Ficus Bonsai Care and Pruning 

"we should not look down on them, because they enjoy their trees." What a great attitude! So often people forget that XD

I could listen to you talk all day. You’re the best!

there is no way I can thank you enough, Mr. Chen, for all that you have taught me. I would not be the Bonsai artist I am today without your teachings, so all I can do is give you my humble thanks.

It’s wonderful that with all your knowledge about bonsai, you still respect beginners and amateurs bonsai hobbyists. You’re not a bonsai snob, but instead share your great wealth of knowledge humbly and clearly. So glad I found your website. God bless

I have only one bonsai. It's a ficus retusa. Bought it for about 10 dollars 5 years ago, i had it 2 years with me and 3 years it spent at my parents' garden. It gives me joy to see it in my living room alongside me again. I often observe it's branches and leaves, how they grew and where they go. I don't have a house pet, but my plants get close to that.

Sir, you are the Bob Ross of Ficus Bonsai pruning.. Thank you for such a relaxing, humbling, entertaining, and educational video.

I got a bonsai for fathers day and have been reluctant to prune even though I got all the gear. Now I've pruned loads away and found branches I didn't know were there! Off to buy some wire now haha. Great lesson, great video...thank you.

I can hardly talk when doing something. But you can imagine a bonsai shape, prune it fast while talking about knowledge and respect. Great!

Thank you for the in-depth lesson! You have answered so many questions for me - and even some questions I didn't know I had! It's so nice of you to share your knowledge with the rest of us.

you're very articulate! one of the best speakers i've ever known.

Thank you so much. I've needed help with rooting ficus tree to make bonsai trees. I just love them.

This was so satisfying to watch! As a beginner, I have not been pruning at all... worried to hurt or even kill the tree. But your explaining really helped, I could listen all day. Thank you

Peter, I’ve been a fan of your channel for a long time but I must say this is one of my favorite vids. Your attention to instruction is very much appreciated. Thanks

I couldn't help but subscribe to this channel in the first minute of hearing you talk! All your knowledge is just incredible and your an amazing teacher! Thank you!

Thank you so much for all of the tips on pruning this type of ficus. I have this exact sort of tree that needs a lot of work and I never knew what to do with it. Now I can trim it up a bit and give it a new life!

Thank you so much for this! I recently acquired my first ficus and I feel like in the typical scared beginner. This video gave me some great visuals of what to remove, helping me feel more comfortable!

Thank you so much, Mr. Chan for talking us through your thought process while pruning. Being completely new to the hobby, it's so helpful to have your teachings and style recommendations.

I just received a Ficus Retusa for my birthday. I'm very excited to start my bonsai hobby. Thank you for you instruction! So helpful!

I've really enjoyed this, very informative video and found it so helpful as a new owner of a ficus bonsai tree that's been neglected, thankyou

Wonderful! I have been starting, braiding, training, & pruning ficus spp for 25 yrs... Delightful to have fun, new and more daring ways to enjoy trees:)

I'm really happy that I found this video ( my bonzai will be even happier) . All my questions got answers. Thank You!

Simply thank you for being such a great teacher Master Chan!

Hi Peter, I have just purchased one of these Ficus trees and I hope it turns out as well as yours. I enjoy watching you and your videos. Keep up the good work. Thanks very much,

Wow! You are amazing! All the bonsai trees become so neat and beautiful after you pruned them! Awesome! I am going to prune mine soon! Thank you very much for sharing!

I just got my first bonsai tree this week, but I can already tell how knowledgeable and chill this guy is. I can make parallels to my own passion for mechanical watches. In my world, there are a lot of watch purists/snobs who say that all good watches are swiss mechanicals or something. It seems similar to how he's talking about bonsai purists who always want a pine shape. It's nice that he's I guess more liberal about bonsai enthusiasts, just let people enjoy their hobby I can already relate to Peter a lot, and his voice is so cool too!

I had to turn the volume down because my “ficus” is listening.

Just got a ficus a few days ago. Lots of helpfull tips. Thanks for another great video master Chan.

New ginseng focus bonsai owner here. Love your videos, you are so engaging and detailed! Just like others say, I can listen to you all day. Thank you, thank you! Can’t wait to prune my bonsai when it grows out more!!!

This video answered all the bonsai ficus questions I had and more! I have some good ideas on how to pimp out my ficus when it grows more roots and branches. Thank you Mr. Chen!

Thank you. Had a bonsai in 1977. Didn't know how to take care of it...this information is critical to caring for them....so glad to watch each show that I can. We have just under one acre of land so have tried to shape my outdoor plants.....and not afraid to do so.....but now, seeing how much you take out of the leafy parts so the branches can be seen makes me want to get out there again , but after Christmas......so exciting to learn. Mrs. Margaret Perry USA

>what i got from the first minute The best bonsai tree is an outside tree that you can find growing naturally! We shouldnt look down on people just for enjoying thier hobby!

Thank you! This will help me to give my Ficus more character. Unknowingly I always cut the aerial roots back and tried to to keep the trunk nice and smooth. In hindsight this was counterproductive.

I’ve been given a Ficus for my birthday, thank you for your videos, I’ll be learning from you 🌱🌱

I got a Ficus and she’s beautiful! I tell her that everyday and I also caress her. She’s in by room. 😍wow, it’s actually the the third week of February! (2020)

this was the perfect care video. i unexpectedly became a bonsai owner last week and now i know how to care for her. thank you, a beautiful channel you have here

I love watching how you trim and talk about Bonsai. I have a Banyan that I bought 24 years ago. It was a sapling. It’s gorgeous! The trunk is thick. 💛🥰 I left it go for a year. I was intimidated to trim it. Your video was the best example for me. ✌️

I’ve watched so many of your videos I feel like we are old friends lol. Thank you brother.

peter roasting me because im happy about my one bonsai, dafuq

Thanks!! Very beautifully explained. Your conversational style kept me glued to the video till the end.

Just bought my first ficus bonsai today thank you so much for you're informative information very useful!

Thank you. So enjoyable, peaceful and educational. Now I am ready to prune my first bonsai!!

Thank you for the instructional video. I just received my first ficus bonsai as a gift and will use these tips to care for my tree!

I have 3 of these and they are my favourite tree so easy to look after I have planted one in mola clay ( cat litter) and as long as I spray and water it ,it does very well ..thank you peter ...

You are so humble and respectful person ❤

At 23:20 I'm thinking, wow this guy's an animal. But you really know how to take care of these trees. Great job teaching beginners how to start caring for a ficus bonsai. I learned a lot. I will probably be re-watching this video every time I feel adventurous enough to trim my tree back. Thank you for sharing your skills

Oh how I love how u take care of ur babies❤️🌱 I just bought my 1st ficus bonsai

Glad to find out that the bonsai i bought a year ago is a ficus. I,ve just pruned it yesterday and we,re about mid-Fall in Taiwan, i removed almost all leaves. After watching the video I think it will survive. I,ll just buy some fertilizer for it, i,ve never given it anything but water. Thanks for the video!

Thank you for the wonderful video. I have a Ficus and it almost died so I let it grow out quite a bit and watching this has made me more confident in trimming it. I have bought some annealed copper to tie some of the branches as they are growing upwards. Thank you again.

I’m getting my first little ficus bonsai and I’m so excited. I’m one of those ones who don’t know much and I appreciate all your knowledge and information and your positive and supportive disposition. I will be one of those who will really enjoy my little tree and will do all I can to make it happy, and who knows maybe one day I can advance to more advanced bonsai too. I actually dream of a wisteria one day. They are such beautiful bonsai trees.

Thank you so much Mr. Chen, you've really given me the confidence to shape, wire and prune my Ficus tree. The fact you're so obviously knowledgable makes me trust what you're saying. Im definitely coming to watch every one of your videos instead of asking people for advice as its always so contradictory. Thank you Mr. Chen :D

this is an enlightening video even if i don't always understand why you are cutting here and not there. your orientation seems healthy and natural to me & i am learning a lot from it.

I hope my baby ficus continues to thrive now that I repotted it. I have enjoyed all of your videos, thank you!

This lovely man singelhandely made me fell in love with bonsai!! Great passion

Sir, your way of explaining things is so simple, yet so profound!!! Also your sense of humor and naturally witty comments make the entire presentation so lovable. Imagine earning more by cutting hair instead of leaves!!! 😆

At the start of the video Mr Chen mentions the ordinary enthusiast (like me) he is right , it’s my pride and joy , I can spend hours enjoying the development 2:14 and leaf growth of my bonsai - great tips on care and pruning . Thanks for a great video 👌🏼 🌳

I’m a somewhat new viewer of your channel, but I’ve probably already watched 90% of your content. I’ve been a plant lover my entire life but just recently started bonsai about 3 years ago. I highly enjoy your videos and I have learned a ton of great new information and techniques! I do have a request as I have not yet seen a video featuring a eucalyptus tree. I recently purchased a silver dollar eucalyptus tree to symbolize a new chapter of my life since it’s one of my favorite trees. Yet I know little about the proper care for the tree. In some of your lessons, you do not prune trees in order to make them stronger, but in other videos you prune to achieve more taper. I’m swaying between the two decisions at the moment. I received my 2 year old tree about 2 months ago. I repotted the tree into a deeper pot to encourage new root growth. It’s started to show new growth which I’m extremely grateful, but the tree as a whole is very “stringy” almost like a vine. I don’t know whether to prune it way back to encourage new growth and promote more taper, or to just let it be to strengthen for another few months. Even if I don’t hear a response, I totally understand since you have so many of us followers, but I want to say thank you for what you do. I highly value all of your lessons, passion, and the selflessness of sharing your trade and talent with the world. Something about your videos and passion for bonsai is extremely helpful not just caring for our plants, but helping us care for ourselves as well. Thank you!

Thank you for this video. I am a lowly indoor enthusiast. 😂 purchased my ficus at Lidl several months ago. It needs a trim, but I have grown timid with the clippers! You’ve given me Courage. Putting the cuttings into yogurt cups. 😃

The trunk and the hanging roots are the main theme. Beautiful 🥰

I was gifted a ficus bonsai a few weeks ago and I'm really looking forward to seeing how it's going to look a year from now. It's still in a training pot but it's already looking much better with some proper pruning. Thank you for sharing such good information on this tree!

I’m actually excited to get a ficus now! I never wanted one before, but he makes them so much more interesting. In my area if I had a beautiful bonsai outside someone would steal it.

I love listening to you. Your english is so beautiful and rich and your knowledge is inspiring.

I just got my first bonsai tree a few weeks ago. I'm excited to have found this channel!

After many years of wanting to start, I'm finally beginning my bonsai journey with a ficus. Great information. Thanks!

Thanks for the extremely well explained demo on the care of ficus bonsai , especially differant aspects of visualisation of Thr ficus vis-a-vis the aerial roots and hard pruning. Learn a lot.

So Beautiful I love those little trees. Another Great video and worthy of watching all the way through as well as all the videos that Peter makes. 💞💞💞💞💞❤❤❤

My oldest daughters been asking for a bonsai for a long time, finally got one of this species. glad i found this video. its growing some new shoots and wasnt sure if i should prune it but i guess i should. now i need to learn how often to fertalize and how, also when is it necessary to re-pot.

Thank you. I have learnt so much from you today. I am new to this so I’m going to prune my ficus and look after it as you have told me to...

My first and only tree is a ficus, I’ve always wanted a bonsai tree, but never knew there were any other species than junipers. My coworker gave me a tiny ficus as a moving gift, and I have never been more interested in a gift in my life. I can’t wait to see my lil forest in the future.

Thank you! And I truly appreciate the lovely music too!!

I just picked up a nice sized ficus starter bonsai today at my local nursery. I'm proud of my selection, because, Peter taught me to look for trees with interesting trunks. This one is a beauty. Time to watch this and make sure I care for this beauty properly. Thank you for everything, Peter! I've already learned a ton in a short amount of time.

I love all his information and his approach to explaining. I am new to this and find him so informative and fun!!!

I enjoy your beautiful wordings to describe and detailed demonstration to care the bonsai in the video, Much respect to you sir.

Such a master! So interesting about the term-strangle ficus. My fig is about 30 years old. I believe it is a Green Isle. I had a person repot it five years ago. It did have aerial roots but he took them off. My hardest task is pruning the tree. So enjoy your lessons Peter.

This is the best care guide in depth! Thanks for much Mr.chen and I am proud of you.

Very helpful videos. Thank you! I'm about to buy my first ever ginseng ficus and as a first time plant parent I want to learn as much as I can about them.

What a wonderful teacher .Your videos have help with my fear of these beautiful trees..I always loved these beautiful trees thank you !!!

You are a wonderful teacher, thank you so much for sharing.

I really love listening to this gentleman. I could watch him all day. My bonsai is a twelve year old ficus that I truly love. The best thing about the ficus is they are hardy and can be indoors year around to enjoy.

I love your website so much,. I learn a lot, I have over 30 bonsai s, few of them over 25 years old . I killed most of them since I don't have time to take care. Now I start to do it again.

Hi Peter Listen your passion is amazing I appreciate you give a chance to everyone ,like have a cheap bonsai, to show how to keep it ..I can’t wait to see Japan soon... I love your calm voice ...sometime help me to fallow in sleep ..( thank you )

You have beautiful bonsai I’ve learned from you I have a pretty large ficu that need pruning desperately it has huge aerial roots and I love them I’m going to try your pruning tips tomorrow thank you 😊😍👍

I could listen to you talk about anything at all. Thank you!

thank you. i have one of these, but had no idea how to care for it! i learned so much from this video

Thank you Sir, I've enjoyed and learnt a lot from this video, I received my first ficus bonsai as a birthday gift. Watching your videos has inspired me.❤😊

Thank you for sharing!! Very informative and very useful information, like always, and for that I thank you very much!!! Love your videos and keep up the great and amazing work!! Cause your amazing and truly inspirational!!!

So so Beautiful and so so informative Thank you for your time and sharing how to prune Bonsai and I love all those unusual roots💓💓💓

wow wow wow so beautiful! in the galilee sea we have many of them on the cost. they live in very hot weather. i must bring my self one like this. very nice video and as always full of good information.

You sir are full of wisdom, and more so willing to share that wisdom with others. Thank you!

I've learned so much from your RU-vid channel. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

amazing stuff I love it, exactally what I was just looking for, I am going to watch all your videos, great work

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I love my little tree and can't wait to give her a trim.

Thank you for demonstrating how we can make a simple tree into an interesting bonsai.

Another excellent video! Thank you for your effort and this channel.

I’ve just acquired my first ficus bonsai, and this was so helpful . Thank you . 🌴Florida 🌴

This guy doesn’t mince words!

Thank you Peter so knowledgeable. My bonsai is so much happier after your advise.

So therapeutic, I could watch the bonsai master snipping and pruning away.

I fully enjoy my Retusa in summer outside and in winter inside. Best of both worlds! Having also Satsuki's.

What a beautiful video. Thank you for the wisdom and knowledge.

This is so amazing. He seems so kind I could listen to him all day XD