Pruning My Tiger Bark Ficus, The Bonsai Zone, May 2023

[@skrounst]

I've seen probably 90% of all your videos Nigel, and I still am grateful for how you explain your thought process when it comes to pruning trees. I still learn something almost every new video.

[@BonsaiKiwa]

Tiger Bark Ficus, very nice bonsai

[@mikec3820]

one mans stump is anothers amazing bonsai lol. thanks nigel love this ficus

[@PlantObsessed]

The elephant looks great again.🎉🎉

[@EnngTheGreat]

This intro is even better than part 2/2 of the scheflerraz. I always notice your wife outside of the green house walking and working around the garden. It always makes me think they must eat breakfast or have coffee together in the morning and then go outside to get to work on their own projects. To see you both walk by in your own directions just made me feel that even more! Loving the creativity. Also i just bought a young Tamarack after all the awesome trees from your Toronto Show review. So thanks again for the inspiration Nigel!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Lol, yes we do hang out together, I hope your new tree does well!!

[@Dylan-ok6ft]

I thought maybe she was going to host the Bonzai Zone while you fed the chickens and ducks 😂

[@RyanFish825]

I love the age that shows on this elephant ficus. Busy times lately and I can't seem to make a premier even though your dumping videos left and right! THANKS as always Nigel!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Ryan, always a pleasure to have you in the chat when you can make it!!

[@barrett5195]

It looks great so far!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

I like how this one is developing and I think oyu are right to keep it on the existing 'rock'. The garden is looking so green and full of life - the best time of the year I think :)

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Xavier!!

[@HavardStreAndresen]

The microcarpa looks like a xenomorph aka facehugger. Lovely little tree🙂

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Lol, I hope it stays attached to the stone!!

[@aaronleslie1581]

Great video Nigel!! I love this little tree I’m really excited to see how it turns out!!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Aaron!!!

[@getintothewildwithjeffruma8777]

It really does look like an elephant 👍

[@TropicalBonsai]

Love that pot!

[@craft-o-matic399]

I prefer the back of this tree best! I love flow! I think it's so much more graceful Nigel.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Yes, with the tilt of the tree it may have to become the front!

[@craft-o-matic399]

@@TheBonsaiZone Wonderful! I'm glad you see it too Nigel. The current front with the elephant shaped trunk is distracting in my opinion.

[@FrostBiteBonsai]

You cut off it's tusks!! LOL What a cool little tree! And Thrips! They serrate branches, bark, both sides of the leaves. Anything, will lay their eggs in those chewed areas. The back of the leaf in your close up had black adult thrips on it. I hate those bugs. I still haven't found a way to get rid of them out of the house. I've tried every possible solution presented to me. They seem to become resistant to everything and come back immune.

[@johnrice1943]

If you paint the water tank black, you can avoid algae

[@nanukvas]

Nice plant stand ! I love to find things for free.

[@ThePhobosAnomally]

Just yesterday evening, I watched the video of previous operation on this ficus

[@duniabonsaichannel564]

Wow 😮❤

[@dkstott29]

Thanks!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

A Saturday morning smile, thanks so much DK!!!!!

[@dkstott29]

@@TheBonsaiZone thank you for your hard work and teachings. KZbin can't decide what to list me as. I'm Dave in your live feeds and dkstott on replays and sending you $$. 🙄🤔

[@TheBonsaiZone]

@@dkstott29 Thanks Dave!!!!

[@t3dwards13]

Great psych out having Laura walk past the camera first! Hahaha

[@TheBonsaiZone]

It's probably best she didn't head to the greenhouse and start pruning trees!

[@StevesBackyardBonsai]

I was hoping you would mention the best time of year to repot, and right at the end you mentioned in the heat of the summer. My TB Ficus needs a change in planting angle, so I will wait until we hit the 80s (Fahrenheit) with some regularity, which should be very soon in my zone 7a. Nice job on the elephant looking ficus.

[@ferasi6944]

Good that you enjoy the watering sessions 😊💧 Have you ever considered an electric watering solution at least for parts of you collection on the benches?

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌👌

[@HansWeberHimself]

Your new plant stand looks like an IKEA kitchen cart/butcher block to me. We had it in our kitchen for a decade at least, until recently. Ours is clear coated though. Nice piece!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks, it does have a heavy duty top on it, I'm sure that's what it is!!

[@bugbasher]

Unfortunately, it doesn't do very well outdoors. Both the legs and the top will split in the glue joints. I know because I made a BBQ stand from one of these. Paint/stain/oil slows things down but it won't last more than a few seasons.

[@JakeFromPotFarmLOL]

KZbin Algo sucks!!! Love you Nigel!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks so much!!

[@chasingthefish9042]

I have issues finding the front of my trees. I am not really at that point yet so i guess its not a huge deal. when i look at my trees i noticed that because i am naturally stand offish i feel more comfortable with the tree slightly leaning away from me.

[@bonsai_life_style]

that's good shape I would do same.

[@hsvfanjan17]

Hi Nigel, will this also be kind of the "finished" height of the tree? So the rest will be developing a spreading canopy? I think it'd look quite good if kept so small

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I think it will stay a small tree!!

[@sabine16]

Nice Video! Where did you get that nice pot from?

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I designed it in 3D and then 3D printed it!!! It is based on a picture of a large cement Vietnam pot!!

[@sabine16]

@@TheBonsaiZone Thats awsome! Do you sell this pots?

[@growclipbonsaiforseniors1951]

The elephant Ficus is always amazing to me. Too bad you cut the one branch from the mouth. Looked like 2 tusks. Fascinating tree made by Bonsai Master, Nigel just using the clip and grow method. Excellent!

[@stealthheero616]

Hey Nigel, I asked about how your Wisteria was flowering during the premiere this evening because I have a question. I live in middle Tennessee and my pre-bonsai tends to do 2-3 back to back flower blooms at a 3-5 week interval, but seems to refuse putting out new vines and foliage. Might this be a NPK fertilizer balance issue or an issue with pot size? I've considered it being a lighting issue since I tried giving it full sun and it's nearly fried, and this year I'm giving it full spring sun and shifting it to partial shade for our sun intense summers. Any input is appreciated!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Mine is putting out a long vine, but I think it's to young to flower? Here is what the internet says... To make a wisteria flower, it is essential to prune regularly twice a year; a winter prune in February and summer prune in July/August. Unless Wisteria is pruned hard, it will put energy into vigorous leaf growth at the expense of flowers, and so the Wisteria will not flower or produce fewer

[@Stettafire]

​@@TheBonsaiZone Can also confirm it takes a few years before wisteria will flower. Mine are you get then yours and too young to flower

[@dubsydabster]

Foist

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Awesome!!

[@Stettafire]

🍪

[@zonnig46]

You cut off the elephant tusk !