I'm not a master bonsai artist, just a hobbyist. however i think this video is a good example of your experience in bonsaiing, you have clearly explained the most crucial elements of a good bonsai tree, thank you for your knowledge.
Top notch tutorial Jason. A saying we have here in Connecticut is; first year they sleep, second year they creep, third year they leap. Thanks, keep growing.
Bugger! As a relative newcomer to the hobby, I’ve been doing it all wrong. Now need to find some space in my garden to plant out some trees. Really useful video Jason.
I'm new to Bonsai, but have a large garden of self planted natives. This great video opened my eyes to a mistake which I was about to make with several small self planted saplings e.g. several self sown New Zealand Kowhai trees. Now I'll leave them to mature their trunks first. THANKS HEAPS for sharing your knowledge. 😃
Excellent tutorial! As newbies, we all want to immediately make something beautiful. It took me a long time to understand the 'living art' part of bonsai, and the impact different techniques have long term. It took even longer to decipher the characteristics of a good bonsai. This vid sums it all up beautifully!!
Great tips. While I agree most bonsai content forgets about the majority of the population, which lives in cities with no or very little garden and space (balcony). The Bonsai hobby should not be only for landlords and we have to make more content about it with smart tricks and tips. Thank you
Thanks. Bonsai is absolutely for everyone. This was not about whether you have space available - it was about how to grow and progress an immature tree to a mature looking bonsai. That is best done growing a tree in the ground for development, and then refinement in a pot - it will simply be quicker. An immature tree put in a pot will always take much, much, much longer to mature due to the limited space and resources in the pot.
@@TheBonsaiGarden I agree but my point was that most people don’t have land to put a tree in the ground and that there should be more videos about tips and tricks if you don’t have the land.
The two birch’s comparison was awesome, to begin with I thought to myself quietly that doesn’t look crazy different, then you moved it back more in line with the ground planted one and wow 🤩 I’m planning a vid like this too 😎 great stuff Jason x
Thanks Jonas. It was tricky getting the two close together for those shots due to other stuff growing around, and the physical size of the pot. Those ground planted ones are easily x4 thicker than the one in the pot.🙏
I agree but to mitigate this and to put the emerging bonsai plant into a sexy pot, I just use much larger pots. Let their roots develop and grow, a larger pot is the simplest approach to stalling the plant's development into a cool bonsai. then repot it after a few good growing years into a smaller pot. Poof. bonsai achieved. But dont get me started on airlaying. what an amazing technique.
If you are able to plant into the ground for a period you will see great results, but a larger pot will see an improvement over a bonsai pot if that is not possible. The benefit of ground planting is not just space, but unrestricted access to resources.
I agree with all of this! Now another thing you can do is allow the roots to blow out the bottom of the pot it’s growing in and that allows the trunk to blow up! I have 2 wisteria one growing in a clay pot and one growing in a bonsai pot-trainer the one in trainer I’ve allowed to blow out the drain holes. Trunk is huge! The one in clay pot is still skinny. I have done this with other kinds of trees and shrubs and it works for all I’ve tried it with so far
Awesome video! Thank you. I learned I must somehow convince my dad to let me plant my trees in his garden :D Unfortunately there isnt enough free space. I already planted 11 little trees (less than 1 year old) in a small area and i have so much more little trees haha. Do you have any tips how to plant trees in a smaller area or how to manage many trees with limited space? I think the biggest problem my father has is the roots of those trees.
Great video Jason and I like that intro - 'The most important bonsai lesson you'll ever learn!' 😮 But you have raised some very interesting points and factors that we must all consider when styling and working on a bonsai.
This is great! I've been growing an oak from a acorn my daughter found years ago. It's in a small pot, healthy, but definitely not well defined. This has been so helpful. All the videos I've seen talk about pruning and wiring. But not the care required to starting the bonsai. To be fair, I reckon I'll kill it. I'll lob it off at the trunk like this video suggested and it'll be a Homer Simpson moment in a years time: "Why doesn't mine look like that!?"
This is why I put my first bonsai into a 2ft grow bag, it exploded in the first year. Over 2 half ft of growth in its first summer and trunk tripled in size
I started my crepe myrtle from seed and its sprouted.. it's cold in the northern states.. I have it in this little cup like thing that came with it in a grow kit. What should I do with it to keep it growing?
As a complete novice to bonsai I found this video enlightening. Unfortunately I live in a subarctic climate and cannot start trees outdoors. Appreciate all the knowledge and tips nonetheless!
That was actually a really helpful video. I knew I had to watch several beginner video but this one really had the most useful information. especially the ways for better trunk development. thank you Mr. Hanrahan
I'm so glad I found your video! I have always been fascinated by bonsai but finally now have the ability to really dive deep into the hobby. I'm just ready to pot my first jade tree and have several tiny babies that I definitely would have put right into a shallow pot ASAP. Now I'm going to put them in a dedicated spot in the yard for a while. Thank you!
Thank you for your kind comments and good luck, and enjoy the journey. If you manage to kill a tree or two, don’t be disheartened as we have all been there. Learn where you went wrong and try better on the next one, and the one after that. 👍
Wow thanks for this video! Not many youtube bonsai 'teachers' talk at all about the transition from pre bonsai to potted bonsai so its refreshing. Ive also got into discussions with people online who insist that anything people call a bonsai is one because it is a 'plant in a container' totally missing that literal translations dont always give the real meaning of a word
@MrSitallewal you just said two different things. 'Tree in a pot' is the general direct translation i believe but if i have a lemon tree in a large pot that i don't prune much that's not exactly what a bonsai is is it?
Thank you so much for your video. I’ve been searching for a good bonsai basics video and they all lost me. Yours was perfect. I just recently got into bonsai and I’m growing everything from seed. Except a few trees I’ve pulled from the wood in my back yard. I’ve got Royal poinciana, wisteria and pagoda tree all about 7 month old from seed. Finally have some seedlings of Japanese black pine and black spruce after a long cold stratification period. I have most of them in 1 gallon pots. I have recently potted up a Florida strangler fig that was growing in my gutter as well. I’m so tempted to start shaping and doing bonsai with them. But I don’t want to mess up. I don’t want to start to soon and I don’t want to wait to long. Your video is very helpful. I’m going to let them grow a bit more. I’m in zone 10a in Naples, FL. Thanks again.
It certainly is - together with a longer term plan or vision. It helps to think in terms of development for next year and the year after rather than just weeks or months ahead. 👍
I found a spiraea nipponica a few years back in a forgotten corner in my local garden center. Picked it up cheap placed it in a 40l pot. And just let it sit for a few years. Now its potbound to the 40l lol. Think its time to start working on it. But its such a massive bush im afraid to ruin it.
I'm new to bonsai and this video has been the most informative video that I've watched in the past month, instant sub. Look forward to learning more from you!
Thank you so much for this video! my approach to the world of bonsai began recently and the first time I made all the mistakes you listed, but now after seeing your video I decided to try again in the most correct way as you recommended, I purchased a small pre-bonsai yesterday of fuji cherry and today while I was watching the video for the second time I planted it in a decidedly larger cultivation pot, as I don't have the possibility of planting it in the ground. and now I will let it grow and develop a good nebari and a nice thick trunk. I hope to do a nice job with my little fuji cherry tree
I had a 8yr old ficus microcarpa (buhda belly) it was dying and my last option was to repot in a large 50cm self watering pot and i left it for 4yrs. It has improved the overall trunk size/trunk is full and not prune looking/ new branches have helped fill the leaves/ and it no longer 'wobbles' in the soil. Now its time to bonsai pot again, this time im going for a deeper pot, if i get faster growth than i want i think its going to be better just to maintain pruning instead.
Found you because "I (still) wonder how..." ♥ * Best talking-to-yet after watching countless videos - and dusted off a beginner book from past impulse "I want to try..." experiment fails.
fantistic video. clear, concise, and not patronizing! yes, we all like to see our trees in bonsai pots, but I shall be planting more of mine in the ground for a while.....
Thank you so much for the CLEAR, slide by slide, principled explanation. I am an utter beginner, and was quite lost as to overall process, wouldn't even know where to start. And of dozens of videos, this specific video made me understand what to do. Instant subscriber.
Funny that this video links in nicely with my video about how i wasted 5 years with my japanese Larch. I potted itt oo quickly and kept prunign back all the lower branches before I had establsihed any sort of trunk thickness. It is avery important aspect to try and get right early in your hobby.
Wow - what a comprehensive overview.! Really useful to go through this in detail to help plan for a proper bonsai future. Many thanks for doing this. RM
You pointed to the corner of the screen and.. nothing was there..LOL. but really. I liked your video. I'm just getting started and already have spent around 2 grand on tools and a whole slew of souls etc. I don't know what I'm doing!!!! But I love it. In taking classes though.... I've made the mistake you talk about in this video. I just wanted something to look at . I knew it wasn't ready. What got me started is a Japanese maple in my front yard. I have several trees that are 8 years old grown from seed in large pots. I gave my dad one. He planted it in the front yard. In two years it literally exploded into growth. So I said all this to say .... I heard ya. I hear ya. I will remember this and apply what I just learned
I just checked and on my phone, and tv screen I am definitely seeing a video recommendation end screen - so whether those appear correctly might be dependent on what device you are viewing with. 😮
Hi Jason , Bonsai newby here from Australia , looking at the idea of putting the trees into the baskets to help with the trunk thickening do you still use regular potting mix at this stage or bonsai mix . Thanks
Beautifully presented Jason 🙏🏼 I did pick the thinner oak as the oldest. 1, Xavier just done a video relating to this topic. 2, I found this out myself this year by planting a birch in the ground, just from a few months in the ground this year it has thickened up sooo much! I plan on doing the same with most, if not all of my trees next year. Would have been better if this video was a few years ago 😂 Take care 🙂
When buying from a nursery, I am always suspicious that the tree may have been repotted out of season recently, just so it looks impressive enough to sell to buyers. The tree might not grow, or even die, in that little pot as it suffers from the recent stress. I have several nature sown trees that have been growing in ground all season. From experience, I know to leave them be if I want to dig them out in the future when they are dormant.
A great topic Jason and a really interesting discussion. Thank you for presenting and explaining this so well. I can see that youve put a lot of effort into this video. I think beginners can often be disuaded by everyone saying "put it in the ground". We must remember that ground growing does achieve fast growth and trunk thickness but it has it's downsides. Large chops will be required to add taper to the tree or reduce its size, this will take longer to heal. There are pros and cons to all growing techniques but I feel that we need to find the best one which aligns with our goals for the tree.
thanks for your video! i made this mistake just 10 months ago. now i'm thinking about how to correct my mistake. perhaps planting it into a larger pot? I have another tree planted in a 5 gallon pot and the trunk thickened up over the summer to what I think is as thick as I would like it to be. Also has a decent amount of ramification to my beginner's eyes. But I don't want to use that tree for a bonsai. So maybe after the winter I will plant my little bonsai candidate into a large pot outdoors for it to thicken up and develop branches before repotting it in a bonsai pot... :)
Nice video! Do you set up the nebari first before putting it in a huge pot or in the ground? Maybe this could avoid digging up a tree after a couple years with thick downward roots or strangled roots that cant be bend amymore.
I plant them over a paving slab, buried about 5 inches beneath the soil surface. This causes the roots to grow out laterally rather than downwards. In a shallow basket they will naturally grow out sideways which is why I love these wide shallow baskets.
Very informative, I learned quite a bit from it. I'm now into my second year and I am very glad to have learned these little tricks. Although I am not traditional and I have no interest in following any specific rules, I truly enjoy the time I spend with my trees and the methods you use are very intelligent. I find not being confined by guidelines I am free to enjoy without disappointment. For me it is much more therapeutic this way. Thank you very much for your video
@@TheBonsaiGarden thank you, please know I meant no offense, I guess I just never looked at bonsai as something with a guideline. Although I've never watched a video about them until today. I had just seen a few on TV and I remember seeing one at the local nursery and I decided to start. I think it's great for anybody to do whatever form of cultivation pleases them personally. You are correct in that it is a personal journey. Thank you for sharing yours with me
Thanks, Jason. I'm new to the bonsai caper and, although I have purchased some reasonably finished trees, most of what I have is bonsai-in-waiting. Just coming into the first Spring/Summer (Australia) when I have "too many trees" (an inevitable and uncurable condition it seems). I have had so many questions about why/when/how to put my nursery stock, even some tube stock, in bonsai or even smaller pots. I have been troubled by seemingly heretical thoughts like "shouldn't they go into bigger pots, not smaller ones?" You have answered all my questions. Thank you. I'm coming to see the (obvious) reality that bonsai trees don't just happen, they don't just grow, they are the result of continuous design.
@@TheBonsaiGarden Jason, I don't have the option of planting in the ground. Would you agree that as long as the pot is progressively large enough so that the roots never find the edges, and you can water and fertilize often, then you achieve the same effect?
Jason, thank you for this video is educated better in this hobby and lifestyle. I do have one question though. I have a Chinese Elm that is now 25 yrs old and I moved it to a way bigger bonsai pot in a effort to get the stump to thicken, but it seems my efforts are for nothing the stump has not increased in size. However, the branches are growing like crazy even in the off season because its an indoor Bonsai with really good UV lights.
Chinese elm have strong foliage and a rampant growth. We typically trim this back but leaving growth can increase the strength and growth of the tree. Think of each leaf as a solar panel feeding energy into the tree like tributaries of a river. As those rivers join it thickens and widens due to all that water pouring in. Eventually those streams become rivers, those rivers become estuaries. Trees are a lot like that.
Hi Jason, only just dropped on your channel I have a big problem, I only started with bonsai 18 months ago and have already run into the 'problems' but the biggest problem is that I am 86 yrs of age so time is not on my side. Long term projects are a no no so I need to develop nice looking bonsai quickly !!! Please can you make a video aimed at odd bods like myself working to a limited time scale ? This video is without doubt one of the best I have seen and I have watched quite a few
Hi Alan, thank you for your comment. Unfortunately there is no short cut to developing bonsai and it is a long term endeavour. However, when you buy bonsai, rather than develop it from scratch, what you are really buying is time already invested in developing those trees. Many of my own trees were bought (some inexpensively, others a bit more pricey - reflecting their years of care) from a local bonsai nursery and much of my time is just cultivating and caring for these trees already developed. It is still worthwhile starting trees with a view to leaving them as a legacy to others to care for and take forward. 👍
Thank you Jason. I think this is a well thought out and explained video for where I am in my bonsai journey of about 5 years. Yes, i have read most of what you explained but with the comparisons it really sinks in. Not being willing to buy a tree that someone has lovingly spent years developing in the name of 'learning' bonsai, i see i have fallen into this same trap for a few of my seedlings. 😂 I have wondered about growing trees in the ground so that they produce thicker trunks faster. Does this detract from the idea of a tree growing on a rocky hillside for many years before being 'discovered' and potted. Or is it the fast paced society we live in that wants results as quick as possible?
Thanks for your comment. I think the “bonsai mindset” for developing quality trees requires longer term planning and thinking ahead than we are regularly used to.
Jason i have a question: recently planted a japanese flame seedling that had germinated and grown its first set of leaves. I dont have the space to put this tree into the ground. I have purchased a basket, at what point should i feed it, and with what NPK ratio? Thank you! Edit: this is a first stage seedling, and will be remaining indoors under a grow light until spring.
I bought one of those juniper itoigawa cuttings you see online at the start of the year. I currently have it in a small pond basket. Im considering doing an experiment where i take a cutting and ground plant it once rooted to see if it passes its mother out in terms of growth.
This is just a perforated storage basket bought from a general hardware store. I like these in particular because they have perforations in the side and bottom which is good for aeration.
Great examples to make your point. Is there a way to avoid ending up with an ugly scar where you have been forced to chop the trunk which you have now thickened by growing rapidly in the ground rather than over many years in a more restricted container?
Thank you , completley agree... and so question . My bonsais are in pots of various sizes . If i remove them and place in the ground , which is a great idea , will that not increase the risk of loosing them to winters frost ?
Pine trees are generally not suitable as indoor bonsai trees because they require a period of dormancy during the winter, which is difficult to replicate indoors. Additionally, they typically need more sunlight and cooler temperatures than what is typically found indoors, making it challenging to maintain their health and appearance.
What about those of us growing indoor tropical shrubs/trees who don't have the option of having them in the ground? Do you recommend leaving them in the regular gardening pots? Do you recommend putting them in much larger gardening pots to allow their roots to grow and then trim the roots back when transferring to the smaller bonsai setup?
Hello I have been gifted an immature bonsai, that is already in a ceramic pot. Would my best approach be to replant into the ground, to thicken the trunk? Thank you for your time and expertise.
Dear Jason, you recommand to leave the plant in the ground as long as possible. That means, even for several years, until the trunk is thick enough. But I didn't understand: when the trunk is thick enough, is this the right time to move the plant to a basket and then after few years to the bonsai pot? Or can I cut the trunk and leave the plant to develop all the time, multiple years, in the garden ground and when it has the right size (trunk and a lot of branches) move my tree to the bonsai pot? I hope you have an answer for me😊. Thank you so much for the wonderful channel😊😊😊
You can leave the tree in the ground for as long as you wish, and continue to prune and shape it in the ground. From time to time you may want to lift it out and trim back the roots so they do not become too deeply embedded. The longer it stays in the ground, the stronger and thicker it will become but if it is destined to be a bonsai tree then at some point you will need to dig it up and move it into a basket or pot for refinement. It is not an exact science but a judgement call.
Im completely new to bonsai, i just bought a young tree, a Chaenomeles Superba Lava, its a little bit smaller than the one you show on the left at 5:40 with its nursery container/pot, the pot mine came with is about the same size as the one you show. If i understood this video correctly, it would be a good idea for me to move it into a bigger pot? Also, when should i start thinking about using wires, is that something i should do instantly, or wait a few years untill the trunk is thicker?
If you are new to bonsai I would suggest you spend the first year simply observing your tree and keeping it alive, while doing lots of research, reading and watching videos.
Thank you. I have done a couple of videos on book recommendations you should check out. Bonsai Beginner Books: 5 Essential Reads for Beginners th-cam.com/video/9-GJDUL3vaY/w-d-xo.html Top 10 Intermediate Level Bonsai Book Recommendations 📚 th-cam.com/video/g5Bm8_bn9Tw/w-d-xo.html
Just subbed to your channel and looking forward to learning a lot!! I am just moving to a new property and planning a Japanese garden. I have experience with Japanese Acer trees and koi fish keeping but have always been interested in Bonsai trees.
First bonsai vid I’ve watched from start to finish for a long time
Thanks Darren 😮😂😂
I'm not a master bonsai artist, just a hobbyist. however i think this video is a good example of your experience in bonsaiing, you have clearly explained the most crucial elements of a good bonsai tree, thank you for your knowledge.
Thank you for your kind words 🙏
Top notch tutorial Jason. A saying we have here in Connecticut is; first year they sleep, second year they creep, third year they leap. Thanks, keep growing.
I was trying to remember that saying when putting this together but couldn’t for the life of me think how it went 😂👍
Same here in Kansas!
Instant sub, this guy is chill and knows his shizzle.
Thank you for your kind comment 🙏🌟✨✨✨
Wow, that was incredibly well made and extremely informative. Really nice video and beautiful bonsai.
Thank you Ryan 🙏
Bugger! As a relative newcomer to the hobby, I’ve been doing it all wrong. Now need to find some space in my garden to plant out some trees. Really useful video Jason.
Thanks Chris, me too 😆
I'm new to Bonsai, but have a large garden of self planted natives. This great video opened my eyes to a mistake which I was about to make with several small self planted saplings e.g. several self sown New Zealand Kowhai trees. Now I'll leave them to mature their trunks first. THANKS HEAPS for sharing your knowledge. 😃
Glad this was helpful and instructive to you 🙏
thanks, super informative and really simply put to be understandable! This is the one I was searching for!
Glad this was useful for you. Thank plenty more I may back catalogue 😊👍
Glad I found this. Just got a bunch of cuttings and was going to put them straight into a pot.
Priceless wisdom.. Brilliant.
After 14 years of growing indoor and outdoor bonsai, You've doubled my knowledge, Blessings.
♥️🙏☀️x
That’s very kind of you Andrew 🙏❤️
Thank you for your kindness. I am learning a lot.
Excellent tutorial! As newbies, we all want to immediately make something beautiful. It took me a long time to understand the 'living art' part of bonsai, and the impact different techniques have long term. It took even longer to decipher the characteristics of a good bonsai. This vid sums it all up beautifully!!
Great comment. Thanks 🙏
@@TheBonsaiGarden ❤
Great tips. While I agree most bonsai content forgets about the majority of the population, which lives in cities with no or very little garden and space (balcony). The Bonsai hobby should not be only for landlords and we have to make more content about it with smart tricks and tips. Thank you
Thanks. Bonsai is absolutely for everyone. This was not about whether you have space available - it was about how to grow and progress an immature tree to a mature looking bonsai. That is best done growing a tree in the ground for development, and then refinement in a pot - it will simply be quicker. An immature tree put in a pot will always take much, much, much longer to mature due to the limited space and resources in the pot.
@@TheBonsaiGarden I agree but my point was that most people don’t have land to put a tree in the ground and that there should be more videos about tips and tricks if you don’t have the land.
I’m interested to hear what kind of tips or tricks you would suggest.
The two birch’s comparison was awesome, to begin with I thought to myself quietly that doesn’t look crazy different, then you moved it back more in line with the ground planted one and wow 🤩
I’m planning a vid like this too 😎 great stuff Jason x
Thanks Jonas. It was tricky getting the two close together for those shots due to other stuff growing around, and the physical size of the pot. Those ground planted ones are easily x4 thicker than the one in the pot.🙏
Permission to listen, boss, I know John
I agree but to mitigate this and to put the emerging bonsai plant into a sexy pot, I just use much larger pots. Let their roots develop and grow, a larger pot is the simplest approach to stalling the plant's development into a cool bonsai. then repot it after a few good growing years into a smaller pot. Poof. bonsai achieved. But dont get me started on airlaying. what an amazing technique.
If you are able to plant into the ground for a period you will see great results, but a larger pot will see an improvement over a bonsai pot if that is not possible. The benefit of ground planting is not just space, but unrestricted access to resources.
Impressive demonstration. Very new to this and I think this could not have come at a better time
That’s great. Glad this was helpful 👍
I agree with all of this! Now another thing you can do is allow the roots to blow out the bottom of the pot it’s growing in and that allows the trunk to blow up! I have 2 wisteria one growing in a clay pot and one growing in a bonsai pot-trainer the one in trainer I’ve allowed to blow out the drain holes. Trunk is huge! The one in clay pot is still skinny. I have done this with other kinds of trees and shrubs and it works for all I’ve tried it with so far
Yes, I believe these are called escape roots.
Awesome video! Thank you. I learned I must somehow convince my dad to let me plant my trees in his garden :D Unfortunately there isnt enough free space. I already planted 11 little trees (less than 1 year old) in a small area and i have so much more little trees haha. Do you have any tips how to plant trees in a smaller area or how to manage many trees with limited space? I think the biggest problem my father has is the roots of those trees.
You can prevent the roots growing downwards by planting them over a tile or slab. I also have only limited space for ground growing trees.
Great comprehensive video Jason. Well done!
Thank you Raymond 🙏
Great video Jason and I like that intro - 'The most important bonsai lesson you'll ever learn!' 😮
But you have raised some very interesting points and factors that we must all consider when styling and working on a bonsai.
Thanks Gavin 🙏
This is great! I've been growing an oak from a acorn my daughter found years ago. It's in a small pot, healthy, but definitely not well defined. This has been so helpful. All the videos I've seen talk about pruning and wiring. But not the care required to starting the bonsai.
To be fair, I reckon I'll kill it. I'll lob it off at the trunk like this video suggested and it'll be a Homer Simpson moment in a years time: "Why doesn't mine look like that!?"
Give it a couple of years to thicken up before you consider a trunk chop 😁👍
This is why I put my first bonsai into a 2ft grow bag, it exploded in the first year. Over 2 half ft of growth in its first summer and trunk tripled in size
Thanks 🙏
I started my crepe myrtle from seed and its sprouted.. it's cold in the northern states.. I have it in this little cup like thing that came with it in a grow kit. What should I do with it to keep it growing?
As a complete novice to bonsai I found this video enlightening. Unfortunately I live in a subarctic climate and cannot start trees outdoors. Appreciate all the knowledge and tips nonetheless!
Thank you. 🙏
That was actually a really helpful video. I knew I had to watch several beginner video but this one really had the most useful information. especially the ways for better trunk development. thank you Mr. Hanrahan
Thank you for your kind comment. Glad this was helpful for you 👍
Love this video. LOVE IT....
So glad!
I'm so glad I found your video! I have always been fascinated by bonsai but finally now have the ability to really dive deep into the hobby. I'm just ready to pot my first jade tree and have several tiny babies that I definitely would have put right into a shallow pot ASAP. Now I'm going to put them in a dedicated spot in the yard for a while. Thank you!
*The babies are pine and cedar not jade btw
Thank you for your kind comments and good luck, and enjoy the journey. If you manage to kill a tree or two, don’t be disheartened as we have all been there. Learn where you went wrong and try better on the next one, and the one after that. 👍
Clearest explanation on TH-cam!
Wow, thanks Diana!
Wow thanks for this video! Not many youtube bonsai 'teachers' talk at all about the transition from pre bonsai to potted bonsai so its refreshing. Ive also got into discussions with people online who insist that anything people call a bonsai is one because it is a 'plant in a container' totally missing that literal translations dont always give the real meaning of a word
Thanks for your kind comment Matt 🙏
@MrSitallewal you just said two different things. 'Tree in a pot' is the general direct translation i believe but if i have a lemon tree in a large pot that i don't prune much that's not exactly what a bonsai is is it?
Thank you. This video helped me to understand much more about the Bonsai. I will continue to watch more of your videos.
Glad it was helpful 👍
Thank you so much for your video. I’ve been searching for a good bonsai basics video and they all lost me. Yours was perfect. I just recently got into bonsai and I’m growing everything from seed. Except a few trees I’ve pulled from the wood in my back yard. I’ve got Royal poinciana, wisteria and pagoda tree all about 7 month old from seed. Finally have some seedlings of Japanese black pine and black spruce after a long cold stratification period. I have most of them in 1 gallon pots. I have recently potted up a Florida strangler fig that was growing in my gutter as well. I’m so tempted to start shaping and doing bonsai with them. But I don’t want to mess up. I don’t want to start to soon and I don’t want to wait to long. Your video is very helpful. I’m going to let them grow a bit more. I’m in zone 10a in Naples, FL. Thanks again.
Thank you for your kind comments Tim and best of luck on your bonsai journey.
Hi first time here I definitely subscribed. WHAT AN EDUCATION I GOT BE WATCHING THIS OFTEN. THANK YOU FOR TEACHING US ❤
Thanks for subbing Mary 🙏
Excellent info Jason, as a newbie to Bonsai this video has been very helpful. Patience is the key! Thanks Jason
It certainly is - together with a longer term plan or vision. It helps to think in terms of development for next year and the year after rather than just weeks or months ahead. 👍
I found a spiraea nipponica a few years back in a forgotten corner in my local garden center. Picked it up cheap placed it in a 40l pot. And just let it sit for a few years. Now its potbound to the 40l lol. Think its time to start working on it. But its such a massive bush im afraid to ruin it.
Be brave and show that tree who is the boss ;)
I'm new to bonsai and this video has been the most informative video that I've watched in the past month, instant sub. Look forward to learning more from you!
Glad you found it helpful 👍
Thank you so much for this video! my approach to the world of bonsai began recently and the first time I made all the mistakes you listed, but now after seeing your video I decided to try again in the most correct way as you recommended, I purchased a small pre-bonsai yesterday of fuji cherry and today while I was watching the video for the second time I planted it in a decidedly larger cultivation pot, as I don't have the possibility of planting it in the ground. and now I will let it grow and develop a good nebari and a nice thick trunk. I hope to do a nice job with my little fuji cherry tree
Thank you and good luck with your tree . 👍🌳
I had a 8yr old ficus microcarpa (buhda belly) it was dying and my last option was to repot in a large 50cm self watering pot and i left it for 4yrs. It has improved the overall trunk size/trunk is full and not prune looking/ new branches have helped fill the leaves/ and it no longer 'wobbles' in the soil. Now its time to bonsai pot again, this time im going for a deeper pot, if i get faster growth than i want i think its going to be better just to maintain pruning instead.
Hiya Jason, I'm a brand newbie and have just subscribed.
Thanks very much for a great video, David.
You are welcome 🙏
Found you because "I (still) wonder how..." ♥ * Best talking-to-yet after watching countless videos - and dusted off a beginner book from past impulse "I want to try..." experiment fails.
There is no shame in experimenting or failing. Just learn from it. 👍
fantistic video. clear, concise, and not patronizing! yes, we all like to see our trees in bonsai pots, but I shall be planting more of mine in the ground for a while.....
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you so much for the CLEAR, slide by slide, principled explanation. I am an utter beginner, and was quite lost as to overall process, wouldn't even know where to start. And of dozens of videos, this specific video made me understand what to do. Instant subscriber.
You're very welcome!
Good advice Jason, thank you.
Thank you Jack 🙏
Nice one Jason! Well explained video and I love the whiteboard drawings!
Thanks Adam 🙏
Funny that this video links in nicely with my video about how i wasted 5 years with my japanese Larch. I potted itt oo quickly and kept prunign back all the lower branches before I had establsihed any sort of trunk thickness. It is avery important aspect to try and get right early in your hobby.
Absolutely right. 👍
Great information. Thank you so much.
You are welcome 🙏
Wow - what a comprehensive overview.! Really useful to go through this in detail to help plan for a proper bonsai future. Many thanks for doing this. RM
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for your kind comment.
Really enjoyed your white board art, very clear and helpful for beginners mate - awesome video
Thank you kindly Jonas 🙏
Absolutely the best video I’ve seen. Thank you. Venetia UK
Thank you 🙏
Excellent advice and information!
Thank you Terry 🙏
Excellent Jason. Thanks 👍
Thanks 🙏
Great video and advice just what I needed but where did you get those baskets I’m in Australia..
The larger baskets from a hardware store, and pond baskets from an aquatics store.
Amazing!! thank you for the knowledge and de advice!!!!!
My pleasure
You pointed to the corner of the screen and.. nothing was there..LOL. but really. I liked your video. I'm just getting started and already have spent around 2 grand on tools and a whole slew of souls etc. I don't know what I'm doing!!!! But I love it. In taking classes though.... I've made the mistake you talk about in this video. I just wanted something to look at . I knew it wasn't ready. What got me started is a Japanese maple in my front yard. I have several trees that are 8 years old grown from seed in large pots. I gave my dad one. He planted it in the front yard. In two years it literally exploded into growth. So I said all this to say .... I heard ya. I hear ya. I will remember this and apply what I just learned
Thanks Adam. Japanese maples are what got me started too - such graceful, beautiful trees.
I just checked and on my phone, and tv screen I am definitely seeing a video recommendation end screen - so whether those appear correctly might be dependent on what device you are viewing with. 😮
Fantastic advice which I kind of knew but this really makes it clear; I am going to put some of my bonsai back into the ground today!
I’m doing exactly the same with some of my very earliest trees 👍
Hi Jason , Bonsai newby here from Australia , looking at the idea of putting the trees into the baskets to help with the trunk thickening do you still use regular potting mix at this stage or bonsai mix . Thanks
I use a free drainage soil mix: th-cam.com/video/YqnGG6GZKAE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=7qqWmmhMfw7B-2pg
Beautifully presented Jason 🙏🏼
I did pick the thinner oak as the oldest.
1, Xavier just done a video relating to this topic.
2, I found this out myself this year by planting a birch in the ground, just from a few months in the ground this year it has thickened up sooo much! I plan on doing the same with most, if not all of my trees next year.
Would have been better if this video was a few years ago 😂
Take care 🙂
I would I do the same but I may have that 1m x 1m spot in the corner of the garden to ground plant and grow trees.
When buying from a nursery, I am always suspicious that the tree may have been repotted out of season recently, just so it looks impressive enough to sell to buyers. The tree might not grow, or even die, in that little pot as it suffers from the recent stress. I have several nature sown trees that have been growing in ground all season. From experience, I know to leave them be if I want to dig them out in the future when they are dormant.
👍 sounds like great advice
Cool video Jason
Very informative thanks for sharing mate👊🏻
Thank you Dan 👍
A great topic Jason and a really interesting discussion. Thank you for presenting and explaining this so well. I can see that youve put a lot of effort into this video.
I think beginners can often be disuaded by everyone saying "put it in the ground". We must remember that ground growing does achieve fast growth and trunk thickness but it has it's downsides. Large chops will be required to add taper to the tree or reduce its size, this will take longer to heal. There are pros and cons to all growing techniques but I feel that we need to find the best one which aligns with our goals for the tree.
Thanks Alex. It was one of those projects that once started, seemed never ending. 😮
Exellent video
Thank you Ivan 🙏
Great video thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it
@@TheBonsaiGarden sure did helped my collection a lot, thanks again Jason. Much appreciated from down here in New Zealand.
thanks for your video! i made this mistake just 10 months ago. now i'm thinking about how to correct my mistake. perhaps planting it into a larger pot? I have another tree planted in a 5 gallon pot and the trunk thickened up over the summer to what I think is as thick as I would like it to be. Also has a decent amount of ramification to my beginner's eyes. But I don't want to use that tree for a bonsai. So maybe after the winter I will plant my little bonsai candidate into a large pot outdoors for it to thicken up and develop branches before repotting it in a bonsai pot... :)
Nice video! Do you set up the nebari first before putting it in a huge pot or in the ground? Maybe this could avoid digging up a tree after a couple years with thick downward roots or strangled roots that cant be bend amymore.
I plant them over a paving slab, buried about 5 inches beneath the soil surface. This causes the roots to grow out laterally rather than downwards. In a shallow basket they will naturally grow out sideways which is why I love these wide shallow baskets.
Thank you so much
You are welcome 🙏
Just subscribed….such a good tip. Thank you
Welcome!I
I`m kind of a beginner. Your video was most excellent. It made alot of sense. Illustrations were great. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful Russell 👍
Saya menikmati seni bonsai yang anda tampilkan tuan,, sehat dan sukses selalu 🤲🤲 salam dari bali (indonesia) 🙏🙏
🙏🙏
Great info. Thank you
My pleasure Julie 🙏
Very informative, I learned quite a bit from it. I'm now into my second year and I am very glad to have learned these little tricks. Although I am not traditional and I have no interest in following any specific rules, I truly enjoy the time I spend with my trees and the methods you use are very intelligent. I find not being confined by guidelines I am free to enjoy without disappointment. For me it is much more therapeutic this way. Thank you very much for your video
You have to follow what makes you happy. The hobby is a personal journey for everyone. Glad this was useful for you. 🙏
@@TheBonsaiGarden thank you, please know I meant no offense, I guess I just never looked at bonsai as something with a guideline. Although I've never watched a video about them until today. I had just seen a few on TV and I remember seeing one at the local nursery and I decided to start. I think it's great for anybody to do whatever form of cultivation pleases them personally. You are correct in that it is a personal journey. Thank you for sharing yours with me
I guess I misunderstood you, and that you referred to the way it should look from your perspective and experience. My apologies
Terrific video 😊 👍
Thank you very much Paul!
Thanks, Jason. I'm new to the bonsai caper and, although I have purchased some reasonably finished trees, most of what I have is bonsai-in-waiting. Just coming into the first Spring/Summer (Australia) when I have "too many trees" (an inevitable and uncurable condition it seems). I have had so many questions about why/when/how to put my nursery stock, even some tube stock, in bonsai or even smaller pots. I have been troubled by seemingly heretical thoughts like "shouldn't they go into bigger pots, not smaller ones?" You have answered all my questions. Thank you. I'm coming to see the (obvious) reality that bonsai trees don't just happen, they don't just grow, they are the result of continuous design.
Thank you for this great comment and I’m happy to have been able to answer your questions. Very best of luck with your own ongoing bonsai journey 👍
@@TheBonsaiGarden Jason, I don't have the option of planting in the ground. Would you agree that as long as the pot is progressively large enough so that the roots never find the edges, and you can water and fertilize often, then you achieve the same effect?
Enjoyed that thanks
Thanks Ray, I appreciate your comment 🙏
@@TheBonsaiGarden your welcome, i enjoy your videos
This is the first lesson all beginners should learn.
Agreed 👍
Jason, thank you for this video is educated better in this hobby and lifestyle. I do have one question though. I have a Chinese Elm that is now 25 yrs old and I moved it to a way bigger bonsai pot in a effort to get the stump to thicken, but it seems my efforts are for nothing the stump has not increased in size. However, the branches are growing like crazy even in the off season because its an indoor Bonsai with really good UV lights.
Chinese elm have strong foliage and a rampant growth. We typically trim this back but leaving growth can increase the strength and growth of the tree. Think of each leaf as a solar panel feeding energy into the tree like tributaries of a river. As those rivers join it thickens and widens due to all that water pouring in. Eventually those streams become rivers, those rivers become estuaries. Trees are a lot like that.
Great video. Love the sound of your voice. Very calming!
Thank you so much!
great video.. When is the best time of year to do that first low chop?
I tend to do in late winter/early spring. At that point the stored energy starts surging back to the tree to create new buds at the cut site.
Hi Jason, only just dropped on your channel
I have a big problem, I only started with bonsai 18 months ago and have already run into the 'problems' but the biggest problem is that I am 86 yrs of age so time is not on my side. Long term projects are a no no so I need to develop nice looking bonsai quickly !!!
Please can you make a video aimed at odd bods like myself
working to a limited time scale ?
This video is without doubt one of the best I have seen and I have watched quite a few
Hi Alan, thank you for your comment. Unfortunately there is no short cut to developing bonsai and it is a long term endeavour.
However, when you buy bonsai, rather than develop it from scratch, what you are really buying is time already invested in developing those trees. Many of my own trees were bought (some inexpensively, others a bit more pricey - reflecting their years of care) from a local bonsai nursery and much of my time is just cultivating and caring for these trees already developed.
It is still worthwhile starting trees with a view to leaving them as a legacy to others to care for and take forward. 👍
Thank you Jason. I think this is a well thought out and explained video for where I am in my bonsai journey of about 5 years. Yes, i have read most of what you explained but with the comparisons it really sinks in. Not being willing to buy a tree that someone has lovingly spent years developing in the name of 'learning' bonsai, i see i have fallen into this same trap for a few of my seedlings. 😂 I have wondered about growing trees in the ground so that they produce thicker trunks faster. Does this detract from the idea of a tree growing on a rocky hillside for many years before being 'discovered' and potted. Or is it the fast paced society we live in that wants results as quick as possible?
Thanks for your comment. I think the “bonsai mindset” for developing quality trees requires longer term planning and thinking ahead than we are regularly used to.
First video!
Liked and Subscribed!
Thank you so much!!! 🥰🙏🌳🌲
My pleasure 🙏
Great video Jason.
Helped a lot fella 👍👍🙏
Cheers Andy. This was a real pain to put together 😂
thanks for the info 👍
My pleasure Richard 👍
Jason i have a question: recently planted a japanese flame seedling that had germinated and grown its first set of leaves. I dont have the space to put this tree into the ground. I have purchased a basket, at what point should i feed it, and with what NPK ratio? Thank you! Edit: this is a first stage seedling, and will be remaining indoors under a grow light until spring.
I bought one of those juniper itoigawa cuttings you see online at the start of the year. I currently have it in a small pond basket. Im considering doing an experiment where i take a cutting and ground plant it once rooted to see if it passes its mother out in terms of growth.
That’s a great experiment. Please update us with the progress 👍
I'm using a extra large pot for this reason but I may still transfer my bonsai's to the ground for spring-fall also for this reason.
Good plan
Thanx for your sharing information about Bonsai Sir.
I am from Indonesia appretiate for your hobby n activities.
Greeting one hobby Bonsai.
Greetings from the UK and thank you for your kind comment 🙏
Thanks for that great video! Could you tell me, what is the 'basket' that was used here?
This is just a perforated storage basket bought from a general hardware store. I like these in particular because they have perforations in the side and bottom which is good for aeration.
@@TheBonsaiGarden thanks so much, Jason!!
Nice video Jason 👍
Thank you 🙏
Wow I've learned so much in your short Video Sir. Thank you very much.
🙏
Excellent video. 🙏 🙏🙏 from a true beginner.
Hope it was helpful Helen 😂
Great examples to make your point.
Is there a way to avoid ending up with an ugly scar where you have been forced to chop the trunk which you have now thickened by growing rapidly in the ground rather than over many years in a more restricted container?
That’s one of the pay offs. Perhaps several more frequent trunk chops rather than on huge one?
i guess several more frequent chops could also introduce better taper and movement cheers Jason@@TheBonsaiGarden
@andrewbeattie5245 that’s my thinking 👍
Thank you , completley agree... and so question . My bonsais are in pots of various sizes . If i remove them and place in the ground , which is a great idea , will that not increase the risk of loosing them to winters frost ?
Many plants grow in the ground through winter so your bonsai should be no different. In fact the soil can act as an insulator.
Thank you very much. Could you explain, why a pine tree is not suitable as an indoor Bonsai ?
Pine trees are generally not suitable as indoor bonsai trees because they require a period of dormancy during the winter, which is difficult to replicate indoors. Additionally, they typically need more sunlight and cooler temperatures than what is typically found indoors, making it challenging to maintain their health and appearance.
😁Thank you for your quick amswer. Do you know a tree I could cultivate on a shadow balcony ?
What about those of us growing indoor tropical shrubs/trees who don't have the option of having them in the ground? Do you recommend leaving them in the regular gardening pots? Do you recommend putting them in much larger gardening pots to allow their roots to grow and then trim the roots back when transferring to the smaller bonsai setup?
I grow exclusively outdoor trees. You could try what you suggest. 👍
Thanks🤝
Thank you for watching Krisz 🙏
Hello I have been gifted an immature bonsai, that is already in a ceramic pot. Would my best approach be to replant into the ground, to thicken the trunk? Thank you for your time and expertise.
Depends on the tree but in general ground planting will help the tree grow much more rapidly.
Dear Jason, you recommand to leave the plant in the ground as long as possible. That means, even for several years, until the trunk is thick enough. But I didn't understand: when the trunk is thick enough, is this the right time to move the plant to a basket and then after few years to the bonsai pot? Or can I cut the trunk and leave the plant to develop all the time, multiple years, in the garden ground and when it has the right size (trunk and a lot of branches) move my tree to the bonsai pot? I hope you have an answer for me😊. Thank you so much for the wonderful channel😊😊😊
You can leave the tree in the ground for as long as you wish, and continue to prune and shape it in the ground. From time to time you may want to lift it out and trim back the roots so they do not become too deeply embedded. The longer it stays in the ground, the stronger and thicker it will become but if it is destined to be a bonsai tree then at some point you will need to dig it up and move it into a basket or pot for refinement. It is not an exact science but a judgement call.
Thank you 🤗
How do you manage the soil not spill out from that basket mesh?
Use a granular soil mix.
Hello Jason. Not sure how TH-cam sends suggestions on videos but I am just now seeing your channel. This is a good video and I will subscribe!
Thank you. I appreciate that 🙏
Im completely new to bonsai, i just bought a young tree, a Chaenomeles Superba Lava, its a little bit smaller than the one you show on the left at 5:40 with its nursery container/pot, the pot mine came with is about the same size as the one you show. If i understood this video correctly, it would be a good idea for me to move it into a bigger pot? Also, when should i start thinking about using wires, is that something i should do instantly, or wait a few years untill the trunk is thicker?
If you are new to bonsai I would suggest you spend the first year simply observing your tree and keeping it alive, while doing lots of research, reading and watching videos.
Great advice, thank you for sharing :-) any books that you would recommend on the subject? Thank you
Thank you.
I have done a couple of videos on book recommendations you should check out.
Bonsai Beginner Books: 5 Essential Reads for Beginners
th-cam.com/video/9-GJDUL3vaY/w-d-xo.html
Top 10 Intermediate Level Bonsai Book Recommendations 📚
th-cam.com/video/g5Bm8_bn9Tw/w-d-xo.html
Nice one, thank you :-) @@TheBonsaiGarden
Just subbed to your channel and looking forward to learning a lot!!
I am just moving to a new property and planning a Japanese garden.
I have experience with Japanese Acer trees and koi fish keeping but have always been interested in Bonsai trees.
Sounds like you are in the same journey I was only a handful of years ago. I wish you luck and years of enjoyment from all those hobbies. 👍
Well done.
Thanks James