My Too Little Leaf Ficus benjamina and More, The Bonsai Zone, Nov 2023

Today's video begins with an update on the garage build for the Porsche 911, some new pots and trees and questions about my Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica).
I then prune and repot my too little leaf Ficus benjamina.
Next is a group critique of my Austrian Pine and my Eastern White Cedar forest.
To see previous videos of my too little leaf Ficus benjamina, click on the playlist here....
• My Too Little Leaf Ficus
To see previous videos of my European Buckthorn bonsai, click on the playlist here...
• Buckthorn Bonsai
To see previous videos of my Austrian Pine bonsai, click on the playlist here...
• Austrian Pine Progression
To see previous videos of my Eastern White Cedar forest, click on the playlist here...
• Multi trunk Cedar Prog...
To see previous videos of the 1970 Porsche 911, click on the playlist here...
• 1970 Porsche 911 Targa
#TheBonsaiZone

[@Dylan-ok6ft]

Even though you’ve been at this for a long time, you’re willing to open yourself up to critique. Not an easy thing to do! What a great exercise for the club. Being critical can be just as hard sometimes as receiving criticism.

[@johnmccauley101]

Too bad we're at opposite ends of the country otherwise I'd be on your door step offering to adopt at least one of those jades!!

[@DavesBonsai]

That red swirl artsy pot is wonderful!

[@puchokillit2036]

The buckthorn could've had a pest problem. That lady bug that was crawling on it was chasing after a meal if you ask me 😅

[@baldyeti]

Diggin your philosophy on critiques, Nigel. No ego involved, you’re the man. Thank you for teaching me something, yet again, today.

[@dkstott29]

Thanks!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Wow, wow , wow!!! Thanks so much, I'll spend the money wisely....on trees!!!

[@dkstott29]

@TheBonsaiZone no more tree's. More pots and supplies. 🤣🤣

[@TheBonsaiZone]

You got it Dave!!@@dkstott29

[@SamuelFrye-y4j]

Hey Nigel - a suggestion re. your buckthorn. The surface of the soil is covered in pearlwort (or something similar), which looks like moss but can have surprisingly large roots that might be taking up quite a lot of the volume of the pot. It will compete with the buckthorn for water and fertiliser, too. I'm studying in a Japanese bonsai garden and there's a daily battle against the stuff!

[@grobonsai]

I don't mind admitting that I'm green with envy, that's such a cute little ficus! We struggle to get ficus varieties in the UK. Still at least we can enjoy seeing yours!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Darren, even here some Ficus species are rare and hard to get!

[@n8tyler]

Enjoyed the tour and commentary...Thanks Nigel...

[@juliysmith4598]

A year ago for Halloween I was treated a Jade leaf. It has been slow growing. After seeing small clippings about 5 years old I have new hope for my lil tree.

[@egoebonsai37]

Wow beautiful ficus benjamina Bonsai. Greeting one hobby bonsai from Indonesia Sir. Good luck.

[@FrostBiteBonsai]

At some point I will have tree at that level where it can be critiqued. Hopefully I can take it as well as you have. Great trim and repot!

[@t3dwards13]

Wow!!! Being able to have your trees critiqued by many people, is a nice benefit of your club! I'm sure some people feared the results. Lol In addition, I will point out that's kinda what the videos do as well...including the comment section.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Yes, the comment section is a valuable resource that I'm lucky to have!!!

[@growclipbonsaiforseniors1951]

Those Jades have some super thick trunks. Hopefully you can find a good home from all of the trees Jason gave to you to take. They are saved from the junk pile.

[@lukasmihara]

The Ficus ended up more sparce than I expected, but it looks nice and clean! The critique was interesting, too. I also hope the Buckthorn can gain some more vigor soon!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

The Ficus is growing well once again, thanks Lukas!!

[@davidszita9122]

At the beginning of the video: Nigel buys the next batch of bonsai soil.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Lol!! Thanks!

[@growclipbonsaiforseniors1951]

Excellent repot!

[@GreenhornBonsai]

Thanks for sharing the critique from the Toronto club. I wish I had a bonsai club nearby, it seems like you get a lot out of the meetings with them. And interesting about scarring the jade and the mealy bugs. Sounds like Portulacaria afra can take the scarring better than the crassula!

[@dkstott29]

Ficus friday. ❤❤ if i lived closer, I'd come help you with reducing the collection of jades. I like the forest now. Thinning it might add to the vigor of the other tree's.

[@Liisa3139]

I'm so happy you got a pot from David now. Those modern pots he makes are big favorites of mine and it will be very exciting to see you trying plants in one. I remember commenting David's pot some two years back or so and saying that it reminded of Guggenheim Museum in New York. Really interesting pots! The hole on your pot's "wing" inspires many ideas. Maybe on April Fools something or somebody could be seen peeping through that hole? By then I will have forgotten I ever wrote anything about it...

[@TheOlsjvd]

Nigel's head bonsai could sure use a pruning

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Great idea

[@TheOlsjvd]

I'm here in Los Angeles and have been watching your videos for years. I've always had a love for ficus benjaminas since I was young. I bought a multi trunk ficus benj. cutting from a farmers market in 2001 with the intention to make it a bonsai. But it just became a house plant that I took with me from place to place over the years. When I finally got the time and space I made multiple cuttings and several big air-layers about 8 yrs ago. I now have some beautiful bonsai trees 🌳 And as a result my original mother tree is also finally becoming the bonsai I intended to make. Thanks in large part to your instruction!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

I like the new pot for the Black Pine. It is always good getting developmental feedback on our trees. I often find I can become a little too protective of what I have developed and fail to see some obvious directional needs that may improve the bonsai in the long run. hard work moving all that gravel - I've done that a few times before :)

[@barryauguste9734]

I am going to love soon you scar up the trunks of those Jades Nigel. I'm too scared to try again without seeing your attempt. My own first trial (with a wire brush) was a disaster!!

[@therisingofroninbonsai]

Almost the soil looks good .

[@MultiZNB]

❤❤❤

[@Ollieslife101]

Hey Nigel, not a bonsai question.. but are you working your dreadlocks, or are those just forming naturally with a little twisting ? I'm just curious I love dreadlocks and so cool to see them is straighter hair. Can't wait to see the end result in the future

[@jonathanaristone2468]

Hi Nigel, I thought I saw a lot of Irish moss on the Buckthorn which is invasive on the tree root system. This may be an issue and easily solved. Good luck.

[@mmjnice97]

yea my buckthorn still has its leaves.. they are in redickulussey small pots with tiny black roots,, they are much younger then your tree but they seem pretty happy in small pots so far. buckthorn is invasive around my parts so i dont feel bad torturing it hard

[@michaelcowart6100]

Those too littles love the light, don't they? I agree with the critique on the cedar forest. Too crowded and difficult to see your good work. I understand that was a goal of sorts but the viewer should still be able to see the tree with ease. They will move on to the next tree if they have to work too hard to see the display. ❤

[@laughin7654]

Branches, foliage, 1 Branches foliage, 1 ❤

[@dk2614]

Woohoo!

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌👌

[@DavesBonsai]

I know a thing or two about digging! 😅

[@skolvikes28]

Great video! What ratio of soap to water do you use for dealing with insects?

[@TheBonsaiZone]

40 parts water to one part dish soap!

[@pennyduncan5980]

❤😊

[@michaelwhyte8529]

Hey nige hope u good:) question. I am about to repot my benjamina, can i defoliate or no big cuts?

[@snylilith]

I don't agree with the forest being too crowded, maybe except for the lower branches of the big tree - otherwise it reminds me of actual "used to be clearings" from the forest nearby, were there is one mothertree and a group of children around her 😃

[@harishahn9039]

Our bonsai are like our own kids. Very difficult to listen to critics

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Yes, true!!

[@howardmcgraw472]

off topic nigel have you watched jade king64

[@dkstott29]

What's the KZbin channel name??

[@howardmcgraw472]

jade king 64

[@dkstott29]

@@howardmcgraw472 KZbin search says there's no channel by that name.

[@howardmcgraw472]

JADEKING 64 sorry

[@justlucky13]

Foist

[@kathyvettraino2267]

Toid😂

[@kevinrandell5189]

Foist. to foist. on the foist....🤔 🧌🧟‍♀️🧌🧟🧌🧟‍♂️🧌

[@darrel7382]

Nebari? Nice try wannabees.