Great videos you will have many subscribers quickly. Hang in there I have followed RU-vid bonsai videos and you have something to offer. Anyone with bonsai interest will subscribe. Excellent
I really appreciate how comprehensive your style is for me. I thank you for making these videos. It’s obvious this art is dear to your heart. In the way of nature. we are like bonsai
10:44 : "this root is INFRINGING on that so i'll definitely cut this off" some may say you have been in business world too long doc :-)) love from Norway
Love seeing major cuts made with regards to future shape of the trees. Some people don’t cut back severely enough and are left with pompom style trees in a few years time.
Either softwood cutting, during growing season, or hardwood cutting int he fall and winter months….use rooting hormone. Have fun…Maples cuttings are easy to root.
Wonderful video very straightforward no nonsense lesson in dealing with maples looking towards the future and not worrying about the look of the tree at the beginning. Thank you.
Hi Milton, those maples you just demonstrated can you plant them directly to a bonsai pot? You said put them back to the existing pot after root pruning. So how long till you transfer them to a bonsai pot? Thank you.
That depends on my goal for this tree. As they are close to being a mature tree, I plant them in oversized bonsai pots; oversized so it can grow a little faster. If i want it to to grow really fast, then I put it in a deep nursery pot. Life is about making a series of compromises!
Milton, thank you so much for your willingness to share your time honored wisdom. I love the way you demystify bonsai , "putting the cookies on the lower shelf"
Thank you for your support! Bonsai is a great hobby and I want to share with you what I've learned over the years so that you can easily enjoy the hobby as well.
Hi Sir. I am from India. I used to watch all your videos. I have seen your maple series. I want to know that when you Masters cut the materials, do you keep in mind about the measurement as big, shohin or anything ? Or allow the plant as its natural look ? Thanks Sir
Hi Pranab! Always “begin with the end in mind” - that is a good project management mantra! Study the tree to find that “squirrel in the picture” to see design possibilities, cut it to a bit shorter than your desired size, and then work on it time and time again until it fills out to your vision (subtract, and then add). By the way, I would appreciate it if you would do some research to see if there is some truth that Indian herbal doctors travel from village to village with potted herbs…which is a forerunner of Bonsai. I will share with the rest of our viewers. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to the Golden Triangle about five years ago. I am impressed by the grandeur, and the advance in scientific knowledge (elaborate sundials that are super accurate). Enjoy your bonsai! With best wishes, Milton
Hi sir and thanks for sharing your knowledge! What time of the year is best this kind of massive pruning? I see in other videos that it is summer or winter. But i guess that has to do with the area you leave and the local weather. I leave In Mediterranean area and particularly in Greece where we have relatively warm weather. That means that i have to do it early summer or mid winter?Thanks
You can do that any time, although it is best to do that when there are no leaves on deciduous trees, which is late fall to early spring. If you do it in the summer months, it is hard to see where you are going. You may want to cut it, put it back in the growing pot, and do severe root pruning in the fall and before active growing season to play it safe.
Hi there Sir! I just found your channel today and have enjoyed watching many videos. I loved seeing your advice for starting with Elm. I live in Montreal, Canada. Longer, very cold winters winters, and then hot summers. Do you have any advice for cold climates? Young trees I see you planted in the ground - can I do that and wrap them and protect them? Or plant in large portable planters and store in a garage over-winter? Thanks in advance if you see this and have any advice for me.
Almost all the trees we discuss would grow well…Elm, Pine, Trident Maples, Zelkova…etc. Stop by your park to see what is common…and no need to winterize if grown in the ground. Bonsai needs extra care because the pot is shallow and therefore freezes.
Hi Christian! Yes, I'm working on a video where I show you how I clean up my bonsai for it to be ready for a show. Please stay tuned for that video coming very soon!
Great to listen to you talking through your decisions, and the future direction of the trees. I certainly as a beginner worry about cutting off to much
I hope the beginning of your bonsai journey is going well! Don't be afraid to make drastic cuts because it was always grow back. Start with a vision of what you want the tree to look like and cut accordingly. Best wishes!
Thank you for this very informative video. It's great to hear your reasons for what you're doing, with the 'end' tree in mind from the start. I'm in Australia; I've been interested in bonsai as long as I can remember, but never made time for them. So you've got a lot to teach me!
I'm happy to share what I know with you! Bonsai is very fulfilling and relaxing hobby, so you will surely enjoy it! Feel free to comment any questions you may have and I'll do my best to answer.
Love watching you talk thru the process so effortlessly. My father had allot of bonsai’s & I wish I had them. You have inspired me to learn more & attempt my 1st bonsai. Thanks
I'm excited for you to start your bonsai journey! Hopefully, my videos will help you along the way :) If you have any questions, feel free to comment them!
Thank you for the great education. That little maple was only two years old? I would love to see a video on how to get that thick a trunk after two years. I grow lots of maples from seed and the trunks are about pencil thickness after two years.
Hi Josh! The truck thickness is a function of its growing condition. My advice is to optimize your growth by adjusting your soil and fertilizer…and full sun exposure with a lot of water. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Thank you for sharing this with us 🙏 i am learning so much from watching the videos you created. I wanted you to know there's people out here that really appreciate the time, efforts and knowledge you are sharing so willingly ❤
Sir i know nothing of Bonsi. But you teach in away that makes me want to try my hand at it. Keep making more videos teach8ng this wonderful craft. Blessings.
Great video - thank you for sharing your knowledge and technique. I appreciate a demo of this initial technique of getting the tree started in terms of styling and root work. Also, love the idea of using the rip saw, saves so much time and is so effective. No sense combing out roots that you will then cut off. Thanks again.
Are these Japanese maple trees grafted? I’ve heard that grafted Japanese maple tree it is not a good idea to use as a bonsai. Because tree drafted to a different root stock will have a different growth rates, grafting scars, etc. Thank you, I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge with us.
You are right, most grafted trees are not suitable for bonsai because the graft mark remains an eyesore in most cases. A grafted tree works fine for landscaping, but not for close up bonsai viewing. Choose nursery maple trees that are grown from seeds--they are available at Home Depot, which is where I got the ones shown the video. Green maple can have small leaves, but red maple leaves are invariably large. If you must have a grafted variety, then air-layer above the graft mark. Then, you will have a tree with NO graft mark.
Hello! Age is not as important as the look of the tree. I bought this 1/8” whip in the spring of 2022, which I assume is a one year old seedling. It is two years old now that it's 2023. The truck thickness is a function of its growing condition. My advice is to optimize your growth by adjusting your soil and fertilizer…and full sun exposure with a lot of water. Best wishes!
I'm guessing you use the out to bottom growing method (letting the roots growing out the bottom into a larger pot or ground) if not what method did you use . Or and how do you usually fertilize
@@mqsending It is best to prune when there are no leaves on deciduous trees, which will be late fall to early spring. If you do it in the summer months, it is hard to see where you are going. You may want to cut it, put it back in the growing pot, and do severe root pruning in the fall and before active growing season…just to play it safe.
