Hi! I am Milton Chang of Bonsai Heirloom, a company I co-founded in 2022 to provide reliable information and high quality bonsai.
Our goal is for Bonsai Heirloom to become a go-to for bonsai that you can grow into an heirloom. Bonsai is “living art” and a perfect gift for your children and friends to remember you by (available in the third quarter of 2024).
I have been a bonsai enthusiast for over 50 years and am a proud Director of the National Bonsai Foundation. I learned from well-known traditional bonsai masters such as Harry Hirao and John Naka, and have been experimenting to develop what may be called a “Lifestyle Bonsai Method” that is consistent with the busy American lifestyle.
The shortcuts that I learned by experimenting enable me to create valuable specimen bonsai without taking time away from my professional activities. I am happy to share with you what I have learned to make bonsai as prevalent as any house plant.
Motherfucker said "eyeline" instead of "outline" and no English speakers would ever give a shit, but speakers of French or any of the asian lamguages would have a fucking conniption about such a minor problem.
We all have opinions we’re entitled to. Mine is that this project was done in the Tanuki style - joining a living tree to a piece of deadwood. Upon my observations, I’d suggest that the tree is closer to the aforementioned 30 year range; fact of the matter is that it doesn’t make one bit of difference. Milton, or you, or I can believe whatever we want, and do whatever we want to our trees, and that’s the absolute right thing, period. If you don’t like the style, tune out; or go puke your ill-will onto one of your trees.
This is exact opposite of what you should do. Juniper draw power from their needles. Seal the broken patch with cut paste and keep it out of direct sun to stave off evaporation
I would caution that if you are asking how much to pay for a tree and asking about keeping a bonsai alive in the same breath, you are nowhere near ready to drop more than 200USD on a tree. You should spend most of your budget on education and maybe only 100-200 on a few smaller Chinese elm, Trident maple, or Ficus trees as learning material.
Another great video. I’m still at the stage of learning and going with cheap options. And I believe it was you who showed the roots of an azalea, I’m about to start digging up one of mine that’s in an undesirable area. It will be my first real attempt this spring
When you talk about buying trees remember that it’s Lilly a lot of your viewers probably can’t afford to buy a tree over ?50 dollars. I’ve cut back buying expensive trees for a number of reasons but not because I can’t afford them I’ve now bought two that have been bad there’s go a grand. But I’m sure a lot wish they could one at Home Depot.
I have to say this because its not recommended but DO NOT put that tray of water under japanese maples. They dont like wet feet and will lead to root rot and the tree suffering
Mr. Chang, you are leaving the online community a wonderful Heirloom of your knowledge and candor about bonsai and life in general. You have been so important in starting my bonsai journey this past year. You are a national treasure and should be protected at all costs!!!!
He’s not lying about elms this is my 1st growing season I haven’t been able to kill them I’ve done a lot of experimenting with different varieties of trees junipers and elms are where it’s at for me thanks Milton
Are you in the tropical North or the Med. South? My guess is just about any tree, elm, Zelkova, maples, pine, juniper. will work well..look around and ask nurseryman Have fun!
Great video!!! I also have a passion for holography ( only admiring not creating ) and always thought a bonsai would make a great hologram to view its Beaty at its best for ever ! Wondered if you ever crossed the two interests ? Also want to see a hologram of the cosmos with this new digital way of making holograms ? Thanks for the vids ! My bonsai are grateful 🙏
I love it! Bottom line its his tree and vision! I look at tree and find what works for me, I am looking at it every day! I find beauty even in the dead ones! Peace to you and yours.
Thank you, lovely couple Tommy!! It gives me enormous pleasure to see a desirable design dewsign emerge. Bonsai gave me a peaceful mind. Tell a friend! Thanks!
I only have a few bonsai 😕, so I look at them all the time. Should they be pinched back all the time (every day/time I look) or should they be let go for a while before it's pinched back? I love your vids! I usually kill things, but you have given me the ability to try drastic things! It's a learning experience! Thank you!
Thank you for another video Dr. Milton. Perhaps in your next Q&A you could address some of the hate comments. Perhaps they don’t understand the clip and grow method? They think wiring is the only/best way to shape a tree.
@@ShaneLovesGardening clip and grow is s good technique for deciduous trees at a certain stage of development. Applying it to conifers shows a lack of knowledge and skill.
I liked sharing trees in progress at club meetings or workshops, but was never enthusiastic about formal exhibitions. Design decisions can be uniquely individual. It can be demoralizing when a so-called master advises that your tree must be different from the way you visualized it. For those who want to criticize Milton, move on to someone you admire.
Thanks! that's OK. It is after 7 or more years joining a local bonsai club that I am being accepted by most. For a very long time they viewed me as "Dancing to a different tune." 🙂
Hi Milton, I respect your channel and friendly approach as a means of introducing people to bonsai. You have a relaxed demeanor, and the simple methodical approach is perhaps good at creating a lower entry barrier to new enthusiasts. Unfortunately I have to say that the given work is quite aggressive and not conducive to producing a good tree long term. There is a subtle elegance, and long term expression of age that makes bonsai beautiful. We respect old trees and yamadori, because they bear age beyond what the human life can achieve. Its a consideration and delicacy, while working with intent to bring out the given beauty. It is within your reason and right to practice bonsai as you see, as well as providing advice with the cautionary statement of relative to your care and goals. But new enthusiasts don't know what they don't know and I would say showing such work may be very risky or misinformative that could result in dead or damaged trees. Just as you dedicate years of effort, education, and professionalism to realize your professional and career success, similarly practitioners in bonsai dedicate in such ways to create a sound basis of technique that achieves equivalent results. Perhaps it is good to differentiate what you do for fun and for yourself, and what you provide as an educational resource to the public.
Seriously! You may be onto an idea I have been searching for… An American Style Bonsai…All American, with Yakee ingenuity! Imagine a topiary tree shaped in a stereotyped asian bonsai in a decorative pot to start…wouldn’t that be admired when it is trimmed perfectly?…From there on we can have Hanging tree, heritage trees we celebrate…whatever! Thanks! Milton
@@G_909 He takes this very old sierra juniper with tons of foliage and instead of wiring and styling he decides to basically chop almost everything off of the tree? It’s his tree, but if you came onto this video to learn something I would not recommend following his techniques. Bonsai mirai and eise-en I’d say are much more educational in my opinion to name a few
@@jaidenlee602 I hear you but anyone with a tree of this caliber isn’t going to RU-vid to learn how to work on it. Chances are, they have a teacher or have been practicing for years. Like myself (who owns a few big sierra’s). Most newbies aren’t spending 4-5 figures at the mammoth auction either. Ryan Neil even mentioned in a podcast that he’s killed a few collected trees recently due to impatience. Every professional, whether they want to admit it or not, kills trees from time to time. I didn’t take this video as a “how to “ but rather a “look at me work on my tree”. Overall, I’ve met Milton and he is a very nice and welcoming person. Can’t say the same about some other bonsai personalities on RU-vid that I’ve also met. Take it easy on him. He’s just having fun with his material, as the title implies. (Also not sure if you’re here cuz of the post from the Sacto group, but guessing you are)
