In my 10th year of bonsai I had an attack of native borers, they killed 60 percent of my trees in three days, this was about 60 trees! It was heart breaking, the only thing that kept me going was the 40 trees that I still had alive. I realized at that point to enjoy the process of creating bonsai and to enjoy each tree day by day, as it could always be their last. I've had other trees attacked by borers since and I've never been able to save them once you see the pin hole with sawdust coming out. My last death by them was about three years ago, it was a Ginkgo. I've learned to keep the trees that attract borers out of my collection and hopefully this will help, but I'm still at the mercy of Mother Nature. TH-cam seems to be on the decline, less people are watching as more people choose TikTok and other platforms instead. My revenue from TH-cam has sharply declined this year. I never made videos to make money and at present, I'm lucky to make 30 dollars per video. This works out to about 3 dollars an hour on average! I guess that Lamborghini will have to wait! I do love making videos and luckily I'm retired and can spend time making them. Some days I wonder why I do it, especially on days where you get rude or insulting comments. TH-cam can be a lot of fun and you can make awesome friends, but it is very time consuming and some days it can be very negative. I'll be here ready for your next video, even if it is months or years from now! Take care Ben, Nigel
I knew you'd understand better than most, Nigel. I'm grateful for the connections made with people like you on this platform, because it enlivens me, and hopefully, us. You're a special friend in our parallel love of bonsai and videos. I most certainly appreciate you as ever and will keep on seeing what you're up to from time to time. Keep it wild, my friend! Ben
Nigel, I believe during the pandemic your videos were absolutely essential to my survival, here in Australia it was absolutely brutal in lockdown, my government when nuts thinking they could control it. I fortunately had 2 bonsai, one Japanese maple and a ficus Benjaminia. Well the maple passed, that hurt. But at least I still had connections via TH-cam, thank you to all.
@bonsaizone @appalachianbonsai Nigel and Ben, I really like your channel and videos. Don't let youtube drown you. Don't let hatters to hurt you. Let's do bonsai. May sound tacky but I really like you guys. But, take your time. I love to be part of your life through youtube.
Sad to hear, Nigel! I have followed your channel from the very beginning and will never move to TikTok. I just refuse to! I love my TH-cam bonsai! It's been a part of me for the last 17+ years on TH-cam, 25 all in! My channel name has changed, but you may recognize me as (Scottish Bonsai)? Anyway, I hope you are well. I lost a lot of my trees using glazed pots here, so I refuse to use them now, but that's Scotland for you! Things have been different the past two years; the weather's been crazy hot! But we're just into two weeks of rain now and thunderstorms! Great summer! So I'm needing to go cover a lot up from this! Mica and plastic training pots have been my saving grace, and when I took the loss hard, I put a lot in the ground and training pots, and they have just exploded with new growth this year! I'm not touching them until next year now; pines need some candle work, that's about it, and some wiring! I have a new white pine in customs at the moment. This is a start for me to get a nice collection going again, but it's taken a while to start back up! I remember your Ginko very well I still have mine from the same time but it's struggled up to last year and the move now it's just exploded again with new growth! Again training pot keep the roots warm! One thing I've noticed the are like me hate Cole feed haha!
its ok to take a break from youtube, but try not to get discouraged. just the fact that this channel exists is motivating to people that live in the Appalachians in my opinion. life has a way of humbling us. dont give up.
I definitely second those encouraging words. And you are doing my kind of BONSAI. Let the tree do it's thing, it is about the tree, not me Also, TH-cam™ is changing the way videos are presented, especially on a cell phone. 🙏 🖖 🙏 😔 🙏
It is no fun loosing a bonsai, no matter how old. But John Yoshio Naka told me that when you loose a tree, you gain a pot. It is very true, but a meagre consolation. Keep up the work and solder on . Greetings from Kenneth in Norway.
So sad to see what happened. Your channel has always been a calming place to go so I will miss it. At least this can be a warning to us to not take for granted that our trees are getting the light they need, we need to take another look at our local light conditions. The trees in our yards continue to grow and provide more shade than they did years ago.
Heartbreaking. But if it is of any consolation at all, think of all the people these trees have touched during their lifetime; inspired, taught and made their day a little better and happier. That is not a bad life for a tree. :)
A couple years back I lost an elm to borers, it was the oldest tree in my collection, I'd had it for nearly 20 years.. It was painful.. I've lost quite a few trees over many years of bonsai, but like you that one hurt. Great thing though, bonsai is a living art form, and death is a part of that. The journey, the memories, the relationships are just as important as the trees. Seedlings still grow into magnificent specimens. Despite the setback, you're a huge inspiration to many. I understand the break, come back when your ready, be waiting for what's next.. Thanks for the inspiration...
Finally, someone made a movie and says dead trees too. Why and what is the reason. Most of them are super plants, but no one says they lose them too. Thank you and great respect for that.
I actually find THIS to be your best video!! Everybody makes videos about stuff they enjoy. Nobody makes videos about their failures and how they react to it. Hopefully you can document your lowest moments. (I know it's insensitive of me to suggest that but hear me out) And hopefully we get to see your return, what yolearned, and how you persevered in the face of headwinds. See you soon!
I can relate. It's never a good feeling losing trees that you have invested so much time and effort in. I lost my entire collection back in February 2021 during the polar vortex freeze in Texas that lasted for a week. Keep your head up!
I live in Scotland and I once regretted using glazed pots about six years ago. I lost seven trees all at once because of them! The roots were cold, wet, and rotted. I'm using unglazed pots now and it's made a world of difference. However, what you think is a shallow pot, just step up a size and make your pot level height very limited, like two to three years reduced in pot height. Scotland is very cold and wet most of the time, so the plastic bonsai training pots are also a godsend for my training stock. As for glazed pots, I refuse point-blank to plant anything in one today! I know it's hard, but it does get better when your other trees need your loving. Don't forget them! Keep your chin up!
Don't worry about it mate. Sometimes with the best care and attention, trees just die. Whether it be root rot, dryness or just a random giving up of the ghost, they die. I completely understand your need for a break. TH-cam although enjoyable can sometimes feel like a chore, what with the need to always come up with new and interesting content. Take a break mate, refresh your mind and come back when you are ready. Cheers. Gav
One thing I learned with bonsai is that they are living things, and death is a part of life. Losing a tree is always a learning experience. Over the course of my 38 years in horticulture, when I see a dead plant, it is USUALLY a water issue... not enough, too much... and that is secondary to the soil properties.
Every year, I'll lose something to water issues. All of the sudden, the rain doesn't come when it was previously raining daily, in the Summer, and in the middle of some long shifts at work. So I end up missing some pots with the quickie watering. Just lost a water oak that had really been coming on , probably going to lose one of my elms now, maybe not. It's struggling , at least lost some sacrificial branches so far.
Thank you for this video. I suffered the same type of loss to some of my best trees two years after moving to a new location. It took some time to get over the feeling of failure. Going through a similar process of evaluating the new environment the trees were living in was healing and actually made me feel accomplished. I'll look forward to your return.
Really sorry to hear about this. I have watched quite a few of your videos over the years and found your style very relaxing. Although I have a lot of trees I have only been running a channel for 18 months and even I am finding now it can conflict with my usual care routines. It is the first time where I am missing opportunities to develop them BUT I have also gained so much from having the channel and becoming part of such a wonderful community after my wife died. This year has been unenxpectedly hard on a number of my trees too and I do wonder whether some 'unknown' or unusual environmental factors are at play. Lots of people are losing trees for no obvious reasons. Anyway I shall keep an eye out for your return and wish you all the best and especially your trees. Cheers
I can sense the emotion that your holding back.. we understand. My Hornbeam Died this year as well it was so healthy last year. It budded out then shriveled up and died and I didn't change anything it wasn't due for a repot I was just letting it grow. You are and inspiration my friend. We will be here.
Totally gutted for you it’s been such a strange time for trees not making it this year - I feel your pain - I’m sure I speak for everyone when saying we look forward to your return!! Be well and be safe.
Your pain is so palpable... it is truly heartbreaking! Most people will not understand the depth of your loss and the grief that follows it... but fellow bonsai practitioners and those who have followed your videos will understand. Allow yourself to grieve.. and then return to doing what you love. Please accept my condolences and best wishes for the future.
Best of luck with work and with your layout rejiggering. This chilly, damp spring was rough up here in Boston as well for trees large and small. Around a third of dogwoods I see in people's gardens bloomed 4-6 weeks late this year, and many trees of varying species are either dead or limping along.
I feel for you Brother. In my 52 years of doing Bonsai I have lost my entire collection once when on vacation and my drip system failed. To go into your backyard and see shelves full of brown trees brought me to tears so I imagine that you were similar. I gave up for 2 years before I could try again. We all lose trees from time to time its just a part of learning. I hope to see you soon.
Thank you for showing this struggle. Trees die. We all know that, but it doesn’t make it easier. But people need to know the ups and downs of bonsai. Sorry for your losses. Take care of you and your bonsai, and I’ll catch you when you are ready to return.
......was a fan from the first video. You have a very different approach to growing.....and your're a natural teacher.....I know from the experience of loosing many plants that the heavy metal or mineral content in the glazes used on ceramic pots can be deadly.....effecting ph levels and or blocking absorbtion of other nutrients.....the leaching out of these is even worse if they stay wet alot.......come back if you can, .......teachers of your caliber are rare these days.....best of luck.
I'm a "neighbor" in Asheville - I lost nearly 30 trees this winter. several of the trees I have been nurturing for nearly a decade. Always sad/frustrating. I try to focus on my remaining trees. Good luck to you.
New subscriber to the channel, but definitely willing to stick around and wait to see your updates. I am so sorry for the struggles that you have faced, but am very excited to see you come back with something else. I am sure that your story will not look like it did before, but it definitely will grow as you have grown in many different ways. don't give up, your story isn't finished yet.
Very sorry for your losses. I really appreciate your videos that you have made. I think most of us will be here if or when you want to come back around. Take good care. Love from Lexington, KY.
A channel does detract sometimes from your trees' development. Even though my channel is small and I've only posted a couple dozen things, I already find myself putting off needed tasks until "later" when I can set up to record. Thanks for all the content. I hope your trees get back to where you want them.
Hmm I also wonder if it might have been the soil mix with than high insight would changing the soil mix with those conditions have helped? I’d cut those row trees down and just get that afternoon sun.. all the best. I hope you get to collect again!
I lost 6 trees this year. 2 of them show trees which you have seen in Asheville shows. I don’t think it was location based. This winter we had several hard freezes that crept into spring. It devastated 40% of the landscape plants in this area. Evergreens and boxwoods took the biggest hit. Roses and a few other varieties got hit hard as well. I’ve been out of the club/show scene for a few years due to having small children and time constraints. Seeing that you lost trees as well this year makes me glad I’m not the only one and it wasn’t something I was doing wrong. Hang in there!
Absolutely gutted for you. As someone who is still very new to this and experiencing failures on my own, it's strangely comforting to see someone who I respect and have learned from, going through trials of their own. Thank you for sharing this. And I look forward to your content in the future, for when you're ready to share your successes again.
I feel this so hard. I’m a beginner, and have lost 3 of my 6 trees to various causes. I’ve had them for 4 years. It’s so, so sad. Completely ruins my day. It feels like losing a friend. Others not in the hobby might laugh at the thought of being so sad, but it, to me, is almost on par with losing a pet. They say part of bonsai is to appreciate the impermanence of beauty. It’s a principle that I’m clearly still working on, and am far from accepting.
That juniper is still beautifull. I would take that to a studio and shoot several photos of it before the foliage fell off if possible. Would make a great print. Hell take studio photos of all of them before you may get rid of them. I've always found failed trees quite attractive in thier own right.
You are the coolest and most unique bonsai master on TH-cam - the only one representing the US Southeast I know of! Greetings from a new bonsai grower in middle Georgia. Keep going!!!
This is heartbreaking to see, but also quite honestly it is a spectacular testament to you as a practitioner and communicator that you've found the energy and presence to share your perspective like this. Having lost some trees this year that are far less developed I can empathize with a fraction of the frustration you're dealing with. Take the time you need, I always enjoyed seeing a new video from you and I look forward the possibility of seeing you back someday.
A lemon tree I was growing for 17 years died on me. It had best spring in years, at the end of the summer it was dead. Like a kick in the nuts every time I think about that tree. I have made two knife handels from the remains just to prolong the "life" of it. As awkward as it sounds: I feel you man :)
So sorry to hear about your trees but I understand the need to take a break. I’ve learned a lot from you and I wish you the best of luck and see you soon.
I hasn’t lost a tree in damned near 5 years, then I lost half my collection last year after moving during record breaking heat. Still not 100% sure what happened, but all of my most expensive trees died, and some that I had since I began bonsai. I didn’t really process it at the time cause I had other distractions, but this video really hit my in the feels. I was/am far more devastated than I thought. It really pumped the breaks on my enjoyment of the hobby.
Your videos have always lent me a sense of peace in watching and listening. I am sorry to hear that they have recently not done the same for you in the making, but totally understand. Dealing with trees and vegetation in general, we are often told that working with these things is supposed to be great for stress relief, depression, etc... yet if something goes wrong, it can be deeply off-putting. Thank you for all you've done - I hope for the best for you and perhaps we'll see more from you some day!
I just watched 45 minutes of your videos with my 9 year old son. I appreciate what you do and how you do it. Life is learning. Thank you for giving us your insights. I hope you come back but take as much time as you need.
You genuinely depicted your love for this art! Aswell as respecting the following you've worked hard to acquire! As intelligent beings given life's fleeting nature we really have learn from, understand and appreciate it more because of that. To quote another great artist of nature "there's no mistakes, just happy accidents" 😊 though strong and daunting, the pressure/passion of showing (aswell as upholding) beautiful creations like you have for years, is an intoxication. I have a strong sense that wont ever die with you. Just promise you wont be like the majority of humans and allow nature to make you "unnatural". Whenever life deems it fit, I among tens of thousands will absolutely be waiting for that next upload! Best wishes Ben! You truly have made my bonsai journey that much more exciting and enjoyable. Thank you very much for all you have done. W.B.
Sorry to see you lost trees you were found of.. I also lost 6 trees this year witch including my favourite.. Hope you keep you chin up. love from Denmark.
I cant imagine losing such amazing specimens. I feel for you in this regard. It is soo hard to lose soo many years of hard work, & time we can not get back. However in practicing bonsai we learn patience & rebirth, we can only move forward & keep growing. Love your channel Ben!
I understand the feeling as I too have had trees die on me. I too was told that killing bonsai trees is the price you pay for learning the craft. I took a break from TH-cam and video making… About a month ago I returned to caring and working on my neglected trees and also started making videos. Enjoy your well deserved break.
Very sorry for your loss. Those were great trees and I know it hurts to lose them. The cool, wet spring we had was hard on a lot of plants. I lost some in the yard, I think the soil got too wet and they couldn't recover. Take care of yourself and we'll be watching for your return to TH-cam whenever you're ready.
I had a favorite tree of mine not make it through winter this year. Always heartbreaking and painful. It does make you appreciate the rest of your collection. Take your time with new videos!
don't know if it applies, and i didn't have the number of years in my trees as you, but i lost five in quick succession....the only survivor was a ficus, and after removal of the dead trees, found they all had some kind of tiny wood boring bug, didn't find the actual culprit, just very small holes/tunnels thru the trunks and heavier roots.....sorry for your losses, and good luck in all you do, have always enjoyed your videos......many props, much love
The only thing i have learnt about bonsai, its the art of letting go. This is an art of patience and there is no more absulte patience than letting go. Comming to your house and seeing that your 5 yr tree has fallen because wind and now is dead is a very zen lesson.
Thank you for talking about dead trees. The reasons why they died are interesting. So far you are the only one I have seen talking about dead and dying trees.
Really feel your pain. I can see it has hurt you deeply to lose your trees that you have loved & nurtured for years. I lost my favourite tree & couldn’t figure it out as everything else was thriving, until I realised I had put it outside after winter in a place where next door’s cat liked to mark it’s territory!! I guess it’s all a learning curve. I look forward to you coming back & will hang on until you do. Best wishes :)
Do you think you might try craving and grafting new material to some of these? Tanuki style? Is there a better soil mixture for such situations? I did lose one to a similar issue.
Oh man, we can see this was a difficult decision and we appreciate you and all that you have done for this community. This video is great because it is not just the highlights of your collection, the easy stuff. It is troubleshooting the difficult part of the process that we all go through and sharing is a great way to strengthen our community. I am fairly new to bonsai and I want to personally thank you for all of the content that you have shared and I can appreciate that you want to prioritize the trees and your life (as it should be) over the videos. I will continue to rewatch all of your great videos (seriously, I could watch your yamadori videos all day long!) and I wish you well. I will definitely remain a subscriber and hope to hear your voice again one day.
Ben, I am new to Bonsai and I am quite taken with Yamadori which seems to be your forte...Tour channel has brought me such great joy and a better understanding/inspiration of so many facets of the Bonsai life...I thank you for that and hope that with time you will be able to re-engage your channel as you have so much to offer to especially those of us just starting our journey...Most importantly though is for you to find that all encompassing passion again...The thing that drove you to such heights within the Bonsai community...You need to do this for yourself and find that inner inspiration/love for the hobby again...Until that time, I know I will be eagerly awaiting your return...If you don't return, know that your legacy of sharing of information has inspired so many followers...Find peace my friend...Thanks for sharing your journey...Sequim, WA...
Sorry to see that. I lost a very healthy Juniper Procumbins this spring. It's roots were insulated over winter. I put it in a spot out of the wind. It looked like it was starting to push new growth and then it totally browned out. I tried putting it in full shade and misting it but nothing worked. It's still sitting out in my yard.
Sorry for your loss. I’ve had a couple of trees die on me over the last year. I was told it could be soil nematodes or caterpillars eating the roots. Similar to yourself, I just don’t know. All my trees are in the same area and why one and not another? Hang in there. Thanks for the video. Craig
I subscribed not too long ago. Here I am rewarded by seeing the first bonzai video that I have seen discussing dead trees. I wish you well and I will see your next video when you post. Take your time, focus on yourself and do it right. Good luck, man! And thanks for sharing this difficult experience.
Man, what a sad situation. Sharing your misfortune deserves our greatest respect. Your inspect and adapt-attitude will for sure get you back on track and in better spirit. I will be waiting for your new content and hopefully your trademark, the banjo music intro, will return as well. Take care.
Oh man, I feel for you. The sadness in your voice was palpable. Bonsai can be brutal. We’ve all had our gut wrenching moments with loss and damage. The silver lining is that these moments are sometimes our best moments of learning. I really look forward to your next video. Your enthusiasm for bonsai has always been something that elevated me, since I found your channel. And you introduced me to Arthur Joura, who is now my favourite professional bonsai artist. His philosophy towards bonsai was a game changer for me. Thank you.
I am a nano as going into bonsai miniaturizing to evergreens. One suggestion of multiple components. Air relative humidity, and retention variation you do not monitor. the gradient of day-night temperatures is haw stomata breath and more or les affects in photosynthesis. The 3 is metabolism/transportation to deal with. Understanding all 3(C3, C4, CAM) and what help and brings to stagnant was my goal to not have empty pots. Focus on before bonsai doing use extensive a scale to prevent higher retention. A good sensor of air humidity and digital info will eliminate big losses. Evaporation around from under I use to evergreens. All the best in the future!. ESL.
I feel really sorry for what happened to those trees though I experienced death of my trees that were only a year or two in training but I can imagine that it has to be really hard to cope with the fact that they just won't grow anymore.😢 I know it might feel discouraging and demotivating but it shouldn't stop you from making more videos. I understand one needs a break after this but I will be looking forward to see more from you. I personaly love your videos and I love them even more than from other bonsai artists. I'd maybe even say some of them are the best I've seen so far and for example the one with the hornbeam repoting I've seen like 15 times, if not more, because I simply just liked it so much. 👍🏼🌳 I will be looking forward to see more of your videos and I'm sure there will be more because, as you say in every video, like and subscribe because there's more to come. 😊
It was very sad to watch your video presentation but also very informative. I live in the United Kingdom and like you last year I lost several of my trees and also had to look at WHY! What did I do wrong, mine I felt was down to a very severe summer here in UK and poor watering on my part (too much not too little). I found it a very sobering experience. I've always enjoyed watching your videos and watching how you collect and care for your trees, thank you so much for taking the time to allow myself and others to share your passion take care of yourself and hopefully we will see you in the future!
Tough break man!! As a rookie I got hit with scale bugs and didn’t know what to do and I lost all my trees to that nasty pest I was left with two trees!! This is obviously more complicated then that I don’t think I would have figured out what went wrong even with the knowledge I have now!! This was a good video to learn from!! And dude im sorry for your losses!!
Im late to the parting video but will say that I always enjoyed everything you do. As Nigel points out, fewer people watching but you have loyal fans and I count myself among them. I will be going back again and again to review yours. Keep finding peace with your trees, with your life. It is too short to feel pressure instead of pleasure with the trees.
Uff ... damn. Sorry for your loss. I can feel your pain. Please don't give up and please come back soon. We love what you do and the way you do that. Greets and best wishes from Germany
It is hard man. I lost a 'Alba' Wisteria this year. Never leafed out or in spots it did once about an inch long died. The cause was Ambrosia beetle. So I had to have a funeral of burning. You go do you. Reconnect with your trees, teach and enjoy your time at the Arboretum. I can speak for myself in that I will be here when you return. Maybe some day meet ya at the Arboretum. Miss going up there. All the best bonsai brother ☮️❤️☯️
You probably won't read this but from my experience we had the perfect storm this year. I lost 80% of my collection and many potted Japanese maples which I collect along with several other potted trees. The issue was 2fold. That real bad cold we had for like a week. The trees weren't all the way asleep when it hit. Then it hit so suddenly (dropped 40 degrees in a matter of 2 hours). Then it stayed way below freesia for sn extended period of time which is really hard on roots in a pot because they freeze and stay frozen for so long they die. Then early spring trees was pushing sap and we had a hard hard freeze here in East Tennessee. Back to back insults. Keep your head up. I feel your pain brother but this too shall pass
I have really enjoyed your channel and will miss seeing you on youtube. The experiment you did with bonsai soil and moisture was so interesting! And I like how you worked on trees from your area. So sorry you lost some of your oldest and favorite trees. Best to you, Diana
First of all, thank you for taking the time to make the videos you have. I can't imagine taking the time to document the work you do to trees and editing. I hope to see more videos in the future from you. But i completely understand, life takes priority. Secondly, I too also lost trees this year. Probably close to 50, mostly 2 or 3 or old seedlings but a several older, nicer trees. I live in WV, so similar weather as you, i would think. But I believe the cause of so many dead trees, was that extreme cold spell we had. I remember one day, the temp dropped something like 40 degrees in a matter of hours. Followed by several days, maybe a week of single digit or even below 0 temps at nights. And not much warmer during the days. I really think it was the cold. Almost all of my trees that died, everything below the soil surface died, turned brown and mushy . But from the soil line up, under the bark was still green. It just killed the roots. I have a American beech that just now leafed out, tiny leaves, i bet all or almost all of the roots are dead and it is just using the energy that was stored in the trunk. If, say only 25% of the roots survived, they would stay too wet and rot because there are not enough roots to dry the soil out. The tree can't use enough water to live or to dry the soil out. If it wasn't the extreme cold, i really want to know what caused it. Thanks for sharing, it makes me feel better, that i wasn't the only one. As bad as that sounds. 😊
Sorry that it happened. If you don't mind I'd like to suggest that you tried to develop your collected trees a little too quickly. After surviving collection I think it would be best to let them grow unpruned for several years to fully recover the root balls, but you're already pruning for developing the structure within a year or 2. Sometimes you may get away with it, but other times the trees will gradually weaken until they can't continue.
I agree. It also seems to maybe be a fertilizer problem. I killed off about 6 or 7 trees in my 3rd year, all in one shot. I was using the wrong fert and applied way too much. How orange that juniper was seems to be the case. Rather than it just being golden and or yellow looking. And like you said. “The first year they sleep, the second year they creep and the 3rd year they leap” so the 4th year is when you ideally would want to start working them. I’m also not sure about his soil mixture but we all know that different substrates work for different people. But who knows. If you see this man. I am so sorry for you loss!!!!
I’ve also lost a batch of trees one time due to not watering for a few days while on vacation. The person I trusted with it, didn’t water my trees at all.
I respect any Bonsai channel that shares their failures & mistakes. Theres a things that can only be learn from failure & mistake. Anyway, looking at the dead Juniper that means some really wrong had happened. Juniper is a great indicator for problem. Water drain slower from a shallow pot but the Juniper is still dead despite having a relatively deeper pot than other dead trees. All the dead tree have a shallower pot than the comparison tree. Its a combination of multiple factors that killed these trees & Drainage is definitely one of the factors.
Hi Ben..thanks for sharing. I had a similar result this year with some trees never waking up from a repot and others doing just fine. In my case root rot was also what got them but still not sure why some but not others. I think a few went into winter weak and were less protected during an unseasonably warm winter with a few days that we unseasonably cold. I will probably never know all the causes but I am nervous going into repotting next year. Best of luck and enjoy the journey. Mike
Damn man. I hate for that to have happened. I met you last year at the silhouette show and awkwardly told you that your channel got me back into bonsai. I've had a lot of ups and downs after getting back into the lifestyle. Last year I pruned my hinoki too hard at the wrong time of the year. It didn't survive and I ultimately had to let it go this spring. It was one of my best trees. It taught me all kinds of lessons as I grew in my practice all the way to its very end. I've killed other trees, but this one hurt. I know it sucks now, but you'll learn and grow from this experience. Take some time off to reflect, but selfishly I hope that your hiatus doesn't last for too long.
Definitely sad news, with no words to convey hope and encouragement. This sadness comes as a price of working living art. Personally have gone thru with these sorrowful events. Very true what you have sadly experienced, with root rotting and the consequences of very low sunshine on your site. Take your time off and enjoy your schooling. Hope you are soon able to return to your planas and your channel.
Devastating losses. As silly as it sounds, I thought of that hornbeam and viburnum regularly. Notifications from your channel are like Christmas morning for me. I hope at some point you’ll have time to come back, but totally understand that you have to prioritize your time and energy. Good luck figuring out the environmental issues, fingers crossed you don’t lose any more. It’s all part of the process, nobody ever said bonsai is easy.
I've been subscribed for a while now and will continue to subscribe for when you're ready to come back. I really enjoy the videos, you obviously put a lot of yourself, your time and energy into your trees and the videos you make. Don't let this set you back too far
I heartbreakingly liked this video. I honestly cried. I most certainly laughed, (If you're not killing trees, you're doing it wrong!). I've learned so much from you, Nigel, Bjorn, and others. I have definitely killed a few trees and forgotten to proceed horticulturally a few times. My Frankenstein experiments; those that lived and those that died lie scattered throughout my yard. I felt a pang of guilt about the decline in viewership, but I also deeply feel your comment about reconnecting with your trees. For me, part of not watching was the result of saying, I've reached the point where I need to put down the book, pause the video and start DOING. I check in now and then, but you have always spoken on a deeper level that just "how to", "technique", "aftercare", etc. Ben, sincerely, thank you! Ciaran.
😪Sad to have a tree die or lots of them. Hard to explain to them that they could just adjust. You deal with all that moisture. I am in Idaho where I have to deal with lack of moisture and hammering sun. Both are dangerous to the trees. Don't care what anyone says. I always feel guilty and bad when one of them dies or declines and threatens to die. I will miss you until you return. Jelle took a break as well. You invest so very much in channel content production, it's a wonder the trees ever get worked on. Here's looking forward to your return. And I plan on going back to revisit all your videos. Thanks!
I repotted my prized Engleman Spruce (Randy Knight & Co,) and my prized Hornbeam (collected by me locally). Lost the former outright, planted the latter in the ground after I was sure it was dead, an it's got new leaves right now. I'm not going to use pure crushed brick for refining/repotting anymore. Safetysorb is my new refining/repoting substrate. But,yes, I have great empathy for your situation, and i understand the break. Take care of yourself, Brother!
I'm on Mds eastern shore and have the same thing happening ...30yr old desojo had half it branches die, no new growth. Many garden trees doing the same. It's a tough year
In my 10th year of bonsai I had an attack of native borers, they killed 60 percent of my trees in three days, this was about 60 trees! It was heart breaking, the only thing that kept me going was the 40 trees that I still had alive. I realized at that point to enjoy the process of creating bonsai and to enjoy each tree day by day, as it could always be their last. I've had other trees attacked by borers since and I've never been able to save them once you see the pin hole with sawdust coming out. My last death by them was about three years ago, it was a Ginkgo. I've learned to keep the trees that attract borers out of my collection and hopefully this will help, but I'm still at the mercy of Mother Nature.
TH-cam seems to be on the decline, less people are watching as more people choose TikTok and other platforms instead. My revenue from TH-cam has sharply declined this year. I never made videos to make money and at present, I'm lucky to make 30 dollars per video. This works out to about 3 dollars an hour on average! I guess that Lamborghini will have to wait!
I do love making videos and luckily I'm retired and can spend time making them. Some days I wonder why I do it, especially on days where you get rude or insulting comments. TH-cam can be a lot of fun and you can make awesome friends, but it is very time consuming and some days it can be very negative.
I'll be here ready for your next video, even if it is months or years from now!
Take care Ben,
Nigel
I knew you'd understand better than most, Nigel. I'm grateful for the connections made with people like you on this platform, because it enlivens me, and hopefully, us. You're a special friend in our parallel love of bonsai and videos. I most certainly appreciate you as ever and will keep on seeing what you're up to from time to time.
Keep it wild, my friend! Ben
@@AppalachianBonsai Thanks my friend!
Nigel, I believe during the pandemic your videos were absolutely essential to my survival, here in Australia it was absolutely brutal in lockdown, my government when nuts thinking they could control it. I fortunately had 2 bonsai, one Japanese maple and a ficus Benjaminia. Well the maple passed, that hurt. But at least I still had connections via TH-cam, thank you to all.
@bonsaizone @appalachianbonsai Nigel and Ben, I really like your channel and videos. Don't let youtube drown you. Don't let hatters to hurt you. Let's do bonsai. May sound tacky but I really like you guys. But, take your time. I love to be part of your life through youtube.
Sad to hear, Nigel! I have followed your channel from the very beginning and will never move to TikTok. I just refuse to! I love my TH-cam bonsai! It's been a part of me for the last 17+ years on TH-cam, 25 all in! My channel name has changed, but you may recognize me as (Scottish Bonsai)? Anyway, I hope you are well. I lost a lot of my trees using glazed pots here, so I refuse to use them now, but that's Scotland for you! Things have been different the past two years; the weather's been crazy hot! But we're just into two weeks of rain now and thunderstorms! Great summer! So I'm needing to go cover a lot up from this! Mica and plastic training pots have been my saving grace, and when I took the loss hard, I put a lot in the ground and training pots, and they have just exploded with new growth this year! I'm not touching them until next year now; pines need some candle work, that's about it, and some wiring! I have a new white pine in customs at the moment. This is a start for me to get a nice collection going again, but it's taken a while to start back up! I remember your Ginko very well I still have mine from the same time but it's struggled up to last year and the move now it's just exploded again with new growth! Again training pot keep the roots warm! One thing I've noticed the are like me hate Cole feed haha!
its ok to take a break from youtube, but try not to get discouraged. just the fact that this channel exists is motivating to people that live in the Appalachians in my opinion. life has a way of humbling us. dont give up.
I definitely second those encouraging words. And you are doing my kind of BONSAI. Let the tree do it's thing, it is about the tree, not me
Also, TH-cam™ is changing the way videos are presented, especially on a cell phone.
🙏 🖖 🙏 😔 🙏
It is no fun loosing a bonsai, no matter how old. But John Yoshio Naka told me that when you loose a tree, you gain a pot. It is very true, but a meagre consolation. Keep up the work and solder on . Greetings from Kenneth in Norway.
Thanks for doing this one. You only see the successes, never the fails.
Appreciate you sharing your journey with us. The failures are just as important to see as the successes. Take care!
So sad to see what happened. Your channel has always been a calming place to go so I will miss it. At least this can be a warning to us to not take for granted that our trees are getting the light they need, we need to take another look at our local light conditions. The trees in our yards continue to grow and provide more shade than they did years ago.
Heartbreaking. But if it is of any consolation at all, think of all the people these trees have touched during their lifetime; inspired, taught and made their day a little better and happier. That is not a bad life for a tree. :)
A couple years back I lost an elm to borers, it was the oldest tree in my collection, I'd had it for nearly 20 years.. It was painful.. I've lost quite a few trees over many years of bonsai, but like you that one hurt. Great thing though, bonsai is a living art form, and death is a part of that. The journey, the memories, the relationships are just as important as the trees. Seedlings still grow into magnificent specimens. Despite the setback, you're a huge inspiration to many. I understand the break, come back when your ready, be waiting for what's next.. Thanks for the inspiration...
Finally, someone made a movie and says dead trees too. Why and what is the reason. Most of them are super plants, but no one says they lose them too. Thank you and great respect for that.
I actually find THIS to be your best video!! Everybody makes videos about stuff they enjoy.
Nobody makes videos about their failures and how they react to it.
Hopefully you can document your lowest moments. (I know it's insensitive of me to suggest that but hear me out)
And hopefully we get to see your return, what yolearned, and how you persevered in the face of headwinds.
See you soon!
I can relate. It's never a good feeling losing trees that you have invested so much time and effort in. I lost my entire collection back in February 2021 during the polar vortex freeze in Texas that lasted for a week. Keep your head up!
I live in Scotland and I once regretted using glazed pots about six years ago. I lost seven trees all at once because of them! The roots were cold, wet, and rotted. I'm using unglazed pots now and it's made a world of difference. However, what you think is a shallow pot, just step up a size and make your pot level height very limited, like two to three years reduced in pot height. Scotland is very cold and wet most of the time, so the plastic bonsai training pots are also a godsend for my training stock. As for glazed pots, I refuse point-blank to plant anything in one today! I know it's hard, but it does get better when your other trees need your loving. Don't forget them! Keep your chin up!
I also lost trees this spring. About 20 of them. It’s been tough to get back in mood for bonsai this year
Don't worry about it mate. Sometimes with the best care and attention, trees just die. Whether it be root rot, dryness or just a random giving up of the ghost, they die.
I completely understand your need for a break. TH-cam although enjoyable can sometimes feel like a chore, what with the need to always come up with new and interesting content. Take a break mate, refresh your mind and come back when you are ready.
Cheers.
Gav
I'm so incredibly saddened by your loss, and your struggle. You deserve levity, peace and freedom.
One thing I learned with bonsai is that they are living things, and death is a part of life. Losing a tree is always a learning experience.
Over the course of my 38 years in horticulture, when I see a dead plant, it is USUALLY a water issue... not enough, too much... and that is secondary to the soil properties.
Every year, I'll lose something to water issues. All of the sudden, the rain doesn't come when it was previously raining daily, in the Summer, and in the middle of some long shifts at work. So I end up missing some pots with the quickie watering. Just lost a water oak that had really been coming on , probably going to lose one of my elms now, maybe not. It's struggling , at least lost some sacrificial branches so far.
Thank you for this video. I suffered the same type of loss to some of my best trees two years after moving to a new location. It took some time to get over the feeling of failure. Going through a similar process of evaluating the new environment the trees were living in was healing and actually made me feel accomplished. I'll look forward to your return.
Really sorry to hear about this. I have watched quite a few of your videos over the years and found your style very relaxing. Although I have a lot of trees I have only been running a channel for 18 months and even I am finding now it can conflict with my usual care routines. It is the first time where I am missing opportunities to develop them BUT I have also gained so much from having the channel and becoming part of such a wonderful community after my wife died. This year has been unenxpectedly hard on a number of my trees too and I do wonder whether some 'unknown' or unusual environmental factors are at play. Lots of people are losing trees for no obvious reasons. Anyway I shall keep an eye out for your return and wish you all the best and especially your trees. Cheers
I can sense the emotion that your holding back.. we understand. My Hornbeam Died this year as well it was so healthy last year. It budded out then shriveled up and died and I didn't change anything it wasn't due for a repot I was just letting it grow. You are and inspiration my friend. We will be here.
Totally gutted for you it’s been such a strange time for trees not making it this year - I feel your pain - I’m sure I speak for everyone when saying we look forward to your return!! Be well and be safe.
Your pain is so palpable... it is truly heartbreaking! Most people will not understand the depth of your loss and the grief that follows it... but fellow bonsai practitioners and those who have followed your videos will understand. Allow yourself to grieve.. and then return to doing what you love. Please accept my condolences and best wishes for the future.
Best of luck with work and with your layout rejiggering. This chilly, damp spring was rough up here in Boston as well for trees large and small. Around a third of dogwoods I see in people's gardens bloomed 4-6 weeks late this year, and many trees of varying species are either dead or limping along.
I feel for you Brother. In my 52 years of doing Bonsai I have lost my entire collection once when on vacation and my drip system failed. To go into your backyard and see shelves full of brown trees brought me to tears so I imagine that you were similar. I gave up for 2 years before I could try again. We all lose trees from time to time its just a part of learning. I hope to see you soon.
Thank you for showing this struggle. Trees die. We all know that, but it doesn’t make it easier. But people need to know the ups and downs of bonsai. Sorry for your losses. Take care of you and your bonsai, and I’ll catch you when you are ready to return.
......was a fan from the first video. You have a very different approach to growing.....and your're a natural teacher.....I know from the experience of loosing many plants that the heavy metal or mineral content in the glazes used on ceramic pots can be deadly.....effecting ph levels and or blocking absorbtion of other nutrients.....the leaching out of these is even worse if they stay wet alot.......come back if you can, .......teachers of your caliber are rare these days.....best of luck.
I'm a "neighbor" in Asheville - I lost nearly 30 trees this winter. several of the trees I have been nurturing for nearly a decade. Always sad/frustrating. I try to focus on my remaining trees. Good luck to you.
You have my sympathy. I lost my favourite chinese elm this spring that I had been growing for 30 years. Heart breaking.
Bonsai is an art that is never finished, only death can complete it. death is your success who has faithfully cared for it to the end
New subscriber to the channel, but definitely willing to stick around and wait to see your updates. I am so sorry for the struggles that you have faced, but am very excited to see you come back with something else. I am sure that your story will not look like it did before, but it definitely will grow as you have grown in many different ways. don't give up, your story isn't finished yet.
Very sorry for your losses. I really appreciate your videos that you have made. I think most of us will be here if or when you want to come back around. Take good care. Love from Lexington, KY.
A channel does detract sometimes from your trees' development. Even though my channel is small and I've only posted a couple dozen things, I already find myself putting off needed tasks until "later" when I can set up to record. Thanks for all the content. I hope your trees get back to where you want them.
Hmm I also wonder if it might have been the soil mix with than high insight would changing the soil mix with those conditions have helped? I’d cut those row trees down and just get that afternoon sun.. all the best. I hope you get to collect again!
I feel your pain. I love your channel and will look forward to you coming back refreshed in the future🤞
I lost 6 trees this year. 2 of them show trees which you have seen in Asheville shows. I don’t think it was location based. This winter we had several hard freezes that crept into spring. It devastated 40% of the landscape plants in this area. Evergreens and boxwoods took the biggest hit. Roses and a few other varieties got hit hard as well. I’ve been out of the club/show scene for a few years due to having small children and time constraints. Seeing that you lost trees as well this year makes me glad I’m not the only one and it wasn’t something I was doing wrong.
Hang in there!
Absolutely gutted for you. As someone who is still very new to this and experiencing failures on my own, it's strangely comforting to see someone who I respect and have learned from, going through trials of their own. Thank you for sharing this. And I look forward to your content in the future, for when you're ready to share your successes again.
I feel this so hard. I’m a beginner, and have lost 3 of my 6 trees to various causes. I’ve had them for 4 years. It’s so, so sad. Completely ruins my day. It feels like losing a friend. Others not in the hobby might laugh at the thought of being so sad, but it, to me, is almost on par with losing a pet.
They say part of bonsai is to appreciate the impermanence of beauty. It’s a principle that I’m clearly still working on, and am far from accepting.
That juniper is still beautifull. I would take that to a studio and shoot several photos of it before the foliage fell off if possible. Would make a great print. Hell take studio photos of all of them before you may get rid of them. I've always found failed trees quite attractive in thier own right.
You are the coolest and most unique bonsai master on TH-cam - the only one representing the US Southeast I know of! Greetings from a new bonsai grower in middle Georgia. Keep going!!!
Tough pill to swallow. Good luck for the future, I've always regarded you as one of the better bonsai channels!
This is heartbreaking to see, but also quite honestly it is a spectacular testament to you as a practitioner and communicator that you've found the energy and presence to share your perspective like this. Having lost some trees this year that are far less developed I can empathize with a fraction of the frustration you're dealing with. Take the time you need, I always enjoyed seeing a new video from you and I look forward the possibility of seeing you back someday.
A lemon tree I was growing for 17 years died on me. It had best spring in years, at the end of the summer it was dead.
Like a kick in the nuts every time I think about that tree.
I have made two knife handels from the remains just to prolong the "life" of it.
As awkward as it sounds: I feel you man :)
Love it
So sorry to hear about your trees but I understand the need to take a break. I’ve learned a lot from you and I wish you the best of luck and see you soon.
I hasn’t lost a tree in damned near 5 years, then I lost half my collection last year after moving during record breaking heat. Still not 100% sure what happened, but all of my most expensive trees died, and some that I had since I began bonsai. I didn’t really process it at the time cause I had other distractions, but this video really hit my in the feels. I was/am far more devastated than I thought. It really pumped the breaks on my enjoyment of the hobby.
Your videos have always lent me a sense of peace in watching and listening. I am sorry to hear that they have recently not done the same for you in the making, but totally understand. Dealing with trees and vegetation in general, we are often told that working with these things is supposed to be great for stress relief, depression, etc... yet if something goes wrong, it can be deeply off-putting.
Thank you for all you've done - I hope for the best for you and perhaps we'll see more from you some day!
I just watched 45 minutes of your videos with my 9 year old son. I appreciate what you do and how you do it. Life is learning. Thank you for giving us your insights. I hope you come back but take as much time as you need.
You genuinely depicted your love for this art! Aswell as respecting the following you've worked hard to acquire! As intelligent beings given life's fleeting nature we really have learn from, understand and appreciate it more because of that. To quote another great artist of nature "there's no mistakes, just happy accidents" 😊 though strong and daunting, the pressure/passion of showing (aswell as upholding) beautiful creations like you have for years, is an intoxication. I have a strong sense that wont ever die with you. Just promise you wont be like the majority of humans and allow nature to make you "unnatural". Whenever life deems it fit, I among tens of thousands will absolutely be waiting for that next upload! Best wishes Ben! You truly have made my bonsai journey that much more exciting and enjoyable. Thank you very much for all you have done.
W.B.
Sorry to see you lost trees you were found of..
I also lost 6 trees this year witch including my favourite..
Hope you keep you chin up. love from Denmark.
I cant imagine losing such amazing specimens. I feel for you in this regard. It is soo hard to lose soo many years of hard work, & time we can not get back. However in practicing bonsai we learn patience & rebirth, we can only move forward & keep growing. Love your channel Ben!
Bummer. I’ve had trees die, and man it’s a gutting feeling. I love your channel. You definitely inspired me to get more serious about bonsai!
You help me learn dont stop thank you for your help and for always answering my questions
I understand the feeling as I too have had trees die on me. I too was told that killing bonsai trees is the price you pay for learning the craft.
I took a break from TH-cam and video making…
About a month ago I returned to caring and working on my neglected trees and also started making videos.
Enjoy your well deserved break.
Very sorry for your loss. Those were great trees and I know it hurts to lose them. The cool, wet spring we had was hard on a lot of plants. I lost some in the yard, I think the soil got too wet and they couldn't recover. Take care of yourself and we'll be watching for your return to TH-cam whenever you're ready.
This was tough to watch, and clearly tough for you to make. Thank you for sharing it. Will 100% be here when there is more to come.
Damn brother. We are used to lose trees, but its never easy. Best of luck in your endeavors.
I had a favorite tree of mine not make it through winter this year. Always heartbreaking and painful. It does make you appreciate the rest of your collection.
Take your time with new videos!
don't know if it applies, and i didn't have the number of years in my trees as you, but i lost five in quick succession....the only survivor was a ficus, and after removal of the dead trees, found they all had some kind of tiny wood boring bug, didn't find the actual culprit, just very small holes/tunnels thru the trunks and heavier roots.....sorry for your losses, and good luck in all you do, have always enjoyed your videos......many props, much love
Sorry for your loss sir. I've lost some great trees, hurts every time.
The only thing i have learnt about bonsai, its the art of letting go.
This is an art of patience and there is no more absulte patience than letting go.
Comming to your house and seeing that your 5 yr tree has fallen because wind and now is dead is a very zen lesson.
Thank you for talking about dead trees. The reasons why they died are interesting. So far you are the only one I have seen talking about dead and dying trees.
Really feel your pain. I can see it has hurt you deeply to lose your trees that you have loved & nurtured for years. I lost my favourite tree & couldn’t figure it out as everything else was thriving, until I realised I had put it outside after winter in a place where next door’s cat liked to mark it’s territory!! I guess it’s all a learning curve. I look forward to you coming back & will hang on until you do. Best wishes :)
Do you think you might try craving and grafting new material to some of these? Tanuki style? Is there a better soil mixture for such situations? I did lose one to a similar issue.
Oh man, we can see this was a difficult decision and we appreciate you and all that you have done for this community. This video is great because it is not just the highlights of your collection, the easy stuff. It is troubleshooting the difficult part of the process that we all go through and sharing is a great way to strengthen our community. I am fairly new to bonsai and I want to personally thank you for all of the content that you have shared and I can appreciate that you want to prioritize the trees and your life (as it should be) over the videos. I will continue to rewatch all of your great videos (seriously, I could watch your yamadori videos all day long!) and I wish you well. I will definitely remain a subscriber and hope to hear your voice again one day.
Ben, I am new to Bonsai and I am quite taken with Yamadori which seems to be your forte...Tour channel has brought me such great joy and a better understanding/inspiration of so many facets of the Bonsai life...I thank you for that and hope that with time you will be able to re-engage your channel as you have so much to offer to especially those of us just starting our journey...Most importantly though is for you to find that all encompassing passion again...The thing that drove you to such heights within the Bonsai community...You need to do this for yourself and find that inner inspiration/love for the hobby again...Until that time, I know I will be eagerly awaiting your return...If you don't return, know that your legacy of sharing of information has inspired so many followers...Find peace my friend...Thanks for sharing your journey...Sequim, WA...
Sorry to see that. I lost a very healthy Juniper Procumbins this spring. It's roots were insulated over winter. I put it in a spot out of the wind. It looked like it was starting to push new growth and then it totally browned out. I tried putting it in full shade and misting it but nothing worked. It's still sitting out in my yard.
Sorry for your loss. I’ve had a couple of trees die on me over the last year. I was told it could be soil nematodes or caterpillars eating the roots. Similar to yourself, I just don’t know. All my trees are in the same area and why one and not another? Hang in there. Thanks for the video. Craig
I subscribed not too long ago. Here I am rewarded by seeing the first bonzai video that I have seen discussing dead trees.
I wish you well and I will see your next video when you post. Take your time, focus on yourself and do it right. Good luck, man!
And thanks for sharing this difficult experience.
Man, what a sad situation. Sharing your misfortune deserves our greatest respect.
Your inspect and adapt-attitude will for sure get you back on track and in better spirit.
I will be waiting for your new content and hopefully your trademark, the banjo music intro, will return as well.
Take care.
Oh man, I feel for you. The sadness in your voice was palpable. Bonsai can be brutal. We’ve all had our gut wrenching moments with loss and damage. The silver lining is that these moments are sometimes our best moments of learning. I really look forward to your next video. Your enthusiasm for bonsai has always been something that elevated me, since I found your channel. And you introduced me to Arthur Joura, who is now my favourite professional bonsai artist. His philosophy towards bonsai was a game changer for me. Thank you.
I am a nano as going into bonsai miniaturizing to evergreens. One suggestion of multiple components. Air relative humidity, and retention variation you do not monitor. the gradient of day-night temperatures is haw stomata breath and more or les affects in photosynthesis. The 3 is metabolism/transportation to deal with. Understanding all 3(C3, C4, CAM) and what help and brings to stagnant was my goal to not have empty pots. Focus on before bonsai doing use extensive a scale to prevent higher retention. A good sensor of air humidity and digital info will eliminate big losses. Evaporation around from under I use to evergreens. All the best in the future!. ESL.
I feel really sorry for what happened to those trees though I experienced death of my trees that were only a year or two in training but I can imagine that it has to be really hard to cope with the fact that they just won't grow anymore.😢 I know it might feel discouraging and demotivating but it shouldn't stop you from making more videos. I understand one needs a break after this but I will be looking forward to see more from you. I personaly love your videos and I love them even more than from other bonsai artists. I'd maybe even say some of them are the best I've seen so far and for example the one with the hornbeam repoting I've seen like 15 times, if not more, because I simply just liked it so much. 👍🏼🌳 I will be looking forward to see more of your videos and I'm sure there will be more because, as you say in every video, like and subscribe because there's more to come. 😊
Thanks for sharing these errors, it helps the community as much as good advice. I hope you can let them go and bounce back. Take care.
It was very sad to watch your video presentation but also very informative. I live in the United Kingdom and like you last year I lost several of my trees and also had to look at WHY! What did I do wrong, mine I felt was down to a very severe summer here in UK and poor watering on my part (too much not too little). I found it a very sobering experience. I've always enjoyed watching your videos and watching how you collect and care for your trees, thank you so much for taking the time to allow myself and others to share your passion take care of yourself and hopefully we will see you in the future!
Tough break man!! As a rookie I got hit with scale bugs and didn’t know what to do and I lost all my trees to that nasty pest I was left with two trees!! This is obviously more complicated then that I don’t think I would have figured out what went wrong even with the knowledge I have now!! This was a good video to learn from!! And dude im sorry for your losses!!
Ben - it was great to meet you in Cincinnati. I hope the collection day wasn't too cold. Thank you so much for making the trip.
I also lost a 4 year old crab apple i grew from a seed and 3 Birch this year. It helped when you said it wasnt time wasted.
Man... that is why i recover from my loss :)
Im late to the parting video but will say that I always enjoyed everything you do. As Nigel points out, fewer people watching but you have loyal fans and I count myself among them. I will be going back again and again to review yours. Keep finding peace with your trees, with your life. It is too short to feel pressure instead of pleasure with the trees.
Uff ... damn. Sorry for your loss. I can feel your pain. Please don't give up and please come back soon. We love what you do and the way you do that. Greets and best wishes from Germany
It is hard man. I lost a 'Alba' Wisteria this year. Never leafed out or in spots it did once about an inch long died. The cause was Ambrosia beetle. So I had to have a funeral of burning.
You go do you. Reconnect with your trees, teach and enjoy your time at the Arboretum. I can speak for myself in that I will be here when you return. Maybe some day meet ya at the Arboretum. Miss going up there. All the best bonsai brother ☮️❤️☯️
Boy, I get it. I’m so sorry. I had a 15 yr old orange tree that one of my students planted from his snack. Broken hearted as well.
You probably won't read this but from my experience we had the perfect storm this year. I lost 80% of my collection and many potted Japanese maples which I collect along with several other potted trees. The issue was 2fold. That real bad cold we had for like a week. The trees weren't all the way asleep when it hit. Then it hit so suddenly (dropped 40 degrees in a matter of 2 hours). Then it stayed way below freesia for sn extended period of time which is really hard on roots in a pot because they freeze and stay frozen for so long they die.
Then early spring trees was pushing sap and we had a hard hard freeze here in East Tennessee. Back to back insults. Keep your head up. I feel your pain brother but this too shall pass
I have really enjoyed your channel and will miss seeing you on youtube. The experiment you did with bonsai soil and moisture was so interesting! And I like how you worked on trees from your area. So sorry you lost some of your oldest and favorite trees. Best to you, Diana
First of all, thank you for taking the time to make the videos you have. I can't imagine taking the time to document the work you do to trees and editing. I hope to see more videos in the future from you. But i completely understand, life takes priority. Secondly, I too also lost trees this year. Probably close to 50, mostly 2 or 3 or old seedlings but a several older, nicer trees. I live in WV, so similar weather as you, i would think. But I believe the cause of so many dead trees, was that extreme cold spell we had. I remember one day, the temp dropped something like 40 degrees in a matter of hours. Followed by several days, maybe a week of single digit or even below 0 temps at nights. And not much warmer during the days. I really think it was the cold. Almost all of my trees that died, everything below the soil surface died, turned brown and mushy . But from the soil line up, under the bark was still green. It just killed the roots. I have a American beech that just now leafed out, tiny leaves, i bet all or almost all of the roots are dead and it is just using the energy that was stored in the trunk. If, say only 25% of the roots survived, they would stay too wet and rot because there are not enough roots to dry the soil out. The tree can't use enough water to live or to dry the soil out. If it wasn't the extreme cold, i really want to know what caused it. Thanks for sharing, it makes me feel better, that i wasn't the only one. As bad as that sounds. 😊
That sucks man.Its rough losing trees.Come back when you feel it.Good luck!
your videos have always been an inspiration and comfort to me. i'm so sorry for your loss, and wish you all the best!
Maybe spaghnum moss around the dogwood roots to up the oxygen content. Good luck and peace
Sorry that it happened. If you don't mind I'd like to suggest that you tried to develop your collected trees a little too quickly. After surviving collection I think it would be best to let them grow unpruned for several years to fully recover the root balls, but you're already pruning for developing the structure within a year or 2. Sometimes you may get away with it, but other times the trees will gradually weaken until they can't continue.
I agree. It also seems to maybe be a fertilizer problem. I killed off about 6 or 7 trees in my 3rd year, all in one shot. I was using the wrong fert and applied way too much. How orange that juniper was seems to be the case. Rather than it just being golden and or yellow looking. And like you said. “The first year they sleep, the second year they creep and the 3rd year they leap” so the 4th year is when you ideally would want to start working them. I’m also not sure about his soil mixture but we all know that different substrates work for different people. But who knows. If you see this man. I am so sorry for you loss!!!!
I’ve also lost a batch of trees one time due to not watering for a few days while on vacation. The person I trusted with it, didn’t water my trees at all.
Such wise sentiments. My condolences for your losses. It's never fun when that happens.
of course i wont give up on your channel. all the best to you and i will watch for your next !
Thanks for all, I really appreciate your work. I hope to see you again in a near future. Regards from Spain!
I respect any Bonsai channel that shares their failures & mistakes. Theres a things that can only be learn from failure & mistake. Anyway, looking at the dead Juniper that means some really wrong had happened. Juniper is a great indicator for problem.
Water drain slower from a shallow pot but the Juniper is still dead despite having a relatively deeper pot than other dead trees.
All the dead tree have a shallower pot than the comparison tree. Its a combination of multiple factors that killed these trees & Drainage is definitely one of the factors.
Hi Ben..thanks for sharing. I had a similar result this year with some trees never waking up from a repot and others doing just fine. In my case root rot was also what got them but still not sure why some but not others. I think a few went into winter weak and were less protected during an unseasonably warm winter with a few days that we unseasonably cold. I will probably never know all the causes but I am nervous going into repotting next year. Best of luck and enjoy the journey. Mike
Damn man. I hate for that to have happened. I met you last year at the silhouette show and awkwardly told you that your channel got me back into bonsai. I've had a lot of ups and downs after getting back into the lifestyle. Last year I pruned my hinoki too hard at the wrong time of the year. It didn't survive and I ultimately had to let it go this spring. It was one of my best trees. It taught me all kinds of lessons as I grew in my practice all the way to its very end. I've killed other trees, but this one hurt.
I know it sucks now, but you'll learn and grow from this experience. Take some time off to reflect, but selfishly I hope that your hiatus doesn't last for too long.
Definitely sad news, with no words to convey hope and encouragement. This sadness comes as a price of working living art. Personally have gone thru with these sorrowful events. Very true what you have sadly experienced, with root rotting and the consequences of very low sunshine on your site. Take your time off and enjoy your schooling. Hope you are soon able to return to your planas and your channel.
Devastating losses. As silly as it sounds, I thought of that hornbeam and viburnum regularly.
Notifications from your channel are like Christmas morning for me. I hope at some point you’ll have time to come back, but totally understand that you have to prioritize your time and energy.
Good luck figuring out the environmental issues, fingers crossed you don’t lose any more. It’s all part of the process, nobody ever said bonsai is easy.
Sorry to hear that man. It tough losing anything you put a lot of effort in to.
I've been subscribed for a while now and will continue to subscribe for when you're ready to come back. I really enjoy the videos, you obviously put a lot of yourself, your time and energy into your trees and the videos you make. Don't let this set you back too far
I heartbreakingly liked this video. I honestly cried. I most certainly laughed, (If you're not killing trees, you're doing it wrong!). I've learned so much from you, Nigel, Bjorn, and others. I have definitely killed a few trees and forgotten to proceed horticulturally a few times. My Frankenstein experiments; those that lived and those that died lie scattered throughout my yard. I felt a pang of guilt about the decline in viewership, but I also deeply feel your comment about reconnecting with your trees. For me, part of not watching was the result of saying, I've reached the point where I need to put down the book, pause the video and start DOING. I check in now and then, but you have always spoken on a deeper level that just "how to", "technique", "aftercare", etc. Ben, sincerely, thank you!
Ciaran.
😪Sad to have a tree die or lots of them. Hard to explain to them that they could just adjust. You deal with all that moisture. I am in Idaho where I have to deal with lack of moisture and hammering sun. Both are dangerous to the trees. Don't care what anyone says. I always feel guilty and bad when one of them dies or declines and threatens to die. I will miss you until you return. Jelle took a break as well. You invest so very much in channel content production, it's a wonder the trees ever get worked on. Here's looking forward to your return. And I plan on going back to revisit all your videos. Thanks!
I repotted my prized Engleman Spruce (Randy Knight & Co,) and my prized Hornbeam (collected by me locally). Lost the former outright, planted the latter in the ground after I was sure it was dead, an it's got new leaves right now. I'm not going to use pure crushed brick for refining/repotting anymore. Safetysorb is my new refining/repoting substrate. But,yes, I have great empathy for your situation, and i understand the break. Take care of yourself, Brother!
I'm on Mds eastern shore and have the same thing happening ...30yr old desojo had half it branches die, no new growth. Many garden trees doing the same. It's a tough year
Definitely a tough year. Several friends have had issues with many different plants. Best