Greetings from South Russia! I started doing bonsai about four years ago, collecting knowledge bit by bit from the biggest bonsai bloggers like Peter from Heron’s Bonsai or Nigel Saunders. But I felt thar something still was missing, something of great importance… And now a came across your videos and rethought all my bonsai experience. Josh, your pieces of advice and your thoughts were just the last missing puzzle I craved for. I finally began to ask myself questions like „why am I cutting this branch right now?“ or „what role does this particular component of the soil mix play in the whole picture?“. I realised the absolute necessity of the training period with big containers and organic soil and a whole bunch of other stuff from your other videos. I owe you my gratitude for setting my mind the right way about this matter. Thank you very very much!
Spot on! Appreciate your emphasis of development versus refinement. A compromise I suggest is to use "attractive flower pots in appropriate capacities" as "nursery pots" to appease the wife, neighbors, etc.
Thanks for the kind words, I still use black plastic pots to develop because at that stage it's not about aesthetics but horticulture and the black plastic really helps with root development by keeping the soil warm encouraging fast root growth.
My first mistake already. Tools. I didn’t think about having a clean cut but when you mentioned it can damage the tree with the pressure it made sense. Great analogy on the human body. Welp, better look for some good cutting tools.
thanks for your continued efforts to bring thoughtfulness to bonsai cultivation. I have been the victim of bonsai "dogma " for years, wasting much time and destroying trees in the process. please keep it going!
Nice and helpfull video, I took some notes. 1 thing tho, about japanese steel is a myth. yeah in the middle ages they had better steel then say europe. but now a days, steel is made to international standerds. it is TRUE those cheap sets are made of the cheapest materials, and not the good type of steel. SO your point is totaly correct, but that about steel is a myth. good bonsai tools can be made anywhere is they use the good steel, and you got to pay the price for that good material.
You deserve millions of subscribers mate Absolute quality videos the way you break everything down into the hows/whys/when's 👌🏼 I don't think I've came across any bonsai channels with million subs so maybe your the one
unfortunately i wouldn't be the best person to get advice from for white pine. although i have an understanding of that species to a degree i have never actually had one as the environment i live in here will kill them pretty quickly as we don't have cold enough winters for the dormancy requirement's of that species.
Thanks Josh, yes without proper knowledge on tools my first set was just anything that I could use to achieve bonsai. Then I got a cheap set on Amazon, I literally had to strengthen them and sharpen them because they were a softer steel type. I know this might be a complicated subject but I was wondering in one of your future videos can we talk about soil fixation plants as bonsai just like my sagebrush you see in my icon. I had it for almost four years and still haven't seen it bloom.
Dear Josh! Thank you for this nice video. I did the beginners course on the Bonsai Dojo...really looking forward to the next one. Can U Tell me when is it going to be continued? Greetings from Hungary 😊
We are working on new courses for this year! I'm glad to hear you did the beginners course, I hope you have a new found confidence in your bonsai technique.
Hi Josh thanks for this video. This bonsai mindset dot points you have listed, can you do a series on each of those points to discuss in greater detail? I know you have covered several of these points in your other videos, but considering you have been working on junipers on your very recent videos, maybe focusing on a junipers needs in the series for us beginners would be great as they are a popular plant to work with as a beginner. I personally love maples so a series on them would be awesome.
Great Course, really enjoyed it. As a beginner., may i still ask a few questions... 1. How do you know its time to sleep pot? 2. What mix could you suggest for Acer seedlings in development for a bit humid climate (Stockholm) 3. Is it possible to have a short zoom call to ask about other things, how much would it cost?
We slip pot just as the roots begin to fill the pot but before they become root bound. As for developing any tree i would use organic soil, you should be able to just get a general mix from a local nursery and add something to it to help it drain better like perlite. And i do 1 on 1 zoom lessons, you can find my available times here www.bonsai-en.com.au/online-events
I am actually about to start a full curriculum on design for the Bonsai Dojo. Going to break down all the different styles and their characteristics plus go through all the guidelines of proportions and angles etc etc.
Yes you can mix the 2, as long as you know why you are mixing them and know what your goal is. It helps to understand each components moisture holding capacity, it's nutrient holding capacity and how well it drains and make sure all these things line up with your environment, stage of development or refinement, and goals for your tree.