Greetings from Australia Nigel. I'm glad you did this severe root prune, as I did a "Nigel" today also. I bought a " bonsai" (it was more like a tree in a pot) from a sale at an antiques fair on the weekend. The lovely old dear who sold it said she had this tree in the pot for four years and all she did was water it and feed it Dynamic Lifter. It was supposed to be a Chinese pistachio, but it never is or will be. I'm still checking out what it is. I removed three of its five spindly trunks and then got to the roots" it was a mass of tangled spaghetti, just as you had in this video. By the time I finished ,I was planting a cutting with very few roots, but I too wouldn't feel good about this poor tree struggling with what it had. If it dies , I believe it would have anyway, as it looked very weak and frail. Thank you for your great root pruning techniques, I don't feel so bad now for being so severe. " Do something green and plant a few clippings to grow into trees" Cheers Mandie
Thank you so much for this video I lost some of my trees this year but your positive attitude helps me keep on trying. Bonsai and watching your videos have given me such a zen. Thank you.
An update will be coming, because I took so much root off them, recovery has been slow. The trees that survived are getting stronger every day and are ready for more work this winter.
Thanks Nigel - only so much you can do with this species, I guess, I happen to also have a 5-tree Norfolk planting that was an xmas present several years ago. The trees have beefed up over the years in sunny indoor positions but I'm hesitant to 'style' them, may just let them grow as wild house plants - I'll dub it the 'naturalistic clump style' haha. I envy your plant room for the winter, definitely will have something similar with a south facing window once I get a proper house outside of the city. I didn't even notice that you didn't say 'of KW Bonsai' until I read the comments...I think its because I don't care, I come to watch you and see how your trees are progressing!
Hello Nigel, thank you for your videos. As always you do a very good job explaining what and why you do everything. I was hoping to ask you question? This weekend I bought a "burning bush" at discount at the local big box store. Nothing special, but it is a cultivar I enjoy and I hope in some time it can make a nice containered tree. Usually when I get these big box nursery trees home, I rake out a couple inches off the top of the soil. I was going to wait till early spring to do any other work to the tree. But I noticed that there was holes, maybe made by mice in the bottom of the root ball. Enough soil is missing and roots exposed to air that I am concerned. Would it be best to bare root the tree now, or wait. It's survived this long, why not another few months, or get it into some better soil and conditions now? Thanks for your help, enjoy life.
I'm glad I saw you cut those roots the way you did. That means there's hope for the ones I did. Having trouble shaping them into radial roots since they seem to be pointed down most of the time.
I'm still waiting for new growth on the Norfolk Island pines, they are still green and all the cuttings I planted are also green, but no new growth yet, I've still got my fingers crossed!
Thanks for another great video, Nigel, I am always wondering if those trees are going to survive such severe root prunning and they surprise me again and again. Good job!
I have one of these trees and I want to keep it to a reduced size. If I remove the top from the top will it kill the tree? It has been growing indoors for nearly three years and it's probably about 15 inches tall.
Thanks for the video! I removed a large pine (Pinus mugo) from a mountain a few months ago and could only salvage a few spindly roots. It's doing fine at the moment, so there's hope for these trees, too, I guess. ;) I also ordered some Ficus religiosa seeds (inspired by your trees) since I can't seem to get any plants of that species here. I'll see if and how fast they'll grow - I guess I should have planted some of them 20 years ago...
They should grow quickly for you, good luck. When I see some of the fantastic ones in books and on the internet, I feel like mine are still just young!
Here is the playlist for these trees, they are doing really well at the moment and are starting to grow after the last pruning. th-cam.com/play/PLQouTWwmTQox79JSO4DBgeKUOOepOS0Ej.html
greetings from Costa Rica !! pura vida Nigeli have never been able to work with pines or cypresses because after i touch the roots the seem to not like it, i was impressed when you did all that pruning, how are the trees now? as far as i know the roots of that type of trees are really delicate... g
All the trees made it except for one. The cuttings that I took also are doing well. I'm hoping to make my "Norfolk Island" penjing this summer with the trees!
we had many cuttings from the ones we did and they stayed alive for years but they never developed any roots, be careful with the cuttings, they may not have any roots.
Hi Nigel, Nice work, It's always been a pleasure watching you working on plants and roots. You use mixture of perlite & turface as bonsai soil. But turface is not available in our locality. So, I was wandering if there's any substitute for turface to add with perlite.
I know the feeling, but I can't have those twisted roots. I'd just never be happy developing them further without a good miniature root base. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping the trees make it.
Hi Nigel i am watching you cutting back your norfolk island pine question why did you prune the top so serverly? I enjoy watching you i have really learn alot tku
I was trying to keep the trees as small as possible and it was a bit of an experiment in root reduction. I did loose one tree, but the others have survived so far. Most of the cuttings rooted and are growing well! I plan on making a Norfolk island planting in the future.
Mr Nigel good evening l want to ask about how do grow this plant norfolk from cuttings. Can you tell me the way because l failed in growing this kind of trees many times
Awesome ,nice work . I pruned my two Norfolk pine quite severe on the roots side . and cut off the apex of both and they have grown to twice the size ... I was scared to cut them too much ,hoping to see good results in your trees 😄
Three of the larger trees survived the hard root pruning and almost all the cuttings survived. The trees are slowly gaining vigor and I'll be working on them soon.
Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone I am about to start a new bonsai with this tree and am very excited to see your progress and to get further insight for us beginners!
All but one. Many of the cuttings from this video also rooted. I may try more cuttings from a larger tree this summer. I want to create a Norfolk island scene, with trees on a shoreline.
Thank you for the video. I always thought a bonsai forest was made out of 1 vertical tree with lots of 90° branches coming out sideways, pruned on one side into a comb like structure and laid horizontally under the soil surface - didn't know it was possible to plant 5 separate trees together this way. Not sure where I read it, that the trees would fight each other for nutrients and the growth would become uneven, if they were not all part of the shared root system. Would appreciate your knowledge on this matter as I love forest styled bonsai.
Poesy Liang the style you are referring to is called Raft and shows a tree that has been knocked over by the wind. similar; but not a forest, hope that helps :)
Great to hear. I've got a little set of my own, they're only about 4-5 inches tall but wondering if I can keep them small in some way. My wife and I stumbled upon your videos and it's inspired us to start growing some seeds of our own, we went through and watched at least 20 videos this week. Keep doing what you're doing!
I know this was approximately 8 years ago but did any of the cutting's take hold? They looked great but I know pines are/can be difficult to propagate...Thanks...
Here is an update at 10:40 th-cam.com/video/Tl-hyeClBZE/w-d-xo.html Here is the playlist for these trees... th-cam.com/play/PLQouTWwmTQox79JSO4DBgeKUOOepOS0Ej.html
Hi Nigel, i just got a few of these trees as a holiday arrangement, it was interesting to see some success doing them as bonsai, i think i will give it a try myself. I wanted to ask if did that piece you said you were going to try and root as a cutting work and take root?
I ended up planting all the cuttings I took from this video! So far they are all still green. The main trees and the cuttings haven't grown any new foliage yet, I'm hoping some sunny days will get them going. Winter has been very cloudy so far this year and growth in all my trees has been slow. It's been 2 1/2 months since the severe pruning of the Norfolk island pines, I mist them twice a day and keep them warm and humid, I think they just need sunlight now.
Hi Nigel, awesome video! I trunk chopped my norfolk pines in early March to the point where they have no leaves to shorten the trunks. Do you think they will survive? How long do you think it will take to see some foliage?
One of the trees died from the brutal root cutting and then one died from bringing them from inside to outside in spring. All the others are growing and also the cuttings. I do plan on making a land penjing with them. A video will be coming, I just have to find a pot and the materials. Stay tuned!
we've got one grouping of norfolk island pine as an island, but most of ours died when trying to separate them, any tips on keeping them alive? We've looked around and seems people don't use these trees as bonsai's for this reason.
I like your show very much. I did some planting before, but never bonsai. I really like to start this new hobby. Macao is a place near Hong Kong. What are the best choices of plant type I should go for?
Yes, the Monkey Puzzle trees are one of my favorites! I don't have any of these trees. I would have to order seeds to start them. They are definitely on the list of things to do!
my aeroceria(Norfolk island pine) tree is getting less dense. branches from near the stem loosing leaves... i want it to be more dense what should i do?? its 20 feet tall.
Cuttings seem to root the best on hot summer days, but I have had luck in my plant room when it's warm and humid. I'll update the cuttings and trees with the results, good or bad.
I have a group of silver maples that are two years old now. They will be getting their first root pruning this spring. Maples can take some severe root pruning and they will grow a mass of fine roots in one summer. I did some severe root pruning on some of the red maples this spring and they survived, I may have gotten lucky on them!
Nigel Saunders Nigel I have two silver maples I replanted in my yard from those helicopters this past summer. No joke they are already 3' tall. I have one maple I dug up from a neighbors yard that's about two foot maybe it's tall and short branches. I have had that for about one year that I am training. I tried sending you a video but said it was too big
Hi Nigel, what happened to this forest? Was really interested in seeing it's progression. I have some baobab and dawn redwood seeds. What's the best way to go about preparing and planting? Thanks HEAPS 😊
I will be updating the NIP's soon. They had a tough time gaining vigor after the severe root pruning. Some didn't make it, but three are growing well again!
@Nigel, Do you know how I might be able to get my hands on a dracaena cinnabari? I can't seem to find them anywhere and I am obsessed with this tree. It may not be an ideal bonsai but I still would love to grow this tree. If anyone knows please help me out. Best, K
thanks I live in Cornwall and I am trying to get into bonsai but the problem is that I live by the sea so the air is very salty so nothing grows outside so I have to keep my trees inside so have you got any tips? thanks for your time.
There are trees that can take the salty conditions, many of the coastal trees have adapted to these conditions. Check out the Tamarisk tree, it actually takes salt up in its roots and then it crystallizes on the leaves. This salt falls to the ground and prevents other trees to grow around it. Cornwall salt is famous, maybe salt from the tamarisk tree watered with water from the bay would be even more valuable! Check out this article.... www.treeboss.net/salt-tolerant_trees.htm
If you would like there is a possibility that I might be able to send you a few Ponderosa Pine seeds but chances are I wont be able too. They are extremely common in my area and grow in a cold climate year round minus the summer where it tends to get around 90 degrees farenheit.
They are slow going. I severely root pruned them in the last video and planted cuttings. Two of the main trees died, but three are still growing and almost all the cuttings are growing. I think this species takes a long time to root. I'll be making an update on them soon.
I will be updating the pines soon. Three of the five trees survived the severe root pruning! Almost all the cuttings are still alive and growing. The trees took a long time to recover and it will be interesting to see what the roots have done.
Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone three are always a good number. I can not wait to see them! for my I thought to make it grow with a style erected like a classic pine and I would like to pick it up the tip because it is high but I have advised against it because they say it could die.
Always learn something from your videos. Thanks for sharing them with us! My question concerns forest plantings. Can one use a variety of different trees in a forest planting? It seems to me that forests do have some different varieties of trees in them. What do you think?
Yes, but the scale within the different trees needs to look right. Bonsai is a bit of an illusion, when trees are mixed, it may highlight the fact that the leaves are large on one species compared to another. Good mixed forests can be created and I have seen some nice ones on the internet, but it is rare to see one done right.
I think I learned a leson too today...my lemon tree is not doing very well. Its basically a green stick with no leaves. Its been like that for a month and now with the winter coming i dont think it will make it.
Be sure to keep the soil on the dry side, but still slightly moist. With no leaves the tree won't need much water. The green stem will provide energy to grow leaves, keep it in a sunny warm spot and hopefully it will make it.
oh Frank asked the rooting hormone question already. thank you for your videos as well. Not many people are interested in bonsai like us in the comments.
I use a powdered 20-20-20 fertilizer. I mix a small pinch in my watering can every time I water. I have experimented with actual worms in my bonsai pots, the trees seem to do well and the worm population survives even after a couple of years. I did feed the worms with compost on top of the soil. If you do have a living organic soil, I think worms are an important part of the soil. I have never used worm castings by themselves, I think it would clog up the air spaces in the soil. Soil and fertilizer experiments never end and much of it depends on your growing conditions to find what's right for your tree.
Pruning on tropical trees should be done after a period of strong growth followed by good conditions for recovery. I usually prune mine after the summer when the trees go inside.
I probably should use it, it seems a safe product if you follow the directions. I'll get some and mix it in with some water for the Norfolk island pines. Thanks Frank.
My wifeI was given a Norfolk pine for xmas (of course) from a relative. I currently has 3 stalks. Should I seperate and try to grow all 3 seperately? The 3 stalks are now very tightly together.
It all depends on what style you envision for the trees, "I" would separate them and grow them as a group of three vertical trees. This would make them look more like mature trees. Norfolk Island Pines generally don't grow as a clump style.
If you don't cut back the tree, it will keep getting taller. With a taller tree the trunk will look too skinny for the height of the tree. I am trying to get the look of an old pine tree. The next step for the trees is to let them grow again, after a while they will look good again.
Hi Nigel. I received a Norfolk Island Pine this past Christmas. would this make a good beginner bonsai? right now it is in a deep 4 inch pot. what is the first step. thanks, Mike
They are easy to grow, but a little harder to keep to size and shape. It can be done, here are some tips on growing your tree well.... www.pennington.com/resources/fertilizer/indoor-gardening/nurturing-norfolk-island-pines-year-round
@@TonyGaudin They are common here as house plants and most nurseries carry them as indoor Christmas trees. You can also order seeds and trees online! Look for Araucaria heterophylla seeds.
@@TheBonsaiZone Thank you very much i love your videos is there anyway i could show you my bonsai trees? i have a very windy juniper tree that i am not sure what to do with like i have only just barely gotten into bonsai and i dont know what to do going forward!
An update will be coming. Two of the trees died from the extreme root work, but three are doing well. Nearly all the cuttings are growing well. The trees were slow to grow this summer because they had so little roots left, but they are growing a little stronger now. I'm waiting for them to get more vigorous before touching them again.
3 of the 5 main trees have survived and nearly all the cuttings lived, here is the latest later in this video.... th-cam.com/video/Tl-hyeClBZE/w-d-xo.html
Hello Jordan, it all depends on the species of the tree and how much root work you do to the tree. Tropical's can be re potted this time of the year if they get warm, light and humidity afterwards. As winter approaches, the days get shorter here and the days start to get cloudy. Success is not always good in winter. It is better to wait until the end of January to re pot. The days get longer and sunnier. For hardy trees, I would wait until spring.
Yes, cuttings require light to create the energy to grow roots, without light, the roots might start to grow, but then the whole cutting will die off. I'm hoping for some sunny days to come, so the cuttings and trees grow well.
Darn! It sounds like some of my cuttings will not survive since they have lost their leaves. Hopefully, the ones that kept their leaves will make it. I don't know whether to keep them outside for the winter or bring them in the garage.
sms 25 If the outside temp stays around or above freezing, your hardy cuttings should be OK outside.They should be protected from the wind. Tropical cuttings like the Norfolk island pine need to be in a warm, humid and sunny location, like a greenhouse.
oops wrote my question in wrong place. anyway question is do you put plants in shade for month after hard root prune and if so is it same for cuttings? think i killed my boganvilia, pruned roots really hard, repotted in yates bonsai soil mix and put it in shade, has dropped all but one leaf and main branch that was to be new leader looks dead. i really suck at bonsai, haha.
They need to be kept humid after the root pruning, a greenhouse or a plastic bag around the tree will help. I mist mine a couple of times a day. I try and keep them out of the direct afternoon sun, but keep them in a bright location. The Bougainvillea's really like warmth and humidity!
I keep my tropical trees outside as late as I can. When the nigh time temperature drops close to freezing, (5 degrees C) they come inside. They go back outside when the risk of frost is over and the night time temperatures stay above 5 C. They are usually outside from late June to early October. This is only about 3 months of the year! The rest of the time they are stuck indoors. My outside greenhouse is used for growing aerial roots in the high heat and humidity.
I use 1/2 perlite and 1/2 turface. I sift the soil to remove the fine particles and dust to get a final size of 3 to 4 mm or 1/8" Here is how I water and fertilize this soil.... th-cam.com/video/gXIIpxUqxdY/w-d-xo.html
Yes, but it does take a long time to root. I checked my one cutting and after almost two years, it still has a very small root system. I'll be doing an update on these trees soon.
I use wiring when I have to. Much can be done with clip and grow plus directional pruning. Wiring for me is usually the last stage in refinement of the tree. I try and build the structure and branches with clip and grow and then I fine tune the position with wire. Clip and grow keeps the natural growth pattern and style of the tree intact, in the end your bonsai will look like the full size tree in nature. That is the most important look for me in a bonsai tree.
Very brutal, two of the trees died, but other three are growing well again. The cuttings did really well also, I'll repot this forest this summer and see how the roots look.I really like working on the Norfolk Island Pines!
They have started to grow again, I may have lost one tree, it's not looking as green as the others, but all the rest and the cuttings are looking good. I'll have enough to make a nice forest.
They are still green but have not put out any new growth yet. I planted all the cuttings and they are still green also. Still got my fingers crossed and hoping some sunny days will get them growing.
I think the best time to repot is just before the good weather arrives. Late spring is probably best, but I get really good sunlight in the middle of winter also. I find it always best to re pot when the tree is ready to grow, they tend to generate roots and top growth together. If the roots are pruned when tropical trees are dormant, the roots may begin to rot with poor sunlight and cooler temperatures.
They are so cheap! I just got a huge, lush 4 foot 2.5 gal for 20 bucks at Lowe's and the little guys are like 5-9 bucks, really considering getting 1 for bonsai
It is half turface and half perlite. All materials are sifted to remove the fine particles. I will add 10 to 20 percent composted pine bark to the mix also. This mix requires frequent watering and fertilization.
I'm not sure about some of my trees also! Part of the fun and challenge of bonsai is turning nothing into something! Keep trying and the results may surprise you!
Greetings from Australia Nigel. I'm glad you did this severe root prune, as I did a "Nigel" today also. I bought a " bonsai" (it was more like a tree in a pot) from a sale at an antiques fair on the weekend. The lovely old dear who sold it said she had this tree in the pot for four years and all she did was water it and feed it Dynamic Lifter. It was supposed to be a Chinese pistachio, but it never is or will be. I'm still checking out what it is. I removed three of its five spindly trunks and then got to the roots" it was a mass of tangled spaghetti, just as you had in this video. By the time I finished ,I was planting a cutting with very few roots, but I too wouldn't feel good about this poor tree struggling with what it had. If it dies , I believe it would have anyway, as it looked very weak and frail. Thank you for your great root pruning techniques, I don't feel so bad now for being so severe. " Do something green and plant a few clippings to grow into trees"
Cheers Mandie
Mandie Artym How is it now?
Thank you so much for this video I lost some of my trees this year but your positive attitude helps me keep on trying. Bonsai and watching your videos have given me such a zen. Thank you.
All the best Emma, happy growing!
please do update video on norfolk island pines...
It will be coming soon! Thanks.
Hi, Nigel! Could you update us on the Norfolk Island pines? Hope they survived and are thriving!
Could you make a videao that shows how you root cuttings?
YES! PLEASE! That's what brought me here to begin with today!
Very nice! There's a lot of Norfolk Pines here in Hawaii.I'm looking forward to the updates.We love you here in Hawaii! Thanks for sharing.
Aloha, how large are some of the NIP's in Hawaii? They are so nice when the get old!
About 40-50 ft.
Hi Nigel. Forest is looking great. Thanks for a nice video.
Regards.
I would love to know how to grow cuttings from random trees. It seems like a crazy and awesome idea! You have inspired me.
I just picked up a Norfolk pine. Was hoping to repot it and do some trimming. I would love it if you would do an update on your trees.
An update will be coming, because I took so much root off them, recovery has been slow. The trees that survived are getting stronger every day and are ready for more work this winter.
Super awesome Norfolk island bonsai stand! excited to watch the updated videos now! New subscriber here!
Thank you Justin, happy growing!
Thanks Nigel - only so much you can do with this species, I guess, I happen to also have a 5-tree Norfolk planting that was an xmas present several years ago. The trees have beefed up over the years in sunny indoor positions but I'm hesitant to 'style' them, may just let them grow as wild house plants - I'll dub it the 'naturalistic clump style' haha. I envy your plant room for the winter, definitely will have something similar with a south facing window once I get a proper house outside of the city.
I didn't even notice that you didn't say 'of KW Bonsai' until I read the comments...I think its because I don't care, I come to watch you and see how your trees are progressing!
Nigel Saunders here of KW bonsai, thanks Mark, I hope you find a nice house with a greenhouse attached someday!
Mark Mondrinos 9iu7uuuuuuuuuioppl mg ff deep
I love how you really work the roots in your trees :)
Thank you, I may have killed these poor trees, but I'll try and help them recover with lots of misting, sunshine and luck!
@@TheBonsaiZone Did they survive???
@@neft16 That's what I was wondering too!
Hello Nigel, thank you for your videos. As always you do a very good job explaining what and why you do everything.
I was hoping to ask you question?
This weekend I bought a "burning bush" at discount at the local big box store. Nothing special, but it is a cultivar I enjoy and I hope in some time it can make a nice containered tree.
Usually when I get these big box nursery trees home, I rake out a couple inches off the top of the soil. I was going to wait till early spring to do any other work to the tree. But I noticed that there was holes, maybe made by mice in the bottom of the root ball. Enough soil is missing and roots exposed to air that I am concerned.
Would it be best to bare root the tree now, or wait. It's survived this long, why not another few months, or get it into some better soil and conditions now?
Thanks for your help, enjoy life.
I'm glad I saw you cut those roots the way you did. That means there's hope for the ones I did. Having trouble shaping them into radial roots since they seem to be pointed down most of the time.
I'm still waiting for new growth on the Norfolk Island pines, they are still green and all the cuttings I planted are also green, but no new growth yet, I've still got my fingers crossed!
Muy buen trabajo Nigel!
Gracias, Por supuesto, espero que sobreviven, les di una poda severa, tanto arriba como abajo. ¡Mantendré mis dedos cruzados!
Thanks for another great video, Nigel, I am always wondering if those trees are going to survive such severe root prunning and they surprise me again and again. Good job!
I hope they survive also, I may have over done it this time? So far they are still green!
I have one of these trees and I want to keep it to a reduced size. If I remove the top from the top will it kill the tree? It has been growing indoors for nearly three years and it's probably about 15 inches tall.
I'm a inspired viewer of your channel and i really would like to see how your Norfolk Pine's are doing after a few months.
Oh nice. You've inspired me to try the NI pines. Thanks so much.
Happy growing Terry!
Hey Nigel I was wondering if maybe you could make a video of your bonsai collection, I think that would make a really awesome video?
Thanks for the video! I removed a large pine (Pinus mugo) from a mountain a few months ago and could only salvage a few spindly roots. It's doing fine at the moment, so there's hope for these trees, too, I guess. ;)
I also ordered some Ficus religiosa seeds (inspired by your trees) since I can't seem to get any plants of that species here. I'll see if and how fast they'll grow - I guess I should have planted some of them 20 years ago...
They should grow quickly for you, good luck. When I see some of the fantastic ones in books and on the internet, I feel like mine are still just young!
Thanks a lot!
I’d love to see an update of these trees
Here is the playlist for these trees, they are doing really well at the moment and are starting to grow after the last pruning.
th-cam.com/play/PLQouTWwmTQox79JSO4DBgeKUOOepOS0Ej.html
greetings from Costa Rica !! pura vida Nigeli have never been able to work with pines or cypresses because after i touch the roots the seem to not like it, i was impressed when you did all that pruning, how are the trees now? as far as i know the roots of that type of trees are really delicate... g
All the trees made it except for one. The cuttings that I took also are doing well. I'm hoping to make my "Norfolk Island" penjing this summer with the trees!
Oh greeeat! Hope to see the video! Good vibes and happy trees!
we had many cuttings from the ones we did and they stayed alive for years but they never developed any roots, be careful with the cuttings, they may not have any roots.
Thank you, I'll be careful and check before I go to re pot them! Thank you for the warning!
Hi Nigel, Nice work, It's always been a pleasure watching you working on plants and roots. You use mixture of perlite & turface as bonsai soil. But turface is not available in our locality. So, I was wandering if there's any substitute for turface to add with perlite.
You can use pumice, lava rock, ground coconut husks or akadama soil. All will work well!
When I see you pruning the roots so drastically short my heart stops for a second. I think I will never have the nerves to prune the roots so severe.
I know the feeling, but I can't have those twisted roots. I'd just never be happy developing them further without a good miniature root base. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping the trees make it.
Hi Nigel i am watching you cutting back your norfolk island pine question why did you prune the top so serverly? I enjoy watching you i have really learn alot tku
I was trying to keep the trees as small as possible and it was a bit of an experiment in root reduction. I did loose one tree, but the others have survived so far. Most of the cuttings rooted and are growing well! I plan on making a Norfolk island planting in the future.
Mr Nigel good evening l want to ask about how do grow this plant norfolk from cuttings. Can you tell me the way because l failed in growing this kind of trees many times
Would love an update on this little forest.
An update will be coming, the trees are alive but not all that vigorous, I'm not sure how much root they have yet!
Awesome ,nice work . I pruned my two Norfolk pine quite severe on the roots side . and cut off the apex of both and they have grown to twice the size ... I was scared to cut them too much ,hoping to see good results in your trees 😄
I'm hoping for some nice sunny days to help the trees along, good to hear yours are doing well.
I can't wait to see how they're going to look!!
They are still green, I'm hoping for new growth soon, nothing yet!
How are these trees doing?
Three of the larger trees survived the hard root pruning and almost all the cuttings survived. The trees are slowly gaining vigor and I'll be working on them soon.
Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone I am about to start a new bonsai with this tree and am very excited to see your progress and to get further insight for us beginners!
Hi Nigel, thanks for the great videos you post on a regular basis. Did your norfolk pines survive your drastic root pruning?
All but one. Many of the cuttings from this video also rooted. I may try more cuttings from a larger tree this summer. I want to create a Norfolk island scene, with trees on a shoreline.
i love finding all the little spiders trying to cling the bonsais as you prune away lol
I always leave them on the trees if possible, they are the tree guardians!
Thank you for the video. I always thought a bonsai forest was made out of 1 vertical tree with lots of 90° branches coming out sideways, pruned on one side into a comb like structure and laid horizontally under the soil surface - didn't know it was possible to plant 5 separate trees together this way. Not sure where I read it, that the trees would fight each other for nutrients and the growth would become uneven, if they were not all part of the shared root system. Would appreciate your knowledge on this matter as I love forest styled bonsai.
Poesy Liang the style you are referring to is called Raft and shows a tree that has been knocked over by the wind. similar; but not a forest, hope that helps :)
Nigel hug ... this species looks a lot like Brazil here, Araucaria congratulations for boldness ... big hug my friend
Tonny Fênix
Thanks Tonny, always enjoy your creations!
We have a lot in common, because I'm also a big fan of your work, friend hug
Hey, Nigel! Would love an update on these little guys.
It will be coming! They are growing nicely again!
Great to hear. I've got a little set of my own, they're only about 4-5 inches tall but wondering if I can keep them small in some way. My wife and I stumbled upon your videos and it's inspired us to start growing some seeds of our own, we went through and watched at least 20 videos this week. Keep doing what you're doing!
Im itching for an update on these little guys Nige!
They are growing, but really slowly! The have hardly changed since the severe pruning!
I love your channel! I'm new to bonsai and I was wondering do you use any fertilizer?
Yes, I use a small pinch of powdered 20-20-20 with every watering can in the summer. In spring, fall and winter they get less.
I know this was approximately 8 years ago but did any of the cutting's take hold? They looked great but I know pines are/can be difficult to propagate...Thanks...
Yes, they seem to root eventually, it took about two years before they good a good amount of roots!!
did the cuttings root? can you make an update of them or show them in an upcoming video? :) really interested
Here is an update at 10:40
th-cam.com/video/Tl-hyeClBZE/w-d-xo.html
Here is the playlist for these trees...
th-cam.com/play/PLQouTWwmTQox79JSO4DBgeKUOOepOS0Ej.html
Hi Nigel, i just got a few of these trees as a holiday arrangement, it was interesting to see some success doing them as bonsai, i think i will give it a try myself.
I wanted to ask if did that piece you said you were going to try and root as a cutting work and take root?
I ended up planting all the cuttings I took from this video! So far they are all still green. The main trees and the cuttings haven't grown any new foliage yet, I'm hoping some sunny days will get them going. Winter has been very cloudy so far this year and growth in all my trees has been slow. It's been 2 1/2 months since the severe pruning of the Norfolk island pines, I mist them twice a day and keep them warm and humid, I think they just need sunlight now.
Hi Nigel, awesome video! I trunk chopped my norfolk pines in early March to the point where they have no leaves to shorten the trunks. Do you think they will survive? How long do you think it will take to see some foliage?
Hi Nigel, please can you give us an update. I would like to see how they are doing. Now after the root trimming. Thanx
One of the trees died from the brutal root cutting and then one died from bringing them from inside to outside in spring. All the others are growing and also the cuttings. I do plan on making a land penjing with them. A video will be coming, I just have to find a pot and the materials. Stay tuned!
we've got one grouping of norfolk island pine as an island, but most of ours died when trying to separate them, any tips on keeping them alive? We've looked around and seems people don't use these trees as bonsai's for this reason.
I like your show very much. I did some planting before, but never bonsai. I really like to start this new hobby. Macao is a place near Hong Kong. What are the best choices of plant type I should go for?
I would start off with a Ficus microcarpa, they are easy to grow and can turn into a beautiful tree!
Can we make arucaria forest bonsai if yes then please post a step by step video
Yes, the Monkey Puzzle trees are one of my favorites! I don't have any of these trees. I would have to order seeds to start them. They are definitely on the list of things to do!
my aeroceria(Norfolk island pine) tree is getting less dense. branches from near the stem loosing leaves... i want it to be more dense what should i do?? its 20 feet tall.
Hi , Do you have much success with cutting at this time of the year. I have taken some olive cuttings when I did some pruning. Always the optomist,
Cuttings seem to root the best on hot summer days, but I have had luck in my plant room when it's warm and humid. I'll update the cuttings and trees with the results, good or bad.
I see. I also questioned your pruning on those roots because I have a silver maple that has roots at the dirt surface.
I have a group of silver maples that are two years old now. They will be getting their first root pruning this spring. Maples can take some severe root pruning and they will grow a mass of fine roots in one summer. I did some severe root pruning on some of the red maples this spring and they survived, I may have gotten lucky on them!
Nigel Saunders Nigel I have two silver maples I replanted in my yard from those helicopters this past summer. No joke they are already 3' tall. I have one maple I dug up from a neighbors yard that's about two foot maybe it's tall and short branches. I have had that for about one year that I am training. I tried sending you a video but said it was too big
Michael Barber I really like silver maples, I think they will make a nice bonsai. Just the leaf shape makes them worth while!
Hi Nigel, what happened to this forest? Was really interested in seeing it's progression. I have some baobab and dawn redwood seeds. What's the best way to go about preparing and planting? Thanks HEAPS 😊
I will be updating the NIP's soon. They had a tough time gaining vigor after the severe root pruning. Some didn't make it, but three are growing well again!
Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone Can't wait to see them. Cheers
@Nigel,
Do you know how I might be able to get my hands on a dracaena cinnabari? I can't seem to find them anywhere and I am obsessed with this tree. It may not be an ideal bonsai but I still would love to grow this tree. If anyone knows please help me out.
Best,
K
It’s been long not seen any update on these trees, can you do an update for Norfolk Island Pines ?
An update will be coming soon! After a severe root pruning, it's time to have a look!
Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone
Looking forward to..
thanks I live in Cornwall and I am trying to get into bonsai but the problem is that I live by the sea so the air is very salty so nothing grows outside so I have to keep my trees inside so have you got any tips? thanks for your time.
There are trees that can take the salty conditions, many of the coastal trees have adapted to these conditions. Check out the Tamarisk tree, it actually takes salt up in its roots and then it crystallizes on the leaves. This salt falls to the ground and prevents other trees to grow around it. Cornwall salt is famous, maybe salt from the tamarisk tree watered with water from the bay would be even more valuable! Check out this article....
www.treeboss.net/salt-tolerant_trees.htm
great video as allways, nice drainage hole in the back, I will start doing that on all my pots, a new trend, many thanks tony.
Yes, I just need to tilt the pot back a little and all the excess water runs out. I do really need to but some bonsai pots!
If you would like there is a possibility that I might be able to send you a few Ponderosa Pine seeds but chances are I wont be able too. They are extremely common in my area and grow in a cold climate year round minus the summer where it tends to get around 90 degrees farenheit.
Thanks, I intend on ordering many different varieties of pine seeds in future, I'll be sure to get a Ponderosa pine!
Nigel - how are the Norfolk Island pin s doing - I just bought a few to bonsai
They are slow going. I severely root pruned them in the last video and planted cuttings. Two of the main trees died, but three are still growing and almost all the cuttings are growing. I think this species takes a long time to root. I'll be making an update on them soon.
Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone - Thanks Nigel - replanted all of them- we will see what happens- look forward to your next video
Hi Nigel, it's a while you do not show the Norfolk pine forest, how is it going? I bought a Norfolk pine and in February I will start to educate him 😊
I will be updating the pines soon. Three of the five trees survived the severe root pruning! Almost all the cuttings are still alive and growing. The trees took a long time to recover and it will be interesting to see what the roots have done.
Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone three are always a good number. I can not wait to see them! for my I thought to make it grow with a style erected like a classic pine and I would like to pick it up the tip because it is high but I have advised against it because they say it could die.
Always learn something from your videos. Thanks for sharing them with us!
My question concerns forest plantings. Can one use a variety of different trees in a forest planting? It seems to me that forests do have some different varieties of trees in them. What do you think?
Yes, but the scale within the different trees needs to look right. Bonsai is a bit of an illusion, when trees are mixed, it may highlight the fact that the leaves are large on one species compared to another. Good mixed forests can be created and I have seen some nice ones on the internet, but it is rare to see one done right.
Your introduction wasn't bad. I just have a question trimming your roots that short without feeders, won't that hurt the tree from growing roots?
I think I learned a leson too today...my lemon tree is not doing very well. Its basically a green stick with no leaves. Its been like that for a month and now with the winter coming i dont think it will make it.
Be sure to keep the soil on the dry side, but still slightly moist. With no leaves the tree won't need much water. The green stem will provide energy to grow leaves, keep it in a sunny warm spot and hopefully it will make it.
Gabi Trandafir why don't you add a nitrogen fertilizer and put a light on it? I did that with mine and it's growing back
Hello, off of cuttings have you ever felt the need to use rooting hormones? Also, what fertilizer do you use? ever use worm castings?
oh Frank asked the rooting hormone question already. thank you for your videos as well. Not many people are interested in bonsai like us in the comments.
I use a powdered 20-20-20 fertilizer. I mix a small pinch in my watering can every time I water. I have experimented with actual worms in my bonsai pots, the trees seem to do well and the worm population survives even after a couple of years. I did feed the worms with compost on top of the soil. If you do have a living organic soil, I think worms are an important part of the soil. I have never used worm castings by themselves, I think it would clog up the air spaces in the soil. Soil and fertilizer experiments never end and much of it depends on your growing conditions to find what's right for your tree.
Hi Nigel, I live in India. Always learn something new from your vdo. Can you suggest the right ti to prune tree in India please?
Pruning on tropical trees should be done after a period of strong growth followed by good conditions for recovery. I usually prune mine after the summer when the trees go inside.
in cases where you have to root prune very severely, why do you usually choose not to use rooting hormone?
I probably should use it, it seems a safe product if you follow the directions. I'll get some and mix it in with some water for the Norfolk island pines. Thanks Frank.
My wifeI was given a Norfolk pine for xmas (of course) from a relative. I currently has 3 stalks. Should I seperate and try to grow all 3 seperately? The 3 stalks are now very tightly together.
It all depends on what style you envision for the trees, "I" would separate them and grow them as a group of three vertical trees. This would make them look more like mature trees. Norfolk Island Pines generally don't grow as a clump style.
@@TheBonsaiZone Thank you.
I am new to this, and my question is... why would you cut back this batch to such an extent when they looked beautiful before you started cutting?
If you don't cut back the tree, it will keep getting taller. With a taller tree the trunk will look too skinny for the height of the tree. I am trying to get the look of an old pine tree. The next step for the trees is to let them grow again, after a while they will look good again.
Do you have any videos on Escambron and what is the trees common name
Hi Nigel. I received a Norfolk Island Pine this past Christmas. would this make a good beginner bonsai? right now it is in a deep 4 inch pot. what is the first step.
thanks,
Mike
They are easy to grow, but a little harder to keep to size and shape. It can be done, here are some tips on growing your tree well....
www.pennington.com/resources/fertilizer/indoor-gardening/nurturing-norfolk-island-pines-year-round
Thanks Nigel. Thanks for the link. How long should I let this plant grow before starting to train it as a bonsai?
where do you get these trees they are so beautiful!
They were from Canadian Tire and some are cuttings off of the original trees. Thanks!
@@TheBonsaiZone do you know of anywhere I could purchase them myself I would love to start a bonsai from them
@@TonyGaudin They are common here as house plants and most nurseries carry them as indoor Christmas trees. You can also order seeds and trees online! Look for Araucaria heterophylla seeds.
@@TheBonsaiZone Thank you very much i love your videos is there anyway i could show you my bonsai trees? i have a very windy juniper tree that i am not sure what to do with like i have only just barely gotten into bonsai and i dont know what to do going forward!
Update 2017please. Wonderfull and extreme Root work.... Congratulations.
An update will be coming. Two of the trees died from the extreme root work, but three are doing well. Nearly all the cuttings are growing well. The trees were slow to grow this summer because they had so little roots left, but they are growing a little stronger now. I'm waiting for them to get more vigorous before touching them again.
any update? did they live? They are on clearance now so I was wondering. :)
3 of the 5 main trees have survived and nearly all the cuttings lived, here is the latest later in this video....
th-cam.com/video/Tl-hyeClBZE/w-d-xo.html
hi, Nigel. is it too late to repot bonsai? when is too late?
Hello Jordan, it all depends on the species of the tree and how much root work you do to the tree. Tropical's can be re potted this time of the year if they get warm, light and humidity afterwards. As winter approaches, the days get shorter here and the days start to get cloudy. Success is not always good in winter. It is better to wait until the end of January to re pot. The days get longer and sunnier. For hardy trees, I would wait until spring.
Will your cuttings need sunlight to root? Can you just water them in a garage for the winter?
Yes, cuttings require light to create the energy to grow roots, without light, the roots might start to grow, but then the whole cutting will die off. I'm hoping for some sunny days to come, so the cuttings and trees grow well.
Darn! It sounds like some of my cuttings will not survive since they have lost their leaves. Hopefully, the ones that kept their leaves will make it. I don't know whether to keep them outside for the winter or bring them in the garage.
sms 25 If the outside temp stays around or above freezing, your hardy cuttings should be OK outside.They should be protected from the wind. Tropical cuttings like the Norfolk island pine need to be in a warm, humid and sunny location, like a greenhouse.
Thanks again for your feedback. I will let you know how they do.
What type of pine it that
I like your videos. From Brasil
Thank you Marcus!
When should you repot evergreens ?
Generally in the spring, when you notice some activity in the tree just beginning to happen.
How is this forest doing? You haven't made a update on this since the video.
The forest is doing really well and needs pruning. It is one of my favorite small group plantings!
@@TheBonsaiZone Awesome I'm glad to hear it's doing well
They look great!
oops wrote my question in wrong place. anyway question is do you put plants in shade for month after hard root prune and if so is it same for cuttings? think i killed my boganvilia, pruned roots really hard, repotted in yates bonsai soil mix and put it in shade, has dropped all but one leaf and main branch that was to be new leader looks dead. i really suck at bonsai, haha.
They need to be kept humid after the root pruning, a greenhouse or a plastic bag around the tree will help. I mist mine a couple of times a day. I try and keep them out of the direct afternoon sun, but keep them in a bright location. The Bougainvillea's really like warmth and humidity!
Update on these trees
Hi Keith, each tree has it's own playlist, you can check out the latest here...
th-cam.com/play/PLQouTWwmTQox79JSO4DBgeKUOOepOS0Ej.html
What did u mix in the soil with the perlite?
hey Nigel, at what degree do you put your tropical trees in the greenhouse?
I keep my tropical trees outside as late as I can. When the nigh time temperature drops close to freezing, (5 degrees C) they come inside. They go back outside when the risk of frost is over and the night time temperatures stay above 5 C. They are usually outside from late June to early October. This is only about 3 months of the year! The rest of the time they are stuck indoors. My outside greenhouse is used for growing aerial roots in the high heat and humidity.
Not related to this tree but... any chicken updates? :)
Chickens and new baby ducks coming soon!
Please tell about what all to added in bonsai soil but I am from India tell accordingly
I use 1/2 perlite and 1/2 turface. I sift the soil to remove the fine particles and dust to get a final size of 3 to 4 mm or 1/8"
Here is how I water and fertilize this soil....
th-cam.com/video/gXIIpxUqxdY/w-d-xo.html
Hi dear..can it be grown by a cutting..plz reply.. thanks
Yes, but it does take a long time to root. I checked my one cutting and after almost two years, it still has a very small root system. I'll be doing an update on these trees soon.
Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone thanks Nigel dear
Can u do an update on this video
I will, coming this winter!
Any updates abut this experiment?
Three of the 5 main trees survived the root prune and almost all the cuttings survived. I will make a video this summer on them.
Update?
I'v seen that most of your bonsai aren't wired. In which cases do you recommend to use wire? or do you think wire is unnecessary?
I use wiring when I have to. Much can be done with clip and grow plus directional pruning. Wiring for me is usually the last stage in refinement of the tree. I try and build the structure and branches with clip and grow and then I fine tune the position with wire. Clip and grow keeps the natural growth pattern and style of the tree intact, in the end your bonsai will look like the full size tree in nature. That is the most important look for me in a bonsai tree.
Link to these cuttings growth?
I will be making an update this summer to these trees, stay tuned!
brutal, decisive, inspiring
Very brutal, two of the trees died, but other three are growing well again. The cuttings did really well also, I'll repot this forest this summer and see how the roots look.I really like working on the Norfolk Island Pines!
It's a year later, did all those cuttings survive?
Yes, the cuttings made it, but I did loose three of the main trees. I did learn in the process!
How is it doing now ?
They have started to grow again, I may have lost one tree, it's not looking as green as the others, but all the rest and the cuttings are looking good. I'll have enough to make a nice forest.
did these survive? if so are they doing well?
They all survived except for one. Almost all the cuttings survived also. They are beginning to grow again, a video will be coming this spring.
what about those trees today, january 2017
They are still green but have not put out any new growth yet. I planted all the cuttings and they are still green also. Still got my fingers crossed and hoping some sunny days will get them growing.
so whats the best time of the year to repot them and y??
I think the best time to repot is just before the good weather arrives. Late spring is probably best, but I get really good sunlight in the middle of winter also. I find it always best to re pot when the tree is ready to grow, they tend to generate roots and top growth together. If the roots are pruned when tropical trees are dormant, the roots may begin to rot with poor sunlight and cooler temperatures.
They are so cheap! I just got a huge, lush 4 foot 2.5 gal for 20 bucks at Lowe's and the little guys are like 5-9 bucks, really considering getting 1 for bonsai
Yes, you can find them for very little! Mine are growing really well at the moment and will need pruning soon!
good day sir. what kind of soil did you used sir?
It is half turface and half perlite. All materials are sifted to remove the fine particles. I will add 10 to 20 percent composted pine bark to the mix also. This mix requires frequent watering and fertilization.
thank you sir
Kindly show update
An update will be coming soon, sorry for the long wait.
yeah ! this video good for me. That what i need. thanks
sir, i bought this tree bt im nt sure if its goin to mke a good bonsai
I'm not sure about some of my trees also! Part of the fun and challenge of bonsai is turning nothing into something! Keep trying and the results may surprise you!
where did you get your root rake?
I think it was part of a miniature gardening kit from about 20 years ago. I can't find it any where on the internet.