thank you for your reply I live close to niagara falls in ontario and the weather changes even in the summer you can have a wet summer not too hot or a dry summer very hot no rain.
Interesting “test” with the fine akadama soil in close and the perlite/bark mixture on the perimeter. Please give an update when appropriate about your thoughts and opinions on it.
Always a pleasure watching your projects. Here in the UK we definitely could get away with reporting at this time. Our weather is very inconsistent at the moment. Freezing one week warm the next. 😮
ANYONE who says that 'Climate Change' is a myth just needs to look out of the window in the UK! I'm 48, and when I was a kid, during Winter it wasn't massively unusual to get 6 inches of snow on a snowy Winter day, nowadays you MAY get 6mm IF you are lucky! It's noticably warmer and wetter during the Winters. Taking into account the weather changes I could swap my bonsai for a goldfish.
Did you wire the wood block to the Anderson tray? Some great pointers, I have a large maple with massive roots but I haven't potted it yet, guess its time, thanks!
No, I tend to use top guy-wires to stabilize trees in these situations. With these flats drilling a small hole at each corner and creating a cross pattern of wires usually does the trick. This is partly to avoid any wires being in contact with the roots while they are running/swelling quickly. But your suggestion of tying the board to the flat would also work for that.
I see a nice tree from the front using the middle trunk and the one beside it to the right… both move to the right, have 3 dimensionality in the form of the one coming forward and the other slightly rotating forward from the back side and they have movement… (at least compared to the chunky one growing along the soil) 😅
I wouldn't expect it to leaf out yet. But I can provide an update when I have one. It's sitting in my greenouse at the moment. I would say early March might be a good time to take a look.
can you do a video about the soil that is best for bonsai already developed...or comment on what you use...We usually have info on japanese soil mix but how can we use something in the us and canada due to the climate
That varies even in the states. A guy in Arizona is gonna have completely different soil requirements than a guy in Florida . All based on your region and how often you are able to water your stuff
Hi - I did a video on this which is here: th-cam.com/video/jaTZHXKPFeU/w-d-xo.html The APL mixes are normally good regardless of climate - although some tweaks for very wet and very hot/dry are not a bad idea. My nursery mix is Perlite and Coco Coir/Bark. The nursery mix is inexpensive locally. Soils for growing young stock are easier to test and less finicky - because container sizes are usually relatively large and the plant value is lower.
Does anybody have any tips for bonsai saplings? I live in the mountains and it’s currently winter time and my saplings needles are turning brown! I don’t know what to do. I’ve grown this from a little seedling and I really don’t want to lose it.
Another awesome video Eric, I can't wait to see this tree progress. Silly question but does it matter what screws you use? I've tried coated ones in the past which are to be used in fencing and decking but I wonder if those kinds of chemicals can damage the tree?
Ceramic coated are pretty good. But putting any fastener into a constantly wet environment is problematic. Stainless is the least so. I happened to have these around left over from another project. TBH, any screw will work - I just find stainless to be easier to extract later. Even small finishing nail or nail gun would be fine. The tree will callous over that whole bottom wound pretty quickly.
I have seen putting rooting hormone on the cut, then stuffing sphagnum moss in there, with the hundreds of JBP cuttings I have done, seems keeping the area moist and in contact is important to the young roots, I have a vertical column of sand inside my perlite/peat pot in an Andersson Flat, once all is moist I poke a hole with a skewer and put the JBP cutting in that after a dip in hormone. After about 5 mins (long enough for the hormone to do be absorbed), I spray them each with water one at a time to close the sand against the trunk. Might have to try this with an air layer.
Love these videos. Nice and calm with lots of pointers. Well done.
Another great video. Looks forward to the outcome 😊
Nice work!!!
Great information! Easy to follow in a short to the point video. Thanks
Really nice demo. This is the best use of congested/inverse tapered branches on our niwaki. 👏🏽🪴🍁
thank you for your reply I live close to niagara falls in ontario and the weather changes even in the summer you can have a wet summer not too hot or a dry summer very hot no rain.
What a fantastic project. I like your logical projection for its future. Thanks, keep growing
Can’t wait to see the update on this tree
Nice! Great video, Eric
Great info Eric
Great stuff thanks and cheers from Ojai California
I am learning a lot from your videos thank you
Interesting “test” with the fine akadama soil in close and the perlite/bark mixture on the perimeter. Please give an update when appropriate about your thoughts and opinions on it.
I would love to see a video of this tree on how the root base developed after this procedure. Thank you. 👍
Always a pleasure watching your projects. Here in the UK we definitely could get away with reporting at this time. Our weather is very inconsistent at the moment. Freezing one week warm the next. 😮
ANYONE who says that 'Climate Change' is a myth just needs to look out of the window in the UK! I'm 48, and when I was a kid, during Winter it wasn't massively unusual to get 6 inches of snow on a snowy Winter day, nowadays you MAY get 6mm IF you are lucky! It's noticably warmer and wetter during the Winters. Taking into account the weather changes I could swap my bonsai for a goldfish.
Nice tree!
Did you wire the wood block to the Anderson tray? Some great pointers, I have a large maple with massive roots but I haven't potted it yet, guess its time, thanks!
No, I tend to use top guy-wires to stabilize trees in these situations. With these flats drilling a small hole at each corner and creating a cross pattern of wires usually does the trick. This is partly to avoid any wires being in contact with the roots while they are running/swelling quickly. But your suggestion of tying the board to the flat would also work for that.
Great video, thanks
I see a nice tree from the front using the middle trunk and the one beside it to the right… both move to the right, have 3 dimensionality in the form of the one coming forward and the other slightly rotating forward from the back side and they have movement… (at least compared to the chunky one growing along the soil) 😅
Yeah, that right trunk is going to be the first to go.
It’s been a month since you posted this video. I was wondering if the maple survived after 90% of roots were removed. Any updates?
I wouldn't expect it to leaf out yet. But I can provide an update when I have one. It's sitting in my greenouse at the moment. I would say early March might be a good time to take a look.
I will never forget all the times I was sitting in the garage wiring a flat of pines and I would just hear the iconic 6:36
can you do a video about the soil that is best for bonsai already developed...or comment on what you use...We usually have info on japanese soil mix but how can we use something in the us and canada due to the climate
That varies even in the states. A guy in Arizona is gonna have completely different soil requirements than a guy in Florida . All based on your region and how often you are able to water your stuff
Hi - I did a video on this which is here: th-cam.com/video/jaTZHXKPFeU/w-d-xo.html
The APL mixes are normally good regardless of climate - although some tweaks for very wet and very hot/dry are not a bad idea. My nursery mix is Perlite and Coco Coir/Bark. The nursery mix is inexpensive locally. Soils for growing young stock are easier to test and less finicky - because container sizes are usually relatively large and the plant value is lower.
Does anybody have any tips for bonsai saplings? I live in the mountains and it’s currently winter time and my saplings needles are turning brown! I don’t know what to do. I’ve grown this from a little seedling and I really don’t want to lose it.
You might try posting a photo over on BonsaiNut.com. Some conifers turn brown in winter as a result of cold weather - but turn green again in spring.
Another awesome video Eric, I can't wait to see this tree progress. Silly question but does it matter what screws you use? I've tried coated ones in the past which are to be used in fencing and decking but I wonder if those kinds of chemicals can damage the tree?
Ceramic coated are pretty good. But putting any fastener into a constantly wet environment is problematic. Stainless is the least so. I happened to have these around left over from another project. TBH, any screw will work - I just find stainless to be easier to extract later. Even small finishing nail or nail gun would be fine. The tree will callous over that whole bottom wound pretty quickly.
I've never had the "cutting a little window" technique do anything but produce further damage 😢
Will see!
I have seen putting rooting hormone on the cut, then stuffing sphagnum moss in there, with the hundreds of JBP cuttings I have done, seems keeping the area moist and in contact is important to the young roots, I have a vertical column of sand inside my perlite/peat pot in an Andersson Flat, once all is moist I poke a hole with a skewer and put the JBP cutting in that after a dip in hormone. After about 5 mins (long enough for the hormone to do be absorbed), I spray them each with water one at a time to close the sand against the trunk. Might have to try this with an air layer.
👍👌🙂
Did this tree make it? You removed a lot of root!
Well, tbd - I just did it a couple days ago. But i've done similar before on dormant maples.
The thick bottom branch seems to be too big. Pretty radical root work. I’ll look over my trees later when spring is closer.
Yes the branch is too big! But perfect for use as a sacrifice branch to help build the size of the base! (and then be removed later.)