I imagine someone caring for this tree 300 years from now, watching this video. It would be so cool to have some video data of the previous owners of old bonsai trees.
I always cut the brown tips of the leafs on a point to the side (one cut only) not to the middle. I heard that this way the leaves curls a bit . So I tried and realised that it’s true. It really makes a difference and looks very pretty. Very interesting video. Thank you Nigel
I recently found your channel and have watched many of your videos. They're very relaxing to watch and listen to. I've since bought a ponytail palm and also started my own bonsai. Thank you!
Absolutely love your videos already! I'm a new subscriber so I can't wait to learn more from you! I have a ponytail palm on the way in the mail. Its my very first indoor plant & I can't wait until it gets here! 😁🙂
I watch your videos when I want to relax from all my school work. The bonsai are very beautiful and I like hearing about how to look after them. I couldn’t sleep so I go to watch one of your videos and see you uploaded a new one at the perfect time! Thank you!!
Great video, thank you for posting it. The leaves of my four years old ponytail palm used to reach the floor, from the 10" pot hight. I placed the pot on a chair and the height went to 48". When the leaves touch the floor, they "burnt" and get brown and dry. At nearly 60" off the floor, the leaves grow all the way to the floor and reach nearly 6-7'. The pot is a 20 quart in size. The "trunk" is about the size of a grapefruit. Where I got the initial plant from, there are "trunks" that broke the five foot in diameter ceramic pots. I wonder what makes them so thick, and bulby faster. Is it better to trim the leaves short and lower the pot?
The whole video was so random... I don't know what to say. It was good. But the squirrel comments the Rooster crowing in the background. Rain barrels? Your hair? That plant pruning... It was so much going on... but it made me laugh and you gave me some good information. Not super prof. But I loved it for some reason. And you made me laugh. I guess because you are just the best at being you...and that is awesome.
Thanks for this video Nigel. :-) I've been waiting for two years for this. And I believe I've bugged you about it a few times. lol Great video! Thanks again!
There are some white soft spots on the top of the leaves of my pony tail plant. Could it be because I watered it to much or is it something else. It is a new plant I bought 5 months ago and this is the first time I have seen these things on the plant.
Thank you for the nice and informative video. What kind of soil do you use? I see a high percentage of perlite. Does it have enough nutrient elements to support the plant?
Here is a video on how I water and fertilize my trees in this soil... th-cam.com/video/gXIIpxUqxdY/w-d-xo.html My soil is a 50/50 mix of perlite and turface.
I thank you for your video. I have a ponytail palm is not doing well. What is that soil mixture your using & can I get my palm to regrow its roots. I reported mine & broke most of the roots off then it kept falling over then I thought it's done & threw it out then I saw vids on saving dying plants, do you think I can save mine? I'm soaking it in water with 3% peroxide for over night then I'm not sure what to do. Any Advice?
I want to send photo of my ponytail palm which I pruned just recently Don't know how to send photo And would like to see the update on this as to get help in developing my palm into bonsai
Hi Nigel! Thanks for this video. Great PTP you have. Nice job replanting and shaping it. I bought a large Ponytail Palm a month ago. I repotted it today. It looks great. I want it to keep growing and look as great as your's. How often do you water it and do you fertilize it? ☺
Hi Nigel, long time viewer, first time commenter. I find your videos are very instructive and interesting, thank you for sharing with us. My question relates to your lemon bonsai - I haven't seen an update in quite a while and I was wondering how it is going for you? Best wishes from Ireland. James
I just bought this beautiful ponytail palm ,there wasn't any instructions on care , lighting, watering, soil type potting . If you will ,please help me .
Greetings Sir Nigel. Excellent video as usual. You have no idea of the number of videos I have cultivated by the use of this channel over the years past, to include the ponytail palm. Big fan! I have a 2 year old ponytail received a few days ago, grown from seed in a 3 inch plastic cup. This plant seems to feel a little heavy for it's size. Leaving me to believe it is holding water. I seem to remember I can do an emergency re-pot without disturbing the roots, without watering. The plant looks healthy so far. I am growing it inside with artificial lighting/grow bulb . Despite the season it will probably continue to grow? Should I do a repotting, of course it is root bound and it is not in my preferred cactus soil, but in the original seed growing mix. Should I re-pot, what say you? Thanks
Oh Gosh - I was soo excited when I saw Nigel has a Pony Tail Palm! We have 2 very old palms, (approx 3 times the trunk diameter here) which have been repotted incorrectly - buried too deep and 2 babies about 2cm in diameter. I'll be attempting to repot the big guys on my own which is a worry because they weigh soo much so fingers crossed!
I just checked it and no they didn't subdivide. I think I didn't prune them back hard enough. Next time I'll prune into the woody part of the trunks. I'll do this early summer.
Hi Nigel, I found a tiny asparagus fern sapling a few weeks ago, I believe of the same species as yours. I pulled it out with the roots and tuber it grew out of, replanted it at home and it's been at least 3 weeks now I think and it's looking healthy but hasn't grown one bit. Any idea what I could be doing wrong? I thought it was a fast growing plant.
What kind of soil are you using? Because I just brought one and its still young, not as big as urs,? How do you know when to water? Because mine has little rocks on the base!
My pony tail palm lost all leaves and went withered looking 😢 I dont know if i over watered or under watered. I now have sliced the top of trunk off but think its dead .
My girlfriend has one of these that I'm trying to rehab from the brink and this is my first time dealing with one, so I'm wondering how this plant is doing in the new soil you put it in now that it's been a little while. And if you could give me a good soil to do a transplant with I would appreciate it very much.
Yes, I think it is damage of some sort, maybe rot that has healed or a spot that dried out too much? Hopefully it will grow nice and strong this summer!
Hi Nigel I just bought a ponytail and I have two questions how did you get it to have multiple branches because everyone I’ve seen has only 1 branch and the next question is do you have a systemic insecticide that you use to keep pest a bay?
I let mine grow until it had lots of vigor and then I cut the single stem back to a short stub. It then grew multiple branches from the base of the plant. I don't use any pesticides, but I do spray with 40 parts water to 1 part dish soap to kill insects on the trees. Be sure to test the solution out on part of your tree first, some leaves will have a bad reaction to this mix. You may have to dilute further. Spray every 4 days for 16 days and it should take care of your problems. Be sure to rinse the soap off after a few minutes.
my thirty year old one is a fraction of the size of yours. yours is a magnificent plant. i also know this plant as an "elephant foot" palm. neat plants. and where did you get that nice tan?
I have followed this, and other bonsai, of yours. Most informative. My Pony Tail has a tall trunck, I would like to make shorter and have more spouting branches. Mine only has three. Any Ideas????
I'm not sure if you can cut the main trunk down in height, here is a good article that should help.... www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/ponytail-palm/pruning-ponytail-palms.htm
The soil I use is 1/2 perlite and 1/2 turface. I get the perlite from Canadain Tire and the turface is sold as Safetysorb at TSC stores. Here is how I water and fertilize it..... th-cam.com/video/gXIIpxUqxdY/w-d-xo.html Thanks, happy growing!
I have found them on e-bay, some vendors are priced better than others tho! Have a huge one coming that is 22.5 inches by 15! Excited to start my bald cypress forest in this one!
I bought my pots at a club members pot sale. I haven't bought any new ones. There are several vendors on line who sell mica pots.... www.superflybonsai.com/collections/mica-bonsai-pots-by-superfly-bonsai www.bonsaiboy.com/catalog/pots.html
hi Nigel how can you tell if your pony tail palm has died ? all the leaves on mine have turned dried and brown. is there any coming back or hope for my poor palm? ☹️
The base of a ponytail Palm is very fleshy and can hold a lot of water, if your plant has dried out, try watering it a little, but not too much and hopefully it will sprout new green growth. Misting it may help, but just don't make the soil too wet, or it may begin to rot the base.
my research and my own judgment led me to repot mine in a deep 8 inch planter with good drainage, with a mix of perlite and organic indoor/outdoor potting soil from my local nursery. I am confused about how you have yours planted in such a shallow planter and how you just use gravel (or “soil” that has no dirt in it lol) That said, your root combing is great advice, and I would guess that the lack of soil around the base is why there are no roots on a portion of the trunk.
Generally, the deeper the container, the better the drainage. I have a more shallow container so the free draining bonsai soil, keeps the roots at a good moisture level. The plant grew really well this winter and I'll be pruning the tops this summer!
I have bought mine used, but you can buy them on line. They won't break in shipping, which is a plus. They are fairly expensive, but a lot cheaper than clay pots and they will last a lifetime without cracking or chipping. The big pots are hard to handle and I'm always banging them against door frames etc. I'm always thankful the're not clay! Here is a link to a vendor.... www.superflybonsai.com/collections/mica-bonsai-pots-by-superfly-bonsai
Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone thanks for the link. It will be very helpful. I live in zone 6, and this winter we had a lot of days of freeze thaw. Not good on ceramic pots. Thanks again
so I had to cut the branches with leaves on mine due to it being a rescue plant they left sitting in wet no drainage soil with glued pebbles. I REPOTTED. nut the branches were getting so I cut the last 2 off. should I make a f re fresh top cut a paint with tree bark paint for new nubs to form? ...help?
I usually seal my cuts with a coat of white glue. The glue stays on just long enough for the branch to seal itself before the rain washes the glue away. It usually lasts for a week or two. The plant needs warm temperatures and strong sunlight to recover quickly after pruning.
Hi Nigel, I am planning to keep 4 bonsai trees (Alberta spruce, Chinese lilac, western sand cherry and common juniper) in my ground floor apartment porch in coming winter (in Madison, Wisconsin - USDA hardiness zone 5). They are right now in typical nursery bucket pots; but I plan to put them in bonsai pots in bonsai soils in next one month. I am wondering if you could suggest me how to choose between plastic pots and mica pots for my purpose. (I am a student and cannot afford high temperature baked clay pots).
Mica pots are the best for training trees in and they look good also. The mica pots offer some insulation value so the temperature of the soil is moderated a little better than clay or plastic pots. The pots can be further insulated in a large box filled with sawdust or peat. This doesn't protect them from the actual temperature, but it helps moderate the temperature changes from night to day. It keeps the roots in a steady state, so they are not always freezing and thawing.
@@TheBonsaiZone i did took it out of the ceramic pot 3 times to see its roots, to lift it and to drill holes under its pot..all in 2 months . I am guilty of fussing over plants too much im afraid I might have damaged the caudex
I use 1/2 perlite and 1/2 turface. I get the turface from TSC, a store that sells farm supplies. The turface is used for cleaning up oil spills in garages. It comes in a giant bag. Thanks!
Maybe, it could be a section that started to rot and then healed over also. They do generate pups for reproduction, I've never seen how this happens, so it is a possibility!
I use a 50/50 mix of perlite and turface. I screen out the fine particles and dust to get a 1/8" (3 to 4mm) final size. There are many materials you can substitute for the turface. Pumice is really good! Cactus soil will work, but it is much easier to over water and you have a greater chance of root rot.
Hi Nigel tree is looking beautiful in this pot and after you pruned the hanging leaves.I've two very big ponytail palms with a single branch.Is this right season to cut it to have multi branched tree? Monsoon is almost in my Himalyan region.Or should I wait for spring? Thanks for an informative video. Regards.
Alejandro Guerra Villegas i watched a nigel vid he talked about cutting the taproot off,so i did and put the left over in some soil and water it ,it took 2 to 3 weeks for the first leaf came out ,in the past years it was not growing ,but this year ,its growing realy well ! good luck if you try!! the root had some smaller roots on it also ........
Do you have any date palms? I started a few from seeds out of some dates I had, and while they’re a long way from bonsai at this point, I’m wondering about their potential!
I have one of these but it seems to stay the same size. Not much growth at all. Then in the winter it will turn brown some on the leaves and becomes sparse. It’s never been full like yours. What can I do to enhance the growth?
They need lots of light and warmth. They can tolerate very dry desert like conditions, but when grown in high humidity, they really grow well. You do have to be careful not to over water them, or they may start to rot. Proper free draining bonsai soil, will really help them grow well. I add a very tiny amount of fertilizer to the water, every time it needs to be watered. This is only about once every 7 days indoors, but every second day when outside. It is good to mist the tree in between the regular watering 's. Here is more.... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaucarnea_recurvata
Thanks again for a great video, Nigel. Almost all your videos inspire me add a new plant to my crazy hobby. I just purchased a Ponytail and beheaded it just above multiple little branches. I was wondering two things.. 1) Do I need to use cut past on the wound? 2) The old top, will it root in soil or water? (Follow the typical succulent beheading template?) Thanks again!
If you cut the top back into the woody part and leave no leaves, I would use cut paste to keep it from drying out. If you are cutting the tips back and it still has foliage on it, I don't think you need paste. I use regular white glue as a cut paste, it lasts long enough to do the job and then slowly washes away. I haven't tried rooting the tops, but I would think, under the right conditions they would root. I have had some aerial root form on the plant, so they seem to root well.
Hey, Nigel I wanna send you a couple of pictures of when I re-potted a 30+ year old ponytail palm that have been in the same pot for over 20 years, how should I send them to you?
Hey Nigel how u goin? I need ur help mate. I think i have killed my fav bonsai, a little ficus benjamina with about a 2 inch thick naturally s shaped trunk i collected about 1.5 year ago. Really wanted to check the roots so i went to re pot it prob stupidly at the start of winter ( se queensland so not that cold) anyway found really bad roots, just one mega tap root, so i cut it off and planted as a large cutting about 7 weeks ago. Since then it has dropped all leaves and top half of trunk seems to be dead, should i a. Leave it and hope for best come spring, about 2 months away or b. Cut trunk back to point where green under bark begins, would lose the bend or c. Something else? Cheers mate. Ps. Went to buy one of those haas wayering cans u use, they are bloody expensive! One i looked at was 1ltr, 115 bucks!
Hello Michael, yes those watering cans are expensive! I get the 2 liter conservatory can for 25.50. Here is a link.... www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=10412&cat=2,2280,42608&ap=1 You may have to do some work similar to my Ficus that the top froze off. You can hopefully grow some cuttings that you can fuse onto the living part of the trunk and slowly re build the tree.
I just like to see what the roots look like and to see what condition the bottom of the tree is in. Cleaning the soil away from the roots also helps keep your root pruners sharp, by not cutting through soil. I'm sure you Palm will be fine!
Ok Thank you. I think I'm going to repot it again. It's a beautiful plant and I repotted in potting soil instead of a good mix with cactus mix. I saw this after I repotted.
Hello Nigel! I was wondering about the hardiness of the Japanese maple, I was thinking about purchasing one from a local in my area but the shortest one is probably 4 feet tall already with all of the branching and leaves on the top. Would it survive having all that cut off to about a foot in height or less? It seems extremely healthy but I definitely don't want to kill it after spending 50 dollars on it, thank you!
A healthy Japanese maple can be cut back hard with good results and quick healing. They are not very winter hardy and need special protection from temperatures below -10 C.
It is a screened mix of fired clay particles and perlite, these mixed together make a really good soil for bonsai. You do have to fertilize this inorganic soil. The roots really love this porous free draining mix!
@@TheBonsaiZone Ok then, well thanks very much for your quick response. I have just repotted mine and think I've done it all wrong now that I've watched your video.. I have put it in a deep (but wide) pot and used regular potting ground and honestly I've had this plant for maybe 10 years and never have repotted it before.. Also did not know the name of this Beaucanea untill today :) Is it ok if I repot it once more only days after I've done it the first time? Or should I wait? I loved watching your video by the way!
It could be the short Canadian summers, we only get 4 months of frost free weather! I have pruned the top a couple of times to keep the height shorter also.
I would recommend a bonsai soil to plant your Pony Tail Palm into. It will require more watering and a regular routine to check the tree for water than regular potting soil, but it will keep the tree and the roots healthy!
I imagine someone caring for this tree 300 years from now, watching this video. It would be so cool to have some video data of the previous owners of old bonsai trees.
I always cut the brown tips of the leafs on a point to the side (one cut only) not to the middle. I heard that this way the leaves curls a bit . So I tried and realised that it’s true. It really makes a difference and looks very pretty.
Very interesting video. Thank you Nigel
Thank you Bettina!
You know a guys a hardcore plant expert when he mimics his hair to his plants.
Playing with the squirrel? Just as I suspected: you ARE channelling the spirit of Bob Ross!
I had a good play with him this morning, he sure is fun!
@@TheBonsaiZone That is so random. ha ha ha...
this is my favourite channel on all of youtube, so calming. what a beautiful tree!
Thank you Luke! I have fun making the videos!
I recently found your channel and have watched many of your videos. They're very relaxing to watch and listen to. I've since bought a ponytail palm and also started my own bonsai. Thank you!
Awesome, thank you and I hope your Palm grows well!
I just recently got myself a ponytail palm tree. Good to know. Thank you 😊 for your video.
Ponytails are so neat, our neighbors around the corner from us have a huge one grounded in their yard in full glorious bloom.
Yes, in bloom they're unique. Beautiful work, Nigel.
I'm hoping it flowers this year!
Absolutely love your videos already! I'm a new subscriber so I can't wait to learn more from you! I have a ponytail palm on the way in the mail. Its my very first indoor plant & I can't wait until it gets here! 😁🙂
I just purchased my first house plant, ponytail palm, last weekend. I hope yours is doing well. Wish me luck. I’m praying that my pot is t too big.
I watch your videos when I want to relax from all my school work. The bonsai are very beautiful and I like hearing about how to look after them. I couldn’t sleep so I go to watch one of your videos and see you uploaded a new one at the perfect time! Thank you!!
Thank you Amelia, bonsai can be very relaxing!
Your explanations are clear and greatly appreciated.
"I was just playing with the squirrel," says no New Yorker EVER! Lol. I'm jealous.
Thanks a lot
Your videos are very inspiring and answers all the important questions through a very interesting conversation
Love this! Helped me understand what I needed to do with my own ponytail palm... pretty sure I have it in the wrong type of pot now....
Great looking plant! I hope it survives it's rot (or excess bark?) issue. I love the hollowed out cavity in it, it's very interesting looking.
Thank you, I think it had a problem with too much water at one time and it has now healed itself!
Great video, thank you for posting it.
The leaves of my four years old ponytail palm used to reach the floor, from the 10" pot hight. I placed the pot on a chair and the height went to 48". When the leaves touch the floor, they "burnt" and get brown and dry. At nearly 60" off the floor, the leaves grow all the way to the floor and reach nearly 6-7'. The pot is a 20 quart in size. The "trunk" is about the size of a grapefruit. Where I got the initial plant from, there are "trunks" that broke the five foot in diameter ceramic pots. I wonder what makes them so thick, and bulby faster.
Is it better to trim the leaves short and lower the pot?
The whole video was so random... I don't know what to say. It was good. But the squirrel comments the Rooster crowing in the background. Rain barrels? Your hair? That plant pruning... It was so much going on... but it made me laugh and you gave me some good information. Not super prof. But I loved it for some reason. And you made me laugh. I guess because you are just the best at being you...and that is awesome.
Thanks, I have fun making the videos!
Maybe it’s the way it grows, you have a BEAUTIFUL! Now I want one😁 Plant for sure! Great job
Thanks Andrea, it's done well this summer!
Thanks for this video Nigel. :-) I've been waiting for two years for this. And I believe I've bugged you about it a few times. lol Great video! Thanks again!
I'm hoping it will flower this year! Thanks.
Wow, that would be great.
Love your videos!! I learn something new everyday. God bless!
Thank you Shaun!
Are you the Bob Ross of bonsai world? out there playing with squirrels and stuff:) Nice job on the palm
Thanks, I don't have a pocket squirrel, but they are a fun animal to have!
The palm looks like your hair lol
How true!
@@TheBonsaiZone Dude, you cut that tree up to look just like your own hairdo. haha ha...!
Maybe we'll see a video posted by a tree pruning his hair and arms..........
11:31 this Asparagus really match you :) the tree is as lush as your hair
There are some white soft spots on the top of the leaves of my pony tail plant. Could it be because I watered it to much or is it something else. It is a new plant I bought 5 months ago and this is the first time I have seen these things on the plant.
Thank you for the nice and informative video. What kind of soil do you use? I see a high percentage of perlite. Does it have enough nutrient elements to support the plant?
Here is a video on how I water and fertilize my trees in this soil...
th-cam.com/video/gXIIpxUqxdY/w-d-xo.html
My soil is a 50/50 mix of perlite and turface.
What was the type of soil you used? Thanks.
I thank you for your video. I have a ponytail palm is not doing well. What is that soil mixture your using & can I get my palm to regrow its roots. I reported mine & broke most of the roots off then it kept falling over then I thought it's done & threw it out then I saw vids on saving dying plants, do you think I can save mine? I'm soaking it in water with 3% peroxide for over night then I'm not sure what to do. Any Advice?
I want to send photo of my ponytail palm which I pruned just recently
Don't know how to send photo
And would like to see the update on this as to get help in developing my palm into bonsai
Hi Nigel! Thanks for this video. Great PTP you have. Nice job replanting and shaping it.
I bought a large Ponytail Palm a month ago. I repotted it today. It looks great. I want it to keep growing and look as great as your's.
How often do you water it and do you fertilize it?
☺
Hi Nigel, long time viewer, first time commenter. I find your videos are very instructive and interesting, thank you for sharing with us.
My question relates to your lemon bonsai - I haven't seen an update in quite a while and I was wondering how it is going for you?
Best wishes from Ireland.
James
Hello James, the tree is doing really well. It will need some more pruning, as it has grown tall again! An update will be coming soon.
I just bought this beautiful ponytail palm ,there wasn't any instructions on care , lighting, watering, soil type potting . If you will ,please help me .
Very cool, very prehistoric looking.
Thanks J, I think it will grow really well in the new pot!
Greetings Sir Nigel. Excellent video as usual. You have no idea of the number of videos I have cultivated by the use of this channel over the years past, to include the ponytail palm. Big fan!
I have a 2 year old ponytail received a few days ago, grown from seed in a 3 inch plastic cup. This plant seems to feel a little heavy for it's size. Leaving me to believe it is holding water. I seem to remember I can do an emergency re-pot without disturbing the roots, without watering.
The plant looks healthy so far. I am growing it inside with artificial lighting/grow bulb . Despite the season it will probably continue to grow?
Should I do a repotting, of course it is root bound and it is not in my preferred cactus soil, but in the original seed growing mix.
Should I re-pot, what say you?
Thanks
I like this natural composition
Thank you Holly, I really want it to flower now!
Oh Gosh - I was soo excited when I saw Nigel has a Pony Tail Palm! We have 2 very old palms, (approx 3 times the trunk diameter here) which have been repotted incorrectly - buried too deep and 2 babies about 2cm in diameter. I'll be attempting to repot the big guys on my own which is a worry because they weigh soo much so fingers crossed!
In the previous video you clipped the growth tips with the goal of getting new growth, with subdivision. Did this work? Thank you.
I just checked it and no they didn't subdivide. I think I didn't prune them back hard enough. Next time I'll prune into the woody part of the trunks. I'll do this early summer.
Hi Nigel, I found a tiny asparagus fern sapling a few weeks ago, I believe of the same species as yours. I pulled it out with the roots and tuber it grew out of, replanted it at home and it's been at least 3 weeks now I think and it's looking healthy but hasn't grown one bit. Any idea what I could be doing wrong? I thought it was a fast growing plant.
heck yeah another video! nicely done keep the coming. Always looking forward to another one of your videos. Thanks a bunch!
Thank you Jay!
lovely tree ....u always amaz ur viewers.
Thank you, it's starting to get old, just like me!
oh wow it has a lil doorway. how cute is that?!?!!?
You're using soil or rocks? Can't tell?
Yeah look gorgeous when you pruned the leaves and please prune your hair too 😆
That looks wonderful. Thanks.
Thank you Purnima!
I need help my pony tail is potted improperly and has a lot of fungus gnats I want to use the mix you have where can I get it. I live in North Texas.
I like it! These unusual species are good fun.
grts
Kennet
I'm hoping I can get it to flower this year!
What kind of soil are you using? Because I just brought one and its still young, not as big as urs,? How do you know when to water? Because mine has little rocks on the base!
My pony tail palm lost all leaves and went withered looking 😢
I dont know if i over watered or under watered. I now have sliced the top of trunk off but think its dead .
My girlfriend has one of these that I'm trying to rehab from the brink and this is my first time dealing with one, so I'm wondering how this plant is doing in the new soil you put it in now that it's been a little while. And if you could give me a good soil to do a transplant with I would appreciate it very much.
Fantastic Pony Tail Palm. How is it doing this year, 2020?
Hello Tom. The Ponytail Palm is growing well. I'm hoping to do some more hard pruning in the future, I just have to wait for the right time!
What type of soil did you use?
We had a very old and large ponytail growing up and some parts of the bark indeed become almost cork like. Insect damage maybe? just a guess.
Yes, I think it is damage of some sort, maybe rot that has healed or a spot that dried out too much? Hopefully it will grow nice and strong this summer!
Hi Nigel I just bought a ponytail and I have two questions how did you get it to have multiple branches because everyone I’ve seen has only 1 branch and the next question is do you have a systemic insecticide that you use to keep pest a bay?
I let mine grow until it had lots of vigor and then I cut the single stem back to a short stub. It then grew multiple branches from the base of the plant.
I don't use any pesticides, but I do spray with 40 parts water to 1 part dish soap to kill insects on the trees. Be sure to test the solution out on part of your tree first, some leaves will have a bad reaction to this mix. You may have to dilute further. Spray every 4 days for 16 days and it should take care of your problems. Be sure to rinse the soap off after a few minutes.
Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone thanks you for the info
my thirty year old one is a fraction of the size of yours. yours is a magnificent plant. i also know this plant as an "elephant foot" palm. neat plants. and where did you get that nice tan?
I think the bigger the pot, the larger they grow! Hopefully I'll have a good growing season this year with it!
I have followed this, and other bonsai, of yours. Most informative. My Pony Tail has a tall trunck, I would like to make shorter and have more spouting branches. Mine only has three. Any Ideas????
I'm not sure if you can cut the main trunk down in height, here is a good article that should help....
www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/ponytail-palm/pruning-ponytail-palms.htm
Thanks, The link is quite helpful. BUT not as well presented as your vids. PHIl
Did für remafication worked after your tip pruning in oct 16 ?
Thank you for demonstrating how to replant your ponytail plant. I just purchased one and would like to know exactly what type of soil you use.
The soil I use is 1/2 perlite and 1/2 turface. I get the perlite from Canadain Tire and the turface is sold as Safetysorb at TSC stores. Here is how I water and fertilize it.....
th-cam.com/video/gXIIpxUqxdY/w-d-xo.html
Thanks, happy growing!
Maybe needs to be planted in a deeper pot? Thanks for the video
Thanks you, the tree is really doing well this winter, I'm hoping I can prune it again this summer!
Hello Nigel. I think that those new mica pots that you are starting to use have a very nice design. May I ask where are you buying your pots? Thankyou
I have found them on e-bay, some vendors are priced better than others tho! Have a huge one coming that is 22.5 inches by 15! Excited to start my bald cypress forest in this one!
I bought my pots at a club members pot sale. I haven't bought any new ones. There are several vendors on line who sell mica pots....
www.superflybonsai.com/collections/mica-bonsai-pots-by-superfly-bonsai
www.bonsaiboy.com/catalog/pots.html
hi Nigel how can you tell if your pony tail palm has died ? all the leaves on mine have turned dried and brown. is there any coming back or hope for my poor palm? ☹️
The base of a ponytail Palm is very fleshy and can hold a lot of water, if your plant has dried out, try watering it a little, but not too much and hopefully it will sprout new green growth. Misting it may help, but just don't make the soil too wet, or it may begin to rot the base.
Hi, what is the soil used? Looks like small stones
my research and my own judgment led me to repot mine in a deep 8 inch planter with good drainage, with a mix of perlite and organic indoor/outdoor potting soil from my local nursery. I am confused about how you have yours planted in such a shallow planter and how you just use gravel (or “soil” that has no dirt in it lol) That said, your root combing is great advice, and I would guess that the lack of soil around the base is why there are no roots on a portion of the trunk.
*10 inch planter
Generally, the deeper the container, the better the drainage. I have a more shallow container so the free draining bonsai soil, keeps the roots at a good moisture level. The plant grew really well this winter and I'll be pruning the tops this summer!
Where do you buy your mica pots, are they expensive? I’ve had a few of my ceramic pots crack in half due to the freezing winter
I have bought mine used, but you can buy them on line. They won't break in shipping, which is a plus. They are fairly expensive, but a lot cheaper than clay pots and they will last a lifetime without cracking or chipping. The big pots are hard to handle and I'm always banging them against door frames etc. I'm always thankful the're not clay! Here is a link to a vendor....
www.superflybonsai.com/collections/mica-bonsai-pots-by-superfly-bonsai
Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone thanks for the link. It will be very helpful. I live in zone 6, and this winter we had a lot of days of freeze thaw. Not good on ceramic pots. Thanks again
Definitely looks like a ponytail palm. Has it flowered yet? Has white flowers similar to those on yucca. Enjoyed your video.
Thanks, no flowers yet, but I'm hoping this year!
so I had to cut the branches with leaves on mine due to it being a rescue plant they left sitting in wet no drainage soil with glued pebbles. I REPOTTED. nut the branches were getting so I cut the last 2 off. should I make a f re fresh top cut a paint with tree bark paint for new nubs to form? ...help?
I usually seal my cuts with a coat of white glue. The glue stays on just long enough for the branch to seal itself before the rain washes the glue away. It usually lasts for a week or two. The plant needs warm temperatures and strong sunlight to recover quickly after pruning.
What is the composition of your soil?
If Bob Ross was into Bonsai 😆👍
Why is there a triangular piece cut out of the tree?
Hi Nigel, I am planning to keep 4 bonsai trees (Alberta spruce, Chinese lilac, western sand cherry and common juniper) in my ground floor apartment porch in coming winter (in Madison, Wisconsin - USDA hardiness zone 5). They are right now in typical nursery bucket pots; but I plan to put them in bonsai pots in bonsai soils in next one month. I am wondering if you could suggest me how to choose between plastic pots and mica pots for my purpose. (I am a student and cannot afford high temperature baked clay pots).
Mica pots are the best for training trees in and they look good also. The mica pots offer some insulation value so the temperature of the soil is moderated a little better than clay or plastic pots. The pots can be further insulated in a large box filled with sawdust or peat. This doesn't protect them from the actual temperature, but it helps moderate the temperature changes from night to day. It keeps the roots in a steady state, so they are not always freezing and thawing.
Nigel, many thanks for your suggestion! I really appreciate it.
What caused to large hole in the Bach side of the trunk?
Nice work!
Thank you Jim!
Nigel. My pony tail palm caudex shrunk from one side.. I have it outside on deck...help
It's possible the roots died on one side. Maybe it was getting too much water or too little on that side?
@@TheBonsaiZone i did took it out of the ceramic pot 3 times to see its roots, to lift it and to drill holes under its pot..all in 2 months . I am guilty of fussing over plants too much im afraid I might have damaged the caudex
A very adorable ponytal! Can you please tell me the formula of your soil? Thank you!
I use 1/2 perlite and 1/2 turface. I get the turface from TSC, a store that sells farm supplies. The turface is used for cleaning up oil spills in garages. It comes in a giant bag.
Thanks!
Is it possible that the spot with no roots could be a development of a sister palm tree?
Maybe, it could be a section that started to rot and then healed over also. They do generate pups for reproduction, I've never seen how this happens, so it is a possibility!
What kind of soil did you used? I need to repot mine, can I use a cactus soil?
I use a 50/50 mix of perlite and turface. I screen out the fine particles and dust to get a 1/8" (3 to 4mm) final size. There are many materials you can substitute for the turface. Pumice is really good!
Cactus soil will work, but it is much easier to over water and you have a greater chance of root rot.
Very surprised by the lack of roots, beautifil specimen!
Yes, me too. I think it was the bottom of the caudex that growing and pushing the tree up out of the pot.
Hi Nigel tree is looking beautiful in this pot and after you pruned the hanging leaves.I've two very big ponytail palms with a single branch.Is this right season to cut it to have multi branched tree? Monsoon is almost in my Himalyan region.Or should I wait for spring?
Thanks for an informative video.
Regards.
I would wait until late spring when the weather is nice for recovery. If it is too wet out, the plant may start to rot from the cut point.
Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone Thanks a ton will wait for spring...
how did you make it grow that crevice that looks like a fairy doorway on the one side of the trunk?
I carved out the doorway with a knife!
hi nigel,will you ever try and make a new tree from a root cutting?! i tried and it,s growing ( lemon tree )
I didn't know it was possible, what process did you follow?
Alejandro Guerra Villegas i watched a nigel vid he talked about cutting the taproot off,so i did and put the left over in some soil and water it ,it took 2 to 3 weeks for the first leaf came out ,in the past years it was not growing ,but this year ,its growing realy well ! good luck if you try!!
the root had some smaller roots on it also ........
Awesome! yep I'll try that method thanks for the explanation n.n
Alejandro Guerra Villegas hi again, you have to leave a piece of the root above the soil line ( i used 2 - 4 cm sticking out of the soil )
Oh for the tree to breath I think ... Thanks for the help n.n
Do you have any date palms? I started a few from seeds out of some dates I had, and while they’re a long way from bonsai at this point, I’m wondering about their potential!
I have one of these but it seems to stay the same size. Not much growth at all. Then in the winter it will turn brown some on the leaves and becomes sparse. It’s never been full like yours. What can I do to enhance the growth?
They need lots of light and warmth. They can tolerate very dry desert like conditions, but when grown in high humidity, they really grow well. You do have to be careful not to over water them, or they may start to rot. Proper free draining bonsai soil, will really help them grow well. I add a very tiny amount of fertilizer to the water, every time it needs to be watered. This is only about once every 7 days indoors, but every second day when outside. It is good to mist the tree in between the regular watering 's.
Here is more....
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaucarnea_recurvata
Thanks again for a great video, Nigel. Almost all your videos inspire me add a new plant to my crazy hobby.
I just purchased a Ponytail and beheaded it just above multiple little branches. I was wondering two things..
1) Do I need to use cut past on the wound?
2) The old top, will it root in soil or water? (Follow the typical succulent beheading template?)
Thanks again!
If you cut the top back into the woody part and leave no leaves, I would use cut paste to keep it from drying out. If you are cutting the tips back and it still has foliage on it, I don't think you need paste. I use regular white glue as a cut paste, it lasts long enough to do the job and then slowly washes away. I haven't tried rooting the tops, but I would think, under the right conditions they would root. I have had some aerial root form on the plant, so they seem to root well.
Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone thanks for the quick response! Keep up the awesome work!
Is that a hole in the lower part of the trunk?
Hey, Nigel
I wanna send you a couple of pictures of when I re-potted a 30+ year old ponytail palm that have been in the same pot for over 20 years, how should I send them to you?
I'd love to see it!
You can email me at...
thekwbonsaisociety@gmail.com
Beautiful plant Nigel :)
Thank you Alex!
I like this plant
It's been growing well this summer!
Hey Nigel how u goin? I need ur help mate. I think i have killed my fav bonsai, a little ficus benjamina with about a 2 inch thick naturally s shaped trunk i collected about 1.5 year ago. Really wanted to check the roots so i went to re pot it prob stupidly at the start of winter ( se queensland so not that cold) anyway found really bad roots, just one mega tap root, so i cut it off and planted as a large cutting about 7 weeks ago. Since then it has dropped all leaves and top half of trunk seems to be dead, should i a. Leave it and hope for best come spring, about 2 months away or b. Cut trunk back to point where green under bark begins, would lose the bend or c. Something else? Cheers mate.
Ps. Went to buy one of those haas wayering cans u use, they are bloody expensive! One i looked at was 1ltr, 115 bucks!
Hello Michael, yes those watering cans are expensive! I get the 2 liter conservatory can for 25.50. Here is a link....
www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=10412&cat=2,2280,42608&ap=1
You may have to do some work similar to my Ficus that the top froze off. You can hopefully grow some cuttings that you can fuse onto the living part of the trunk and slowly re build the tree.
Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone yeah cool much cheaper! I dunno might just start again and call it a learning experience haha.
I just curious why you need to clean the roots. I bought one and repotted, but didn't clean around the roots. Do I need to redo it?
I just like to see what the roots look like and to see what condition the bottom of the tree is in. Cleaning the soil away from the roots also helps keep your root pruners sharp, by not cutting through soil. I'm sure you Palm will be fine!
Ok Thank you. I think I'm going to repot it again. It's a beautiful plant and I repotted in potting soil instead of a good mix with cactus mix. I saw this after I repotted.
If you fold the leaf in half and cut on an angle, then it will make a point on the end of the leaf. Easier than doing two cuts.
Excellent suggestion! I'll try it for next time!
Your soil composition is All Perlite? Or a mixture with a succulent mix?
It is 1/2 perlite and 1/2 fired clay particles! I sift it to remove the fine particles!
What are you using with perilite
you, sir, are awesome. it'd be really amazing to have workshops with you if you do have any
Thank you, I have done a few workshops at some of the other club meetings, but generally I stick to TH-cam!
Hello Nigel! I was wondering about the hardiness of the Japanese maple, I was thinking about purchasing one from a local in my area but the shortest one is probably 4 feet tall already with all of the branching and leaves on the top. Would it survive having all that cut off to about a foot in height or less? It seems extremely healthy but I definitely don't want to kill it after spending 50 dollars on it, thank you!
A healthy Japanese maple can be cut back hard with good results and quick healing. They are not very winter hardy and need special protection from temperatures below -10 C.
Thank ye much!
Good show my friend! NIGEL SAUNDER and family from HOLLY BLOE
Thank again Holly!
Why the new pot so shallow?
Excuse my lack of knowledge but that "soil" looks and sounds like gravel to me.. Is it?
It is a screened mix of fired clay particles and perlite, these mixed together make a really good soil for bonsai. You do have to fertilize this inorganic soil. The roots really love this porous free draining mix!
@@TheBonsaiZone Ok then, well thanks very much for your quick response. I have just repotted mine and think I've done it all wrong now that I've watched your video.. I have put it in a deep (but wide) pot and used regular potting ground and honestly I've had this plant for maybe 10 years and never have repotted it before.. Also did not know the name of this Beaucanea untill today :)
Is it ok if I repot it once more only days after I've done it the first time? Or should I wait? I loved watching your video by the way!
How did you get it so stunted? Mine is 5-6 yrs old also and it's pushing 4 feet tall ...
It could be the short Canadian summers, we only get 4 months of frost free weather! I have pruned the top a couple of times to keep the height shorter also.
Anyone know the type/size pot that was used?
maybe the water doesn't have anywhere to go ~ a deeper pot???
Thanks Cliff, It seems to be doing much better now, I think the sand I added in the old soil was holding too much moisture around the base.
pls update on your root over temple ficus
That will be coming!
Hello Nigel This is my first Ponytail Palm. I am doing a repot , Does it need the Turface or can i use regular potting soil?
I would recommend a bonsai soil to plant your Pony Tail Palm into. It will require more watering and a regular routine to check the tree for water than regular potting soil, but it will keep the tree and the roots healthy!