Creating a Dawn Redwood Bonsai - Part 1 

Does everyone who comes here searching for an instruction video fall in love with everything about this and want to stay forever???? ...... just me?

I have started bonsai bc of Mr. Chan 😊. Even if I didn’t enjoy bonsai, I would watch and learn from Mr. Chan daily. His enthusiasm and way of being blesses my day!!

I have started doing bonsai plants, because of your RU-vid videos. I have always liked bonsai but never thought I could do it myself. Watching you has changed that. Thank you so much!

Keep them coming Mr.Peter 👍Big fan here. You're an inspiration to us✌

First thing I do when I buy a new species: look if there is a Herons video on the topic. And as always - there was one. Thank you so much for teaching us the things you learned.

We hear you Peter! Thank you for doing all these videos, and I'm honored to be part of the audience that has given you a new lease on life and more enjoyment with bonsai. Keep it up and no working at the pond at night!

Dawn Redwood is one of my favourite species, I love how fast it grows and how easy it is to experiment with. I would recommend this tree to anyone looking for something fairly simple and fast growing. Within 2-3 years you can easily create something compact and beautiful.

Hi Peter, thanks for focusing on the dawn redwood. I bought a quite large one ( 1.60 m) for cheap 2 years ago in a ordinary nursery. This year I airlayered the upper 50 cm successfully after your advice, Now I am with two big trees ready for styling. Both straight upright. Still far away of the trees you are showing but let’s where we land at the end.

Everything you touch turns into a piece of bonsai art! You are a master of your craft and make it look easy. Thank you for sharing your videos with us.

I am one of those who is enjoying your videos and learning from them! I love watching you work.

Thanks, Peter! We live your videos and we I am grateful to have someone show all the possibilities with assorted trees. Especially the encouragement not to be so strict all the time and enjoy it as a hobby.

Thank you for talking to us Peter. When it gets cold again here I'm really looking forward to watching you work since my baby maple bonsai are all tucked away for the winter.

I wish there was a nursery like yours here in Georgia, USA. You have soooo many trees to choose from.

i can confirm. you are definitely talking to me. and those words resonated with me. thank you, Peter for all that you do, your sharing of knowledge, skill, and all things bonsai

The nodules on the Redwood are called 'burrs'. They can be planted and nurtured into new trees. Fantastic specimens. I am so very appreciative and jellous of everyone in the UK able to visit this great nursery!

I have been hoping for a dawn redwood special from you, Peter, and very happy to see part 1 on the title. Happy autumn to you my friend.

Thank you.... 🙏 😔 🙏 Dr. Chan,,,, In the past I have heard the word "Redwood" and I have thought, "too big". Thank you for the re-education.... 🙏 🖖 🙏

Hearing you talk about the RU-vid video any why you enjoy doing it was very nice to hear. We appreciate you doing them as much as you love doing them.

Such a lovely video. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with your audience. Very easy to follow and informative.

Glad you recaptured your enjoyment of the hobby, not the business which I am sure is tuff like any business, in our hobby dumping hundreds doesn't matter since we have our "Job". Always great videos, I drove an hour to a landscape supply company near Mt Baker volcano, got black volcanic rock for $2 a 5 gal bucket, I did a lot of shoveling and then sifting when I got home, hope this will drain better for my hundreds of JBP and JRP seedlings, it's been very rainy here in Washington and it was killing them.

You're only mad when you stop answering yourself Peter. It's such a pleasure to watch you work and I love all the help it gives me too work on my own trees or something else in the garden. Hopefully I'll get over for a workshop in the near future

great video! learn so much about red wood. thanks!

Never before had I a serious interest in bonsai or growing trees, for that matter. But having discovered your RU-vid videos has piqued my interest. Thanks for sharing your wealth of information, love of bonsai horticulture, and skills.

Hello Mr Chan, Peter, Very nice to hear that providing the RU-vid public with these video's rejuvenated your passion, or at least the satisfaction you feel. Big fan here :-)

Loved what you said about creating things for the enjoyment of others gives you pleasure and added the added incentive to do more.

I am so mesmerized by all your videos! You are such a natural at the trimming and shaping of the trees. I enjoy watching every little detail, and appreciate all of the wonderful tips you share. Thank you so much!

One of my favorite tree after maples, lovely trees Peter. Thx for sharing and hope to see more videos soon. Stay safe to all..Cheers.

Thank you for sharing your work, Mr. Chan, it's inspirational!

I have a dawn I got from a friend 15yrs ago such beatiful

I can see this can become an obsession. Beautiful 🤩

It is you who made me take the leap and start growing in the pursuit of making my own bonsai, thank you.

ur not crazy peter for talking to yourself- we here chillin with ya

They're a good option for a garden tree too. They grow very fast so within a couple of years you have a decent sized tree that gives some shade and colour in summer and lets light in during winter as they lose their leaves. If it starts getting too big then you can either prune or cut down and plant a smaller one. We started with one about 2.5m and within 5 years it was the height of the second floor roof and quite narrow. It's very similar to the swamp cypress.

I gathered some Taxodium distichum seeds, among others, last year and started bonsai thanks to you! Nice video as always!

This was really nice to watch. Almost like Bob Ross with the way he embraces the oddities in each tree.

Thanks so much for all your videos. My life has been so enriched by watching you, listening to your simple yet effective philosophy (Be Bold) and your love of nature. Your channel is the first channel I check every day. You have become a mainstay in my life and I so appreciate you. Thanks from Florida!!

Yes I would be quite happy with that little bonsai. I have a pretty large Dawn Redwood that I need to air layer and work on.

Hello.. I love how you made crown for Dawn Redwood.. first tree shaping.. I am self taught.. we may have chatted before.. 😀,I have some Small year old seedlings from Bald Cypress.. I am playing with.. similar leaves.. but Cypress Bald may not grow as fast as Dawn Redwood.

Wonderful video. If anyone reading this gets a chance to visit California's redwood forests, they are breathtaking. Different species from the dawn redwoods, but massive!

Wow. Such a great video. I will certainly consider adding Dawn Redwood to my trees. USA Michigan

Thank you very much for sharing what you do for a great job I really enjoy listening to you are at work. I really like your videos and the way you work and I have benefited a lot from you. Thank you so much

Thank you for the video Peter. Enjoyable as always. Following you around your nursery I thought how nice it would be to have a Autumn Nursery Tour, and we could all enjoy the beautiful colours of the leaves before they disappear. Beautiful, beautiful colours.

"anything is possible, never never take 'no' for an answer." I'm so glad you are able to get more enjoyment out of making these videos, we really do like watching them!

Love watching you work. You should consider live streaming either here or on twitch. You'd be able to talk with your viewers in real-time and we can talk with you.

It's interesting and useful .Thanks

I'm happy, when you'r having joy , 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

Dear Peter, I want to thank you because you started me on my bonsai journey. I have always been intrigued by plants and gardening, but during the COVID lockdown in Singapore I started bonsai. Your videos were my first training materials and now I am hooked. I likened your style to Jamie Oliver’s who also started me in my love for cooking. Keep the videos coming please! Would like to see some tropical species in your demo that are suitable for the Singaporean viewers.

I love the cascade one. It really turned out better than I could have imagined.

11:15 it may just be a bush but in my opinion it is a beautiful bush

I know how it is to feel like your life is constantly in motion that you often feel you couldn't enjoy what got your passion in the first place. I'm happy that you doing your videos made it feel like you have a new purpose, and to fall more back in love with the wonderful world of bonsai. And no you are not going crazy being alone talking to trees, in my opinion your giving those trees life, as those trees are returning the favor, plus were all hear watching and listening with anticipation like little children wanting to learn everything we can from our favorite teacher. Please remember to have a moment sometimes to take it all in, and enjoy all the little things in life even when times get rough.

You do well self videoing So sweet and so is Peter👧So So cute. I could see why it is your favorite tree. I really Love that kind of tree. I never seen that kind of tree. You make me laugh with some of the things you say.

I am enjoying the videos and learning :) Thank you so much!

I got the same shirt, it is awesome! 🌲🌿🌳🌱☘️🍀🌴🌲🌿🌲🌲

Would absolutely love to know more about the dormancy? Of these trees!! Please.

Beautiful videos, love all the tutorials. Is there anyway you can show how to make cuttings from Redwoods?

*I love the* dawn redwood! Incredibly interesting to hear history of Metasequoia! 💜💜😳

Keep it up!

That’s beautiful!!!

love what you said at the end... i'm learning a lot watching you videos... saludos desde argentina!

Unbelievable how easy you make this look. I've been struggling for years...great to watch a master work. "dont be affraid to prune..." You havent seen my trees....you would definitely tell me.." STOP PRUNING LIKE THAT!!!".. ;-} I also notice that you dont seem to use a more substrate soil mix. I just repotted all of my trees, and my substrate soil doesnt look anything like what you let your trees grow in.. now I'm worried.

I'm happy to report that I finally had success air layering my dawn redwood this year. I also had massive success with cuttings taken in early spring! Thanks for the info, it's always helpful.

The “nodules” you pulled out of the soil look like Cyclamen hederifolium, which is a wonderful plant.

I was kind of hoping that you would remedy the incurve pot issue at 23:00 with a hammer. But I should know better than expecting that you would waste it :)

Thank you so much for this! I have a redwood forest bonsaI and I never know where to or when to prune it

After finding Peter two years ago, I fell in love with bonsai and it now is a fantastically enjoyable hobby and obsession!!

Could you show more detail wiring on those branches

Your enjoyment is our too. May god give you health and good will to continue to educate us. Thank you so much.

I enjoy all things plant related and dreamed about trying to creat a bonsai. Your wonderful videos have given me the boost to do so. As a newbie I would find it very helpful if you would give pot dimensions.

Excellent. I enjoyed the focus on the Redwood. Especially the cascade. I designed a cascade a few years back and was mega happy to see you go down that route as I get some very weird looks from people when they look at my Redwood cascade and ask “what is the tree?”. Anyways - your demo helped me to think about a slight redesign as I haven't given too much attention to the crown. Also I may reduce it from a two trunk cascade to a one trunk. A little bit of air-layering coming up. Cheers for this uTube video Peter. It was much enjoyed.

Would love to know more about the aftercare you spoke of..

Hi Peter. i living in New Zealand and its summer hear now and wants to do some airlaerings now can u tell me from how young branches can i use to airlaer from thanks for all the help and time to come back to us

I'd love to know more about the "pixie" Dawn Redwood variety.

My absolute favorite tree! I’ve been scouring the internet for information on how best to care for this plant as a bonsai and I’m overjoyed to finally have such a definitive guide. Thank you so much Peter!

Yes you create not only for our enjoyment, but as I speak for myself I not only learn so much from you and you are so informative. You are not going mad, LOL and yes you are talking to us! And we enjoy every moment spent with you. You even had me chuckling a few times with at British sense of humor you have developed! 😂❤️🌺🌹. I watch your videos more than any other channel here on RU-vid. Just can’t get enough. Just one thing, I’d love to see a big old smile on that beautiful face of yours! 😁😂💕 By the way, I talk to myself all the time and my poor dog thinks I’m talking to her, so I involve her in my self conversations so she doesn’t think I’ve gone mad. 😂

The part where you said that you feel like you create the bonsais for the enjoyment for us is really touching! Here I am now - 8 months later and still can enjoy what you created in October. And this will continue as long as you leave your videos up. Thank you for all your videos, I learned so much about bonsai and also: just watching them relaxes me also after a stressful day :).

Love the dawn redwood! have my own little mini grove of 4 of them

Peter it´s so nice to see a video about Metasequoia Glyptostroboides. I have some my self and i love them. So beautiful trees.

You are talking to many,many very happy people who love watching and learning from you! Thank you very much Mr. Chen!!!

I am enjoying and learning from many of your videos. My sincerest gratitude. May Christ Jesus bless and keep you and yours. Cheers. Adios!

Your videos have been of exceptional enjoyment to those of us stuck at home due to the pandemic Peter. It is good to hear that our interest in your videos has given back something of value to you as well. May you always have "beginner's mind" and the interest, sincerity and focus that comes with it.

Greetings from Germany to Mr. Peter and all the staff, I love what you guys are doing and I am lost for words describing how amazing your videos are. BUT here are some possible changes that I think your content would benefit from: Have you ever considered recording the audio binaurally? All the little scissor clips, the sawing and the bird sounds and such would create a perfect immersive atmosphere. Especially as a headphone user i think i would enjoy it. Even if there are cars in the background, our brains are pretty good at filtering them out anyway. Also I would like to get more insinght from your staff. Even as open minded as Mr. Peter is he still is limited to his own perspective and I am just curious to see what the people that work with him are taking away from their cooperation with him and still get their perspective on different situations around the nursery. Or does any of them have their own channel I dont know about? And yet again I am sooo grateful to be able to watch such a functional masterpiece of content! *Staring in awe at pot noodle new front puzzle*

Very Nice Trees . I wish my new Trees in my new Video will grow so nice as yours.

Took a cutting off one over my village common just yesterday to go with the one I bought from Ashwood Nurseries near to me back in June. I love em!

What would happen if you planted a corkscrew bonsai dawn redwood in the ground? Would it maintain that shape?

Thank You GOD speed! -∞♡^-

dang, this is so cool, I had not even had the intention to tune in for the whole video, but yet here I am, completely and pleasantly entertained

Hi Peter May I ask when is safe to repot the dawn redwood in Mediterranean climate (Greece) thank you in advance

hi can you do a video making a dawn redwood Forrest thank you

The foliage looks very similar to a bald cypress.

What type of soil mixture would you recommend for a Dawn redwood, before using bonsai soil, and to let it develop and get the truck thicker?

This man is a fountain of knowledge. Thanks for all your help sir.

Is there a difference between a dawn red wood and a bald cypress? They look identical

Is dawn redwood the same swamp cypress or bald cypress.? they look similar

Just made a silly "Tick Trunk" meme not remembering images can't be posted in a comment lol

LOL, I watch Peters videos over and over.

my friend its two years later and someone is still learning and enjoying it.

How long does it take for dawn redwood seeds to germinate? Kim🇨🇦

Does he say dawn redwood pixie? And either way I need one of those, but I can't find one. I would love to purchase a cutting but I don't think they ship to the US.

I love these trees, we have a big one at home and last year I took some seeds and two plants sprouted. The only thing that worries me is that the tips of the leaves (or rather all the needles towards the end of the small branches) have turned from green to yellow to almost white. I have tried fertilizing them but it didn't work. Is that change normal? Does anyone have advice?

Hi there I have a dawn redwood I have been growing for about 6 years now and it has minimal foliage, nothing like yours seem to have. It is kept outside. Mine appears to be very spindly and sparse, I shall have to research on its care as I feel mine may be unhealthy.