, and Roses do exceptional in this area. I however ended up losing a lot of these plants to moving around a lot. This year I restarted my bonsai collection with a Lavender, and a Rosemary, and they're doing great! The recent heatwave actually made them bush out so much, that I had to hard prune them back for the 2nd time this year. My Lavender has already bounced back (two days after pruning!), and my Rosemary seems to be taking a bit of a break. But my Rosemary seems to not grow as quickly as my Lavender.

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

A really well thought out and presented video. Great content Darren. I am a big fan of finding nursery rejects and especially look out for the discarded dwarf azalea that show up post flowering. I also look out for Japanese White Pines at Pennels - I have found some decent graft examples at discount prices. Apart from that I use the same guidelines you have described for anything else that is on special. The only other thing to consider is purchasing groups of 'hedging' material like beech, hornbean and hawthorne. It is a cheap way of developing wiring skills and gives you scope for multiple development projects to keep you occupied.

[@grobonsai]

Great tips there Xavier, thanks

[@benl.ofthegamecatarmy]

I am so glad I found this channel

[@grobonsai]

Me too, welcome on board!

[@mattbrennan647]

Another great video. Congrats on closing in on 20,000 subs. Keep growing. Thanks

[@grobonsai]

Thanks so much!

[@Tore1972Wisdom]

Hi Darren. It´s so nice to see how your channel has grown and how you have evolved. Yes Potentilla is so great for bonsai.

[@grobonsai]

Thank you Tore

[@Dmoongurren]

We have (green island Ficus) readily available here in Florida. Also (dwarf Schefflera) (bougainvillea), so a plentiful supply of beautiful tropical plants that you can find quite easily in any nursery here.

[@grobonsai]

Thanks for sharing! Do they need winter protection in your area?

[@Dmoongurren]

@@grobonsai great question yes, I live in Melbourne which is central Florida on the east Coast so it will dip into the low 30s. Last year we hit low 30s only 3 times, and the rest of winter is a nice 55f average. So your Tropicals you have to bring them inside when it lowers to those temperatures 39f and down.

[@nature337]

The midwest of the US, and Thuja! They are super common in nurseries, are tolerant to the weather we have, and are relatively pest free. The downside is the fronds, but different cultivars behave differently and you can pick the aesthetic you like the most,

[@mattaustralian6584]

Great hints Darren. Limited for space but I'll try nearly anything that grabs my eye, from azaleas to natives.

[@grobonsai]

No discrimination :D

[@alessandromassimo5717]

Here in Italy id say olive, myrtle, black pine that is the easiest pine to maintain and also very strong, yew a very cheap and vigorous tree, holm oak, juniper fenicio, pistacia lentiscus, lagerstroemia.

[@grobonsai]

Great information thanks

[@dabblingwithbonsai]

Thanks for the tips, they're always welcome! Love your views and the way you explain things! I had a small hinoki, but it dieded last winter, we had too cold a weather for said species here in 🇫🇮 . Of course it was a bummer, but maybe I'll try again with more experience later on. Now I got mainly just local trees, so lots to do anyways.

[@grobonsai]

That's a really good approach especially with a more extreme climate, thanks

[@danilodizon605]

I just like how you do it, simple and clear! Ty

[@grobonsai]

Thanks 🙏

[@TheWildWondersSA]

Great tips Darren

[@grobonsai]

Thanks for watching 🙏

[@TheWildWondersSA]

@@grobonsai Any time, just got back into keeping Bonsai trees and ive been binge watching ;)

[@jonnecleef5548]

For me junipers work really well were i live. Even my rosemary can stay outside all winter. Since our winters are very mild in the netherlands. We mostly have rain and wind.

[@SilaSuwantara]

Good sharing ... always learn new thing every watching your video sir ...

[@grobonsai]

Thanks very much sir

[@BillyBobJoeSnr]

Nice, some good info.

[@grobonsai]

Glad it was helpful!

[@judithhope8970]

I have potted up lots of seedlings found in my garden, from many hawthorns, to chestnut, oak and maples, apples too. . I'm not sure where to start. Some have been there about five years now and are getting quite tall. 😊

[@grobonsai]

It’s great to have plenty of projects, growing away, biding your time

[@kylenewton6274]

I'm in the Pacific Northwest in the US (Oregon). I have a Douglas Fir sapling that's grown naturally outside, and I'd love to give that a go as a bonsai, but I'm not seeing a lot of resources or others who have done Douglas Fir bonsais. Any tips? Thanks!

[@grobonsai]

Best advice I can give is to check out the free trial of live.bonsaimirai.com he has some very important techniques for handling Doug fir

[@kylenewton6274]

@@grobonsai I will definitely check that out! I love your content, btw. Thanks for all you do!

[@andrewsalhany5665]

Great tips👍

[@grobonsai]

Thanks Andrew!

[@Callin4Change]

My thought when buying a grafted tree is being able to air layer and produce cuttings from that tree. Obviously assuming it's a species that you can do that with

[@grobonsai]

Definitely 👍

[@almac2598]

Thanks Darren.

[@grobonsai]

Cheers Al!

[@paulcropper4568]

Any chance of an update on the large Larch you styled

[@grobonsai]

I shall try and squeeze it in, thanks Paul

[@OfAndalu5]

Thanks for the video, this is exactly what I need! I'm planning on buying a bonsai or two very soon, and this is a good starting point for me. I live in London, UK, and I'm not sure where exactly to get material from- any suggestions are warmly welcomed :)

[@grobonsai]

There are some bonsai nurseries that I hear good things about - LV bonsai and windybank bonsai, but I've never been. For DIY projects look for garden centres or hedging nurseries

[@OfAndalu5]

@@grobonsai hey. Finally bought my first 4 bonsai trees! That said, I'm curious to see how well I can do with nursery stock. I'm probably gonna buy a live Christmas tree and (similar to Mirai live nursery stock 3), try to turn it into a bonsai. Do you have any go to places to find nursery stock with solid trees. Some places I've been to have house plants and maybe cacti etc but I've struggled to find tree stock for a DIY project

[@TTime685]

Almost any common bush/shrub used for landscaping has potential

[@grobonsai]

Definitely true but I find some are more readily adapted to bonsai than others

[@TTime685]

@@grobonsai Yeah for sure. Some are almost naturally suited for bonsai while others take time and effort to develop. But when you can take something that isn't commonly used for bonsai and turn it into a quality specimen, that's something special

[@Max._Power]

I would love to make a bonsai white poplar or silver fir or even Canada yew

[@kibbL3s]

I live in the tropics. I absolutely love p.afras and adeniums

[@grobonsai]

I'm a Port fan but the climate here isn't ideal for them

[@strange9673]

Peace peace, I live in the mountains of Oaxaca, what tress can I use? Thank you for your work and dedication brother, much love and blessings🙌🏽

[@grobonsai]

Peace! I think in your climate you will be looking at tropical species. Ficus microcarpa, Portulacaria afra, Bougainvillea - that's three examples. But I'm afraid my climate is so different than yours, I have limited knowledge. Here is a trusted channel and expert talking about it kzbin.info/www/bejne/lV60eYCveq2Krtk

[@illdecidemylifesdirectionl9992]

I ended up with a lot of sugar maples because they grow like weeds are in New Jersey

[@jackrinderer7916]

Japanese Beautyberry(Callicarpa Japonica) for New Jersey !

[@nickkarlsons673]

Good morning Darren

[@grobonsai]

Morning Nick!

[@juinn3745]

My mom wants to make a bonsai so I was showing her your videos. For us Indians Banyan tree would be one of easiest to grow I think... hell they'll grow on a concrete wall if they could.

[@adalidsdna]

What about the maybe's? Hmmm?

[@grobonsai]

I’m not sure haha

[@k.959]

Anyone have ideas for a more desert bonsai gets up to 110 in SoCal where I’m at. Currently growing a few laurel sumac; native shrub.

[@johnmichaelrutherford3514]

Perhaps some succulents like jade or desert roses would be good for you as they can take that type of weather.

[@grobonsai]

I agree, Portulacaria afra (aka dwarf jade) is a good bet, they make great trees

[@k.959]

Thanks guys, I like the dwarf jade a lot. I got a sinocrassula “Chinese jade” grows weird turned me off from succulent-bonsai. Think I’m going to try manzanita next. I Will stick with local chaparral as seeds are free!

[@entyropy3262]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@grobonsai]

🙏🙏

[@НинаПолетаева-ж5д]

Очень жалко, что нет субтитров и возможности перевода...

[@grobonsai]

Извините, у меня нет ресурсов для перевода. Извини за это I'm sorry, I do not have the resources to translate. Sorry about that (Google translation)

[@thebonsaiprojectkernow]

Good afternoon,I've just sub'd,I'm a newbie to bonsai,my inspiration mainly came from @bonsaicornwall. I'll be working my way through your vids

[@almac2598]

Thanks Darren.