Quality Bonsai and My Ficus, Part 2, The Bonsai Zone, Jan 2021

[@gavins.6109]

I personally don’t mind the longer videos at all, I already binge watch your channel for hours at a time haha

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Gavin, nice to hear!

[@marinafrels7324]

same here in germany😁👍

[@wilsongrey8781]

you all probably dont give a damn but does someone know a tool to log back into an instagram account? I was stupid lost my account password. I appreciate any assistance you can offer me.

[@alexanderarmani6789]

@Wilson Grey Instablaster :)

[@wilsongrey8781]

@Alexander Armani i really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and I'm in the hacking process now. Seems to take quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.

[@SamDoeckeAussiebonsaibloke]

Great to see you are still using Adrians turntable. Great job on the drawings and explaining branch taper. You made it so simple and easy to understand. Bring on part 3😀 Cheers from Aussie bonsai bloke 🍻

[@random40s]

Can't wait to see how the prune goes on this awesome tree

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Nope Noway, hopefully it wont look like my root work!

[@marinafrels7324]

Hi Nigel...looking forward to tomorrow...greets from germany!Thank you for your everyday videos,love to watch it.

[@BonsaiJCan]

Another excellent video Nigel,👌👍 I do remember watching that video when you cut those roots back hard, I remember thinking that was quite something!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Yes, I was thinking that I may have just killed my old tree!

[@kris-chan1440]

Now this is a main character tree. And man does he kick ass

[@droolingdrew9734]

waaw, talk about drastic pruning!! i would not have dared to do that! Respect to you Nigel!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Yes, it was a big relief to see new growth!

[@yohancelton9860]

Really smart initiative to draw you thoughts !! It's great for learning, THANKS Nigel !

[@danniedee8467]

So great for learning!

[@TheAsadJK]

Wow, I would not have had the balls to prune the roots like you did 8 years ago

[@mikec3820]

biggest ficus cutting ever seen! they are bullet proof. it came out great too.

[@leocaquatics811]

That’s one Beautiful tree can’t wait to see the outcome!!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Leo!

[@twodogsyyc6729]

Can hardly wait for Pt3. I've watched this tree develop with you for years. Personally luv the 1hr videos. Take care Nigel. Hope your staying warm we are at -28c with windchill in Alberta..

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Beautiful ficus! I was planning on doing a video on my humble f. retusa but now I think I'll just direct viewers to yours! Looking forward to Pt.3.

[@marysoldeeley2218]

I do appreciate all this information!! Thanks a bunch Nigel!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Marysol!

[@jessesnelling257]

I actually rather enjoyed the longer video! Wouldn't want all of them to be an hour long, but the occasional in depth dive is quite nice.

[@farmert9679]

I had to come back and see your tutorial since I missed the first 20 minutes of the premier. I like the explanations you do on the dry erase board so that there is an understanding of the way your shaping of the branches, etc. This is good because we learn.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Tom, sometimes a picture says a thousand words, I'm beginning to believe that!

[@markmondrinos7721]

Nigel! The Ficus root sawing video from 2014 was my first trip into the Bonsai Zone - although then it was Nigel Saunders from the Kitchener-Waterloo Bonsai Society!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

That's a long time ago Mark, thanks for joining me through the years!

[@markmondrinos7721]

@@TheBonsaiZone My pleasure. You are like an old friend by now. As discussed, a trip to the Bonsai Zone is bucket list item. Post COVID I am booking a trip the first even slightly relevant conference in Toronto.

[@mattdemoraes]

Good decision turning the branch formed by the aerial root into a secondary tree in the design. People seem to avoid that with ficus but it's an extremely common feature of the Banyan style

[@zackau9807]

I like that your tree designed itself :)

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Yes, I don't want my trees to look like they were styled to mathematical precision by a person!

[@Nhoj31neirbo47]

Pretty exciting to see how you are going to prepare this tree for a potentially big jump in quality over the coming years.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I think it will be on the right track, I hope!

[@staciewright6100]

WOW that tree is as old as ME that is mind-blowing! Cheers Nigel!

[@keunoka123]

Keren tehnik nya,famly ku, salam sehat, salam sehobi, Batam, Indonesia .

[@sophiaangelini4368]

The epic surgery was a great succes thanks to an intrepid and skilled Surgeon.

[@elementalbonsai]

Great video Nigel looking forward to the next video!👍

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Glad you enjoyed it! See you tomorrow!

[@elementalbonsai]

@@TheBonsaiZone 👍

[@VinciecBonsaiJourney]

You can spray the cuts with water and that stops too much of the sap coming out as you work. Works really well on focus and pencil cactus in my experience

[@alexanderserban4820]

Yeah,the sounds of chickens remember me of the times when I spent the time at the country side.Good times,but I didn't realise that,...it was five years prior to the pandemic.And my knowledge about bonsai was very little, Nigel's videos really are very helpful to get into this beautiful art of botany.😊💡🌿♥️

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I sure like the days of summer, me, the chickens and the trees!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

The sounds of chickens remind me of the early Nigel videos, I remember also that squirrel that ran up and down Nigel's arms.

[@grobonsai]

People like this comment because they are eager for part threeeeee

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I gave it a thumbs up!

[@elementalbonsai]

Also great podcast you did on Bonsai-En !

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Hey, thanks! I have one coming up on Nebari TV, I think it will be posted next Saturday!

[@saratv7417]

Good work friend

[@adityasonawane686]

I wanna met u and listen and learn about bonsai till I die !!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Sounds like a good philosophy to me!

[@adityasonawane686]

@@TheBonsaiZone definitely!!😊

[@LetsDoBonsai]

Good work to the start of the next step for this tree - some major decisions lay ahead I don’t envy you lol, or maybe I do?

[@betulaobscura]

I bet it would look better after pruning!

[@theTemplar08]

I hadn’t seen that. Wow!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I remember going to bed thinking, did I just kill my tree?

[@PlantObsessed]

The branches are a whippy. Great now i have Devo in my brain. Lol

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Whip it, whip it good!

[@lisastanley1809]

Hi Nigel, I am working my way through your videos, which are amazing! I am interested in starting to grow bonsai trees; do you have a specific video you recommend for the beginner. Also, is it better to start from an existing tree, seeds, or should I go and find seedlings in my neighbourhood this spring?

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Lisa, it's best to start with inexpensive trees that are easy to grow, I'd try a Ficus or a dwarf Schefflera, you can get them from many nurseries that have tropical plants. Each tree has a playlist on the channel, you can follow many trees from their beginning to present day. I have many from seed, cuttings and nursery stock!

[@lisastanley1809]

@@TheBonsaiZone Thanks Nigel, I will definitely do that. I also have a money tree that has a nice thick trunk at the bottom but then goes straight up very thinly to a wonky cluster. I will watch your money tree videos and play with that tree as well. I think it needs a cut right down, but at least they grow fast!

[@selfmade6142]

I am very curious how it will continue. Great tree.

[@venomiel]

but, but Nigel, I love loong videos !!

[@mangeshthawre416]

How much daring u need to do such severe root pruning, how nice is the result now, Waiting for the branch pruning vedio....

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Mangesh, I was glad to see new growth on the tree!

[@clementbellande8720]

Awsome

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Clement!

[@TheAcarr6]

Hi Nigel, noob here with a question. So I purchased a "bonsai soil" from a local Toronto bonsai company. They said the soil is good to go as is, but seems to be super "rocky" to me, and therefore drains very quickly and not really secure. When I say rocky - I mean there's no soil in it, and no very fine granular. I repotted into this a few months ago and pruned the tree today, its healthy and I have it in a grow room, but should I just stick to making my own formula of soil according to your previous soil video?

[@camerondouglas3936]

Nice!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Cameron!

[@dk2614]

I would be apprehensive about cutting all the branches back hard in the absence of full sun. I'm sure you have thought through all of this and have a plan to follow through. Without full sun or artificial equivalent it will want to etiolate or stretch out all the new growth where by you lose close internodes. Although pruning the branches back hard is nothing compared to how you cut the roots!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I'm hoping the top and bottom root pruning combined will slow the branch growth. I do get some nice light in the plant room this time of year, hopefully all will go well! That was a brutal root pruning!

[@Aby7799]

Hope you recieved the miniature house for the penjing project. 🤞

[@TheBonsaiZone]

It should be hear in the next two weeks!

[@kris-chan1440]

Also hour episodes are welcome

[@jyothilavigne2263]

I noticed that there were no aerial roots prior to your big root pruning five years ago. Is that true or did I miss seeing them?

[@TheBonsaiZone]

All the aerial roots were grown after the big root cuts!

[@karma_aspirant]

your style was fitting into my mind and bonsai philosophy the most of all people who make books and videos since i watched your vids.. i love this pedantic point of view, most bonsai people lack of this imo. everything without looking artificial. but you already know :D now.. years later, i became much more pedantic than you and i even think sometimes you lack of it xD when you began your bonsai journey long ago, how did your rootwork philosophy built up? you had a special source?

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I read everything I could on re potting and the I guess many of the articles in Bonsai Focus magazine stuck with me. I believe, most of the articles are re printed from Japanese magazines and they did some wonderful root work! This combined with many years of trial and error, led me to work on roots in a very similar method to that of the branches of a tree. I've always found roots to be one of the most interesting areas of a tree!

[@karma_aspirant]

@@TheBonsaiZone ah alright, interesting. cheers :)

[@mashrequl7164]

Where are the small trees on it's base?

[@pal98111]

Does the type of bonsai you do without wires for shaping have a specific name?

[@Hope_IsNotMyName]

I think he's said in the past that it's clip and grow.

[@debkousik8943]

How daring and shocking ...... 😭😭 You cut the plant from the bottom and repot it another pot and it planted successfully. How is it possible......at which season this process will be successful and what precaution should taken during cutting and planting ..... Best regards. India.

[@Dave_0993_I]

Maybe the current back could be the front?

[@TheBonsaiZone]

It is possible, both views could look good!

[@SherwoodFluFortuna]

Damn I lost the Premiere as always 🤣

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Sherwood!

[@paytonwilliamson3316]

So how long will it take to grow the leaves back

[@paytonwilliamson3316]

Also Nigel is it just the ficus species that drop Areal roots because I live in the Great Lakes region and ficus might prove difficult here for me , that’s why I’m starting more Hardy trees right now, including a walnut tree that started last year which has an interesting story

[@ilisonwb3462]

do you defoliate all your ficuses this time of the year?

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I usually prune them back in fall after the growing season. I'm late getting to them this year, so I'm doing it more mid winter now. The trees are full of vigor as they have grown all summer and then had a nice long rest period in the cool basement. i usually prune them once more before going outside again in spring.

[@ilisonwb3462]

@@TheBonsaiZone thanks so much for the answer! you are doing great work and love watching your videos! many of your videos have inspired me and taught me technics i have followed on my trees!

[@notbonsai671]

🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Quinn!

[@austinmead5754]

Foist

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Austin Mead, this tree's from seed and you are indeed....Foist!

[@Boomerangguy100]

Tree surgery begins at 14:36

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks lord, video begins at 0:00!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@TheBonsaiZone 😂