New Trees and Pots, Plus Root Pruning my Natal Ficus, Part 1, The Bonsai Zone, Aug 2019

[@deploribusunum3894]

LMBO! "My shadow looks like a dandelion"

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Crazy hair!

[@samdanielsson7397]

@@TheBonsaiZone I'd say it looks like Sideshow Bob :)

[@maryshoemaker1437]

Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone ... I think your hair is as unique as you are... I love it!!!!!! I like the T-shirt idea too!!!

[@theShamrockShepherdWagon]

Yep. Like a dandelion ready to seed. Luv ya, Nigel.

[@jpalmer1967]

You're the most "real" bonsai person on KZbin. Very enjoyable to watch. Thank you so much for the videos!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thank you Palmer, I'm glad you enjoy the videos, I have fun making them!

[@Kjbrunzo]

Neighborhood Residents: "That Dandelion Man is out there filming trees again..."

[@nickkellogg4155]

can we make a nigel shirt thats just your shadow saying "here i go"

[@theShamrockShepherdWagon]

With the Don King hair...

[@Nhoj31neirbo47]

My first encounter with Dawn Redwoods was at a small park in my childhood hometown in lower NY State. There was about eight trees planted around an oval. I think they were about 15 to 20 feet tall at the time. I was fascinated that a tree that looked like an evergreen would take on a beautiful fall color and then become deciduous for the winter. That they were an exotic relative of the California Redwood from China also peaked my interest. I found out that they were planted by a local nursery, which had purchased them at the 1964 World’s Fair. I believe the fair may have been the first, or an early opportunity for the public to obtain a Dawn Redwood , as it was “discovered “ in 1948 (?) and mass propagation must have taken years. Edit; It was “discovered “ in the early 1940’s and 4 pounds of seeds were collected in 1948 and distributed to botanical gardens around the world.

[@maryshoemaker7593]

Hi Nigel... strolling down memory lane!! Love this video!! Nice pots.. new trees.. and great styling!!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Mary, nice to see summer again!

[@FlorenceChandotCA]

I made a similarly drastic root prune on a F. burtt-davyii around the beginning of April; while this one didn't have a particularly large taproot, it had developed many very long roots that had thickened beyond feeder stage and somewhere in the range of 3-4' of them had to go (roughly 60-70% of the total root mass). I got a lot of leaf loss before it started really perking up again around 3 - 5 weeks later. It's spent much of this summer outdoors regaining vigor in the foliage, but I hope it will not be too stressed over the transition back indoors.

[@notahotshot]

Third. I have been inspired to try again at starting some bonsai. I have purchased a lemon, a lime, and a fig this year. I also have one of those citrus trees which is supposed to produce oranges, limes, and lemons. I bought that last year. I repotted it, and it seemed to have died. I kept watering it and it produced foliage on some of the branches. I believe only the grafts died off. I don't know yet what fruit it will produce. I'm hoping oranges.

[@garygenerous8982]

I think that pot says “I’m a Little Tree pot, Short and Stout...” but I’m not positive ;P

[@margaretsims4344]

I’m so glad you got a Dawn Redwood. I will be following you carefully so I can copy your care. Nice to see the full grown tree.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I've just planted some Coastal Redwood seeds also, I very excited, I hope they germinate! I'm looking forward to the working on the Dawn Redwoods with clip and grow, I think the technique will work well on these fast growing trees!

[@maryshoemaker1437]

Hi Everyone..another great video!! Nigel.. videos are soo much better to watch... the new equipment has made a big improvement!!! Well I’m number thirty-ish, that’s ok... no worries!! A new week is here...

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Mary, i'm still experimenting with the new camera, trying different settings etc. I've made over forty videos with it now and I'm still learning!

[@maryshoemaker1437]

Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone ... quite a learning curve... take care!!!

[@paulschaefer5241]

If you tink the clay pots with your finger you can tell which ones will survive freezing. the higher pitch sound, the less porous the clay. less porous clay will survive frost better as it will hold less water.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thank Pat, good to know!

[@christianbenavente6202]

I have an orange tree that has an extremely large root and compact root system, i need to get it down to about the 10th of its current size to be potable. I want to chop off the lower half right away, but after that go at it little bits at a time over a few years till it hopefully has the right sized root mass while also still being alive

[@TheBonsaiZone]

It's always a risk working on the trees, but if you let it grow wild and wait until it is very healthy, you should be able to cut back both the roots and the top of the tree severely. Check out "Aussie Bonsai Bloke" on KZbin, he has done this with a collected Lemon tree!

[@DarthMasiah]

2 out of 3 dawn redwood cuttings rooted for me this year. i cut them when i repotted in march. the buds were just starting to push out. i used clonex and then just stuck them in some inorganic bonsai soil. i didn't use a humidity dome. just kept them in the shade and watered them like a normal tree.

[@spencerbray2054]

Cant wait to see the development of that dawn redwood Nigel! Thats my favourite tree and I also have had bad luck with cuttings. Going to buy a nursery plant next spring. Thanks for sharing!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I've been looking for them in nurseries for a long time, seems whenever you want one, you can't find them!

[@69kesh]

hello nigel have you ever tried growing acers from seeds, if you have any videos we like to see,

[@InLakech_AlaKin]

Excellent new tree. Always good to see uploads from you. I found it funny when you said that one root was being "held by the weight of gravity" and another root "defied gravity". A great example on how gravity doesn't exist. If gravity were a real thing, nothing would defy it. It is a notion that demands specific measurements and laws. Just a theory grasping as tightly as it can to the theory of heliocentrism and globe Earth. Keep them coming Nigel. You are a bonsai master and I enjoy learning from you! Thank you for your desire to share your expertise.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thank you, glad you are liking the videos!

[@matthewkizziahcuzia...gott9632]

I've had luck rooting my dawn redwood cuttings in water in brown glass bottles. When they get roots then I put them in soil with a water tray.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Matthew, good to hear! I'll try this next year when I go to prune the tree.

[@mufaddalshafqat9973]

Hi Nigel, I am following your videos from quite a while and have tried to start training some trees for bonsai. The problem is whenever I disturb the root system of any tree it dies. I have tried not to trim roots and just repot a nursery plant to a bonsai pot but still my trees dies. I see your videos, you trim almost 70% of the roots but tree survives. Can you give me some guidelines what I may be doing wrong?

[@BonsaiJCan]

Those were quite the roots !

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I did expect them to be quite crazy after seeing the large one on the surface. Ficus roots take a lot of frequent pruning and sorting to keep them in really nice shape, if left alone, they can quickly grow wild!

[@kevinmartin7760]

Maybe you could put a liner in that bulgy pot so it is a plain taper on the interior so allowing easy removal of the root ball.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

That is a great idea, maybe some body filler?

[@cherylandrews3195]

Thanks for the video? Do you have any azalea or know much about them?

[@ashwarirai]

on the port it has written Nigel says hear i go😊😊

[@rachelmollman1009]

I'm so happy you got a silk floss! I have a couple I grew from seed about two years ago. Really interested to see your work on them. I want a kapok after seeing yours too.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Rachel, I'm looking forward to growing my new Silk Floss tree and my Kapok trees too!

[@Eram.Abbasi]

Just a suggestion...... the thick roota that u chopped off. If u dig them in ground they will sprout new branches. I have tried that & it works. So maybe u can also try

[@vernonvice6054]

Can’t wait to see the progress of your Dawn Redwoods. 😍 Favorite KZbin channel - ✔️ Favorite tree - ✔️

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thank you Vernon, the tree has recovered quickly and is beginning to grow again! I'm looking forward to working on the tree in the future!

[@hollysukulelemunford2432]

CANADIAN BONSAI " SO HERE I GO" NIGEL TEA SHIRT! YES!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

That would be cool!

[@cukka99]

I wonder if one were really in love with one of these pots, one might be able to fill the enclosed portion (under the rim) with some sort of resin, to avoid the repotting problem, basically making it a bit smaller inside.

[@MF-fc5vk]

Dawn redwoods are stunning Hardy trees, love water.. Great choice. 😊 I have them as a bonsai forest.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I'm hoping to create a forest some day also! I'd better get cracking on growing cuttings!

[@lakeelsinorebonsai1203]

Nice pots Nigel! 👍👍

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I can't wait to get some trees in them!

[@BostonBonsaiIdiot]

To the dawn redwood: I have one in my yard that I bought for air layering purposes. I've tried four different times and each times the branch-to-be-air-layered has died very early on, like within a week or two. I've had a little more success with very small cuttings, but nothing has lived through the winter. I asked Peter Chan, and he said that some variants will air layer and others wont, so maybe that's the issue.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks, i'll keep trying to find a good technique as I prune them over the years ahead!

[@jordancaldeira892]

Natal ficus and ficus burt Davy are two different trees. Love the fact that you are working in indigenous African trees! Coming from South Africa this is extremely helpful

[@seanevans6931]

Was about to say that 😅

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I do believe you are right! I thought the Burt Davy was a variation of the Natal Ficus, but it seems to be very different. I'm not sure what I have now? Hopefully you can help me out Jordan!

[@jordancaldeira892]

@@TheBonsaiZone, it has come to my realisation that there is an extremely wide range of ficus species and it can be very difficult to distinguish what exactly is what. If I am not mistaken the tree you repotted in this video, part 1, is a ficus burt davy (veld fig) and the ficus in the part 2 is either a ficus natalensis (natal fig) or a ficus burt davy (common wild fig or strangler fig). The latter two trees are very similar and it is extremely difficult to tell the difference, or atleast i am not sure how to tell the difference. But the overall structure of both trees (including the root system) are very similar.

[@taggertA]

Ficus Burtt-Davyi and Ficus Natalensis are synonymous. Some of the physical differences in Ficus trees are developed by the environment they are growing in.

[@jordancaldeira892]

@@taggertA you're completely incorrect my friend. Burt Davy and Natalensis are very different. That is like saying all Accacia trees are "synonymous"

[@Rebecca-yf9ci]

I really liked the update at the end of the day, I think I would have panicked if a tree did that to me!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

The branches are nice and straight today and they didn't go limp even in the hot afternoon sun! I think I'll see new growth by the end of the week!

[@lukasmihara]

To me your shadow reminded me a bit of Sideshow Bob. Better watch out, Bart :)

[@TheBonsaiZone]

True!

[@DavidMFChapman]

That looks better!

[@simonmcintyre5280]

Was that your ribbon/buttress root ficus experiment in the background? Would love an update on this

[@WhidbeyIsguy]

Nigel, aloe Vera has or is a natural rooting substance. Take some Aloe Vera and mash some of the gel stuff. Try clippings some with the bark layer removed and some without. It might be worth a try on some your clippings. Just dip them in the Aloe and plant in soil. Punch a hole in you soil with a stick and stick the clipping in.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Lyle, interesting, I haven't heard of this!

[@WhidbeyIsguy]

My Calamansi tree grown from seed is finally sprouting branches this year. when I take it in for the winter. Next spring I am going to cut off some of the new branches and try routing them with the Aloe method I told you about to see if it works I also have a 2 year old Calamansi that I topped it this year because it was growing straight with no branching. three weeks later it has five new branches. Did to my two year old Lemon tree also, four new branches. I go back and listen to some of your older videos and I experimented some. Keep up the great work Nigel.

[@emy1111]

Hi Nigel, So the translation for the writing on the Chinese pot goes as such (from a friend of a friend)... the raw translation is 'The spring breeze turn into rain and smells flower aroma' the spring breeze turn into rain part can also mean salutary influence of education. My interpritation would be the smell you get when the plants open up to receive the rain just before a downpour. A good environment for growth that can mean physically or intellectually. How you give your attention to a teacher, but here are the character if you want to look it up... chūn fēng huà yǔ 春风化雨

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thank you Matt, very interesting, now I'll think of spring when I see this pot!

[@RahulPandey-tj7yq]

can i ask you are you selling bonsai

[@Mettie7]

Great video as always! I have a quick question. I planted some seeds last fall and they've been growing this year quite well! What time of the year should I trim roots and repot? This fall, winter, or spring?

[@pansepot1490]

I will be repotting my deciduous seedlings in late winter, around February, which is the right time for my climate (northern Italy). If you live in a colder place March is better. For the tropics you can do it all the year around. Pro tip: when you ask for advice give at least some basic info about your climate, what species you are talking about and anything relevant. It’s difficult to help when there’s a lot of guesswork involved. Cheers.

[@elementalbonsai]

Mark here excellent video Nigel keep them coming ! 👍✌️

[@CanYouMakeIt_ayan]

Dada, have you seen my last ficus Relegiosa bonsai? Can you please give me some advice on styling? I am bit confused.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Can you send me a link to your video, I'll have a look.

[@CanYouMakeIt_ayan]

@@TheBonsaiZone , kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4eZqqZ-Za1ssJo Do I need to expose more roots ? Or Will it look better if I plant it over a rock? Please dada, give me some landscaping ideas.

[@elementalbonsai]

Mark here again the Dawn Redwood I have too and it is really tall and bushy do you know when to prune and trim them my branches are still semihard can you still prune and trim back while the branches are green or do I wait till the branches fully harden off ?

[@matthewkizziahcuzia...gott9632]

Try growing the cut off roots of the ficus. If they are big enough.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I think they would grow fine, but I don't think I'd have space for any more trees!

[@peterdobranszky2993]

Hi Nigel. I was wondering why bonsai books suggest to cut back the foliage after root pruning. See that you didn't, and it also seems logical to me that more leaves => more photosynthesis => more energy for respiration and root growth. Pruning back the foliage after severe root pruning would only make sense to me if the plant could only distribute nutrients (absorbed by the roots) to the foliage evenly.

[@entyropy3262]

You cut back foliage to reduce the ammount of water the leaves will lose by photosynthesis (so plants will not dry out). He did not cut back the foliage, because Ficus have leaves with some sort of wax on them (I guess you can just tell by the type of foliage which plant is very sturdy and which not so much - mostly fat leaves = better survivability when the water support is not optimate), which reduces the ammount of water they will lose to the environment. I would have cut the leaves a bit back thou because it was a big cut but the humidity seems to be ok in his greenhouse, as long as he keeps misting it. It has absolutely nothing to do with nutrients, for photosynthesis plants only need H²o and CO².

[@peterdobranszky2993]

@@entyropy3262 Enty Ropy Thanks for your reply. Yes, photosynthesis needs H2O & CO2, but a plant doesn't live by just photosynthesis. It can die by just lack of necessary nutrients as well which are absorbed by the roots. Let me rephrase the question: how a plant really reacts to root pruning without foliage trim? a) If it can't get enough water, it starts to drop leaves as defence one by one, not all leaves at the same time. Eventually (quicker), it produces enough roots to support existing foliage so the leaf drop stops at this stage and the tree starts to gain vigor again. If this is the case, leaves you cut off could have been used by the tree to fuel photosynthesis and support respiration & root growth for a bit more time, until the tree drops them anyway. b) Scenario 'a' would be nice, but poor little fellas can't manage water this effectively. Either they can't drop leaves fast enough before drying up, or just get too shocked and die. If this is the case, then obviously, the top priority is to keep the plant alive, not to grow the rootbase faster. P.S.: Don't forget, Nigel once cutted the whole rootbase of a big Ficus back to just bare trunk without trimming the foliage at all. He said he doesn't trim because the plant will recover faster with more leaves.

[@entyropy3262]

@@peterdobranszky2993 Plants only require pure water to grow roots. I have never seen any plant dry out by dropping leaves one by one if it was from root pruning, they all dried out equally on all leaves, ofc slower on the leaves with more biomass. Also yes, the more biomass is left after root pruning, the higher is the potential to grow roots, the plant has more reserves left.

[@peterdobranszky2993]

Enty Ropy Thanks for your opinion. If plants would only need pure water to grow roots, we wouldn’t need bonsai soil and fertilising. “Nitrogen is not only a major component of chlorophyll (C55 H72 O5 N4 Mg), which is vital in photosynthesis-allowing plants to absorb energy from light, but it also makes up amino acids that produce proteins, which just like in our bodies, produces new tissues.” source: homesteadbrooklyn.com/all/2017/5/3/fertilizing-houseplants-101

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I am also placing the tree and cuttings in the greenhouse and misting them very often, with no wind and high humidity they recover very quickly! Today all the branches showed no signs of being limp even in the hot afternoon. I think by the end of the week it will be growing once again!

[@janadarnold2500]

Do u get enough duck/chicken eggs to use in the house? Do u ever get chicks? What do u do with your bonsais? Do you ever sell them or give classes.

[@MrRio424]

Do you have any advice on converting rooted cuttings from ordinary soil to a bonsai medium? I am always concerned that I may shock young plants by making the switch. Any advice helps! Great work as always!

[@andrewspar436]

Ever watched any of the videos in this channel? Clean and wash the roots and replant in "bonsai medium".

[@FlaminDonkeez]

How often do you water your bonsai's?

[@mushintatsu]

I would like to know what's written on that pot

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I think it says...."So here I go!"

[@ToWatchMusic]

Try snipping it off, dipping it in rooting hormone, and putting it in a old plastic salad container where 1/3 of it is filled with semi moise peat moss and close it. Leave it for a month closed and maybe you’ll get the roots.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks, I'll experiment next season on getting the cuttings to root! I do want a Redwood forest some day!

[@bonsai_life_style]

Groot hair style. 😀😀

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Some would say I need a cut!

[@entyropy3262]

I counted 5 Roots, you have to study trunks of trees that have been cut down on the surface level, then you will understand why I did count 5. What you count as Individual roots are ramified roots already, the ramification point is just already located inside the trunk, since the trunk did fatten up a lot. You can see it on those flat cut off stumps. You are like counting branches and call them trunks (as analogy).

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks, yes I was counting the perimeter bumps from the roots at the very edge.

[@leevandyke4562]

Water the cutting with willow bark water. Or try a thicker branch

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks, I'll keep trying, I would like a Redwood forest some day!

[@uriel13th11]

i'm waiting for a new video about lemon trees, cuz i have one of them and it looks like sick cuz of wrong pruning or wrong nutrients. :/

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I'd better get at it, mine needs pruning and re potting badly!

[@uriel13th11]

@@TheBonsaiZone Plz give me a few advice about indoor lemon trees for save it cuz its only 2-3 years old and its grown from a seed. i wish i live in Canada and i can visit you.

[@Nkrille]

Do you ever use annything for a rooting agent? saliva honney or something?

[@entyropy3262]

The only effect those have is reduce fungus probability, but he knows what he is doing, so he won't need those. Imo. these products are just good for money making by selling them.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I think the rooting hormone helps increase the chance of the cutting to survive, but I find if you take the cuttings at the right time of the year, they seem to root easily without the hormone. I should try some experiments with cuttings and find out for myself!

[@briankavanagh7191]

Hi Nigel, can i pick your brains just purchased a 6' Dawn Redwood 11/2" nebari but from the root up to 4" the base is soft but after that it is rock hard, it has prolific growth any ideas (readers)?

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Some of the Redwoods develop a thick spongy, fire resistant bark as they get older. Hopefully it is just normal!

[@DarthMasiah]

the lower trunk on my dawn redwood turned very spongy after i groundlayered it and the new roots were pushing out. i think that its just a normal redwood trait when they're growing strong, taking up a lot of water, and expanding the trunk and roots.

[@patsfreund9164]

Enjoyed seeing the new bonsai pots and trees. Thanks for showing the Redwood. I recently re-inherited one that I had given to a neighbor. (His collection was too much for his active lifestyle. LOL) Do you find that the branches on Redwoods have a tendancy to grow more vertically than horizontally? Good work on that ficus. I was wondering if you would eliminate those large roots. Glad you decided to remove them.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks Pat, so far the branches seem to grow very vertical, I'll have to see how it goes with clip and grow in the upcoming years.

[@DarthMasiah]

you'll definitely have to use wire if you want the branches horizontal.

[@Rebecca-yf9ci]

Nigel, I want to confirm something: You don't always use compost material in your soil, is that because you fertilize with all watering? Or do you have a different reason?

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Yes I fertilize with each watering, here is a video that shows what I do..... kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYmseqOuitarmrs

[@Teshy-yd2is]

Hi! to Mrs Saunders in the background!

[@sauptiksaha4875]

Hi Nigel, Could you please let me know how I can contact you so that I can share some pictures of a ficus religiosa seedling which has developed aerial roots. Thanks, Sauptik

[@andrewspar436]

Ever took a look at the "About"-section of the channel?

[@sauptiksaha4875]

@@andrewspar436 Can you provide the mail id?

[@BoszoliChan]

I'm sorry that you cut off that big thick root. I thought the tree would look nice if you use that root as part of the trunk, and not dig it in the soil.

[@thealimirjalili]

foist

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Ali is strong with the Foist!

[@dubsydabster]

Getting it!!!

[@entyropy3262]

Haxx

[@amanpreetsingh1839]

Love for your videos always By the time you upgraded camera sometime videos are out of focus and also sometime videos are over contrasty

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I was trying the Canon C Log and found even when in focus, the video was coming out soft. I'll have to check my sharpness settings and try and find what works best. I was also using a zoom lens instead of a prime. I hope the videos get better, I'm still experimenting with the camera and lens!

[@theShamrockShepherdWagon]

Bonsai is an addiction I'm finding and Juniper's are the gateway drug. Warn your friends and children.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Funny! Thanks Sue!

[@shvshvhkv8608]

👌👌👌...!!!

[@Insignificanthings]

I notice you seem like you used your old camera for this video.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I was trying out Canon C Log this time, it seems to give a very soft video. I'll have to play around with the in camera settings and see if I can get better at using C Log!

[@Insignificanthings]

@@TheBonsaiZone keep up the good work Tatay Nigel! Soon I will send to you my bonsai too. Hehe they are still works in progress.

[@Hain72]

Warst du mit den Fingern in deiner Steckdose?????? :)))

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Die Haare werden etwas zu wild, es wird bald Zeit für einen Schnitt!

[@myfairyterracegarden]

Very nice video.i like all plants and planters of yours .#subscribe

[@chamaramendis7505]

hi im from sri lanka if you wish come to visit me I will show you so many things about trees let me know. so I will provide you every things

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thank you for the kind offer Chamara, if I ever travel your way, I'll be sure to visit!

[@flbeachinggirl]

😂 your shadow

[@TheBonsaiZone]

A flower in bloom!

[@fliefooghe]

fitrst trees are taxus...

[@Nhoj31neirbo47]

Second

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Nice, I hope you like the video!

[@Nhoj31neirbo47]

Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone - Off to a good start with the Silk Floss tree and Dawn Redwood. Two trees that I really like.

[@janandersen6001]

🇩🇰🌄👍

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thank you once again Jan!

[@stuffenjoyer]

135th

[@dinudavis4230]

മലയാളികൾ ആരെങ്കിലും???