Repotting and Pruning Two Larch Trees, Part 1, The Bonsai Zone, Feb 2024

[@growclipbonsaiforseniors1951]

That is why you are one great root surgeon. You are not afraid to take a chance to improve your trees. Dr. Nigel Saunders. Chief Surgeon. We always learn from the master.

[@lukasmihara]

The tilted trees also looked good, but I like the new composition as well! I hope it'll grow more healthily this year :)

[@joekerr5152]

I love a little bit of art history!

[@guymonette9284]

Once again, I want a rake like yours..!😉

[@joannetanner7282]

Nice job. They look great. I do love Larch

[@FrostBiteBonsai]

They look fantastic already! I love Tamarack! I need more of them. I will collect some. I just have to be careful as I am back to work and it is long days.

[@bhargavtank3784]

Original composition of the twin trees was very naturally flowing. Pushing each other away to get more sun light

[@growclipbonsaiforseniors1951]

That is one cool root over rock piece in the beginning.

[@OlufsWaterview]

Very nice. Larch are on my short list of species to get. These are really nice. Looking forward to seeing them progress

[@BonsaiGuidetoLife-op7dw]

That's a deeper pot than I'd use, but as you say gives more soil to grow into. I'd definitely be looking at a shallower one in the future. Nice video !

[@growclipbonsaiforseniors1951]

Trees look good in their new home. Nice pot for them. Part 2 will be interesting to see the pruning of these 2 trees.

[@growclipbonsaiforseniors1951]

Hello Xin!!!!!

[@dkstott29]

It's a nice mini forest....❤👍

[@sherylsschoolofgardening6327]

You could create a silicone mould of the plastic statue and pour in the concrete once cured

[@zimmy1958]

Love the videos Thanks.

[@fredgrech1498]

Very nice trees

[@bradb.4570]

Those looked really nice together they way they were

[@mikebeireis3990]

Very lovely composition ❤

[@chrismarshall8321]

I bought a replica of that statue when i was on hols in Italy and i planted a chinese elm on it . Looking forward to seeing you plant a tree on yours one day. They are a nice pair of larch and look great .

[@pennyduncan5980]

❤😊

[@kathyvettraino2267]

That is remarkable!

[@zimartiste1]

Hi Nigel, great job but why you don't make a little forest with the same trees ? Hug from the south of the North of Francia 😉

[@kathyvettraino2267]

That looks cool

[@MikeyDunn]

The 2-part silicone mould mentioned elsewhere in the comments would probably be the best way to go, for a cement casting. Though there is a "lost pla" method if you wanted to cast one in aluminium or another lower melting point metal. A cast copper version would patina up lovely, but it'd be a heavy lump. But casting something intricate in copper is difficult and would probably take a prohibitive number of attempts.

[@growclipbonsaiforseniors1951]

To bad your nursery cannot get you a pumice stone (feather rock). Much lighter than a rock. It would make your rock plantings much lighter. Plus the texture of the feather rock would help the roots cling to the rock much better.

[@Stettafire]

Some beauty shops sell pumice stones, maybe an option?

[@scheers100]

For the statue, I think the only way is to make a 2 part mold in silicone. There are good tutorial online on how to do this!

[@scheers100]

Push the statue with the back into a box with plasticine(the plasticine takes in the place where the second part of the silicone mold will come). Fill the box with plasticine until it gives you the half of the arm and the highest point off the head, hips and legs. And put some reference dimples in the plasticine.(the more the better)Then fill the box with the mold silicone and let set. Cut the bottom from the box and remove al the plasticine and fill with molding silicone. Before every batch off silicone make sure to put a little bit releasing agent(wd40 will do) on the statue and plasticine and silicone. I hope this helps you on the way

[@LimeTreePrickly]

A silicone mold could work out to get a good cast.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I'm hoping to try that, thanks!

[@LimeTreePrickly]

There are plenty tutorials for that. You just have to make sure to get the right kind. That Might be expensive, but you can make several penelopes from it. So you could get the money back you spent on the Silikone.

[@DavesBonsai]

Awesome twosome!

[@maryweber4176]

Dave, couldn't he do something like you did to make a mold of your hands, except it would be the statue. Immerse the statue to make a mold, then fill it with concrete?

[@DavesBonsai]

@@maryweber4176 he should be able too.

[@stonelime1]

The Chinese on the side of the pot literally says: "a riot of color"

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks so much!!!

[@pattymyers4729]

Nigel do you know by chance which Larch varieties they are?. I grow Western Larches for my bonsai here in SW Oregon. Appreciate the video

[@jaguardelcielo]

Funny how my only tree showing signs of early spring is my Korean hornbeam...Similar bud sprout earlier than usual...The only one..

[@Darkfire1300]

Interesting process for this type of project. Lots of great ideas and advice. BTW, as you know, the Japanese copied many things from the Chinese. Apparently when Japanese went from a spoken language (5th Century CE?) to a written one, the Japanese adopted the Chinese characters, which, although simplified, remain the characters used by Japanese today. So the characters incised on a pot probably won't tell you which country is the origin.

[@dk2614]

I've been watching videos of casting bronze pieces in a foundry lately. You might get some inspiration about making moulds for Penelope. I saw someone suggest silicone moulds. Lots of options.

[@emmitstewart1921]

An older method that I have used to make plaster figures is to make a rubber mold. Craft stores sell latex dissolved in a solution. You paint this over your model in layers until you create a thick elastic coating that you carefully peel off and fill with plaster or concrete. you should be able to find instructions online. it's very easy.

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌👌

[@Minstera]

Do you think the woman and your birds nest spruce can be together ?

[@bonsaiexpression]

Im pretty new to larch, it seems all bar one ive worked on the roots are awful. They curl up and even twist the trunk under the soil line. Or is it just my bad luck?

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Sometimes it takes years to sort out the roots and even then it's something you can constantly work on throughout the trees life!

[@ndang3920]

That pot is good for a bamboo bonsai because one of its sides has a bamboo branch. 😂😂😂

[@kathyvettraino2267]

Can i be first???? 😂

[@jaguardelcielo]

Sure.

[@jballenger9240]

Congratulations !!! 🎈💫 🎈

[@justlucky13]

Foist

[@Stettafire]

🍪

[@lenhowl]

Hey man just found your channel and subbed right away. I have always wanted to try this and was wondering how hard it is to do this with the larch for a beginner? Cheers from Newfoundland, Canada

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Hello Lenhowl, Larch trees are great bonsai for beginners, they are very hardy!! Every tree on the channel has a playlist showing all the work done on the trees, it's usually linked in the video description. Welcome to the channel!!

[@lenhowl]

@@TheBonsaiZone Thanks for the reply Nigel, really appreciate it. I think I might try some larch or tamarack as we call them this spring. Could be a while before I get some though as we still have two foot or more of snow still on the ground. Is it better to start with very small ones or larger ones at maybe two or three feet high? Cheers