Niwaki to Bonsai, a Pinus nigra story - Arkefthos Bonsai

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Please enable captions - subtitles!

[@swarno71]

Like finding treasure. Beautiful tree.

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you man! It will get so much better in a year, when it's ready for styling! Cheers!

[@galecunningham1250]

Watching you work is just poetry in motion. Thank you so much for sharing these moments. Watching you lift the rocks from the tree with purpose embodies to me, the spirit of Buddhism.

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Gale! Much appreciated!

[@robertobreglia9224]

Very compliments my friend,this pinus nigra is really fantastic and you did a great job with a great technique!👏👏👏👏

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Roberto! Hope this survives and becomes something special!

[@robertobreglia9224]

@@ArkefthosBonsai I'm sure it will make a fantastic bonsai!👍👍

[@isidroalbertgarcia2396]

Lots of chat and comments. Navy seals find a safe harbor.. despite its a PINE! gracias desde el Mediterráneo. Nice and brave work!

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Isidro! Chat an comments are good!

[@Poor_Wayfaring_Stranger]

Austrian pine named after my lovely home. Looks absolutely beautiful thank you for making my favourite tree shine!

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

I've come to love the species these past few years! I am trying to expand my stock on Pinus nigra as it is so fun to work with! Thank you! Cheers!

[@ChannelSobari]

thank you for sharing vidio bonsai pinus👍👍❤️

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

You're welcome mate!

[@oussamachaachoui3727]

Beautiful tree and work I like the music But the most beautiful thing is the place and the stunning views of the mountains 😍 Lucky you to live in that place Good luck Artist

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Oussama for this beautiful comment!

[@tiagodelimagoll1108]

Lindo pinus nigra, adoro sei vídeos e suas explicações, se o pinus não vai p exposição, eu falaria para você passar uma borracha por fora do vaso acomodando as raízes para quando der ventos fortes ela não se movimentar e daí com o tempo corta a borracha e nisso ela já vai estar firme, mesmo amarrando ela no vaso, melhor previnir do que remediar kkk parabéns pelas suas plantas sempre lhe sigo

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Tiago for the support! I have the tree completely immobilized with a pole into the ground. It does not love at all. And now I am constructing the permanent position where it is going or be tied to the fence and I will be able to work around it when it is time for styling. Cheers!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Wow!!! I am in shock at how good that tree has come on. I definitely need one of those lifts though. I'm off to get some starter Black Pines tomorrow (finally) after seeing this video. You are blessed to be where you are and to have the skills you show. Thak you for a wonderful episode...now I have to catch up on the other 2 or 3 I've missed. Spring suddenly means my bonsai workload just jumps to 9 hour days...

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Xavier! Sounds like you are facing the good kind of spring "problems"! With Pinus nigra, you can't go wrong. Very strong trees! Hope to see your pines soon!

[@jefsbonsaiandfarming]

Amazing video and tree! Cheers my friend

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Jeff! Good to see you!

[@dimitrylowie]

Great looking tree. I guess your plan is to cut back to the back budding in the future tot downsize the width of the silhouette? I love adding moss to my trees...but the birds love it also so they tend to steal it haha.

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Dimitri! Yes, exactly. That's the plan. It was wide and for a niwaki this is fine but now I need to tighten the foliage close to the trunk. It will take 3 4 years but it will be done eventually. About the moss, I had the same problem last summer. I solved it by putting shade cloth above the pot for e few months. Keeps birds away but keeps the pot cooler as well. Cheers!

[@naturgeist]

Just wow, so calming and beautiful ✨🥰

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thabk you mate! Cheers!

[@harrychristodoulou3782]

Yaso re de kanis, what’s your name? You made that into an amazing master piece it looks beautiful. Take care and stay safe 👍🏼😉👍🏼

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Kalimera Harry! Name is Fotis. Thank you for your support! Have a nice day!

[@dmitrimikrioukov5935]

Very beautiful! 😍

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Dimitri! In 12 to 18 months this will change drastically, much better in my opinion! Cheers!

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Superb video (as they all are). Beautiful bonsai beautifully edited and presented. ❤

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Jason, I really appreciate your kind words!

[@pela1100]

Un trabajo impresionante. Nunca pense que ese pino terminara en un tiesto. FELICITACIONES por el resultado obtenido con mucho trabajo sostenido en el tiempo. Salud.

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Fabian! I never thought of that myself, starting with this tree in 2014. But the idea has been warming up with me the last 2 years and now it is done! Cheers!

[@pela1100]

@@ArkefthosBonsai An idea carried out. Enjoy. greetings

[@georgetourloukis7194]

YES! MORE! MOOOORE!

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

George!

[@sagebonsai]

Amazing work, well done. 👏

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you, I appreciate it!

[@bobdale2842]

How do you determine when to use only pumice, akadama, lava, or various combinations?

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

So, for yamadori - like trees, you need a lot of airation to build the root system again and no need for fertilizer. Pumice or it's variation, perlite, or perhaps a mix between them is the best. For developed trees, where I need fertilizing, I need 50% zeolite that has great Cation Exchange Capacity. For broadleafs I might use up to 10% organic soil from the forest, while for conifers maximum 5% or none. I've selected the components I want to use and mix them knowing what my targets are for every single tree. I hope that helps a bit!

[@marnoster]

Wow! This tree is really special! If you don’t mind me asking - what powder did you put on the roots before you added the pumice/perlite?

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Marmo! I describe everything detailed in the captions - subtitles. This was a mycorrhizae additive to help with the transplant sock, heal faster and become healthier soon. Pinus nigra (as sylvestris) have a strong relationship with fungi in their root systems. Cheers!

[@silvanochiesa2372]

splendido complimenti davvero

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Silvano!

[@brettgeisler3065]

Can’t stop watching this tree… it’s amazing. Real life tree, not too contrived like the Japanese

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Brett, I appreciate it!

[@hfestion.]

Μπράβο φίλε!!! Εξαιρετική δουλειά!

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Σε ευχαριστώ!

[@ChrisVidouras]

Gorgeous!!

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you Chris, as always!

[@TheMightyYak]

Great video, do you plan on working the top this year?

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you! Yes, I'll start by candle pruning in early June and fully style it in late October. Cheers!

[@TheMightyYak]

@@ArkefthosBonsai Nice, are you planning on filming it? I'd love to see an update on it.

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

@TheMightyYak definitely going to be a video. But probably I'll show all of the process on one video in November. At least that's the plan now. Thank you!

[@DactarVda]

Greetings from Brazil! Nice work!! What is the substrate? Pumice?

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you mate! It's 50% zeolite, 50% pumice for this tree. For trees dug out of the ground is 100% pumice, but this is a big tree, in a big pot, so if it's going to stay in the pot without repotting for more than 2 years, old add the zeolite that has excellent CEC to hold and slowly release fertilizer after the first season. Cheers!

[@DactarVda]

​@@ArkefthosBonsaigreat! Thank you for your answer! I really apreciate your trees❤

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

@DactarVda thank you!

[@bulebonsaibatam1758]

Nice tree❤. Is that just perlite you used for the media ??

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you! As I've written in the captions - subtitles, I treated the tree as a yamadori, so this substrate mix is half pumice half zeolite. Cheers!

[@luckytobehere7948]

Amazing!

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you!

[@70M43]

Well done!! 💪

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you!

[@roehle9962]

What is that powder you’re using? mycorrhiza or rooting hormones?

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

I always describe in captions - subtitles all the steps in detail. This is mycorrhizae additive (works great with Austrian black pine and sylvestris). Cheers Roehle!

[@roehle9962]

@@ArkefthosBonsai sweet, thanks! i used to raise a fungus culture from discarded pine bonsai soil, which always was a huge pain in the a** of course. Could you name or give me a link to the product you’re using?

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Fungus culture without the pine roots? That's why is hard. Anyway this a product called micoseeds plus and the company's name is microspores. I think though that it is local and that's a good thing. You want to grow local micorrhyzae and not imported, because they can compete and create problems. Cheers mate!

[@philipeconomou7039]

Bravo!

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Σε ευχαριστώ Φίλιππε!

[@Javanesetropicalbonsai]

Very nice❤

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you!

[@razor2ts]

Please do an update in 6 months :-)

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Definatly will. Probably show the tree in a a general update video, as this tree will not be worked on for 14 months. But in 6 months I will move it into a sunny position (it's in the shade now) in it's own low stand. Cheers!

[@vgmanos]

Πολύ ωραίο δέντρο! Σε ποια περιοχή μένεις?

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Σε ευχαριστώ Μάνο! Αρκαδία, Μαίναλο!

[@davidgreen424]

Is that pearl lite ?

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

As I explain in the captions - subtitles, I treat this as a yamadori, so the substrate I'm using is half pumice, half zeolite. Cheers!

[@davidgreen424]

@@ArkefthosBonsai sorry I watched the whole video without captions because it was so relaxing. Before I asked I went back and watched the bit where you where adding the mix with the captions on but I didn't see zeolite. Thank you for the reply too.

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

No worries David. Even I am annoyed by my subtitles sometimes..... Zeolite is white-ish when dry but becomes Grey green when whet. This year's batch I've gotten from a different source, becomes beautiful green and it looks really good! That helps optically to know when the soil starts to dry and probably needs watering, like akadama. Cheers!

[@keefe4484]

outstanding

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you mate!

[@mattss7886]

did this die?

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

No! Why would it die? Pinus nigra is perhaps the strongest pine species, really difficult to die. It is on its second growth from the digging up, it looks great, I have it on a turning base, so that I can turn it and get sun all around and be able to work on it without moving it. You are going to see this tree very very soon and I'm going to do a video on styling this tree in October. Cheers Matt!

[@андрейсеменов-о2д]

The tree is great! I envy you a little, because I do not have the opportunity to grow such large trees. But, what a strange choice of music for the video. Chopin's Funeral March? Why?

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

If you can look beyond the dark association with death, that is actually a beautiful song! Thank you very much!

[@tompeppi2635]

😍

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you, Tom!

[@mujalikula7040]

❤️❤️❤️

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you!

[@JasonSchmidt-1979]

I don’t know how to enable the subtitles….

[@JasonSchmidt-1979]

I think I figured it out, is it the transcript?

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Just press the CC button on the lower right of the video player (for a windows or Mac laptop or pc) or upper right if you are watching on your phone. CC is for closed captions. Subtitles are in English. Cheers Jason!

[@JasonSchmidt-1979]

Great thanks!

[@JasonSchmidt-1979]

Perfect!

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

I have no clue about any transcript. As you move your pointer over your video, the controls appear, look for the CC button.

[@78tjeerd]

Looks great if u can produce 10 of those a year, you can quit your day job.

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Ha ha ha nice Tjeerd! Though shipping one of these might be a total nightmare!

[@timmywood9677]

That tree is massive and nice but the trunk is too straight it would look better with more movement in it

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

You are right Timmy, that's why I have dark, sinister thoughts of approach grafting it low and start again. Cheers mate!

[@longfootbuddy]

😥

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

What's wrong mate?

[@BruceBakerBonsai]

So very strange to play Chopin’s funeral march for this tree. Are you going to kill it?

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Ha ha Bruce, if you get past the association with dire things, this piece is beautiful!

[@yoteslaya7296]

where do you live? those mountains look amazing

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Southern mainland Greece, Peloponnese peninsula, at 900m elevation. Thank you Yote!

[@yoteslaya7296]

@@ArkefthosBonsai looks like montana or colorado. Beautiful

[@ArkefthosBonsai]

Thank you! I wish it looked like the Rockies! Especially on the Colorado side. Love the Rockies! Cheers!