Thicken Bonsai Trunks The Easy Way

[@stevetippin]

Keep the filming process simple. We are here to watch because we are already your fans and I have seen too many great bonsai KZbinrs try to get every shot perfect but then burn out quickly. I would prefer more videos, a longer career, with simpler production. You are great and your channel rocks (youtube channel, not English channel). Keep it up.

[@grobonsai]

Thank you Steve that means a lot

[@neilatkinson174]

I have to say I like this sort if candid, in the moment style video, it's so different and relaxed compared to a lot of the over produced videos we get in this hobby

[@ricopetrichorbonsai]

I like the Video because it’s showing our reality this spring. Spring came early this year. Repotting Hardcore. Cheers Rico

[@squeezebox7458]

This is my first visit and I'm hooked already. Your teaching method is instructive and calming and I'll be back for more!

[@grobonsai]

Thank you and welcome to my channel! As a new viewer, what kind of video/topic would you find most interesting?

[@PumpkinBecki]

Ooof! Darren on coffee is like watching at 4x 😂 Lovely work 😊 I was planting a Hornbeam forest yesterday, and my shoulders are still screaming at me xx

[@yefiy1793]

Really enjoyed this video, reminds me of the Legend (Tonys Bonsai) Style video. Keep up the good work mate.

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Telperian got hit by Forest Fire a few years back - terrible. I've got a few trees going back into the ground using this same process. Great video Darren :)

[@treeaddict]

Interesting. Never heard of Telperian-inspiring me to look deeper into history of bonsai

[@grobonsai]

they drop a lot of info in the podcast I linked in the description. it's not easy to follow especially if you're not used to the american accents. but tons of info on more than just thickening trunks

[@paulgeddert6125]

Enjoying this video 'on the fly' 😁 something different 👍 ignore any negative comments.

[@grobonsai]

Thanks, it’s not easy to ignore some days, especially when it’s just a video of me being me doing me things 🤷‍♂️ oh well, that’s social media for you!

[@IllegalTacos]

"Where am I going to plant it?" - I feel this in my soul

[@mikeswain9085]

Great video Darren, thanks for sharing.

[@mickeysandrin5322]

Great video, will subscribe. One question, you don't need to put any healing paste on the roots before sticking in the ground? That's a lot of cuts. I am a beginner so genuinely interested in the answer.

[@grobonsai]

Roots seem to heal faster, but mostly we don’t see the scars under soil so it’s less of a problem

[@notionbonsai]

Nice repot Darren! My brain is saying... Air layer them pieces you cut off! lol

[@grobonsai]

They’re easy enough from cuttings no need to air layer, I cut those two up into 20 pieces and probably get 99% success

[@notionbonsai]

@@grobonsai ahh nice one!

[@christopheralexandersveinsson]

Great video Darren! Love the (keep it real energy) sometime’s there isn’t time to edit and allt that just get to the point and move on. Nice tree also 🌳

[@grobonsai]

Appreciate it!

[@madtabby66]

Okay, but what about conifers? You can’t chop back conifers like this.

[@grobonsai]

You do the work that is necessary, and possible according to the species and health of the plant. Or start them younger when they can take more root work. But the important thing here isn’t how much root you cut off, it’s the controlled, rapid growth

[@ChimaeraTom]

I've been looking to get back into Bonsai and these videos certainly encourage me but i'm terrified of doing rootwork like this. It seems so brutal and I'd definitely mess it up. I had an "Amazon Chinese Elm" die over winter (it thought it was spring and budded in early December then dropped all its leaves twice and never came back) I even somehow managed to kill a Rosemary! My local Homebase has some Fuji Cherry nursery trees in and i'm thinking of getting one if they have potential.

[@grobonsai]

This amount of root work is only possible on a string healthy elm at the start of spring. Different species or less healthy trees will be treated very differently. Fuji cherry wouldn’t respond well to this treatment

[@stephencreswell229]

It can also abort roots close to the truck due to an overly healthy escape root. I use a grow bed filled with scoria and perlite with pond baskets nestled in. I routinely pull up baskets and check roots once or twice a year. Imo, I think it's better because trees are up off the ground, so you don't have to crawl on your belly to look at the tree, and you have more control of the roots.

[@grobonsai]

The bags prevent escape roots - that’s the point. You don’t need to dig them up or faff with the roots until you are ready for potting.

[@bradleyc9538]

Nice one Darren 👍

[@lindac446]

Intrigued by copper infused grow bag! How long will this last?

[@grobonsai]

I’m not sure exactly but they are designed for long term plantings

[@PrincessNiqqa]

Where do I find those bags

[@grobonsai]

Search “Rootex Root Control Bags”. It’s only that brand that has the benefit we need. Ordinary fabric pots won’t do the job - the roots will grow right through

[@Robotdolfo]

Where can I get these bag pots? I wanna try this too!

[@grobonsai]

In the UK there's a place i found googling 'rootex root control bag'

[@ck-oy2mv]

Amazon, ebay, etc

[@grobonsai]

Only the rootex brand controls the roots though, other brands of fabric pots sold by hydroponics stores won’t contain the roots or ‘prune’ them

[@lindac446]

Where do WE GET A LARGE CHOPSTICK LIKE THIS? IT LOOKS LIKE A RR spike

[@grobonsai]

I purchased some of that chunky 6inch diameter bamboo and split it. Trouble is it’s pretty soft so I have to sharpen it so often they wear down quickly. That said, I still prefer it over metal

[@Skyecalm]

How is this tree now??? Any pics?

[@grobonsai]

It’s in the ground in the bag, establishing itself nicely

[@fortedexe8273]

Sorry, what is the name of the tree ?, I can't heard it well

[@grobonsai]

Chinese elm “yatsabusa”

[@Javanesetropicalbonsai]

Amazing❤

[@nikolajdubinin9830]

Интересно, выжило ли растение после такой радикальной обрезки корней?

[@grobonsai]

It survived but not all species would have stayed alive. Elm is very tough

[@ronnietidwell5381]

IF your going to cut off that large amount of roots, what's the point going through the trouble of removing the soil from the roots, just saw it off the root ball. You scrapped out all the soil, leaving bare root, then proceeded to cut them off. nothing to gain from all of that. Again, saw off the root ball, leaving about a 1/3 of the roots, and proceed from there to the final amount of roots you want left on the tree. Good idea of planting the whole bag though, Nice tree btw...

[@grobonsai]

Because the soil is not transparent I don’t know what needs to be done until I explore. If I didn’t find a bunch of snaking roots I wouldn’t have pruned them drastically. The saw doesn’t discriminate

[@soberhippie]

Why bother with the chopstick then if you do that drastic shop all those sticks underground after all? By the way, I think you could use all those roots as root cuttings

[@grobonsai]

You don’t know if it’s necessary to remove all those roots until you see them

[@Just.bonsai]

That nasty circle of thick roots may have been the tap root. You certainly removed a ton of roots… remember that Elms need more root underneath “a shin” than a maple. I hope the tree does very well. Thanks for sharing your work.

[@grobonsai]

Thanks, the shin is a consideration for a shallow bonsai environment, not relevant for young vigorous plants coming from a large container going into the ground. I’ll elaborate in a future video. Tap root is a phenomenon of seed grown plants, the thick roots here are the original roots from when this plant was a cutting that have thickened as they’ve grown. The amount of root removed is fine for a healthy elm, remember they are very easy as hardwood cuttings so think nothing of this work provided the tree is ✨healthy✨

[@Pete-z6e]

To thicken the trunk don’t cut off the sacrifice branch.

[@grobonsai]

I cut it off for two reasons, one, it’s six feet tall and will interfere with my recording equipment, two, to propagate. An elm growing in the ground will make a new one.

[@juniorgomestattoo6411]

A constructive criticism : most people who like bonsai and watch videos like the appeal of patience and enjoyment of the process, we all have those moments where you must rush , but maybe not make a video where you rush trough the process while giving tips of “how to “ . Maybe some moments are better not filmed and film the ones where things are done properly, just a honest critique of an enthusiast

[@grobonsai]

Deleted my reply because life’s too short, the video is what the video is

[@juniorgomestattoo6411]

@@grobonsai I agree life is too short why waste the time let’s gooooooo

[@lorenzoveronese6608]

​@@grobonsai it was a constructive criticism, no need to answer like that

[@secondsquash3600]

What you need to understand is that people start things for different reasons, and if that may be your reason, than all the best. But this is someone’s business, and he is trying to appeal for everyone. ❤

[@grobonsai]

@lorenzoveronese6608 Just seen this. I don't remember what I said originally, but the fact I edited it out means I must have over-reacted. Reading the comment again, being told not to make videos is why I reacted. The video isn't there to be enjoyed, it was to pass on a technique I've only seen discussed in one place, to my subscribers who, when *asked* usually tell me to make more content even if it is not as polished in production.

[@bonsaisn]

👍👍👍

[@BillyBobJoeSnr]

Are sure it's just coffee...? I'm in the middle of the repotting madness but the British weather is not helping wind and rain does not make it fun to be outside.

[@grobonsai]

Nah I was just trying to be myself instead of whatever it is I think I should act like on KZbin

[@BillyBobJoeSnr]

@@grobonsai My kids are always saying they're being authentic ... Either way I chuckled along as too get inpatient but don't won't to mess it up.

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌

[@DecaffeinatorZero]

Can I have the bit you cut off? 🤭

[@grobonsai]

I chopped it up into a dozen cuttings. I’ll send you one when they root, in exchange for money lol

[@stephenhogan8220]

I thought a lot of this video was a bit strange , you spent ages racking out the roots from top and bottom , then you just cut them all right back mite as well have sawn it off from the start , said you weren’t going to bare root it then absolutely did lol , then the planting on a disc in a bag designed for roots not to penetrate it ? I thought was odd , I’m also not an expert and maybe I just don’t get it , Interesting watch all the same

[@grobonsai]

Happy to expand on the video with anyone who doesn’t call me strange or odd at 10am on a Sunday morning 👍

[@paulgeddert6125]

When you're exploring the root system on a bigger tree for the first time you don't know what you'll find. No point cutting it all back hard straight away. I do the same. Chopstick from the beginning, if I find a good root system then great, little need to remove much / do much work. If the root system is poor I can cut back as I wish. But I've given myself the option by being careful from the start.

[@grobonsai]

Exactly this!

[@ck-oy2mv]

I'll do the plate which I thought was covered but..the plate is there beneath the roots because in bonsai you want roots to spread and grow away from the tree not down as they are put into shallow pots. This also adds to the thickening of the trunk as roots growing out add to root flare at the base.

[@lorenzoveronese6608]

@@grobonsai wtf, where does these shitty answers come from?