In this video I explain how I thicken trunks and or branches. FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR UPDATES: FACEBOOK: / bonsaiiligan INSTAGRAM: / bonsaiiligan TWITTER: / bonsaiiligan
Many years ago while exploring woods near where I lived as a kid I found a two foot tall juniper tree growing on top of a boulder with moss all around. It was half dead on one side and my first impression was it looked like a thousand year old tree in a fairy forest. Keep in mind I was a kid at the time. I dug the tree up and my Dad helped me and even moved the boulder and we transplanted it into my back yard and oriented it the same way on the compass. It lost an additional branch due to imperfect transplant but that just added character. Then in High School I learned about bonsai trees and realized I had one all along that grew naturally. I only trimmed it a bit here and there for artistic purposes, added some miniature figurines and eventually transplanted it into a large shallow pot (tray) my Dad and I made from slate and concrete with some holes in the bottom. We set it out in the summer and then brought it back in, in the winter to give it more protection. That was about 50 years ago in New England. Now I live in Florida and my massive bonsai tree lives with me. The tree is roughly four feet tall and about seven feet wide with a trunk that is about 42" in circumference. I have incorporated it into a 100 square foot miniature Japanese garden. It is the centerpiece of my garden which also includes a "moss meadow" and a tiny gold fish pond. Koi are way too big but I have little fancy gold fish that fit the bill nicely.
Omg this is THE best video, I don't even think the people selling fully formed Bonsai's for hundreds of dollars even do this because their trunks are SO spindly and think AND they are calling for 200.00 dollars..
What an amazing idea. I recently became a bonsai enthusiast. For the past 3 weeks I have been reading and watching videos until my eyes dry out. This art fascinates me in so many ways. I will be watching more of your videos thank you for sharing. Who can I go to with questions?
I m not a great bonsai maker but i took some plants/trees from wind and now i m trying to make bonsai out of them. I love watching them grow and it feels soo satisfying too see them grow like a miniature.
So glad to have found his channel. Great man, leaving legacy to mankind. He was an inspiration. Thank you sir. We are so blessed receiving the knowledge you share.
It is 4:20 a.m. here and your video is a real eye opener for me. I like your matter-of-fact way of talking. If I had enough years yet to live I would doing what you said. Thank you for this video. Well done!
This is actually informative. Most bonsai vids just show you and say do like this with out explaining a thing as to why or how it works. This guy literally said thick trunk needs a big root system and lots of foliage and then went on to explain how he does it. I'd grow the tree in the basin above the ground to get a dense root system then put it in the ground to let the roots escape. But I don't actually bonsai yet so I wouldn't know if this would work.
Really like the video.. Instead of just giving instruction you gave an understating that doesn't just apply to the growing of bonsai. Due to your method of teaching I've been able to grasp an over-powering feeling inspiration.. (not just for growing Bonsai) Thank you for all theknowledge!! hope to see many more videos of originality.
Excellent video! I occasionally travel to the Philippines for work and the Filipino people are just some of the nicest you'll ever met! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with the world.
Phat Verd Hmm. Unless the tree is only a year or two old, you may find it grows faster and thicker in a larger pot or a grow box, even without letting its roots escape. If it's an option, I would definitely want to get it into a good-sized pot. Root growth drives branch growth, which in turn drives trunk growth. You mention its roots are circling. Be sure to straighten them out and array them in a way you like when you repot. Don't be afraid to trim them if it's the right season. That little bit of work now can mean a great deal less stress for the tree later.
Yes, our gardener Dodong takes care of them and we hire bonsai artists (from the bonsai club my dad was a part of) every now and then for the more difficult tasks.
Baguhan lng mi nagbonsai .. Cge mi ug watch sa Bonsai Iligan kay pra sa amoa nindot gyud sya motudlo ug daghan ka mahibal.an about Bonsai .. RIP Sir . Salamat sa maayong blog na gibuhat nmu pra sa amoa tanan . Mabuhay ka! From Davao City
Just discovered this and will be using this method for my struggling Azalea here in the UK. It's getting a little bushier but the trunk and main stems are still a little long and uninteresting, so I hope this method might help it along a little more. Many thanks!
Thank you sa tanan video tutorials nimu sir, daghan kaau ko natun.an, dle taka malimtan even mo abot ang panahon na mahimo man kong batikan sa pag bonsai, rest in peace sir. mao diay ni ang first vid na nakita nako sa imu sir. pero to be honest wala pko ni subscribe ato. after a year nakita npud kog few vid nimu sir and na realised nako na daghan kaau kog na tun.an sa imuha. ug daghan pjud until now nawala naka. hapit na cguro nako mahurot ug tan.aw. balik2kon nlng ni nko sir. thank you tanan. ikaw man gud ang accurate ug specific kaau mo tudlo maong daghan kaau mi matun.an. its just amazing na murag makita nko sa imuha na dle lang hobby para sa imu ang bonsai but it s your life. na gina baling nlng nimu tanan sa bonsai kung unsa man imong gina bati.
Kalami basahon aning mga comment na unani. Salamat kaayo sa inyo support. Passion jud ni papa magtudlo even before nagyoutube. Gatudlo rato siya for free. Gusto lang jud to magteacher2x hahahah - Maki
i seem to get a treasure because i can learn more from your channel,no thing is better than practicing, it is extremely good for my present work-creating bonsai.May I be your friend, Sir?
Bonsai lover ako sobra but di ko alam kung paano magbunsai😂 may ginawa few yrs past already pero d umubra lol Salamat po sa info now alam ko na. Fr. Cagaysn Valley here😊
I greatly enjoy your videos and like how you are teaching in the style that has worked for you. I come to you when i need any info. The thing that i find puts your videos about others, is how you are able to describe complex ideas, in a way that is easy to understand. Thank you :)
I have a small ficus ginseng,they have big root. How do i thicken the root further to make it look more gorgeous? Is it in the way i prune the leaves or using your method of managing the bottom small root growth?
+MS Lim To further grow your roots you have to grow your ficus ginseng further. You need to support its growth with a larger container. Then when your root desired size is attained you can cut back your trunk, and grow new branches and leaves which you can prune and trim frequently to create a small tree. Then transfer it back to an appropriate size bonsai pot. Note if the pot is overly large you will grow too long inter nodes and large leaves which is not good for bonsai.
Sir I am from India and I am a subscriber of your valuable chanel and watch every videos minutely specially bonsai video. Sir what is your name .... please let me know. You r from Phillipines. Thank you very much for your valuable information, guidance and advice.💅🌿🌿
+SevenDeMagnus Be sure to expose it in the sun when established. 2 days indoor and 7 days outdoor. sometimes it can go week and you need to expose it months outside.
Hi. Thanks sir. Good thing we have a long planter box far from the tree and lots of shade (coz' of the mango tree). How about watering, how long should you pour water (normal flow), how many seconds. Should it pour all over the juniper or just the soil? Also how was the jin or shari created on this bonsai. Is it more than 1 bonsais with the other tree put over the main bonsai: www.crossriverdesign.com/give-hours-chop-tree-spend-sharpening-axe-abraham-lincoln/bonsai/ By the way what's the bonsai in Karate kid the movie that introduced me to the beauty of the bonsai. God bless. Rev. 21:4
When you see the water drains down from your drainage holes, means that is enough. yes you can shower your juniper for cleaning purposes. Check your soil if it is not compacted otherwise you need to resoil or repot it. The jin is created by power carving also can be by hand but with good bonsai tools. you need to apply lime sulfur to the jin (only) at least once a year to preserve it.
Thank sir. Is there calculation for how big the pot is/amount of soil to control the width of the main trunk? For example I want a bonsai with a 5 cm trunk with a top height of 15cm measured from the top of the soil (1/3 ratio or golden ratio). How large should the pot or volume of soil should be to restrict the root growth (with holes, like the laundry bag you use for dirty clothes) so that it has those measurements? Thank you. God bless. Rev. 21:4
No calculation as far as I know. Most of the time the problem is how to thicken the trunk rather than control it. To thicken the trunk we use large pots or plant in ground for a couple of years or so.
I wish to thicken the trunks of some maple saplings I pulled from my garden. now when I put them in a big container like that should I wire and shape the tree? also the saplings trunks are about the thickness of a pencil and about 3foot tall (way to tall for my liking ) should I have them down and keep doing so or should I let them grow then once there the thickness I like cut them shorter and is there a trick to cutting them cause iv never seen a bonsai with a trunk but straight off they all taper down. sorry for all the questions. thanks and I enjoyed this video!
one thing do not plant small ones in extra large containers immediately like in the video. root rot can occur as this is called " Over Potting. you can plant in ground though.
thicken first by growing, you can wire though but remove as soon as the wires starts to dig in in order not to disrupt energy circulation throughout the tree. prune only when desired thickness of trunk is attained, be ready to have a garden which can look like a jungle.
Anyone have an idea as to what would be the best soil to use in the container during this method? Meaning a typical bonsai soil (Akadema, Lava Rock, Pumice) or just regular planting soil? Any info would be helpful, thank you.
I use the Telperion substrate, Pumice, Pine bark and composted manure, I also use some lava for weight, the tall sacrifice leader tends to make them blow over in our 50mph winds. Bonsai soils like Boons are for refining trees once you get the trunk size and you just want to choose branches and ramify. There are many stages to Bonsai, you have to find articles on growing for your current stage.
RIP sir jojo dulay nawala man ka pero nag pabilin japon imong legacy. Unta ipadayon ni maki imong mga bonsai... i hope someday na si maki napod among makita nga nag tutorial Salamat sa tanan nimong contribution
wala man ko sa pinas gud. but kung makabisita ko sa pinas, magupdate kog videos. pero ang mga bonsai club members lang ang magexplain. video lang nako. :-) - maki
So do you sink the plastic pot with holes at ground level of the ground with the lip of the pot with the holes sticking up a few inches above the ground?
When we yamadori a big tree,and after cut down steam,I want to grow that upper part of 6cm width stem,how can I grow both upper part and lower part to develop in bonsai.
I have a narra tree and it grows from a seed. Now the tree is almost 15 inches tall but the trunk was thin like a pencil. I didn't try to make a bonsai in my whole life but I'm a plant lover. I want my narra tree to be a bonsai and I will try to have it on my own way while following your tutorials here on youtube so that I can take care of it. Sir what will I put on a basin so that the plant will grow healthy and thicker its trunk faster? Thank you for your videos it will be a lot of help to me as a beginer. .
The trick is to allow a ‘sacrifice branch’, a very low branch, to grow without any pruning. Do this while pruning the top. It will look silly at first, but after a year or more the trunk will strengthen to support the low branch. Bonsai Empire has a good explanation for this.
Put it in a soil that permits a great deal of drainage. The exact mix depends on climate, care, and species. There's a great deal of controversy on the subject, but it's hard to go wrong with lava rock, pumice, chopped pine bark, gravel, and akadama. Note I didn't specify the ratios; a particular grower's recipe requires trial and error to find a good fit. What's good for me is not work for you. The lower the perched water table and the more aerated the soil, the faster the roots grow. The faster the roots, the faster the canopy. The more the canopy grows, the thicker the trunk grows to support it. Trunks also thicken in response to wind stress. Secure the roots in the pot, let the wind whip the top.
Love your videos! I just recently got a couple year old golden gate ficus from a nursery, its my first bonsai. Its in great condition, lots of vibrant green leaves but the trunk is the thickness of a pencil with some bad tapering considering the tree is over a foot tall. Its currently in a small bonsai pot with the soil they supplied me. Im growing out a single sacrifice branch about 1/3 of the way up in hopes of thickening the trunk. I am in new york and it is currently winter, should I move it to a new larger pot with holes in the spring? I really want a thicker trunk. Thank you for all your videos and help!
if your into a stage of thickening your trunk, yes, you need to transfer it into a bigger and bigger trunk every time, then later chop off at a branch and make that the new leader. you can also do this repeatedly.
Does this method work for all types of trees? I have hinoki cypress and Japanese black pines that I want to grow larger before working them into bonsai. Thank you I really enjoyed your video.
Sharon Velasquez Yes they work, the larger you tree grow the thicker your trunk. But you have to anticipate root problem when you eventually harvest your tree. I mentioned 3 techniques here, yes they will work for your Hinoki and JBP's. Remember to manage your roots while you are growing your tree large.
