Wow - So lucky to find this tree at my local nursery!

In this video, I pop into my local tree nursery and find a superb Yew (Taxus Bacata).
When I get home, I start work on turning it into a great future bonsai.

[@davidp4917]

Tony, I have been trying to get into bonsai for two years, I have lost loads but am buzzing about the ones I have been successful with. I don’t have much money ( unpaid carer ). YOU are awesome, your at my price range, your learning like me and when I saw the look on your face finding this, I saw ME. You are a breath of fresh air to new starters, Greenwood’s, Herons, Nigel Slater are very good but have already started trees. Well done buddy, I now feel part of the community because of you

[@TonysBonsai]

Thank you for what you wrote there David. This is possibly the best comment I have received to date. I love my bonsai, and I really enjoy the process of creating videos, but when I hear that my work is inspiring others and giving people a feeling of community, then that beats it all. Keep the buzz going mate and keep enjoying working on your trees. We all have a few failures along the way, but that's all part of the fun in a way. If it wasn't difficult we wouldn;t bother and we wouldn;t get the feeling of satisfaction when it all works out.

[@paulgeddert6125]

You can find bargains if you look around, but many of my nicest trees are collected and/or air layered (free)

[@oliveambros9887]

So sad to hear your passing away. You are an inspiration Rest in peace Tony

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Quite a challenge Tony, I like your vision!

[@TonysBonsai]

Thank you Nigel. I am working on trying to have a vision for my trees as opposed to just hacking away at them like I used to 🤣

[@oachkatzlsmum]

What a challenge. Unforgettable. 😍 Always be remembered Tony. ❤ Great job. 🙏👍

[@sivanagarajah913]

Loving your work. 💮

[@TonysBonsai]

Thank you Siva. Much appreciated

[@jimbob6348]

What a great video. Watched it all!! Lots of views too 👍 X

[@TonysBonsai]

Wow, admit it, you're becoming a super bonsai fan!

[@shanewatson8581]

What a bloody bargain mate Beautiful tree

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers Shane. I think I found a cracker here for the price.

[@shanewatson8581]

@@TonysBonsai would cost over $100 Australian dollars here easy

[@WanderingBobAK]

Just a huge shout out to you for taking the time to excel on camera positioning. There are so many Bonsai Pros that just show someone's face while they work on material. Thank you.

[@TonysBonsai]

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I try to show what I'm doing as best as I can. I was just this minute outside checking on this tree, and it's absolutesly packed with fresh buds.

[@FrostBiteBonsai]

Wow! Lucky Man Yew are!! Great find. I like your choices. There were so many branches to choose from. Amazing!

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers mate. This was one of those trees just pushed to the back of the nursery and forgotten about. Exactly the type of tree we love to find with tons of options.

[@shanewatson8581]

Another tip mate if you know anyone who drinks wine. Collect their cork I use cork to spread branches it moulds to the branch and doesn't leave any marks

[@TonysBonsai]

That's a good idea Shane. you must be posher than me mate. The only person I know who drinks wine is my brother, and he drinks the cheap stuff with a screw cap 🤣

[@shanewatson8581]

Lol not posh mate I drink whisky that's corked 🤣🤣🤣

[@greasylimpet3323]

That's going to be a beauty in a few years; as you said, it's got a nice trunk and heaps of branches. You're going to be very busy when your winter is over, with all those trees to look after!

[@TonysBonsai]

yeah I have plenty of time to put in the hours, and because all my trees are in development, they don't really need any re-potting or refinement. In five years' time I'm sure it will be a very different story

[@deepanjanbanerjee3491]

Good stuff! Yews are challenging but satisfying trees to work with!

[@TonysBonsai]

Hi Deepanjan. Yes, lovely trees to work with as long as we don't eat them 🤣

[@deepanjanbanerjee3491]

@@TonysBonsai Yewwwwww !!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Took me by surprise again but good find Tony. I sometimes discover, when I get back, that the tree I was initially excited about is a little tougher than I first thought. As for airlayering, you are spot on. We have another hard frost all this week so i think I chose my break time perfectly. Tree in the post next week.

[@TonysBonsai]

Yeah, I have never spent so long looking at a tree before deciding what to do. This one was a real challenge, but I'm happy with the direction I chose for it. Really looking forward to our collab mate. I'll be sending mine on Tuesday.

[@wshow11]

Cheers Tony!

[@TonysBonsai]

Pleasure Steve

[@kevinwilkes5969]

Well done Tony. That should feature in a few videos to come.

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers Kevin. I really like material like this from a youtube perspective as there are several more videos to come before it's looking anything like a bonsai.

[@bobcatbonsai]

Great work with this yew Tony. What a great price for it as well. Look forward to watching this little 1 go!

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers Matt. I got this one at a bit of a steel I reckon.

[@dorritsmedsgard5900]

Congratulation with the yew. There are a lot of video material in that tree the next years

[@TonysBonsai]

Hi Dorrit. Yes, a tree like this will provide me with lots of material. Pruning, roots, refinement etc.

[@raymondplodzien7459]

Going to develop into a fine bonsai Tony.

[@TonysBonsai]

Thanks Raymond. I hope so.

[@thetreestyler]

Great stuff Tony, Im enjoying watching your tree work!

[@TonysBonsai]

Thank you. I just love working on this kind of material.

[@invinciblecucumber]

Great find! Your channel is becoming better and better.

[@TonysBonsai]

Thank you. I keep trying to produce interesting content mate

[@Bonsaicrazy]

Nice tree Tony God luck with it dude 👍👍👍

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers mate. I'm loving this tree mate

[@davidnewth924]

There is a yew for sale on marketplace near me, and I turned it down… now you have me thinking, maybe I should give it a go. Thanks again for the video Tony!

[@TonysBonsai]

Get back there and get it bought David. Remember you only live once and that could end up being an amazing bonsai!

[@mattbrennan647]

Yew really did some nice work there Tony.😊 Another great score. I’ve got an ancient yew in my neighborhood with a similar structure. I’ll be looking forward to watching your develop this one. Thanks, keep growing

[@TonysBonsai]

Thanks Matt. I see what you did there! 😉 There are no large yew trees around here. Perhaps sometime (no rush) you could take a couple of photos of the one near you and send them to me as inspiration!

[@mattbrennan647]

@@TonysBonsai ,, will do.

[@mattbrennan647]

@@TonysBonsai ,, in the interim check out these ancient beauties. They make the one in my neighborhood look like a sapling. kzbin.info/www/bejne/poGclKuNps6MiqM

[@Candice.BonsaiScience]

Are you going to go get it one night Matt? 🤣

[@mattbrennan647]

@@Candice.BonsaiScience did you me “are YEW going to get it?” 😉

[@agustinayoung4965]

Hey Tony! Great stuff, I've watched your chanel for a while but never tried bonsai myself, just the other day I collected a tree in my garden and started my first project. Inspired by you!!

[@TonysBonsai]

Hi Agustina. That really is music to my ears. O love that people enjoy my videos, but when i hear that they have moved on to actually having a go at bonsai, then that makes me feel great! I hope your project is going well and with a bit of luck it will grow really well in the spring.

[@anthonyholgate7771]

Hi Tony, hope you are doing ok, if it’s not too much trouble but I bought the yew tree at your Bonsai bonanza featured in this video and was wondering if you think it would be ok to repot it this August/September? I am assuming it is still in the original soil and I am a bit worried it could stay too wet with our weather in Chipping. I am planning on training it as you planned. Sorry for troubling you if you are not up to responding, no worries. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family Anthony

[@andrewclack4881]

we have a full sized Yew like this in our local churchyard growing on the site of an old plague pit! Stunning!

[@TonysBonsai]

Hi Andrew. That sounds stunning. I've studied some lovely trees in the lakes, but none of them are that old. Hopefully this bonsai will have the look of these old church yews.

[@BlueJayBonsai]

What a great find, and a great video! I’d probably jin the second trunk, but it’s always cool to see other perspectives. Cheers! 🐦💙

[@TonysBonsai]

Hi Jay. Yes, that is always an option in the future. I'm sure this tree will change a lot over the years, but getting that wedge in will make the jin a better if I decide to go down that route. Time will tell!

[@GoodSamaritan-g2i]

Amazing find Tony for sure. I love the way you explain everything before making your chops...it really helps a beginner like me. How long do you think we need to give it time before we can make some root work on the tree like exposing some nebaris etc

[@TonysBonsai]

Hi. Glad you enjoyed it. Some people would probably go for those roots this spring, and they may be right, but my thinking is that I would rather do the big cuts and prune it back a bit later in the year, then I can always do some root work next spring. I don't generally like doing it all at once when there isn't a good reason.

[@GoodSamaritan-g2i]

@@TonysBonsai : Cheers Tony. What is a safe period between stem trimmings and root work please? I talking about a newly obtained nursery stock. I live in the tropics so we get sun pretty much year round.

[@Steves_Backyard_Bonsai]

Love it Tony! What a great find. Our nurseries have all shut down for the winter, or I would be on the hunt as well.

[@TonysBonsai]

Hi STeve. OUrs tend to stay open, and this one I went to is a pretty commercial/industrial set up, so it rarely shuts.

[@thenaturecreater8906]

That's was a hard one to style In my opinion i had wait to spring. And found the real root plain. I think you got 2 root bases on this tree. But we will see. But thanks again for fun video. This is so fun. Finding a tree in the nursery and shape it into a Bonsai.

[@TonysBonsai]

Yes,, those roots are going to be a pain to sort, but I think this time next year the tree will be a much more reasonable size and I can get stuck in!

[@thenaturecreater8906]

@Tonys Bonsai it's going to be wicked to follow the process and development for this tree . I have a quit old yew myself. And I think it's one of my favorits to work with. I bendt one very tick branch with guy waier. And if you take I slow their are quit bendable. I was very surprised. I used copper for that bending. Danm that copper is tuff

[@TonysBonsai]

Nice! I've had a go at bending a yew with aluminium, and it worked a bit, but as you say, copper would work a lot better.

[@thenaturecreater8906]

@@TonysBonsai but that copper waier is so expensive 😫

[@bobbigbad1963]

Another great video Tony, l like your thoughts on how you want to proceed with the tree. As always thank you.👍

[@TonysBonsai]

Thank you Bob. It's a pleasure. Glad you enjoyed it

[@TheSebastianLeFay]

Long time viewer, first time commenting. Just want to say your enthusiastic approach to working with bonsai has been a great motivator for me to dare to do even more myself. Also, I've heard you mention other bonsai youtubers and was wondering if you also follow any japanese bonsai artists? Myself, I'm loving the work by bonsaiQ. i don't speak japanese, and the subtitles aren't always translated perfectly, but just seeing the work has taught me much. Love your work, please keep at it.

[@TonysBonsai]

Hi Sebastian. Yes, I do indeed follow bonsai Q. I love the way he manipulates and perks the trunks of the small trees. He is actually one fo my biggest inspirations and the reason that I am so bold in my approach.

[@scotthogbin613]

That is a big tree to work on Tony and i enjoyed watching your decision making prosses. The tree looked hard to cut however your home made carving weapon did the job well, you should make a few more and sell them. I'm sure people would love a hand crafted T.B. special. Its fantastic to see you making tools for bonsai work.

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers Scott. This one was made out of a high carbon steel, but I have bought some lovely high quality tool steel grade stainless, and I'm going to start experimenting with that and when I'm confident that I can make very hard durable sharp blades out of it, I'm planning on making a few for sale.

[@scotthogbin613]

That's great, they will be appreciated and sell fast I'm sure. It's another very creative talent you have and i know how satisfying it is when you make things yourself...especially when its for a pastime you love.

[@TonysBonsai]

I was always encouraged by my dad to make things. As young kids I remember me and my brother and sister making wooden swords with my dad on a bandsaw 🤣

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Garden centre road trip 😊and that’s a beast of a tree. You are like a kid in a sweet shop there at the beginning surrounded by all those plants 😂 I have been thinking of maybe getting a big thick Yew ball from a garden centre (I have seen some nice examples with thick trunk for about £40) and thinning and styling up. Where to put it after though as my benches are already crowded.

[@TonysBonsai]

Go for it Jason. I love projects like this, and you just have to remember that it won't be this big forever, especially if you make it in a more upright style.

[@keepingitkoi]

Great video Tony I have quite a few very young yews as there's a wood near me where there's hundreds growing I've been thinking recently maybe I should take my little spade up there and get a bigger one 🤣 think you've helped me make up my mind 😀 😊

[@TonysBonsai]

Sounds like a good plan to me. I got some advice about collecting yews last year, and you are much better leaving it until the new buds have started to really swell up which is generally early april

[@keepingitkoi]

@TonysBonsai great stuff thanks for the tip I collected a load in November and they seem to be doing well made it through the cold winter at least 😊

[@dirtysouthhc2936]

Is it a yew? Having a hard time making out

[@TonysBonsai]

Yes, it is indeed, and it's absolutely packed with buds at the moment which is great

[@bonsaioderkleinholz]

Hello, Tony, what a fantastic tree. It is amazing what good bonsai material you find in a normal nursery. It is not an easy task,but very exciting and interesting. I'm curious how it goes on. Greetings from Germany Christian

[@TonysBonsai]

Hi Christian. Yes, I am lucky that I have a handful of really good tree nurseries within only a few limes of my house, although it's not so good for my wallet. I hope you're having a good winter over there and are getting prepared for spring. Whenever I snowboard in the alps, I generally fly into Munich, and I always enjoy the drive through your landscape.

[@IIMAEPONOROGO22]

Bonsai bagus sekali

[@TonysBonsai]

Thank you

[@richt4336]

That will make a lovely natural-looking tree, can I ask why you put wire on that bit of bark damage before the cut paste. cheer and all the best RichT 🌲🌲🌲

[@TonysBonsai]

Hi Rich. The bark at that point had become unstable and was tearing away from the sap wood, so the wire was just to hold it in place while it hopefully re-attaches. Grafting tape would have been a better option, but I don't have any.

[@richt4336]

@@TonysBonsai Ahh I see, I thought it was just your wire fetish 🤣🤣😂😂

[@TonysBonsai]

That's for a different type of content. 🤣🤣

[@haryartbonsai7630]

Wow Amazing 😍 salam teman baru dari 🇮🇩 berlangganan, salam suport❤🔔👍🏻

[@TonysBonsai]

Thank you Hary. Much appreciated mate

[@markweaver3497]

How is this tree doing?

[@TonysBonsai]

Hi Mark. This tree is budding out very nicely and looking like it's going to have a strong year.

[@thebonsaiprojectkernow]

Did you put the offcuts in soil to try and root them or just get rid? Great vid tony I've just collected a couple small camilia and a bay tree,I may convince myself to do a video later on I'm off over to see our chap Jonas this afternoon,assisting him with a little project he has got going on!!

[@TonysBonsai]

Very interesting comment thanks. I never even considred taking cuttings, but I still have the branches so I'll have a go now. I've just been and watched a monty don video. Have a great time this afternoon helping Jonas out, and I'll look forward to the video.

[@Jacob-yb6bv]

I really want one of your knives.

[@TonysBonsai]

I've just bought a sanding belt, and I'll be making some camp knives with my brother and nephew this spring as I want to properly hone my skills. Then come the summer, I am going to look at making a few of my bonsai knives for sale perhaps?

[@Jacob-yb6bv]

Great, you can count me in for one. Probably some silly laws on such things…😂

[@TonysBonsai]

I've never been one for those pesky laws 🤣

[@andersonec1]

That 'cloth bag' is hessian and is used to rootball conifers when lifting as they cannot be bare rooted, best leave it till winter then take it out of the pot, carefully remove compost back to hessian, trim roots back to hessian and carefully remove hessian trying to avoid removing too much soil (it will be soil around roots)

[@TonysBonsai]

Yes, that sounds like a challenging job. I'll leave it until next winter as you say, then hopefully I'll get away without slowing it down too much

[@andersonec1]

And with a lot of the foliage gone the roots will not have so much work to do and it will recover more easily, just be careful not to remove any soil from inside the hessian yet, maybe underneath until you hit some roots. The soil can be changed to Acadama over a period of years, bit by bit, just don't bare root it.

[@lorigraham2496]

Yews backbud nicely prune away

[@TonysBonsai]

Hi Lori. Yes, I will be getting stuck in for sure, but I really want to leave it to grow and heal as well as it can for the time being.

[@williamvaldivieso6424]

Hi Tony, I love your channel. I've got a question for you. Shouldn't you have looked for the nebari first before cutting anything?

[@nickrobson2753]

I think he did near the start when he discovered the fabric in the soil.

[@TonysBonsai]

Yes, As Nick says I took a peek and decided to leave it until next year. I can only do so much at once and I wouldn't want to cut a tree like this back hard and them also remove a load of roots. It needs those roots to hopefully repair and heal over a bit.

[@Tybold63]

Yews are nice but rare and protected in the wild here (if am not mistaken) and mostly rather small. Can get them from nurseries ofc. Think they poisonous too but maybe not by touching and handling. Didn't see you try tasting it though, so should be safe. 😆

[@chompers11]

They used to be grown in cemeteries and such to keep cattle out back in the day as it is poisonous. Woodworkers should know the sawdust is supposedly prone to causing heart attacks if inhaled or something like that. I've done a few carvings with it, I always wear ppe. No problems

[@Tybold63]

@@chompers11 thanks for sharing more info. I live in Sweden and not sure the same reason applies, but yes often seen them in cemeteries when you mention it.

[@TonysBonsai]

Yes, along with Hemlock, Yews are not trees anyone wants to be eating, that's for sure. I follow a knife maker who makes beautiful knife handles out of Yew, but I've never worked with it myself.

[@snox7320]

What brand concave cutters do you use mate .

[@TonysBonsai]

Hi, these are ones are Japanese off amazon for about £45 stainless

[@snox7320]

Cheers buddy 😊

[@gf2390]

2 boxing gods

[@TonysBonsai]

I'm not with you there? My favourite boxers of all time are Mike Tyson and Sugar Ray Leonard.

[@gf2390]

@@TonysBonsai for me it's Ray Robinson, Ali , Jones jr, Leonard, Floyd and Tyson. I met Tyson years ago. Just too many to choose from

[@jmocampo281]

where the primary branches are?

[@TonysBonsai]

I don't necessarily think that all bonsai have to conform to the textbook ideas of primary branches etc. This one is more of a low-growing multi-trunk style.

[@Candice.BonsaiScience]

It’s a bit of a big tree 🤣 Thick trunk but so many decisions to make with branches.

[@TonysBonsai]

🤣 With my dodgy shoulder I should really leave these alone, but I just can't resist

[@unclesham5507]

Use an enzyme like slf 100, that will expedite the rotting of the fabric without effecting the health of a tree. Slf 100 is the ONLY actual enzyme product for plants thats actually enzymes.

[@nat-xs2fs]

Does anyone know the nursery he went to?

[@smokereapergaming3861]

Tony cut off the 2 low branches to make it look more tree like,or you can make dead wood out of it just my opinion...

[@TonysBonsai]

I definitely toyed with that idea, and I may well do in the future, but for now I want to leave myself options, and when you look at very old yews, they often have really thick branches coming out from very low down.

[@smokereapergaming3861]

@Tonys Bonsai I think that's a good idea don't rush it

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌👌🙂

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers Bruce

[@kingstar2256]

Herons Bonsai.... Peter Chan.... thats all ive got to say...

[@TonysBonsai]

Yes, I really enjoy watching hos videos too.

[@almostbonsai]

Noice

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers mate

[@marinkoruscic7024]

Katastrope