Bonsai care - how to repot a bonsai tree | Part 1: why and when you should repot
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- čas přidán 9. 07. 2024
- In this video, I explain several good reasons why you need to repot your bonsai tree in springtime, and prune the roots. I show some horticultural reasons, and some aesthetic reasons. I explain why Spring is the best time.
For further reading about repotting, roots, and pruning, I recommend the book Modern Bonsai Practice: 501 Principles of Good Bonsai Horticulture. You can see it on Amazon at these links:
Modern Bonsai Practice (US) - amzn.to/3cZCTRw
Modern Bonsai Practice (UK) - amzn.to/312J5Tw
Modern Bonsai Practice (DE, in English) - amzn.to/31aMjEz
The book explains all aspects of bonsai horticulture in detail, and also includes many beautiful photographs of Walter Pall's bonsai collection.
These links take you to the book on Amazon with my affiliate ID. So if you decide to purchase the book, you are also buying me a coffee without costing you any extra! Thank you!
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#bonsai #bonsaitree #bonsairepotting - Jak na to + styl
To me bonsai is a lesson, a lesson of patience,
to have something you can hold and touch that’s truly majestic and beautiful, you must learn that it’s about the journey is what really matters.
Well said! I couldn't agree more!
Why do I bonsai? I love the art of a miniature tree. The beauty the elegance and in many cases the representation that even though a tree should be dead it continues to live. What is bonsai? I see bonsai as any tree kept in a shallow container and trimmed to show itself off. In my club one guy feels that nothing I have is bonsai and yet they all have the great potential of beauty even if they do not all show the typical form. The other verbs (repotting, trimming, shaping, etc) are the verbs related to the creation of a bonsai. Thus bonsai is always a noun in my book.
I agree with you, I think it is a potted tree that you're gradually but continually working on with the intention of looking like a real tree out there in nature. But I also feel like bonsai should be a verb because I get the most enjoyment while doing it, more than looking at it in other moments.
To me bonsai is a living plant of any thing which a bonsai lover love to observe how it grow with your own eyes from one foot of distance.
In answer to your question on why I do Bonsai. It all started when I hurt my back and could not do any gardening. But now it is an obsession. I love being able to grow a different range of trees in pots. I have a collection from Ficus to pines and deciduous. After 20 odd years, I could not think of not having any Bonsai
That's brilliant, bonsai is gardening but on a small and manageable scale 👍🏻 regarding your "obsession" I feel the same way, but I try to think of it as my passion.. on the other hand, my wife says it is an obsession because *she* should be my passion! 😂
I bonsai because I think they’re beautiful, and it helps me practice patience.
Great! Me too 👍
It's just lovely to have a little tree at home. :D
Hehe I agree 😁
Exellent video Dave ive got about 7 left to repot,just wating for the flowers to fade on some of them.
Thanks Craig! Hahaha I've still got about 50 left to repot but most are still young developing whips so I sure won't be filming them all!
@@BlueSkyBonsai qaqqqqqqq8
@@ambannaambannaambanna4613 👍🏻
Hello Dave, I have seen a lot of videos about Bonsai, but yours are by far the most informative, beautifull videos. I learn a lot by watching your videos. Thanks a lot. My name is Koert Coenen from Holland, I'm 71 years old and just started bonsai. But I know that my son in future will take over. Best wishes to you.
Hi Koert, thanks so much for your kind words. It's very gratifying to know that my videos are appreciated and helping you, and hopefully your son in the future!
Best regards, Dave
Very informative, as usual. Thanks
Thanks Matt! I find it's a fine line between being informative and not letting it sound boring!
Keep them coming. I find your videos anything but boring. Thanks
@@mattbrennan647 cheers Matt
Awesome video! Love the little PowerPoint like pages at the end, they really helped summarized and simplify what to do during what season
Thanks! I call that my "virtual whiteboard", I use that in most videos now because it seems people like to see the information like that. Glad you found it helpful!
To me, bonsais always fascinated me- the idea to have a real tree in my room was intriguing. However, this idea shifted later when I realized that each tree has a sort of character. Now, they became a companion to me, hopefully a lifelong one as some already accompany me over 10 years through important and some difficult times.
That's great to hear - thanks. Its similar situation here, in my family we have various animal allergies so I almost substitute the concept of pets with mini trees in pots. Cheers!
My bonsai thank you for all the helpful information you’ve given me!
Why do I bonsai ?
I’ve always been fascinated by watching nature grow, since I was a little kid. Bonsai is giving me the pleasure of watching nature and learning yet having a creative side as well.
That's an excellent definition! Watching nature, learning, and having a creative side too. Definitely agree
11 straight facts! Good question about what bonsai means. I'd lean more towards the verb usage.
Cheers Ian! I like that. Not so much about a physical object or a work of art, but a process.. and a frame of mind
Excellent and informative video! I find myself jumping the gun on repotting plants for simply wanting to work on my Bonsai’s earlier. I’m now noticing two trees I repotted in February looking a little sickly so hopefully they’ll pull through!
Thanks a lot Garrett! Bonsai is surely a game of patience. I want to repot and prune trees before I should, but it's also an advantage of having a lot of trees, (becoming too many), that you are forced to just leave trees alone and let them grow for longer before working on them ...
Nice and easy to understand explanation. Repotting is not so difficult. But it is nice to know what things you have to think about while you are repotting. I learned something today. Thanks.
Thanks Ernat! You're right, it's quite an easy process but I take the view that we should be doing each action for a reason, each snip is a considered decision. Glad you could learn something here, I am still learning and it keeps the hobby fresh!
Never mind in spring lol you explained it
👍
Really enjoyed this can’t wait for part 2 😀
Thanks Steven! Glad you enjoyed it. I'd better get busy filming and editing part 2!!
I thought I had all the clips I needed but found that my side camera was OUT OF FOCUS and so I will have to reshoot the reasons to not repot ... ugh, life of an amateur filmmaker lol
Great start on the breakdown of repotting reasons and aspects. Our artistic hobby of Bonsai is our looking at Mother Nature and working to create, nurture, and pass along the tree/plant for future enjoyment by others. A legacy of sorts. Looking forward to the next parts, and your excellent bonsai videos. Keep them coming.
Thanks a lot Jeff - I really like that philosophy, considering the art a kind of legacy that we can pass on to others for their future enjoyment. I had occasionally considered that with my youngest son and daughter, they seem to enjoy pruning and repotting, and I hope one day they'll understand that bigger picture. (But just in case they don't, I decided to start making videos at the start of last year partly as an attempt to pass my enjoyment on to others elsewhere).
Part 2 should arrive next weekend if all goes to plan. Cheers!
Thanks Dave, great video as always! Top quality in every aspect, looking forward to part 2 :)
Thank you PPP appreciate your kind words. I hope part 2 doesn't disappoint!
Great vid, thanks :)
Nice vid mate. Great skills on the edit 😀
Cheers Sam! Yeah I'm not very good at talking so I make up for it by doing hundreds of edits 😜
As always beautifully explained
Thanks so much 😊
Very informative!!
Thanks Alberto!
Dave, thanks again for nice and didactic video.
I see your collection is increasing , cheers!!!
😄🤙🤙
Thanks Isidro! Collection increasing~> wife mad 🙈 but me happy 😜
Great video!
Thank you! 😊
Very informative Dave, thanks for all your hard work. Just finished repotting all my trees but I'm a little sad its all over for the year to be honest! I fell in love with bonsai because of the combination of horticulture, craft and particularly, art - the idea that a tree is a neverending work of art as well as an investment for the future. Best wishes to you.
Thanks Toby. I completely agree with the never ending work of art.. and that's the thing about repotting, there's always next year!
Thanks...thats a valuable info 🙂
thanks, glad you found it useful!
Looks great
Thanks! 🌳👍🏻
Quality content!
Thank you!!
Such great videos. Thanks for all the intetesting tips, does and don'ts
Thanks for your great feedback! 😊
I love having and taking care of this little plant. They bring joy in the house. Thanks for this beautiful episode, can’t wait for part 2. (The quality of your video are insane 😍, congratulations from Italy ❤️🇮🇹)
Thanks so much! I hope part 2 doesn't disappoint!
Bonsai - for me, is a combination of caring, growing, relaxation and long-term planning. Bonsai is great for learning the true meaning of patience, attention to details, and subtle anticipation....
Wow - I agree with every word of that! that's the best answer so far, and indeed the first answer lol. In my case, I would add to the list: admiration of nature's beauty, or just, I like looking at trees. Those tiny pretty leaf shapes when the first buds unfurl... etc. Thanks for your thoughts!
@@BlueSkyBonsai perhaps, in future videos, you can add an email address for people to send you photos of their bonsai, pots, questions, suggestions, ideas... Maybe also look into a discord, or live streams for more direct interaction. I know it's a lot of work, but I see the channel as an inspiration and education medium and it could proof useful to grow a little community.
@@edinborogh I think thats a very good idea would be good to get a community going for this chanel.
@@edinborogh Thanks that's a great suggestion. I get a lot of questions here on the comments of my videos, and I'm happy about that but you're right, it's not really interactive and no one can send me their photos here. I'll put my email in the description of my videos. It's dave@blueskybonsai.net - a cheap domain from google at the grand sum of $10 a year. Regarding the interaction, also very good suggestions, the challenge I have though is very limited time, as it is with this hobby my wife and kids are continually trying to reclaim their right to my time! Maybe if I started making some money from this channel my wife would be more happy about me spending time on it! hahah money talks 😂
@@craigbootes9618 Thanks too.. I have started a website a few weeks ago - free on wordpress - if you're interested you can see it here: blueskybonsai.net. Maybe I should start a discussion forum on it. I considered starting a facebook page, but unfortunately someone else already has a page called blue sky bonsai (nothing to do with me). Maybe I should start another one with the same name and make it clear that the other one is not the "real" blue sky ... hehehe maybe I'm being a bit too presumptuous...
Very helpful and informative
Thanks!
So beautiful bonsai. Super
Thanks so much my friend 😊👍
superb video ....learned much
Thanks, glad to hear!
Awesome!
Thanks Edinborogh!
Nice sharing..my friend, thank so much👍👍
Thank you my friend! 🌳👍🏻
Great video
Thank you! 😊
Excellent presentation ..Bravo !
Thanks so much! 😊👍
👍 definately.
Great video Dave, I'm in Australia and can use your advice..
Thanks David! What part of Australia are you living?
Sangat bagus imponya super joss
Thank you!
Ah, so this one goes to 11...
Good stuff Dave. It’s amazing how you hear such different things from different sources. For example I’ve heard it said that your window to prune roots closes after the roots start to grow, like when you start seeing new, white growth. Maybe that was just conifers? Whatever, doesn’t matter...I do what Dave tells me to do. Cheers bro, thanks!
Thanks Bro, haha I found you on the insta!
You're right about all the conflicting information. In fact if you google "when to prune roots" even on the first page of results you get about 8 different versions with completely inconsistent or conflicting advice. In the end you just kind of build your own schedule and bank of experiences, and do it the way that works best for you. I repot the pines and junipers later in spring, around May-June and they always bounce back no problem. I have a Mugo pine that seems to respond well to repotting in late Aug-September (while all the other trees die if I root prune then). go figure. I guess the point I wanted to get across was what time of year are trees least likely to die after pruning their roots. In my experience at least. Thinking back over the years I have only ever lost two trees after root pruning in spring, two a Carmona and an Azalea, both of which I chopped off a branch at the same time as repotting. Big mistake, learnt from that.
Talking of "11" did you see the cult film Spinal Tap? Worth watching!
@@BlueSkyBonsai I’ve started typing a response to this at least three times but somehow I fail every time. Must be daylight savings, or maybe the druids haven’t moved the stones around yet at STONEHENGE!! WHERE THE DEMONS DWELL, WHERE THE BANSHEES LIVE AND THEY DO IT WELL!!!!
Anyway yeah I think the tricky thing is that different species react differently to all this stuff? The Norway maples for example don’t seem to give a shit about being dug up and pruned at the same time, or at least I hope they don’t since I just reported and pruned one! I guess time will tell...that’s that “learning by experience” thing that you’re referring to.
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot hahaha I remember the 18 inch Stonehenge because they wrote the design with " instead of ' 😁
Definitely there are some species that seem to be bulletproof that you can do anything and they just don't die. Norway maple sounds like it's one of those, also sycamore, and english elm is another. And chinese elm. And in the shrub world, lonicera seems to be the king of the can't kills.
But in the end there are lots of people (I'm discovering) who think you can do anything at any time and that might okay on a bulletproof but definitely not on more sensitive species.
Also in the end the single biggest cause of tree deaths for me has not been through repotting or pruning, but drought.. so all my advice in this video is kinda academic really...
@@BlueSkyBonsai I have to watch that again, like RIGHT now!!
Toss forsythia on that list as well. Even if you just chop and drop, forsythia says "fuck that" and just ground layers itself. Forsythia badger don't give a shit.
Yes the heat can be tough to keep up with I'm sure, especially where you are (we're no slouches over here, either...it gets upwards of 100deg during mid summer these days). Keeping up with watering whilst working full time can be brutal. You're advice stands, nonetheless, as it always does.
@@BostonBonsaiIdiot and now you said that I have also got to watch it again soon. Who could come up with song tracks like "sniff the glove" and "break like the wind"?
Gracias por los subtítulos 👍
De nada! Gracias por tu visita!
To me bonsai are my pets...which teaches me patience and it always throws surprise
Thanks - I can totally relate to that. Due to allergies here we can't have animals so yes I suppose the mini trees are like my pets too.
Good
Thanks!
Fantastic video again Dave!!!
It’s crazy how relevant your videos always are, just about to repot a ficus and needed some inspiration. 🪴
I was considering doing my orange tree as well however I’m not sure if it’s the right time of year or if I can cut off those little alien roots growing off the tree... it’s a really difficult tree to care for it seem 😂 ✌️
Thanks SB! Yes fucus should bounce right back no problem. Orange, yeah citrus trees are a bit more sensitive in general. Has it leafed out new leaves yet? The tree I showed the alien roots on (I like that name :) is a citrus lime, I think maybe later in spring is the time to repot after all the first flush of leaves has hardened off. And because it's so sensitive I've decided to cut only one or two alien roots per year, solving the problem over about three years HTH!
@@BlueSkyBonsai The tree is confused it blossomed in December. I managed to pollinate the blossoms and get 9 little oranges, however they have all fallen off and no new leafs have come and it’s dropped some leafs but over all the plant looks healthy 🤞
This will be my second season with the tree. I’m probably not taking care of it correctly and it won’t like the English weather haha 😂 🍻
@@askgbk I guess we learn from whatever happens... as long as it doesn't die each year you can try something slightly different. 🍻👍
amazing! have never heard of root pruning according to the energy calendar before, makes a lot of sense. do you know if ficus carica (edible fig) falls into the tropical category ie anytime of year? i have typically done it during winter when dormant but not sure about this. great video
Thanks! Ficus species, edible and others like retusa (my favourite ficus) are very resilient and they seem to bounce back from anything. In autumn I uprooted 4 edible figs from my garden and potted them; in any other species I would have waited til Spring but these were fine. The fruiting type are semi-deciduous, at least outdoors mine lose their leaves. So the *safest* time for root pruning is spring, but like I found and you have found, the figs seem to survive it at any time! I wouldn't do it now in midsummer though because of the huge leaves, here in the hot Madrid air it might decide to shed its leaves as a response to insufficient water from recently pruned roots. On the other hand if you keep it shaded, humid and not too hot for a few weeks afterwards it would probably be fine.
Great video as always! Packed with information and beautiful trees. You're quickly becoming my favourite bonsai related channel together with Eisei-en, Harons and Nigel.
I was wondering, @4:53 you have this great looking setup to hang your trees up on your balcony railing.
Would you mind sharing where you bought these or how you made them? I live in the middle of a city and space is of limited supply, (especially balcony space!)
I've tried to google but I cannot seem to find the right key words.
Keep up the great work and to answer your question, I just find the aspect of caring for something and seeing it grow into something healthy and beautiful very fulfilling.
Thanks for your great comment and kind words!
Those plant trays are part bought and part DIY. They are metal balcony hangers with plastic plant trays, quite common setup here in Spain, so I drilled holes in the sides of the trays to retain only a small pool of water for humidity. Then I put in some wooden planks to sit the bonsai pots on top of, so that the bonsai pots wouldn't sit in the the pool of water.
Here's an example, I bought mine in a cheap shop without the main rectangle planters: www.leroymerlin.es/fp/19835130/kit-jardinera-con-reserva-agua-venezia-terracota-49x19x16cm
@@BlueSkyBonsai Thank you very much for your response! I will get on it right away! It will be a great place to put my seedling and trees on, instead of the ground on which they are currently.
@@Watashiwapitadesu sounds good. Watch out for the wind if it's windy where you are .
Great vid! May I ask what's part 2 going to be about? 😁
I see you're doing a lot of repotting lately so good luck with repotting your specimens for part 2!
Thank you! Part 2 will be about the reasons why you should NOT repot. Also a quick demo of repotting a boxwood. As I'm sure you know, repotting takes anywhere between 15 minutes and several hours depending on the root situation... I am trying to squeeze that into 2 or 3 minutes... lol impossible! 😂
@@BlueSkyBonsai Oh right, you mentioned that in the video intro. Sometimes I tend to have the memory span of a goldfish 😋.
I know what you mean...trying to decide what to leave from 1-2 hour video spent working on a tree is like going to the candy shop with the money to buy a single candy...🤣
@@OddBonsai No worries OB! I have been repotting for many years but only filming the repots since last year... I am slowly, gradually, starting to work out which bits I need to look at camera and say something, versus those that I should just keep my mouth shut and press on with the job in hand. Hahah I like your analogy of money for a single candy! The best thing about videoing the repots though is that you remind yourself how the root situation was, where they are buried for the other 364.5 days of the year...
@@BlueSkyBonsai Yep, videoing is a good way of keeping track of the tree evolution.
@@OddBonsai I also use Flickr for all those in-between times when I'm not filming. Flickr's good because it's free up to 1000 pictures and you can keep an album for each tree...
very helpful thanks. the energy calendar is fascinating. so considering a deciduous tree that is perhaps just breaking dormancy, and only beginning to push out new leaves, ie early spring, would this also be a good time to root prune?
Thanks! That's exactly right, yes. Just as the leaves are beginning to unfurl, all the sap is pushing up the tree and that will continue healthily even if you prune a substantial amount off the roots. Just don't put it in full-on direct sun for a couple of weeks after root pruning. HTH.
I bought a weeping Willow this spring. There aren’t a lot of videos for those. Would you show some repotting and pruning of the willows?
Congrats on the weeping willow; I don't have one because they're not common here in Spain. But my buddy Ian in Uk has done some videos on weeping willows - please take a look at his channel Back Garden Bonsai!
I love your content...thank you so much for this.
I live on the equatorial belt. Needless to say we have sunny days most time of the year. So can i repot them at any time of the year?
Thanks!
I am guessing you don't have deciduous trees where you live?! You can repot tropical species at any time, but be aware that the transpiration through the leaves will continue during and after repotting. When you remove half the root mass, or more, you cut off a large water supply that those leaves need for transpiration (until all the remaining roots grow new root hairs to suck in the water).
What's the solution to this problem? Put the tree in the shade for a week or two immediately following repotting. Mist the leaves frequently for the first few days - especially many times on the first day after repotting. If you have a clear plastic bag large enough to cover the tree, then cover it and spray the inside of the bag with water to keep the humidity near 100% for a week or two after repotting. (the bag trick will avoid the need for continual misting).
When the air humidity is 100%, transpiration can occur almost without drawing up water through the stem. Also in the shade there will be naturally less transpiration.
After a few weeks, gradually transition the tree back to the sunlight, starting with half shade and only an hour of sun, and day by day increasing the time as long as you see the leaves are not wilting or drying. HTH
@@BlueSkyBonsai Thank you so much sir for such a detailed explanation. Much respect from Malaysia
The humidity here is naturally on the higher side though. About 80% i believe.
I had always wondered why we have to keep them in the shade post repotting. 😄 Thanks to you, sir....now i know
Very nice video!
I just repotted 2 of my trees yesterday - it was still very cold, sometimes even down to freezing temperatures, when it suddenly got very warm over the weekend and now my trees are exploding with growth!
One of these two was the field maple I purchased last year in winter and I asked the seller when it was repotted last so I know if I should do it this year or wait a bit - their answer was "yeah, you could probably repot it in spring". When I pulled it out of the pot (it was wired in through the bottom or I would've just checked the roots instead of asking), it was so potbound, it was crazy. 95% roots and maybe 5% soil. It was so compacted that if you squeezed the root ball as it was just after pulling it out of the pot, it felt hard as stone without any give.
It was so much work getting barely half the root mass removed and completely impossible to rake out the surface roots (the thick roots from the root base were heavily interwoven with small feeder roots) - you can see it on flickr.
My question is - how do you repot such trees? I know the field maple can take a hit when it comes to pruning roots, but how to you even sort them out when they're just one knot of tangled feeder roots?
Hi Karliah,yeah I can see that dense root ball! When I have a root situation that tough I tend to do it with a big tub of water, a lot of dunking and spraying, and the root hook underneath. The spray eorks pretty well for the top side but you have to know it gets pretty messy with a lot of muddy splashback! If that's not an option, get a plastic brush and brush it radially out from the trunk. The thin is, you need to expose enought of the roots to decide what you want to keep and what to prune off.
Apart from the tangles it's easier on the underside because you can just rake outwards despite the resistance on your root rake, and chop off pretty much everything that goes directly downwards.
As always keep the roots wet, and after repotting give it some TLC by misting it frequently, in the shade for a few days..
Good luck!!
@@BlueSkyBonsai That's actually exactly what I did! I filled a container with water, dunked it and used my hands to pry away as much as I could - the only soil that came out of it and collected at the bottom of the container would've been enough to barely cover the bottom of the pot it was in (read: pretty much no soil at all).
After that, I used my root rake on the underside, the sides, carefully on the top... but it was like raking a solid piece of wood!
I will probably plant it in a bigger pot next year and get a smaller root rake and see what I can do.
@@KarIiah sounds like you did well. And that's one of the great things about bonsai: there's always another year 😁
Great video. Very useful. At what time/stage in spring would i root prune? Is it when tge buds are swelling? Leafing out? Or partially formed leaves are beginning to show? TIA
Thanks! The best time to prune roots is when the buds have all swollen and are just about to pop. If you catch it as the leaves are starting to unfurl, that's still a perfect time. If it's still leafing out, you can still do it.
But after the first flush of leaves have all fully grown and hardened, it becomes more complicated - you can still prune the roots but do it less aggressively, and keep the tree out of direct sunlight for a week or so afterwards. HTH.
I should've watched the video before pruning my sargent juniper. It's Autumn here in Australia and I pruned some buds so it's not too compacted in the middle of the tree. Is the energy calendar still remain true for evergreen? I'm new to bonsai keeping and this is an amazing video!
Coniferous evergreens do have the same energy cycle as deciduous, but conifers are more forgiving after autumn pruning because they keep their foliage so they continue to generate energy for a lot longer before going dormant in the cold period. So, keep your juniper in the sun, keep on watering it and it will be fine 👍🏻
Why am I repotting all of my bonsai? I two potted trees and one that needs to be potted. I want to repot all of them for 3 reasons: the one potted pine repels water on top so I need to repot it in bonsai soil that will not repel water. I have a 20 year old tree that was grown and cut like an english hedge so I want it repotted so I know the soil, repotted to discover any hidden nebari, and to properly pot it offcenter and find the true front of the tree. The third one obviously needs to be potted as it is just bound with soil in a coconut husk binding. I also plan to mix sphagnum moss into the bonsai soil to help the feeder roots grow and thrive.
Sounds great - enjoy the repotting!
Take photos of the roots because then they are covered up for a couple of years afterwards.
Love your channel, admire all the hard work you are putting into creating such beautiful and informative content. I am really fascinated by the energy calendar. Can you do a video on energy calendar of trees in the tropical regions. I live in Southern India where its above 25 degrees Celsius all through the year and rains for about 3-4 months. I've been doing bonsai for the past 5 years and to your question why I do bonsai, it's an amazing experience to replicate a giant tree in nature in a small pot in my garden. 🙂
Hi Samu, thanks for your kind words.
Tropical trees don't seem to have an energy calendar in the same way as deciduous and coniferous trees.
There seems to be no time of year when the sap flow stops in tropicals. This means you can repot them any time of year, and prune the branches any time of year. Stronger tropical species like ficus have no problem any time of year. But weaker species like Sageretia, Carmona, Serissa, they all need some TLC for a week or two after repotting - put them out of direct sunlight and mist the leaves frequently with water to avoid leaf loss after repotting.
Be careful with deciduous trees in your tropical climate. Deciduous trees need a yearly dormant period of cold temperatures (like 5°c) every year. If you have a deciduous tree in 12 months of warmth, it will never lose its leaves and never have a rest period. The first couple of years it will still look fine and still grow.... but after a few years it will stop growing and gradually become weaker, and eventually die. Solution: force deciduous trees to be cold for 2 months a year. Fridge would be ok. Or a cold box replacing the ice every day... ultimately in the long term it is very difficult to keep cold-climate trees in a tropical climate, sorry to tell you.
Best advice is to use all the tropical species, and try using species that naturally grow in the environment near you. HTH.
@@BlueSkyBonsai Thanks a lot Dave, it is very kind of you to give such detailed explanation. All most all of my trees are tropical trees and have branch pruned and root pruned them at different times of the year with pretty good success, and your explanation validates it :)
I have tried my luck with Junipers a few times but all of them died pretty fast. I hope to try my luck with them again, I will try to follow your suggestions :) Cheers!
@@samuThomas1987 Good luck in the future with juniper! Difficult if you have no winter.....
Excellent video. Thanks.
One question, though. I thought I need to maintain a balance between roots and branches/leaves. Too many branches, and roots cannot keep up supplying them with water and minerals. Too few branches or leaves, and the tree can give up on them and start producing suckers instead. (I actually had it happen.) In addition, this balance creates a good-looking mature bonsai.
So I guess I was wrong. But was I right somewhere to some extent? Or is it OK to have strong roots and weak branches/leaves, but not the other way around?
Thanks.
Thanks!
This question comes up now and then, and there are still nowadays varying opinions on the subject. It's true that chopping a roughly estimated amount of branches to "balance" the roots that have been chopped at the same time, can limit or avoid the foliage drying and dropping, and that's the traditional view. But modern bonsai practice views the overall energy level in the tree as more important for its long term health.
- if you prune a load of branches and roots at the same time, you are seriously deteriorating the tree's energy reserves, so you shouldn't do that unless it is a super-vigorous grower in top health.
- in Spring all the sap (transporting up the stored energy) goes to pushing out new buds and leaves, and flowers and fruit/seeds, so if you prune significant branches in spring you are removing a significant amount of energy. (And then it can "bleed" sap too.)
-But pruning roots in spring is not a big deal as all the energy is up in the trunk and branches.
- When leaves dry and drop, that doesn't normally mean the tree is dying; it means the tree is conserving water by throwing off some of the older leaves. Indeed this can be to compensate for a depleted root system unable to supply enough water for the transpiration that happens in leaves. In conifers that could be bad if a whole branch dries. But in deciduous and tropical trees, dropping the leaves doesn't cause a branch to die (unless it's for other reasons like fungal infection).
- in all the cases, i have tried and tested this method: in spring chop roots but not branches, then stop the transpiration in the foliage by putting a clear plastic bag over the entire tree for a week or so, keeping humidity at near 100%, so the leaves don't need to draw up water for their transpiration. After a week or so, new root hairs are grown from the remaining roots and the tree starts supplying more water again to the leaves.
- when the traditional practice says "balance" the root pruning with an equivalent amount of branch pruning... how can we know what is balanced? How do we know how much water the foliage or branch stems draw up, compared to how much root mass is needed to supply that water? Is it ounce-for-ounce (I doubt it) or cubic inch for cubic inch? It's impossible to measure in terms of water supply & demand, and also it is certainly different at different times of year.
- So for these reasons, and using the clear bag method, I always wait to do major branch pruning for several weeks after root pruning, at least until I see new leaves formed and hardened. I haven't lost a tree due to repotting for many years now.
Sorry for the long answer! But hope that helps.
@@BlueSkyBonsai , yes, that helps a lot. Thank you so much.
In your video you mentioned do not prune roots/branches at same time. However, I've read from many places that said root pruning must follow up with top pruning since there won't be enough roots to sustain the original structure of the tree. What is your opinion on this? Thanks for the informative vid!
Thanks JJ Z! Yes, that was the old view - prune branches when repotting, to balance the fewer roots. And it's still relevant for tropicals like ficus, and evergreens that are really healthy and vigorous. But that method wasn't based on horticultural understanding - it was just a known way to avoid loss of foliage after repotting.
And now modern bonsai horticulture shows that it is *not* best practice for deciduous trees. We now know that we should keep the branches when we prune the roots in spring, because all the sap is in the branches at this time. (If you need to prune the branches, it's much safer to wait until all the spring growth hardens and then prune branches in end-spring or early summer.) And likewise, if you do a major trunk chop or remove more than half the branches, we know that you shouldn't prune the roots at the same time because you would be literally removing most of the the stored energy of the tree.
Long-term bonsai health is all about making sure the energy level in the tree always stays above a certain amount of stored energy (in the roots in autumn & winter, and in the branches in spring). Because if you remove 2/3 the tree's energy, and suddenly there is an unexpected pathogen attack (like spider mites, scale, or worse fungal infection) the tree might not recover from the pathogen when it is at low energy.
There is a book that explains all this in exquisite detail, and also dispels a lot of the old views that were not based on any plant science. If you're interested, it is called "Modern Bonsai Practice - 501 Principles of Good Bonsai Horticulture". There is a link to the book on Amazon in the description of this video.
@@BlueSkyBonsai Thank you so much for your time to explain everything. There are wayyyy too many videos that shows how to repot but "when" to repot was never mentioned or gone in detail. Thus, many beginners like myself will try to repot at any given time just to end up killing the plant. Your video means a lot to me!
I just love clipping trees :') also, do you know how hard I can root prune s ginkgo? I bought one last year from a nursery and it has an awful root ball
In my opinion, one of the most important "skills" we need as bonsai artists is not what we do, but what we decide to not do. In other words, the skill of patience! So, ginkgo roots are quite fleshy and it's best not to prune them too agressively. I would recommend to train that root ball through a few years. That way, you gradually train it to a shallow radial root plane over about 3 or 4 years of repotting. Start by removing the woody downward worst "offenders" and the roots that double back under the base of the tree. Removing thick wood from under the surface will be fine as long as it doesn't have all the fine feeeder roots. Consider using a training pot to encourage more fine feeder roots nearer the trunk. HTH
@@BlueSkyBonsai thanks a lot, It has about 20cm of thick tap root with loads of twisted roots all over the place. So I will gradually reduce it then! Thanks a lot!!
@@packing999 sounds good, please let me know how it goes!
Bonsai trees are beautiful very therapeutic and addictive when’s the best time to repot a bonsai
Springtime is the best time! 👍🏻
Hi , Surface roots , I’m new to Bonsai and I’ve seen well know and respected Bonsai growers with surface roots, Harry Harrington to name one . The surface roots I’ve seen growing are from mainly Acer bonsai . Are there any hard and fast rules to leaving them or taking them out , or can they be left for ascetic reasons. Thank you .
Hi John, there are guidelines for what makes good surface roots, and you - the bonsai artist - must judge which of your roots can develop into good surface roots, and which should be pruned off.
Firsly, you want the surface roots to appear like they flow down from the trunk, almost like a curve at the bottom of the tree, (instead of sticking out perpendicular like a branch would).
Secondly, you want the surface roots to be going away from the trunk radially (if you looked down the top view of the tree); not circling round or crossing other roots.
You want the visible roots to be approximately equal in size and fatness, and spacing between the roots. And they should end by gradually going down into the soil, rather than just sticking up with a chopped off end. The bark on the roots should look similar to the tree base.
It is very rare (almost never) to find a tree where all these guidelines are a reality, but at least these guidelines should help you choose which roots to keep and which to chop. Hope that helps!
Hi I’ve recently been given a bonsai by my grandad. It’s extremely root bound and I fear it’s effecting the trees health but it’s currently mid-late summer in the uk and I’m struggling with the decision to repot it. Any advice? It’s some type of conifer
Hi, I have the answer for you! It's called slip-potting. I did a video about it here:
czcams.com/video/xJFa-dsNO9I/video.html
I NEED HELP. I got my jupiter bonsai tree 3 days ago. The soil is 40% peat moss, 30% dune sand, 15% perlite and 15% bark dust.
I have been researching saying peat moss holds moisture which isn't ideal for bonsai. Sould i change my soil? Or leave him alone until next early spring?
Don't panic! It will be fine. Gently ease it out the pot to see if it's potbound, if it is then repot it now into better draining soil. But if the roots are not jammed into the pot then it will survive another year. Just make sure the water drains through when you water it. If not then you should repot it now to some better draining soil. Where are you located?
To me a bonsai is a personal tree where I can dictate how and in which shape and size it will grow.
Excellent answer. Thanks! 🌳👍
Sir, its me again with my rooty queries.
So do we expect and be prepared for any obvious counter effects do we expect when we cut big roots/tap roots or other excess finer roots while repotting.
Hi again, yes when you cut back the root mass, you temporarily remove a large water supply for the leaves that continue to transpire during and after repotting. When you prune the roots, it can take a couple of weeks (sometimes longer) to regrow new fine root hairs that suck up the necessary water. During that time, keep your tree in the shade so that the transpiration in the leaves is much less, so they try to draw up less water from the roots. Mist the leaves with water frequently for the first few days, especially on the first day after repotting, that will also reduce the transpiration and reduce the need for water through the stems.
Bonsai is the first thing you said
Jeje ok gracias por tu respuesta!!
You know the people who have trees that are in the tiniest pots the size of a quarter or maybe half dollar? Do they have to repot 3-4 times a year since I’m sure it’ll get root bound quicker?
Yes!! Well definitely once a year at minimum, and prune the leaves frequently to choke the energy and hinder root growth. But a tree can't survive many years in those conditions. The best way is 2 years in bigger pot, then 1 year in a tiny pot for photos etc..
If you take 1/2 of your branches off, you can take 1/2 the roots off as you reduced the need for 1/2 the roots.
Yes that's traditional view. And for a very vigorous tree it's normally ok. But the modern horticulture view is more complex than just the water needs of the remaining foliage:
If you remove 50% roots and 50% branches you are literally removing half of the usable energy stored in a tree. That's no problem for a vigorous tree, but it could kill a weak tree.
Now let's take the pruning further: when repotting, I often prune off 3/4 of the root mass, or more, like 80%. So in that case should I also remove 80% of the branches and foliage mass? And leave the tree with only 20% the energy manufactured by photosynthesis?
Well that could really kill a tree, depending on the species.
So the safest way to deal with a deciduous tree is to prune off a lot of root mass while the tree is budding out in spring, without removing the branches because that's where all the sap is in spring.
If it's already got its leaves, (either an evergreen or if it's late spring/summer) then there's usually a surplus of sap so you could prune back some of the foliage at the same time.
But in late spring/summer repotting, you can avoid removing branches after root pruning, by placing the tree in near-100% humidity for a week or two, in a humidity tent. This reduces the transpiration and water loss in leaves to a minimum so it doesn't draw up much water from the depleted roots.
I strongly recommend the book: Modern Bonsai Practice: 501 Principles of Good Bonsai Horticulture.
@@BlueSkyBonsai I should have also added that I live in south Florida, 9/10 of my trees are tropical. I have about 1-2 months (end of december to beginning of february) where the plants are not actively growing. I will take your advise if I make it to a temperate climate as I have no experience. I lived 20 years in Pennsylvania but was not a bonsaiist/bonsai'er at that point. It is logical that the plants need to prepare them selves to regrow all their leafs in the spring. On the same notion, I would only do a heavy prune on both top and bottom on a healthy tree, a common point view. I think my view is very heavily focused on tropicals, I forgot of regional/climate biology.
I was browsing books the other day, I will check out that book.
Brazilian rain trees, bougainvilleas, chinese elms (they become evergreen this far south), ficus, citrus, and junipers is my current collection. Why bonsai, I have loved growing plants since I was a kid. I try to propagate everything that is green and grows from bamboo, to lawn grass, to venus fly traps, to chinese elms and junipers, some fail, some succeed.
Thanks for your videos.
@@billz.3444 definitely, tropicals and the absence of a winter, makes a big difference. I have a ficus retusa that is indoors all year round, and sure I can prune the tree any time of year, including at the same time as roots. Coincidently I just did it this last weekend and filmed the work. If I get time I'll edit and publish the video, probably a week or two away.
The book, it's an excellent horticulture book but I have to say it's really written around a temperate, cooler climate, so not much advice around tropical trees and climate. Nevertheless it's worth a read (but not cheap)
Thanks for your comments!
What kind of care is needed after structural branch pruning on a deciduous tree in winter? Putting in a storage shed out of cold weather good enough? Any extra steps ?
I have read that for a few days after a major winter pruning, the tree's defenses are lowered for a few days, so yes you should probably keep it temporarily in a cool environment that is protected against freezing.
However I have never had any issue with keeping them outside after winter work... but on the other hand, it doesn't get much colder than -2° here in Madrid and it warms up again during the day.
I occasionally put some of my trees temporarily in the garage if the temperature is forecast to drop to minus-5° or colder for more than a day.
@@BlueSkyBonsai thank you for always responding!!!
@@ivanlopez8559 you're welcome!
Hey Dave :) I just bought a bonsai Chinese elm tree from b&q today, and it’s planted with a sort of dusty soil substrate Do you think I should just report it right now and get it out the way? I’m thinking maybe get some good bonsai soil with like pebbles or something, or do u think it’ll be ok in the soil it came in?
Hi Marco, congrats on your new bonsai! yes now's the time to repot it in spring (I'm assuming you're talking about b&q in UK? But if you're in Australia or anywhere in the southern hemisphere wait til Sep or Oct). Chinese elms are great trees for bonsai. After repotting put it in the semi shade for a week or so - no direct sunlight - and mist the leaves frequently for the first couple of days. These are just tips to avoid losing the leaves after repotting but even if it does, don't worry, elms are so resilient that it will leaf out again afterwards. Don't use pebbles; use a soil component that can retain some water. Akadama is ideal if you can get it, if not, pumice, or Tesco's dust-free non-clumping cat litter. Or Sanicat Pink. Leca is supposed to be good but I haven't tried it. You need granules of about 3-5mm size ideally. HTH
@@BlueSkyBonsai wow that’s just the information I was looking for ahahaha, brilliant!!!! Yeh I’m up in scotland, so it’s just about spring time right now, I’ll definitely be buying some of that Akadama soil in the next few days and repot this week. Loving the videos btw, suuuuper informative! Thanks :)
@@marcopadda8379 Thanks Marco! glad you're enjoying the videos. In the next one I'll talk through a simple repot. At sometime in the future I want to do a "what's in my bonsai soil" type video but just never got round to it. Anyway, there are already plenty of videos about it. Akadama is perfect because it retains water and yet the granules drain through nicely. You want to sieve out the dust and fine particles before you use it so they don't clog up the drainage hole or the pores between granules.
Do fatter root collars or trunks store more sugars and starches than a skinnier one? Is this true for all species of trees or only deciduous and conifers?
Yes I'm pretty sure that they do, because the trees with fatter trunks seems to bud out more vigorously in Spring than the thinner trunks. I guess it's true for all species that grow fat root collars, but I don't have empirical proof of course!
So would you say that a fatter tree will be able to survive harsher conditions better than a twig could?
@@clipngrowbonsai6946 I don't know.. I think it's more dependent on how hardy the species is. I think the fatter trunk trees tend to leaf out more vigorously in spring thank the twig-like trees.
What about removing leaves? I got black spot fungus to a carmona from a pyccantara i bought and i dont know what/when to remove damanged leaves and apply the fungicide. Any recommendations? A video about pests and diseases would be greatly appreciated :)
Good idea - thanks!
Yes apply fungicide, but don't repot until you know the fungal infection has completely cleared up. It might lose its leaves after the fungicide, keep it humid with plenty of sunlight and the leaves will come back.
Oh and don't use any fertilizer either until it is 100% healthy and vigorous
@@BlueSkyBonsai but do you suggest removing the leaves? The ones that are clearly infested with the fungus? Or should i just leave them...
@@BlueSkyBonsai thank you :)
@@ademsagoo1021 Yes any leaves that are infected, remove them and dispose of them carefully to avoid cross-infecting other plants or trees. It's better to use pruning scissors, and not pinch off the leaves, because you want to protect the latent buds under the leaf petiola. If the Carmona has any flowers, remove them all too, with fine scissors. Flowers just take energy away and you need that energy while the tree recovers.
Is it good to take away the fat root if you wish to plant your bonsai out into the wild?
If you plant it out in the wild to thicken-up for a few years before uprooting for bonsai, then no - you do not need to chop the tap root yet. In that case, I would tie a wire tourniquet around the tap root. This will restrict the growth of the tap root, and will cause more fine feeder roots to sprout out above the level of your tourniquet.
Where can I find bonsai pots? 2:07
It really depends where you are... here in Europe I get my pots from this bonsai shop: www.laosgarden.com/en/
My lindens that I brought home (cuttings) are dying, so I think that was a fail. lol. But I guess I tried. But my other that I accidentally brought home *cough* are doing fine. I planted them in a mix of planting soil 40-50%, leka pebbles, and perlite 50-60%. Do you think perlite is good for them? It's supposed to help the roots get air, but also keep a more even moisture in the soil. My aspen and birches seem to be thriving in it. And so far, my maple is doing just fine in it. I planted two small apple trees in it as well the other day. :P
Another question. They are native trees to Sweden, and will need winter hibernation (on my glassed in balcony) and I wonder, do I need to water them during winter? And if so, how much? I'm afraid that the roots will be damaged if I don't water them, but I also don't wanna harm them in the cold weather since it can get well below freezing. And do I need to insulate the pots in some way or not? Halp! :P
Perlite is good. I only stopped using it because it's lighter than other substrate types and it works its way up to the top. Then you can't see when the top soil gets dry because perlite looks the same wet or dry.
Yes you water deciduous trees much much less in winter.
Bad luck about the lindens, but, maybe you could try again next year with some different samples? Some softwood, some harder. Or not... if your balcony is full by then 😁
@@BlueSkyBonsai Yeah, I did notice that the perlite floats upwards. Bark pieces does that too (but worse). But at least it's good for them, that's nice. :)
Alright, but they still need some water? Just to keep the roots from drying out fully, right? But not more than that.
lol, yeah. I'm keeping my eye out for a little linden seedling maybe. If I spot one, it might get adopted. :3 I'm gonna try and get some linden seeds in the autumn this time, so they haven't been on the tree all winter. Maybe it's a greater chance with them then, like with the oaks. :)
My balcony isn't full yet, hehe. :D Thanx!
@@SysterYster in winter, all the cold trees on your balcony will be dormant, even the evergreens. There is no sap flow and the energy is stored as starch in the trunk and roots, so no water is being absorbed into the roots, and very little water is evaporating from the soil. So you aaaalmost don't need to water them... but you don't want the soil and roots to dry out. I use a fine layer of small-grain akadama or kiryuzuna on the soil surface, because you can immediately see if it's dry. Only water it if the top soil dries. In the coldest period it could even be 3 or 4 weeks between watering. Maybe it depends on how cold your covered balcony gets, and how much sun. If it stays at 9 or 10° then you will need to water more often. But if it's around freezing temperatures for a significant time then assume weeks between watering. HTH
@@BlueSkyBonsai Alright, thank you! :) Our winters vary a lot, from sometimes just weeks upon weeks of around 5'C and sometimes down to -20'C.
Can I repot my juniper bonsai before winter?
If you slip pot it into a slightly bigger pot without pruning the roots, yes you can safely do that now in autumn. But if you were planning on pruning the roots, for example to get in a smaller pot, I would wait until mid-spring to do that. HTH
What would happen if I put my juniper into a smaller pot in September?
@@davidramirez8205 if the tree is in good health and you leave say 90% of the rootball intact, it will probably be okay. I had to do it last autumn in this video because its pot broke and I didn't have a bigger pot, but you can see I didn't remove much of the roots: czcams.com/video/jhUzRwwtlA8/video.html
The tree is okay this year, although it didn't put on much new growth.
what if I bought a bonsai that needs repotting but it's already past Spring?
You can "slip pot" your bonsai at any time of year, you do it without pruning the roots. I did a video about slip potting to improve the tree health - here: czcams.com/video/xJFa-dsNO9I/video.html
Hope that helps!
yayyy new content..haha was waiting for this specifically as well..i have been wondering if its possible to use planted fish tank susbstrate as part of the soil mix? like this aquariumbreeder.com/top-5-substrates-for-planted-aquariums/ thought of it cause of the airation. and i used to have a planted fish tank..loved the susbstrate
Thank you Ek Seng Ng! I have no experience of using fish tank soil for bonsai trees, except I used some aquarium substrate in a moss terrarium that I created two years ago and that's still doing okay. I think the prices you're looking at seem too high for bonsai substrate. I pay for Akadama approximately 1€ per litre - that's about $4 per gallon. If you have a bonsai that you don't care about so much, try that with your substrate for a year first to see how it does, before you risk losing more special trees??
I have a young bonsai that seems to be needing water super often, like every day. Might this be a sign of being rootbound or needing to be repotted? It seems otherwise healthy
Trees need lots of water in summer. The leaves are drawing up more water because they're hotter and need cooling... it's just nature at work.
What tree species is it, and is it sitting in sunlight? Do you live on a hot climate?
Watering once a day is absolutely normal. In summer I water mine 2 or 3 times a day because it gets so hot here. Here's a video about watering: czcams.com/video/E2dBOrA7tOs/video.html
If it looks healthy, don't repot it - wait until next spring then take a look at the roots to see if it's rootbound.
Bonsai trees occasionally die if you repot them in a hot summer, but they almost never die if you repot in early spring. Here's a video about reasons to NOT repot: czcams.com/video/wScdX1OcHhQ/video.html
@@BlueSkyBonsai so mine isn't actually technically a bonsai tree 😅. It's a Thai Basil plant I've managed to keep alive for a few years under a grow light indoors, and I prune it so much it's almost like a bonsai at this point, so been looking into bonsai techniques in case it'll help since most advice assumes it dies off in the winter, but mine doesn't. It's a tropical plant, and it's relatively climate controlled and gets the same light all year because of the timer on my light so idk if it ever knows what season it is.
@@SnackPacks10 in that case you can probably prune the roots at any tine of year. But I would keep it in near 100% humidity for a week or two afterwards so that it doesn't start dropping leaves.
Having said that, I have zero experience with Thai Basil so don't take my word for it!
Great information as always, but as a multimedia journalist the video has too many cuts between the two views. It seems like you got a new second camera and started watching youtube videos about editing :) Your jump cuts and L-cuts are intertwined and it makes it too jarring. Just stick with the straightforward view, and if you want to cut to the side one, use the b-roll shots like you did a few times, those do work, and also can cover up mistakes. Otherwise please keep up the content, it is great.
Thanks for your tips! I'm not a great talker so I use the second camera trick to cover up the mistakes (there are much more outtakes and pauses than good clips). I appreciate your comment, I'll see if I can get away with one camera for the next talking content. Less work on the editing table too!
👍👌🍎🙂
😊🌳👈🙏
I Bonsai, you Bonsai, he, she, we Bonsai, Bonsology -the study of bonsai! It's first grade stuff SpongeBob!
😂😂 lol the day sponge bob does bonsai might be the day my kids decide to help 🤪
Please just stick to one camera angle!
You're the second person to say that! In part 2 of this video I used only one camera angle.