Refining an Itoigawa Juniper Bonsai🌲

[@shankill178]

Another great video Adam. Those wee plastic greenhouses are worth their weight in gold. I get good use from mine. Keep up the good work.

[@notionbonsai]

Thanks Sam! They really are! Super compact too!

[@joegarland4885]

Hi Adam great to see how you have come in leaps and bounds with a lot of good advice to newbies to bonsai, we can all learn something new no matter our level, excellent job with the Juniper. Keep up the good work.

[@notionbonsai]

Thanks Joe! You're exactly right! There is always more to learn! 🤗

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Super video Adam!!

[@notionbonsai]

Thank you Nigel! 🤗

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

I was just thinking about my Itoigawa when this popped up. I like the wire check and good methodical process for establishing your new shape. Cheers

[@notionbonsai]

Ah nice! How is yours doing at this time of year?

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

@@notionbonsai Looks like yours but without the style! I think we both bought similiar trees. My second one is on a rock and I will be putting that in a deeper pot to give it some room to grow a bit.

[@terrencedesjardins1350]

Love these videos! Your explanations as you go are quite helpful. Thanks

[@notionbonsai]

Thanks Terrence 😊 I try to be as informative as possible!

[@planterbanter]

Hey man, great video. Your cutting should be totally fine in that substrate. This comment is more so for anyone interested in learning about striking cuttings (I'm sure you know most of this already). Perlite, sand, peat moss, light stone mixtures are great because they provide aeration in the soil for the cuttings and importantly the submerged cutting stems are far less likely to rot/decay in those types of soils. I usually use a mix of 1/3 potting mix or compost with 2/3 perlite or sand. That usually works well for me but I change it up depending on the species I'm dealing with. Anything that is super easy to take as cuttings like basil or ficus cuttings, I just chuck it in mainly potting soil (maybe I will mix in a bit of sand or perlite but not much). When I take conifer cuttings (that can take up to 12 months to root), I usually add higher levels of perlite, just so the stems aren't sitting in that really wet substrate for long periods. And like you said, humidity is key!! Mist people!! mist, mist mist!!! They don't have roots yet so you need to provide water until they can grow roots to take up water again themselves, keeping them in something like a sealed seed tray is very useful to keep the humidity up :) happy growing!!!

[@notionbonsai]

Hey thanks very much! Thanks for leaving this info about cuttings too!! 😊

[@raymondplodzien7459]

Your videos never disappoint Adam. Such helpful content.

[@notionbonsai]

Thanks Raymond 😊

[@a.k.h.channel]

Juniver bonsai nice bonsai thank you for sharing good luck Mr

[@notionbonsai]

Thank you 🤗

[@AR-bd2oj]

Great content!! Keep us going with more!!

[@notionbonsai]

Thanks very much! 😄 There will be lots more videos to come!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Excellent video Adam! Really enjoyed seeing your work on this itoigawa. I'll defo be doing some work on mine soon but prolly won't make a vid on it yet. Yours looks great, looking forward to see the repot if you're planning to film it!

[@notionbonsai]

Thanks very much Dave! I look forward to see yours! You could make a little progression video maybe! 😊 I'll be filming the repot for sure!

[@davidnewth924]

More awesome work mate. Can’t wait to see how it turns out.

[@notionbonsai]

Thanks David! Me too! Im looking forward to seeing how the pads develop over the next year!

[@sagebonsai]

Great job👍 My first juniper was some moonglow rocky mountain juniper seedlings. Well they didn't survive our hot summer. My grey owl tanuki that ive neglected for the last year and a half thrives without hesitation.

[@notionbonsai]

Thanks! 🤗 Sorry to hear that they didn't survive for you! Ah very nice! I love tanuki Bonsai!

[@pawelganko2333]

Great job. Greetings from Polish👍👍

[@notionbonsai]

Hey from Ireland!! 😄 Thanks Pawel!

[@GertsBonsaiLog]

Great work! Love videos like this with accessible material. Keep it up!

[@notionbonsai]

Thank you Gert 🤗There will be lots more videos to come!

[@mattiecreates]

love your vids man , keep em coming !

[@notionbonsai]

Thank you very much Mattie! There will be lots more videos to come!

[@JustJane1972]

Great video as aways! Lovely to hear about comparisons between common and more refined plants. Thanks for sharing. Hope the cuttings are growing well.

[@notionbonsai]

Thank you Jane! 🤗

[@harrietb2141]

Its a beautiful tree.Good job👏👏👏👏😍

[@notionbonsai]

Thank you very much! 😄 There's lots more videos to come! Gonna repot this one in the next couple of weeks 😁

[@harrietb2141]

@@notionbonsai 👍😍

[@scotthogbin613]

Another really nice tree Adam, i hope the cuttings strike for you.

[@notionbonsai]

Hi Scott! Thanks very much! I hope so too, fingers crossed 🤞🤞

[@naturgeist]

bravo! Very nice video with great informations. cheers Adam!

[@notionbonsai]

Thanks Dorian! 🙂

[@harrychristodoulou3782]

Well done mate another brilliant achievement by a jr pro, looks good keep up the great work 👍🏼👌🏼👍🏼

[@notionbonsai]

Thanks Harry 😊

[@davidstokes925]

Adam, I thought it was nice before you started but afterwards it was beautiful!

[@notionbonsai]

Thank you very much David 🙂 It's amazing what a little bit of wire can do!

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

I find it difficult to think of jin when working on these - I usually just remove the unwanted branches. Though perhaps jins are sometimes over-done.

[@notionbonsai]

Definitely Jason! I think Jins work really well on hige Junipers though! like a lightning strike!

[@natrjack965]

What a great job looks amazing 👏

[@notionbonsai]

Thank you Michael 🤗

[@natrjack965]

@notionbonsai you are welcome my friend I really enjoy your videos

[@gloriablanco7856]

Pretty outcome, thank you.

[@notionbonsai]

Thanks for watching 🪴

[@denhardy7238]

So much better with the jins gone 😎Dennis

[@Motorfreegamelive]

Sei molto bravo!!! Complimenti

[@notionbonsai]

Grazie mille per i complimenti! Sono felice che tu apprezzi il mio lavoro. Continua a seguire la tua passione per i bonsai e goditi la bellezza di queste piante uniche! 😊

[@aaronleslie1581]

Awesome tree!! Grate video man!!

[@notionbonsai]

Hey thank you Aaron! 😊🌳

[@brianbarnes1362]

Awsome job

[@kobehabtie1795]

Nice! Really good video.

[@notionbonsai]

Thanks Kobe! 🤗

[@ItauthorityUk]

Hi Adam, another great video thanks. As a newbie, I'd like to know when wire is removed. I see lots use wire, but I would imagine it is never meant to be permanent. I have seen wire on some of my trees, given to me wired, where the wire starts to mark the branches. In that event I have removed, but still some wire seems not to be doing anything anymore. Just some thoughts on that please. Cheers

[@notionbonsai]

Thank you 🙂 It all depends on the species and the time of year that you wire a branch. With Junipers they dont mind the wire being left on a while. However with deciduious trees like Japanese Maples, the wire can very easily scar the branches if it is left on too long. As a rule with Junipers. I like to leave the wire on until it bites in ever so slightly then remove it. I dont want the wire to bite into maples at all. Hope this helps!

[@ItauthorityUk]

@@notionbonsai Thank you for that reply. Very helpful.

[@guillermobenitez3234]

Amazing work! I’m interested in a tree like this any clue how I can get my hands on one?

[@notionbonsai]

Hey thank you very much! I suggest checking around Bonsai nurseries as its hard to find this particular species in garden centers!😊

[@АнастасияПолякова-ч4ф]

Amazing! Thank you!

[@bobmccarlie382]

I use a mix of 80% perlite 20% ground coco coir for my cuttings. It's worked very well.

[@notionbonsai]

Ah nice thats a good balance of air and space for new roots to develop as well as having suitable moisture levels!

[@peterbrooks9679]

Where did you get this little guy from? I have found some nursery material from Herons but damn, it’s expensive!

[@notionbonsai]

I got it from Wattston Bonsai 🙂

[@Seanny_Mack]

someone got a fresh delivery of wire hahah!

[@howardmckeown7187]

hi Adam, great video, can't find n e info online about watering an air layer while it's forming roots, n e advice greatly appreciated, thanks

[@notionbonsai]

If the moss ball dries out. I'd give it a water to make sure it stays moist but you don't want to water if it is moist or it will get really soggy. If you tie the ends of the plastic right you shouldn't need to water it 😄

[@howardmckeown7187]

@@notionbonsai thank you so much, no favour better than a prompt one, lol, thanks

[@notionbonsai]

@@howardmckeown7187 No problem! 😁

[@kiljaypc]

Hi Adam I have the same tree , but I’m worried that’s slowing dying? The trunk has gone very pile. and very pale green/white. I still have a lot of nice green foliage . I thought I had good drainage, but maybe I’ve over watered.Big question is can I save it ???

[@monkey4424]

If I have harsh summers, and I have a greenhouse. Should I just take a 30% shade cloth and toss it on top of the greenhouse?

[@notionbonsai]

Hey Monkey! If you have harsh summers and a greenhouse, using a shade cloth can be a good way to protect your trees from the intense heat and sunlight. A 30% shade cloth is a good starting point, but you may need to adjust the shade level depending on the specific needs of your plants. You can install the shade cloth over the top of the greenhouse to provide shade and reduce the amount of direct sunlight that reaches your plants. Make sure to secure the shade cloth tightly to prevent it from blowing away in the wind. You may also want to consider using a shade cloth that is treated to resist UV rays to further protect your plants. It's important to monitor your plants closely while using a shade cloth to ensure that they are still receiving enough light and that the temperature and humidity levels inside the greenhouse remain within a healthy range. With some experimentation and careful observation, you can create an optimal environment for your plants to thrive, even in harsh summer conditions. 😊

[@SirJamez0]

Great video Adam, I would love to be able to work on my own itoigawa. Unfortunately they seem to be like hens teeth in Ireland. I cant find any online apart from fully trained bonsai that are hundreds, if not thousands of pounds/euro. I would be delighted to even get a small pre-bonsai somewhere for a reasonable price. Would you know of anywhere in Ireland that sell them? I would be even willing to play the long game with cuttings.

[@notionbonsai]

Hi there! Yes they are quite hard to find here! I hard to order this one online from a Bonsai Nursery in England. Have you tried asking around on facebook pages like Bonsai UK 😊

[@SirJamez0]

@Notion Bonsai Thanks Adam, I never thought of trying Facebook, I used to go on the Bonsai Reddit quite often, but that's worldwide.

[@mayamaniere7892]

Merci pour la traduction

[@notionbonsai]

Pas de soucis 😊

[@majk4ya]

They are so hard to get in the UK, where did you buy it?

[@superman72176]

Greenwood bonsai have plenty in stock

[@notionbonsai]

Greenwood Bonsai look to have great material! I got mine from Wattston Bonsai 😄

[@majk4ya]

@@notionbonsai Thank you

[@AlexBraunton]

Not sure if my eyes are playing tricks on me but is that a possible scale infestation at 11:35? I've only noticed it at the apex of the tree

[@notionbonsai]

I can see why you'd think that! It's just some of the old bark as the branches transition from younger growth to older growth 😀

[@davidstokes925]

Enjoyed this video just like I enjoy your other videos. You were talking pads. From what I’ve seen and read, pads should be as even on the top as on the bottom. That bottom limb and pad had this one little twig sticking up really tall and proud. Shouldn’t it have been trimmed back some. There is a reason I don’t get paid for my opinion. Barely know enough to get outta the rain!

[@notionbonsai]

Hey David! Thanks very much 😄 This little twig was annoying me very much as I was editing 🤣 You're definitely right! No harm keeping it for now 😄

[@Ayush_Chougule_7]

Can I send you images of my yamadori can you guide me how should I work on it ....🙂

[@notionbonsai]

Sure! Message me on Instagram!

[@allanis_the_great]

pls share your bonsai soil mix

[@notionbonsai]

Pumice, Akadama and Lava Rock. Occationally I'll mix in spaghnum or compost for extra moisture!

[@Ayush_Chougule_7]

Hellow

[@notionbonsai]

Hey! 😀

[@chrissnyder8415]

Repotting a few weeks into Spring is a bad idea. Your tree is energy negative and you will have a long recovery. You will also be waisting half of the growing season. Doing this repeatedly and you will have a weak tree. If you repot during late fall or winter, you don't have to worry about downtime and or a long recovery period. There are no positives to repotting in the Spring. Versus no negatives repotting during dormancy. Same goes for trimming and wiring. Wrong time of year to be doing this type of work. Done in the fall or winter you don't have to worry about wire bite so soon and you don't have to worry about stressing your tree when it's still recovering from Winter.

[@notionbonsai]

Hey Chris! Thanks for your advice! 😊 From what I know, the best time to repot Itoigawa juniper is in early spring, just before new growth begins. This is because the tree is coming out of dormancy and is starting to actively grow again. Repotting at this time allows the tree to quickly establish new roots in fresh soil and take advantage of the upcoming growing season. Repotting in winter, on the other hand, is generally not recommended as the tree is in a state of dormancy and is not actively growing. Disturbing the roots during this time can shock the tree and delay its growth in the coming season. However, if the tree is in dire need of repotting (e.g. roots are severely circling the pot), it may be necessary to repot in winter, but extreme care should be taken to minimize root disturbance and to protect the tree from cold temperatures. Late fall can also be a good time to repot Itoigawa juniper, but it is important to do it early enough so that the tree has time to establish new roots before the winter cold sets in. In most regions, late October to early November is a good window for repotting. Repotting in late fall allows the tree to take advantage of the cooler temperatures and reduced sunlight of the winter months, which can help to minimize stress on the tree while it is recovering from root disturbance. If you miss the late fall window, it is best to wait until early spring to repot. 😊

[@HellcrushPlays]

bump

[@notionbonsai]

🙂

[@renatopamoso6774]

[@notionbonsai]

😊