How To Bonsai - Clip and Grow Pruning

In this video I introduce the Clip and Grow method for developing a bonsai tree. I show examples of Trident Maples, Ficus Nerifolia and Chinese Elm. This method is perfect for creating a bonsai by simply using the natural growth patterns of a tree to grow branches.

[@Mayleos]

great video! I have a chinese elm that is very healthy and is spitting out new growth every time I turn my back :). I am going to use this technique to help my lower branches become more full instead of just hoping the shoots will go the right direction. Wish I knew this in the past. Once again thank you!

[@Cleatus546]

I just discovered/subbed this channel. Thank you for clearly explaining this bonsai process. Since I was a kid. I have always been fascinated by bonsai. Thanks for a great video. I will now binge watch some videos. 😃👋

[@OrlandoBonsaiTV]

I’m so excited for you! Bonsai is about of fun and very rewarding. I’m glad I was able to help you get started

[@Cleatus546]

@@OrlandoBonsaiTV I'm 67yrs old and recovering from a stroke. I can't do many things I did before and this is perfect for me. I can do this. Thank you.

[@OrlandoBonsaiTV]

Hi Henk, thats great to be watched all over the world. Thanks very much!! Enjoy the holiday

[@justplainoldme7275]

Great video, direct to the point. Greatly appreciated and will lookout for more.

[@jaysonmckeownsr9913]

another great video. thanks

[@DeadZone318]

Great info, very helpful.

[@levraijuju]

Thank you very much, it looks clearer for me now !!!

[@OrlandoBonsaiTV]

levraijuju That's great! Glad I could help

[@SonicRhythms]

Thanks, very helpful!

[@Mayleos]

You should give us a tour of your bonsai garden someday :) Nice trunk on that elm btw.

[@TecnixX]

great, thank you!

[@advantor321]

bravo! Informative session - thanx

[@savyamallick998]

Very helpful video

[@UstadZed]

@OrlandoBonsaiTV i will take a look thanks...i have watched all your vids and thanks for replying back to my comments.. if i have questions when my tree comes i'll ask.. cheers.

[@ericbrown4761]

I wrote you a couple of weeks ago telling you about how I scorched my crepe myrtyl saplings. Happy to report that after misting quite a bit they greened up and are well on their way. May do a Shito or bottle on one to see how that goes. Thanks for the advice and encouragement.

[@AshleyMarieMommy]

Could I send you emails for questions? Just one of you videos has taught me so much more valuable usable knowledge then all other videos I watch every evening!

[@MrMagnata55]

Thank you very much!!!! ^^

[@kissiebooashes]

I think it should be noted that this is one of the fundamental methods used in the ancient chinese art of Penjing, the precursor to Japanese bonsai.

[@OrlandoBonsaiTV]

Thank you very much for your comment! I'm glad you enjoyed it

[@Soundillusions94xyz]

Thanks :)

[@TazPessle]

I have an elder that ive started with clip and grow. I've found that the budding is fairly strong and when i clip the shoot, the branch forks at the cut, almost every time, especially if i do it during growth season (then just prune the central twig out when it dry the next year). Also works on my Norway maple. My sycamore, not to much thus far; still figuring this one out.

[@nikalu6249]

Great video, informative with out being overly wordy. I noticed your trunks are well-developed, does this method work on newer sprouts? My Chinese Elm is less than 2 months old and it's already over a foot tall. Can this method help train the tree to grow a thicker trunk rather than growing taller? Thanks for the help, and sorry if you already covered this question in a different video.

[@TheSkyrimDons]

Great vid, what methods work on Buddhist Pine (Podocarpus)? I am new to bonsai and bought a starter tree (Podocarpus) and trying to learn some basic training techniques (other than wirin).

[@OrlandoBonsaiTV]

You can remove lower growth to push the tree to go up, but by nature that tree will want to grow taller even if you don't take any action

[@Cptpaul12]

I assume this works for trees with compound leaves like mimosas and such? Great video, learned a lot from this.

[@OrlandoBonsaiTV]

Cptpaul12 it does but you have to treat the compound leaf as one leaf

[@UstadZed]

@Mayleos i got a junipur i think not too sure. i'm new to this.. but i'm thinking of just going to homedepot and picking some random one.. and making it a bonsai.. . after watching all the vids from orlando i think i can do it..

[@OrlandoBonsaiTV]

@UstadZed Sphagnum moss should not be part of your soil mix. However you can place some on top of the soil to help keep moister in if your tree is drying out too fast.

[@OrlandoBonsaiTV]

I hope youtry it. It really is easy and fast

[@UstadZed]

@OrlandoBonsaiTV Ok, noted: i was just asking because i have seen other people just use the moss and nothing else in the pot...and i was just making sure...ONE MORE QUESTION. WHERE do i get the green moss from? that you put at the base of the trunk to mimic grass?

[@Mayleos]

@UstadZed good luck with your tree :) What kind did you purchase?

[@OrlandoBonsaiTV]

@UstadZed You can get moss in several ways. If there is a wooded area near you take look there. Also you can buy moss spores to start growing. Or check with a florist. They usually have some for flower arrangements

[@Josef_R]

Doesn't make sense to me. Moss grows in the shade. Bonsai grows in the sun. Put moss in the sun, it'll die.

[@UstadZed]

That is crazy....my tree is coming in a few days... thanks for all your help... quick question. is there a specific wire to use or does any old wire work?

[@gardeningwithtravelingcook5603]

Very help ful teturial please add soil mixture videos

[@OrlandoBonsaiTV]

Bonsai can feel overwhelming in teh beginning. A ficus would be a great start because the trees are very easy to work with. All you need to focus on in the beginning is just keeping it alive and healthy. In time you'll be able to learn how to trim and style the tree, but that is not needed at the start of the bonsai. Keep watching my other vdeos, I cover a ton of stuff to help you out

[@UstadZed]

HEY QUICK QUESTION """ what is your opinion on stagna moss for the "soil" rather then the stuff you use... will it do the same thing or no..

[@Blaydrnnnr]

Question: One of my beginner trees is a free-bie from a "home center". Its a Japanese maple, was snapped a foot from the base roots, has several, thin , small ( 8 inch ) branch shoots with very good color and buds, I took it, cut the top broken part off, and have several small branch shoots in a good pattern ( I think..) I wanted to use this method to direct the branches. It's fall here, the maple is in its first bonsai pot, hasnt dropped it's leaves, when is best time to start this on a maple?

[@NikhilYadav-tl4hb]

How get movement in the trunk througj clip and grow?

[@ryangalas2114]

Will this work with ginseng bonsai?

[@finelydressedlionessseedle624]

Do you think you can help me determine the species of my bonsai? I bought it at Walmart (i know lol) and unfortunately the tag just says indoor bonsai and doesn't give me the specific type of bonsai it is. I've called Walmart's garden center and they don't even know what species they receive =/ of course I have tried to identify it myself too and I believe it's a golden gate ficus but I am not positive... It would be nice to speak to an experienced bonsai grower like yourself and I would GREATLY appreciate your help!

[@OrlandoBonsaiTV]

You can start working on it when teh leaves are off all the way up until late spring as the tree start to pop new leaves. Good luck

[@jossfountain4728]

hi i'm new with the bonsai, an i'm having trouble with new growth quit low down the tree and the way i want the tree to be, i dont want that growth there, i've tried chopping it but more growth has come through is there a way i could completely stop this??? THANKS

[@Soundillusions94xyz]

This is a little confusing, Im thinking about getting a Bonsai tree, maybe a Ficus. It just kinda looks a bit complicated, like the trimming and things like that, Im new to the Bonsai world, and I want to make sure i'm doing things right from the start, I don't wanna mess it up, any advice??

[@lynjensen6484]

I just got a ficus benjamina bonsai. Can you tell me the growth pattern so I can use your clip and grow pruning method. Thanks

[@OrlandoBonsaiTV]

Lyn Ficus benjamina its an alternate pattern, left right left. So just cut back to the direction you want to go. Also always leave at least two leaves because stripped down braches sometimes don't pop new growth

[@Blaydrnnnr]

I really need your help again. I have a very young, small ficus nerifolia, and it suddenly lost ALL its leaves...the tips look like they may have green, very small sprouts, but I think its either dead or dying. It sits in a window, no drastic temp changes, watered once a week in fairly well draining soil. I was told that even if it looses its leaves, its not dead, and can come back. I really dont know what to do. Any ideas?

[@OrlandoBonsaiTV]

Hows your tree doing, are the leaves returning yet? If you scratch the bark of the branches are they green under neithe? If so the tree will come back. Just get it plenty of sunlight.

[@Blaydrnnnr]

Well, it had very small shoots at the tips, but they didnt keep growing. They too look brown. I scraped just a bit of the maintunk, it's still grren, the tiny branches are still flexable, scraped them too.. still green under the bark, but I think it's a gonner. It sits in a window so it gets sun all day, not direct, but full. I'm still hoping it will come back, but I really dont think it will. I am still watering by setting it in a bowl and letting the soil soak it up from the bottom, If the branches turn brittle. Then I will just stop. It's a shame, of all the young ones I started, this and the other Ficus are my favorites.

[@Blaydrnnnr]

Its a very small tree, ( about 5 or 6 inches ) and the other ficus, ( bejamina ) both have been loosing leaves. Seems to happen after I water. About once a week, the soil gets very dry, then I soak until its moist. Then let it dry out. Even the Benjamina is sparse. I think maybe the roots arent developing as I had hoped after the planting? Soil loosing moisture too fast? Thanks for the replies by the way...your the only responses I get from anyone. Appreciate it!!

[@OrlandoBonsaiTV]

@UstadZed There is a specific brand of wire that is made of aluminum coated with a copper color that is used. It is reuasable and strong enough to hold the branch in place. I sell some in my on line store at OrlandoBonsai com/store

[@oswaldodiaz4043]

Subtitulos en español por favor no entendí nada.

[@Cleatus546]

🎄🎋✂️🏝 Bonsai 👆

[@OrlandoBonsaiTV]

Keep watching and learning 😊

[@Cleatus546]

@@OrlandoBonsaiTV Will do for sure.👍

[@pieterlombard5549]

Are you still alive my friend mis ur videos

[@OrlandoBonsaiTV]

Ha ha! I’m still alive and doing bonsai. I recently dusted off my video equipment so hopefully new stuff coming soon

[@tropicalbooster]

omg so hot

[@saraweirich7927]

Great video, thank you!