"How to do bonsai while living your life" ... that should be the title of your book! I could certainly benefit from reading that. Great video, all three trees look excellent, and of course they are bonsai! Excellent channing action there too 😂😂
The book will need to more broadly cover sucking at life, but it’s close! Thanks for all your help along the way, looking forward to your next informative video.
Yes, those are actual bonsai for sure. Nice work. I think I’m pretty much caught up on the videos. Very well done. Love the inserts of Chan, Sid’s can, and the Nigel references. Keep them coming and keep growing. Thanks
I found your channel because I dug an old forsenthia bush out of my yard and put it into a kitty litter bucket and now I am trying my hand at Bonsai. I think your trees look great and I like your attitude. Keep it up.
Thanks man!! In my opinion forsythia are an under appreciated species for bonsai. They have their downfalls, but for the most part I’ve been pretty happy with the results I’ve been able to get. Keep me updated with your progress, I’ll be curious to see how you make out. Cheers, thanks for the comment! -Colin
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot I like that they are hard to kill. When I cut it back this spring a jabbed several of the cuttings in the kitty litter bucket I had placed the parent plant in and forgot about them. Sure enough most of them have rooted with no effort. Have you ever done anything with a jade plant?
@@nolanbrooks1588 yup, my mom used to do that all the time growing up. After they flowered, she’d prune them and stick lots of cutting in buckets of sand and make new bushes. They’re pretty incredible plants.
Keep feeling good about them bro, they are ace! The twisty one looks ancient already. I love this species, though it took me awhile to appreciate them. My Mam grew some monster ones from cuttings and Id moan bout having to cut them back, untill I caught the bonsai bug and rooted some for myself. She passed away 6wks ago after a short illness. Forsythia are a nice memory of her. She'd have been in awe of your lil ones. I've been arsing about, putting off shooting my bonsai fumbles, for a few yrs now, and Mam was always trying to get me to pick up a camera and get at it, but being a full time stay at home dad to a 4 nd 5 year old, I kept putting it off. Hearing you talk bout juggling being a dad and taking care of the bonsai....while also managing shooting, editing and uploading, is really encouraging. The fact that it's forsythia you're working on while saying this, affirms it for me that I should just pull the finger out and hit record, preferably after washing said finger... Thanks bro.
My bro, That’s easily one of the most meaningful comments I’ve ever received. Thanks for taking the time to share a bit of your story, it’s not an easy thing to do but almost always worth while. I’m very sorry to hear your mom recently passed. It must have been a difficult time for you, especially with the young ones (mine are 3&6 so pretty close to your collection). I can’t imagine dealing with your own emotions while trying to manage theirs. Again, very sorry. BUT…what a beautiful memory you’ll now have. To be reminded of your mom every time you see a forsythia in bloom will be a wonderful experience that you’ll now have for the rest of your life. And if it’s a little forsythia bonsai that you’ll have the joy of nurturing, then all the better. As for the managing the “filming” (using that word liberally here) whilst having young children: I’m not gonna lie and say it’s easy to manage. It’s not. BUT this exchange between us, as well as countless others, both evident here and behind the scenes with friends I’ve grown very close to, are all proof positive that yea, it’s worth it. Do it. -Colin
I'll tell you what man...you'll have trouble killing them at least! In my minimal experience, they're a great candidate for bonsai and I'm surprised we don't see more of them out there. Cheers man, thanks for the kind words! -Colin
Bad ass looking little “trees”…as far as I’m concerned it’s bonsai for whatever that’s worth. I for one had to have a smoke after the watering…great vid.
Thank you my friend, maybe the closest I’ve come yet. BUT ALAS, if I ever finish the current video I’m working on, get ready for some bad news. Such is life. Cheers buddy.
Haha well the answer is that I'm cheap, I have all these busted up nursery pots laying around AND these stupid trees don't deserve a nice pot. They must share in my catholic guilt. NOT WORTHY DEMON TREES!!!
Thanks man, I tend to think so too. Agree that forsythias are somehow very hard to kill, though after that last pruning I showed in the video they remained quite weak to this day. I’m hoping it’s no big deal and they bounce back in the spring, but if not…another lesson learned! Cheers bro, thanks for the comments. -Colin
These Forsythia bonsai are great! Plant #4 is my favorite! The re-pot and then prune really advanced the look. No doubt you have these plants on the right path. On my third watch through I noticed the dinosaur trying to get a drink! LOL Great Video!
Thanks G! Yeah it’s amazing how all three of them had something hiding beneath those 2 years of moss accumulation, especially the one with the whacky scar tissue. Apatosaurus for scale, of course. In other news, how are the bees doing? Did they stick around?
Not only did the bees stick around but I just harvested the honey boxes from the apiary I keep at my folks' farm outside of town. We gathered about 150 pounds of pure honey. It'll make your eyes roll to the back of your head it's so good. Busy weekend! I'd like to send you a bottle.
@@smokyhillbonsai-gerrettmor6373 150lb?? That seems completely crazy to me…wowsa!! Awesome news, you should do a quick update video on that. And yeah, I’m not worthy but I’d love honey if you can spare it! You can always email me at gov_colin@yahoo.com if you’d rather chat on a non-CZcams platform. Cheers!
Greetings from germany. Am a Forsythia fan myself since start of this year. Not much experience in "Bonsaiing" yet. Like yours a lot. A German called Detlef Römisch is also doing a lot with forsythia and really crazy stuff too. You might like it. Be safe
Hey there!! Yes I used to watch Detlef all the time and his forsythias were some of my inspiration for my own forsythia bonsai. I think i unsubbed because I just couldn’t keep up with all his houseplant stuff. PLUS all the subtitle reading, but that’s just me being an i fondant American! If I were you, I’d dig up a little chunky forsythia sprout and throw it in a pot. See what happens. That’s really all that I did. None of these had any character when I potted them, but they very quickly and easily started morphing into some relatively interesting material. Thanks for the comment, cheers my friend! -Colin
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot already have 3 Forsythia and one of my neighbour wants to get rid of his 4. So this weekend will be Forsythia Weekend. Thanks for ur answer. Be safe (you know being in america with all the guns and Trump🤪)
My main man whipping out forsythias like nobody's business! Seems like only yesterday you had that "all my material is shit" video and just look at these beauties! I love how you clearly had plans for these trees but let yourself be surprised and went with what they presented you with. Now I'm even more looking forward to digging out those mum's forsythias in spring! Top marks Sir, a film both informative and entertaining! Now off to identify some shit I've gathered while Checking my Street Trees (tm). And yeah, "you make it work" are words to live by. Some days in the past year felt like a success when I just wired some branches or kept on top of watering. But discipline is one of the many lessons of this beautiful art.
Yo Luka, excellent points as always. I don't think these are out of the "shit woods" just yet, but they're on their way to (hopefully not a cold, frozen death) something better, more developed, more bonsai. Like I said, this is the closest I've come for sure. DEFINITELY dig that shit up. These are a fun species to play with for sure.
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot courage, they'll be wintering in good hands! I always remind myself they're not a class of kindergardeners ... Using proper-shaped pots and exposing the trunks made all the difference, mr. Chan would approve. I love the whole "discovering" part.
These look awesome. Going to have to try... I really love #4. Great work man! Also, yes! These are all just about there as bonsai. The two on the oustide (post prune) both have some taper and branching. I could believe them as trees in the natural environment.
Do it. I've been digging every chunky, rejected forsythia stump that I can find these days. If these can come out so good from such wimpy, nothing material, i imagine a beat ass old stump would be even better! Cheers bro, looking forward to your next vid.
Thanks Barbara, I appreciate the kind words! Of all the random shoots in my yard, these were the only three that had any character. I'm happy to say that their characteristics have only gotten better over the last few years. Thanks for the comment, cheers!
Hi, just been directed to your channel and I am already a fan. I love Forsythia and one of my earliest nursery tree projects was a discarded one...although I thought it was Potentilla for many years - DOH! It takes a lot of punishment...just like my kids. Oops can't say that. Looks like I have some more videos to watch when im not actually taking care of mine own small collection. Cheers from the sunny UK.
Hey Xavier!! Thanks so much for the comment! You know, I thought that forsythia were completely impervious to all outside forces. Have always loved them as well. UNTIL now, as we’re in the middle of an asiatic garden beetle invasion (different than the Beatle invasion!). I find myself going out every night with a headlamp to pop these little futchers, only to find myself saying “even the FORSYTHIA??” Yes, even our beloved forsythia are susceptible to these invasive jerks. THAT SAID, they’re still an underrated candidate for bonsai. Thanks for stopping by, and just so you know, I’m trying my best to get out more videos. We’re still recovering from moving house so times are tough right now. Cheers my friend, -Colin
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot I definitely know how you feel. Thankfully my four homeschooled kids (that makes me a weirdo) have grown up...but still live with me. something has gone wrong me thinks? I finally have time to concentrate on my bonsai - well time to kill them at least :)
I clipped a bit off my forsythia after wiring last week and stuck the end of the stick in the dirt as a joke, and the darned thing started growing - the terminal bud is almost totally open now. I think I ironically (or accidentally) got a cutting to grow, though I'm still expecting to come home from work and find it dead.
Hey man, sorry i missed this comment. I would say TYPICAL FORSYTHIA. I stuck some of these as scaffolding in my dawn redwood cuttings box, just to keep the plastic off the cutings themselves. Well of course they all rooted and took up the entire box with crazy roots.
Some good looking progess mate. I really wish I could grow more temperate Pinales, Conifers and Sapindales. It's just too hot and humid in this part of Aus. There's another side to every coin, all of my tropical species go bonkers all year long. Get an arm width Ficus in 5 years.
Ups and downs for sure bro. I don’t have room for indoor plants aside from a few small succulents that my daughter constantly kills, so i can’t have anything that isn’t hardy. Cheers man, thanks for swinging by!
@@iPheek I have to admit that I actually do like these and am moderately proud of them. I don’t think they liked that final pruning, but I think they’ll bounce back in the spring. Stay tuned!
That would be very interesting…I have no idea if they airlayer, but they’re one of the few shrubs I have in my yard that start easily from cuttings. Let me know if you give it a try!
They're all looking nice. The one with the stump as a base (#4 I think) has kind of an abrupt transition from the thick base to the upright trunk. But that will get corrected in time. You could let the leader go wild for a season to thicken it up faster and catch up with the base.
Very good point as always sir, thanks for the input. Will definitely let a leader go next year to help the transition, they seem to send out crazy suckers constantly so one shouldn’t be hard to come by. In fact, I’m starting to think that dealing with the constant course growth is a major reason you don’t see more forsythia bonsai. Otherwise they’re pretty tough little fuckers. Cheers man!
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot I'm thinking the effects of not trimming suckers in time could be less visible in larger plants. Thicker trunks, less chances of getting too many suckers in one place... I have absolutely no experience with this species so I may be just rambling here...
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot I may be able to get some branches. I don't know about stubs... I'll try starting one from cuttings this autumn, so challenge accepted! :)
Me, I'm all in on #4. #1 is nice but seems to ordinary for an idiot like me. I like to remind people bonsai is art so there is not right or wrong, just preferences and tradition. Yes emulate others to learn, then be bold and master your own style. Look at Peter and Nigel they're fast an loose sometimes, but like Miss Crow sings "If it makes you happy it can't be that bad."
I fucking love this. Also I agree, there’s something about #4. I almost want to share a closeup pic of that whacky scar tissue because I’m not sure it can be fully appreciated from the video. Cheers bro,thanks for the comment! -Colin
Little bit of prunie prune snippity snip snip and blamo you’ve got bonsai. Sweet sweet forsythia bonsai. Making me drool over here. And an automated watering system? Seriously, next you’ll be giving lectures at the local VFW rotary event... sniff, i remember when he was just digging maple stumps from abandoned lots...
Lol VFW, Rotary, AND Knights of Columbus if I’m lucky! Thanks bro, yeah I feel like they surprised me with what they had hidden underneath. Definitely sapped some vigor out of them with that last prune so we’ll see how they do next year.
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot i made about 10 rooted cuttings from my forsythia bush, pruning down that wild growth. Crazy how quick/easy they root up. My inground bush didn’t flower this spring like your little guys did though. They looked really good in yellow! Need to get into the Retirement Home circuit of speeches & demos :)> do they let you bring chainsaws into retirement homes? Cuz I think a bonsai demo requires a chainsaw... mandatory prolly
@@thelazybonsai at very least: sawzalls. Send some pics of the cuttings. I dug up a few decent sized stumps a month or two ago, look like shot now but have some THICC bases so time will tell.
Hi - I'm new to your channel and am lovin' it!! To me, your trees check all 'Bonsai' boxes - 'I would give my right arm for one of those' 😁😁. Seriously, after the deer just finished browsing on my collection, I think I need a plant that will push out that kind of growth. Each of your trees is so unique - I'm super stoked for the next update.
Yo Sue, welcome to madness! And dude…critters, pests and varmints…they all need to go. I’m done with them. Sorry to hear about the deer, but I would HIGHLY recommend the motion detecting sprinklers that I got to keep my kids I MEAN…the raccoons away. I grabbed a couple for my father in law who is constantly battling deer in the burbs so we’ll see how they work on deer. Thanks for the kind words, more videos are coming soon! -Colin
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot Thanks for the advice Colin - I definitely have to look into that! It's not like I don't appreciate the beasts' attempts at horticultural art - but seriously - it's August - time to put on growth, not take it off lol! On the other hand, if nature styled it, it has to look natural... right?!?
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot Haahaaahaa! I am with you 1000% on that - Canadian urban deer are a pestilence I would not wish on any gardener. I joke now, but last weekend, I was too mad to even remember the curse words I could (should) have filled the air with 😂
@@sueb1317 I feel your pain. I got in to what basically amounted to hand to hand combat with the raccoon family on many occasions this summer, driven by shear rage, of course, before I moved all the plants up onto the deck. Their incentive for tipping the pots seemed to subside when not on dirt since no wormy critters were hiding underneath. But before that, hoses, fireplace pokers, sling shots...you name it. It got pretty dirty.
Anothrr great video. And some really great material. Life does get in the way of trees sometimes doesn't it? Also you made me think..... I dont have any forsythia. I might have to do something about that. Stay safe mate
Inversely, it's just about ALL that I have in my yard to use as bonsai! So out of necessity comes, well...this video! I would highly recommend them, very easy to grow and I'd be interested to see what people with more bonsai experience than me would do with them.
They look great! 👍. And yes, Bonsai is a tree in a pot….. How did you winter them over in Boston? Do anything special, or just let them duke it out with the elements? How cold is it there in winter? Our weather very cold here with storms out of Canada…Makes bonsai challenging here in Montana..
Thanks Caryn! I don’t think it’s quite as brutal here as it is in Montana. I think this past winter we averaged daytime temps in the 20’s, approaching freezing midday. Anything in the single digits is “cold” to us and we certainly get our cold snaps. For care I pile up all the pots under my deck and partially bury them with soil. Then I just rake the yard leaves all over them for extra protection. I have no idea of course if this helps lol, just seems to work for me. In fact, I’ve read that you can run into fungal problems by doing the leaf bury thing, but until then…fuck it!
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot I think we had a night or 2 with the Arctic storm in February where it got -17 with the wind chill. Sometimes we get 50° swings in weather, usually in early spring. I am amazed anything green survives at all. 😳 Will provide feedback on occasion if I hit on a really good wintering over method. Thanks for replying….it gives me some good ideas.
@@carynludwig6667 that would be great! Another great resource is the bonsai reddit page. People do lots of crazy mini-greenhouse type shelters if that’s your thing. SPOILER ALERT: NOT MY THING! To much effort, but probably works well!
Hey man, your little trees in pots look like bonsai!!! They're great, you just need to let them mature. #2 is awesome, maybe #4 needs to thicken the upper part of the trunk to match better the lower powerful part. You could leave the apex growing without pruning it for some months. I am am surprised your wife let you repot your trees in kitchen 😂
Yes another viewer, Mr. "Odd Bonsai," made that point as well. A point made twice is a point worth taking, and so I will definitely do that next year. The funny thing is that the scar tissue really seemed to thicken the trunk faster than the "sacrifice branch" method does (at least with forsythias). I almost want to try making intentional scars on the trunk to duplicate the effect. Hmmmm...the possibilities....... Cheers bro! -Colin
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot if Odd Bonsai says so, it's really a good idea. Creating scars to thicken the trunk could work, I see Indonesian guys who grab their tree and start to shake the trunk; they even hit (quite gently) their trees with hammer because they say these operations create micro fractures who thicken the trunk. I don't know if this really work but surely your tree loves scars, I don't know what kind of perversion it has😂😂cheers bro!
Awesome, I remember that we had a huge Forsythia in my childhood and this video sparked interest to make me own. Is taking cuttings viable? I mean not sure i would like to buy a whole bush. New subscriber btw cheers !
Hey there!! Yes, forsythias root pretty easy from cuttings. My mom would often do this in the spring. I think the trick is to cut off the long vigorous growths in spring, maybe even after the bush flowers, and stick them into sand (at least that's what my mom used to do). The thing is that these cuttings make for some boring bonsai, so instead I would recommend searching around the perimeter of the bush for the little "pups" that develop from where the branches touch the ground and ground layer. The roots and branches at these points will be far more interesting. ALTERNATIVELY you can literally hack off any chunk of the greater bush near the trunk that has roots...these things are tough and can take it. Have I said too much?? I'm sure I have! Cheers man, thanks for the sub/ comment! -Colin
Hey Beth! I left them like I left all the rest: under my porch, buried in leaves. It works pretty well, though the critters got in and did some nibbling on certain trees. All the forsythias came out just fine though and are thriving. Will need a prune soon, so hopefully I can get around to filming it. Cheers!! -Colin
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot ha! No, but as the Star Trek character Data corrected the good Doctor Polaski in season two of TNG when she insisted on calling him Data with short A instead of Data with long A, asking what the difference was, Data replied “One is my name, and one is not” 😂
The main bend in the trunk was actually already there when I collected it. This little guy was growing between two pavers and was getting totally squished when I found it. I always imagined I would do a cascade but it looked good as an informal upright. Cheers man, thanks for the comment!
Hey man, if you're ever looking for some extra material (or just a local bonsai friend), let me know! I'm in Watertown and am trying to reduce my 150+ prebonsai/bonsai collection
Oh HELL yeah! Would be fun just to visit the collection, sounds pretty extensive! Feel free to shoot me an email at gov_colin@yahoo.com if you ever want to meet up. -Colin
Hello my friend in Bali! These are forsythia, which are originally from eastern Asia but are now used commonly throughout the world as an ornamental hedge shrub. They are VERY easy to grow, but are not often used in bonsai. Cheers, thanks for the comment!
Hey man! Thanks, yeah not bad, you know…for me! Hopefully they make it through the winter, they weren’t too happy about that last prune. How’s your shit doing? How did they Norway maple respond to the partial defoliation??
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot it’s all shit still haha. I’ll have to do an update on that Norway maple. It backbudded like crazy after that. Not exactly where I wanted but you know, good things to learn
Chan as a verb, love it! He is the master of aggressive pruning.
Right?? Chicken plucker extraordinaire!!
"How to do bonsai while living your life" ... that should be the title of your book! I could certainly benefit from reading that. Great video, all three trees look excellent, and of course they are bonsai! Excellent channing action there too 😂😂
The book will need to more broadly cover sucking at life, but it’s close! Thanks for all your help along the way, looking forward to your next informative video.
Wonderful work, the trees look amazing, nice to see success from humble beginnings! I definitely approve of the Hail Mary cut!
You're a good sport sir! But seriously, you ought to trademark that term!! Cheers Nigel!
Thank you 🙏
Hadir mengikuti, Mantap pruning & reporting bonsai 🌳nya mister, Menginspirasi, Sukses selalu 😀👍 salam dari INDONESIA 👍
Its not only that you got a talent for comedy, you got a talent for bonsai. Made beautiful bonsai from scratch. As always a 👍👍👍
Yo Ernst! Thanks man, but I think I would have to be funny for this to be considered “comedy!” Appreciate the comment my friend, cheers.
Yes, those are actual bonsai for sure. Nice work. I think I’m pretty much caught up on the videos. Very well done. Love the inserts of Chan, Sid’s can, and the Nigel references. Keep them coming and keep growing. Thanks
Gotta pay homage! Cheers man, thanks and will do.
Chan back all those roots is the funniest thing :D
Love your style!
Thanks man! Yeah, if you’re not using “Chan” as a verb, you ain’t prunin baby!! Cheers, thanks for the commment!
I found your channel because I dug an old forsenthia bush out of my yard and put it into a kitty litter bucket and now I am trying my hand at Bonsai. I think your trees look great and I like your attitude. Keep it up.
Thanks man!! In my opinion forsythia are an under appreciated species for bonsai. They have their downfalls, but for the most part I’ve been pretty happy with the results I’ve been able to get. Keep me updated with your progress, I’ll be curious to see how you make out. Cheers, thanks for the comment!
-Colin
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot I like that they are hard to kill. When I cut it back this spring a jabbed several of the cuttings in the kitty litter bucket I had placed the parent plant in and forgot about them. Sure enough most of them have rooted with no effort.
Have you ever done anything with a jade plant?
@@nolanbrooks1588 yup, my mom used to do that all the time growing up. After they flowered, she’d prune them and stick lots of cutting in buckets of sand and make new bushes. They’re pretty incredible plants.
Keep feeling good about them bro, they are ace! The twisty one looks ancient already.
I love this species, though it took me awhile to appreciate them. My Mam grew some monster ones from cuttings and Id moan bout having to cut them back, untill I caught the bonsai bug and rooted some for myself.
She passed away 6wks ago after a short illness. Forsythia are a nice memory of her. She'd have been in awe of your lil ones.
I've been arsing about, putting off shooting my bonsai fumbles, for a few yrs now, and Mam was always trying to get me to pick up a camera and get at it, but being a full time stay at home dad to a 4 nd 5 year old, I kept putting it off.
Hearing you talk bout juggling being a dad and taking care of the bonsai....while also managing shooting, editing and uploading, is really encouraging.
The fact that it's forsythia you're working on while saying this, affirms it for me that I should just pull the finger out and hit record, preferably after washing said finger...
Thanks bro.
My bro,
That’s easily one of the most meaningful comments I’ve ever received. Thanks for taking the time to share a bit of your story, it’s not an easy thing to do but almost always worth while.
I’m very sorry to hear your mom recently passed. It must have been a difficult time for you, especially with the young ones (mine are 3&6 so pretty close to your collection). I can’t imagine dealing with your own emotions while trying to manage theirs. Again, very sorry.
BUT…what a beautiful memory you’ll now have. To be reminded of your mom every time you see a forsythia in bloom will be a wonderful experience that you’ll now have for the rest of your life. And if it’s a little forsythia bonsai that you’ll have the joy of nurturing, then all the better.
As for the managing the “filming” (using that word liberally here) whilst having young children: I’m not gonna lie and say it’s easy to manage. It’s not. BUT this exchange between us, as well as countless others, both evident here and behind the scenes with friends I’ve grown very close to, are all proof positive that yea, it’s worth it.
Do it.
-Colin
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot Thanks bro, thanks for taking the time to be a good soul to a random whack-job on the internet. It helps :)
@@Boru06 hey man, when it comes to “being a whack job on the internet,” I’m pretty sure I’ve got you beat!
Fantastic trees! What a transformation. Makes me hopeful for the forsythia I dug from my yard and potted last year.
I'll tell you what man...you'll have trouble killing them at least! In my minimal experience, they're a great candidate for bonsai and I'm surprised we don't see more of them out there.
Cheers man, thanks for the kind words!
-Colin
Bad ass looking little “trees”…as far as I’m concerned it’s bonsai for whatever that’s worth. I for one had to have a smoke after the watering…great vid.
Lol sometimes it’s just that good I guess. Thanks man, appreciate it!
Greetings from Mexico, I hope you continue uploading videos of your specimens.
Thanks Victor! Yes, another video is on the way. Life has been busy, unfortunately. Hang tight, and thanks for the comment!
-Colin
Thank you for this video, it’s a great one.
Yes, they are definitely bonsai! ✅ Very well done!👌
Thank you my friend, maybe the closest I’ve come yet. BUT ALAS, if I ever finish the current video I’m working on, get ready for some bad news. Such is life. Cheers buddy.
Forsythia number 4 is positively knarley! Nice video and coverage. Thanks for filming.
Love your pruning - great shapes
Thanks so much! Too bad all three of these were eaten by a mouse over the winter. OH well, live and learn, right? Cheers and thanks for the comment!
They are lovely! Nice work, thanks for showing us the progress
Thanks! Unfortunately they all got smoked by rodents in the off-season so we’ll have to re-up on the forsythia this spring Cheers!
Those are some really nice looking trees. Bonsai for sure !! You've done a great job. 👍 🌳
Thanks for the kind words Guy!
OK. Ignore the pot question. Just watched this one. Looks good.
Should have ignored my inner adult and binge watched em all last night
Haha well the answer is that I'm cheap, I have all these busted up nursery pots laying around AND these stupid trees don't deserve a nice pot. They must share in my catholic guilt. NOT WORTHY DEMON TREES!!!
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot you should give up cheapness for Lent
Great video. Editing was done well and the audio was good! Thanks for taking the time.
Thanks man! Just trying to share my haphazard journey with the world. Cheers, and thanks for the comment!
-Colin
Yes. They are all very nice to look at and inspiring. Thank You and keep it up.
Thanks Mark, appreciate it. Will give updates on these for sure!
Beautiful bonsai friend
Great
Thank you sir!
Forsythia 2, the curve of the trunk ia so cool😍
Thanks man! That’s my favorite for sure. Cheers!
oh yeah. #4 turned out to be sexy the next morning 🤭
Nice pruning and repotting... thanks for sharing sir 👍
Thanks my friend!
Just got into forsythia myself, they make fantastic trunks, and are pretty much impossible to kill. And fuck yes it's a bonsai.
Thanks man, I tend to think so too. Agree that forsythias are somehow very hard to kill, though after that last pruning I showed in the video they remained quite weak to this day. I’m hoping it’s no big deal and they bounce back in the spring, but if not…another lesson learned! Cheers bro, thanks for the comments.
-Colin
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot They'll bounce back. Forsythia is bonsai!
Thanks man! I’ve got some cuttings in a plant pot which I will now lay on the ground so the roots pop out into the soil. Great video!
Good plan my friend, and good luck!
looking goooood!! that one with the scar tissue is looking damnnn fine!!! awesome progress!
Thanks bro. I like the scar tissue too, may try and replicate it!
These Forsythia bonsai are great! Plant #4 is my favorite! The re-pot and then prune really advanced the look. No doubt you have these plants on the right path. On my third watch through I noticed the dinosaur trying to get a drink! LOL Great Video!
Thanks G! Yeah it’s amazing how all three of them had something hiding beneath those 2 years of moss accumulation, especially the one with the whacky scar tissue. Apatosaurus for scale, of course.
In other news, how are the bees doing? Did they stick around?
Not only did the bees stick around but I just harvested the honey boxes from the apiary I keep at my folks' farm outside of town. We gathered about 150 pounds of pure honey. It'll make your eyes roll to the back of your head it's so good. Busy weekend! I'd like to send you a bottle.
@@smokyhillbonsai-gerrettmor6373 150lb?? That seems completely crazy to me…wowsa!! Awesome news, you should do a quick update video on that. And yeah, I’m not worthy but I’d love honey if you can spare it! You can always email me at gov_colin@yahoo.com if you’d rather chat on a non-CZcams platform. Cheers!
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot Email sent!
Greetings from germany. Am a Forsythia fan myself since start of this year. Not much experience in "Bonsaiing" yet. Like yours a lot. A German called Detlef Römisch is also doing a lot with forsythia and really crazy stuff too. You might like it. Be safe
Hey there!! Yes I used to watch Detlef all the time and his forsythias were some of my inspiration for my own forsythia bonsai. I think i unsubbed because I just couldn’t keep up with all his houseplant stuff. PLUS all the subtitle reading, but that’s just me being an i fondant American!
If I were you, I’d dig up a little chunky forsythia sprout and throw it in a pot. See what happens. That’s really all that I did. None of these had any character when I potted them, but they very quickly and easily started morphing into some relatively interesting material. Thanks for the comment, cheers my friend!
-Colin
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot already have 3 Forsythia and one of my neighbour wants to get rid of his 4. So this weekend will be Forsythia Weekend.
Thanks for ur answer. Be safe (you know being in america with all the guns and Trump🤪)
My main man whipping out forsythias like nobody's business! Seems like only yesterday you had that "all my material is shit" video and just look at these beauties! I love how you clearly had plans for these trees but let yourself be surprised and went with what they presented you with. Now I'm even more looking forward to digging out those mum's forsythias in spring! Top marks Sir, a film both informative and entertaining! Now off to identify some shit I've gathered while Checking my Street Trees (tm).
And yeah, "you make it work" are words to live by. Some days in the past year felt like a success when I just wired some branches or kept on top of watering. But discipline is one of the many lessons of this beautiful art.
Yo Luka, excellent points as always. I don't think these are out of the "shit woods" just yet, but they're on their way to (hopefully not a cold, frozen death) something better, more developed, more bonsai. Like I said, this is the closest I've come for sure. DEFINITELY dig that shit up. These are a fun species to play with for sure.
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot courage, they'll be wintering in good hands! I always remind myself they're not a class of kindergardeners ...
Using proper-shaped pots and exposing the trunks made all the difference, mr. Chan would approve. I love the whole "discovering" part.
These look awesome. Going to have to try... I really love #4. Great work man!
Also, yes! These are all just about there as bonsai. The two on the oustide (post prune) both have some taper and branching. I could believe them as trees in the natural environment.
Do it. I've been digging every chunky, rejected forsythia stump that I can find these days. If these can come out so good from such wimpy, nothing material, i imagine a beat ass old stump would be even better! Cheers bro, looking forward to your next vid.
Hello there! :) Your forsythias look great! It's awesome how different and interesting is each one of them. Yes, they're 'bonsai' for sure!
Thanks Barbara, I appreciate the kind words! Of all the random shoots in my yard, these were the only three that had any character. I'm happy to say that their characteristics have only gotten better over the last few years. Thanks for the comment, cheers!
Great work man!
Yo my Dood, how you been? Thanks man, more to come for sure!
Hi, just been directed to your channel and I am already a fan. I love Forsythia and one of my earliest nursery tree projects was a discarded one...although I thought it was Potentilla for many years - DOH! It takes a lot of punishment...just like my kids. Oops can't say that. Looks like I have some more videos to watch when im not actually taking care of mine own small collection. Cheers from the sunny UK.
Hey Xavier!! Thanks so much for the comment! You know, I thought that forsythia were completely impervious to all outside forces. Have always loved them as well. UNTIL now, as we’re in the middle of an asiatic garden beetle invasion (different than the Beatle invasion!). I find myself going out every night with a headlamp to pop these little futchers, only to find myself saying “even the FORSYTHIA??” Yes, even our beloved forsythia are susceptible to these invasive jerks.
THAT SAID, they’re still an underrated candidate for bonsai. Thanks for stopping by, and just so you know, I’m trying my best to get out more videos. We’re still recovering from moving house so times are tough right now.
Cheers my friend,
-Colin
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot I definitely know how you feel. Thankfully my four homeschooled kids (that makes me a weirdo) have grown up...but still live with me. something has gone wrong me thinks?
I finally have time to concentrate on my bonsai - well time to kill them at least :)
Small bonsai .
Nice sir
Attend Support from🇲🇨
🙏 One hobie
Thank you my friend!
I clipped a bit off my forsythia after wiring last week and stuck the end of the stick in the dirt as a joke, and the darned thing started growing - the terminal bud is almost totally open now. I think I ironically (or accidentally) got a cutting to grow, though I'm still expecting to come home from work and find it dead.
Hey man, sorry i missed this comment. I would say TYPICAL FORSYTHIA. I stuck some of these as scaffolding in my dawn redwood cuttings box, just to keep the plastic off the cutings themselves. Well of course they all rooted and took up the entire box with crazy roots.
Some good looking progess mate. I really wish I could grow more temperate Pinales, Conifers and Sapindales. It's just too hot and humid in this part of Aus. There's another side to every coin, all of my tropical species go bonkers all year long. Get an arm width Ficus in 5 years.
Ups and downs for sure bro. I don’t have room for indoor plants aside from a few small succulents that my daughter constantly kills, so i can’t have anything that isn’t hardy. Cheers man, thanks for swinging by!
Warm, Greetings from a new friend living in POrtugal 👍 75
Cheers my friend, muito obrigado!
Hell ya brotha nice looking Forsythia bonsai great video! 👌
Thanks bro!
I must say that number 2 looks pretty interesting.
Right?? The trunk was mainly that way when I found it but it’s just gotten better over time.
These look awesome!
Thanks so much! Yeah not bad for an idiot, right?
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot haha nah man! All that matters is if you like it! Keep up the good work!!
@@iPheek I have to admit that I actually do like these and am moderately proud of them. I don’t think they liked that final pruning, but I think they’ll bounce back in the spring. Stay tuned!
These are lookin good!
Thanks Yak bro!
Like #100!! woot!
Haha congrats!! Cheers man!
Nigel would be proud!
Hahaha…wasn’t sure if that little move would make him proud or mad. Time will tell, he often stops by to drop a comment. Cheers Mr Monkey!!
the look really nice !
Thanks man!
Awesomeness.. jarhead bonsai sent me
Jered is a fucking maniac. Welcome to my twisted world.
-Colin
The Forsythias look great man. My sister has a huge one in her front yard I wonder if I can try air layering a branch 😬
That would be very interesting…I have no idea if they airlayer, but they’re one of the few shrubs I have in my yard that start easily from cuttings. Let me know if you give it a try!
Sweet 👍
They're all looking nice. The one with the stump as a base (#4 I think) has kind of an abrupt transition from the thick base to the upright trunk. But that will get corrected in time. You could let the leader go wild for a season to thicken it up faster and catch up with the base.
Very good point as always sir, thanks for the input. Will definitely let a leader go next year to help the transition, they seem to send out crazy suckers constantly so one shouldn’t be hard to come by. In fact, I’m starting to think that dealing with the constant course growth is a major reason you don’t see more forsythia bonsai. Otherwise they’re pretty tough little fuckers. Cheers man!
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot I'm thinking the effects of not trimming suckers in time could be less visible in larger plants. Thicker trunks, less chances of getting too many suckers in one place...
I have absolutely no experience with this species so I may be just rambling here...
@@OddBonsai You should give it a shot just for the shear ease of growing alone. Find an old stub and just try to kill it. I dare you!
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot I may be able to get some branches. I don't know about stubs... I'll try starting one from cuttings this autumn, so challenge accepted! :)
Me, I'm all in on #4. #1 is nice but seems to ordinary for an idiot like me. I like to remind people bonsai is art so there is not right or wrong, just preferences and tradition. Yes emulate others to learn, then be bold and master your own style.
Look at Peter and Nigel they're fast an loose sometimes, but like Miss Crow sings "If it makes you happy it can't be that bad."
I fucking love this. Also I agree, there’s something about #4. I almost want to share a closeup pic of that whacky scar tissue because I’m not sure it can be fully appreciated from the video. Cheers bro,thanks for the comment!
-Colin
Beautiful bonsai, my favourite is no2, bunjin style. my opinion, I would prefer if this tree had a branch on the left.
Hello my friend! That is a very good point. Forsythias seem to bud from anywhere, so if I see a bud there, I will allow it to grow. Thanks!
Hallo salam kenal dan sukses selalu, salam hoby bonsai
Terimakasih temanku!
Little bit of prunie prune snippity snip snip and blamo you’ve got bonsai. Sweet sweet forsythia bonsai. Making me drool over here. And an automated watering system? Seriously, next you’ll be giving lectures at the local VFW rotary event... sniff, i remember when he was just digging maple stumps from abandoned lots...
Lol VFW, Rotary, AND Knights of Columbus if I’m lucky! Thanks bro, yeah I feel like they surprised me with what they had hidden underneath. Definitely sapped some vigor out of them with that last prune so we’ll see how they do next year.
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot i made about 10 rooted cuttings from my forsythia bush, pruning down that wild growth. Crazy how quick/easy they root up. My inground bush didn’t flower this spring like your little guys did though. They looked really good in yellow! Need to get into the Retirement Home circuit of speeches & demos :)> do they let you bring chainsaws into retirement homes? Cuz I think a bonsai demo requires a chainsaw... mandatory prolly
@@thelazybonsai at very least: sawzalls. Send some pics of the cuttings. I dug up a few decent sized stumps a month or two ago, look like shot now but have some THICC bases so time will tell.
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot August seems like everything looks their worst... like the end of winter Feb/Mar. everything looks tired
Hi - I'm new to your channel and am lovin' it!! To me, your trees check all 'Bonsai' boxes - 'I would give my right arm for one of those' 😁😁. Seriously, after the deer just finished browsing on my collection, I think I need a plant that will push out that kind of growth. Each of your trees is so unique - I'm super stoked for the next update.
Yo Sue, welcome to madness! And dude…critters, pests and varmints…they all need to go. I’m done with them. Sorry to hear about the deer, but I would HIGHLY recommend the motion detecting sprinklers that I got to keep my kids I MEAN…the raccoons away. I grabbed a couple for my father in law who is constantly battling deer in the burbs so we’ll see how they work on deer. Thanks for the kind words, more videos are coming soon!
-Colin
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot Thanks for the advice Colin - I definitely have to look into that! It's not like I don't appreciate the beasts' attempts at horticultural art - but seriously - it's August - time to put on growth, not take it off lol! On the other hand, if nature styled it, it has to look natural... right?!?
@@sueb1317 Wow, both fair points, but i err on the side of "SCREW YOU BEASTS!" Not that I'm angry or anything...
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot Haahaaahaa! I am with you 1000% on that - Canadian urban deer are a pestilence I would not wish on any gardener. I joke now, but last weekend, I was too mad to even remember the curse words I could (should) have filled the air with 😂
@@sueb1317 I feel your pain. I got in to what basically amounted to hand to hand combat with the raccoon family on many occasions this summer, driven by shear rage, of course, before I moved all the plants up onto the deck. Their incentive for tipping the pots seemed to subside when not on dirt since no wormy critters were hiding underneath. But before that, hoses, fireplace pokers, sling shots...you name it. It got pretty dirty.
Nice 👍
Thanks Bert!
Loved the video I have subscribed
Hey thanks man! New videos coming soon, I promise!
hahaaaa
wow great result and progress
i love your style video.mr
Thanks Arif! How are your trees doing?
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot My trees are recovering after I tortured them. haa
@@arifgerrard You torture them so well!!
Anothrr great video. And some really great material. Life does get in the way of trees sometimes doesn't it? Also you made me think..... I dont have any forsythia. I might have to do something about that. Stay safe mate
Inversely, it's just about ALL that I have in my yard to use as bonsai! So out of necessity comes, well...this video! I would highly recommend them, very easy to grow and I'd be interested to see what people with more bonsai experience than me would do with them.
👍
Nice video bro.. Thanks for share,, stay connected 🙏
Right on bro, thanks so much!
This good video sir.... ...
Please post next video 🙏☺️
Will do, thanks my friend!
Good morning Mr.Idiot. To your question - Yes, this is bonsai !
Epic video man. Good way to start a day. Gonna watch again...
Cheers
Bro, if you say it’s bonsai, then it’s bonsai. Thanks for the kind words, looking forward to updates in your incredible trees.
Cheers man,
-Colin
They look great! 👍. And yes, Bonsai is a tree in a pot…..
How did you winter them over in Boston? Do anything special, or just let them duke it out with the elements? How cold is it there in winter? Our weather very cold here with storms out of Canada…Makes bonsai challenging here in Montana..
Thanks Caryn! I don’t think it’s quite as brutal here as it is in Montana. I think this past winter we averaged daytime temps in the 20’s, approaching freezing midday. Anything in the single digits is “cold” to us and we certainly get our cold snaps.
For care I pile up all the pots under my deck and partially bury them with soil. Then I just rake the yard leaves all over them for extra protection. I have no idea of course if this helps lol, just seems to work for me. In fact, I’ve read that you can run into fungal problems by doing the leaf bury thing, but until then…fuck it!
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot I think we had a night or 2 with the Arctic storm in February where it got -17 with the wind chill. Sometimes we get 50° swings in weather, usually in early spring. I am amazed anything green survives at all. 😳 Will provide feedback on occasion if I hit on a really good wintering over method. Thanks for replying….it gives me some good ideas.
@@carynludwig6667 that would be great! Another great resource is the bonsai reddit page. People do lots of crazy mini-greenhouse type shelters if that’s your thing. SPOILER ALERT: NOT MY THING! To much effort, but probably works well!
Hey man, your little trees in pots look like bonsai!!! They're great, you just need to let them mature. #2 is awesome, maybe #4 needs to thicken the upper part of the trunk to match better the lower powerful part. You could leave the apex growing without pruning it for some months. I am am surprised your wife let you repot your trees in kitchen 😂
Yes another viewer, Mr. "Odd Bonsai," made that point as well. A point made twice is a point worth taking, and so I will definitely do that next year. The funny thing is that the scar tissue really seemed to thicken the trunk faster than the "sacrifice branch" method does (at least with forsythias). I almost want to try making intentional scars on the trunk to duplicate the effect. Hmmmm...the possibilities.......
Cheers bro!
-Colin
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot if Odd Bonsai says so, it's really a good idea. Creating scars to thicken the trunk could work, I see Indonesian guys who grab their tree and start to shake the trunk; they even hit (quite gently) their trees with hammer because they say these operations create micro fractures who thicken the trunk. I don't know if this really work but surely your tree loves scars, I don't know what kind of perversion it has😂😂cheers bro!
@@RosarioCostanzo haha yeah, a new style: “FETISH STYLE!”
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot I can't wait to see a bonsai show totally dedicated to this new style😂
@@RosarioCostanzo Imagine all the ass-less chaps and leather clothing??
Awesome, I remember that we had a huge Forsythia in my childhood and this video sparked interest to make me own. Is taking cuttings viable? I mean not sure i would like to buy a whole bush.
New subscriber btw cheers !
Hey there!! Yes, forsythias root pretty easy from cuttings. My mom would often do this in the spring. I think the trick is to cut off the long vigorous growths in spring, maybe even after the bush flowers, and stick them into sand (at least that's what my mom used to do). The thing is that these cuttings make for some boring bonsai, so instead I would recommend searching around the perimeter of the bush for the little "pups" that develop from where the branches touch the ground and ground layer. The roots and branches at these points will be far more interesting. ALTERNATIVELY you can literally hack off any chunk of the greater bush near the trunk that has roots...these things are tough and can take it.
Have I said too much?? I'm sure I have! Cheers man, thanks for the sub/ comment!
-Colin
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot Excellent answer, I appreciate the time and thought you put into it. Now I just have to wait for spring 😄
@@Tybold63 don’t we all! It can never come soon enough!
Late to the fun. How do you leave them in the winter? I started two today! In Middlesex county.
Hey Beth! I left them like I left all the rest: under my porch, buried in leaves. It works pretty well, though the critters got in and did some nibbling on certain trees. All the forsythias came out just fine though and are thriving. Will need a prune soon, so hopefully I can get around to filming it. Cheers!!
-Colin
Que bueno👍👍👍👍👌
Gracias amigo!
Thought you’d like to know. Forsythia is pronounced with a long i in the second syllable. It’s named after a gentleman named Forsyth. 😊
Are you one of those guys who pronounces "spaghetti" all weird to sound authentic but really sound like a silly goose at the end of the day?
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot ha! No, but as the Star Trek character Data corrected the good Doctor Polaski in season two of TNG when she insisted on calling him Data with short A instead of Data with long A, asking what the difference was, Data replied “One is my name, and one is not” 😂
Little trees in a pot….with style.
ALSO great food for starving mice apparently, and this thing was chewed to oblivion and left for dead last winter!
how the frig did you get a bend like that on the cliche one? i can't even bend a tiny cutting on these
The main bend in the trunk was actually already there when I collected it. This little guy was growing between two pavers and was getting totally squished when I found it. I always imagined I would do a cascade but it looked good as an informal upright. Cheers man, thanks for the comment!
Hi, I'm from Vietnam. I also really like Bonsai. Do you know where Vietnam is?
Vietnam is located in Southeast Asia, on the Indochina Peninsula 🇻🇳
Hey man, if you're ever looking for some extra material (or just a local bonsai friend), let me know! I'm in Watertown and am trying to reduce my 150+ prebonsai/bonsai collection
Oh HELL yeah! Would be fun just to visit the collection, sounds pretty extensive! Feel free to shoot me an email at gov_colin@yahoo.com if you ever want to meet up.
-Colin
nice bonsai, my friend, may I know the name of the plant? greetings one hobby from Bali friend
Hello my friend in Bali! These are forsythia, which are originally from eastern Asia but are now used commonly throughout the world as an ornamental hedge shrub. They are VERY easy to grow, but are not often used in bonsai. Cheers, thanks for the comment!
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot thank you for informatio my friend🙏👍
These look awesome man! It’s always exciting diving under the soil and seeing those surprises
Hey man! Thanks, yeah not bad, you know…for me! Hopefully they make it through the winter, they weren’t too happy about that last prune. How’s your shit doing? How did they Norway maple respond to the partial defoliation??
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot it’s all shit still haha. I’ll have to do an update on that Norway maple. It backbudded like crazy after that. Not exactly where I wanted but you know, good things to learn
@@jefsbonsaiandfarming hell yeah! Same here with mine, backbud city.