Glad I found these videos on boxwoods I love boxwoods and have about 20 in my pre bonsai collection I have so many I tried a total defoliation for an experiment. It worked and added another season of growth give it a try you'll be pleasantly surprised
Thanks Ken, wow it never occurred to me to defoliate a box because they are such slow growers. Defoliation is usually intended to slow growth and reduce leaf & internodes. Yeah I will try with one box next summer, the one I'm not planning to repot. Thanks for the suggestion! 👍🏻
Thanks Rudy for your kind words. And welcome to the world of mini trees! It is a journey that you'll never regret and the "bug" will stay with you for the rest of your life. 🌳👍🏻
That's great to hear! There's ome thing I would change since I did this video nearly 4 years ago, now I don't use guy wires to pull down one side of a tree because over a couple ofyears that gradually tilts the whole tree in the pot. Guy wiring needs to be evenly balanced on both sides of a pot to prevent that??from happening. HTH
@@BlueSkyBonsai thanks, l haven't had that problem yet, l try to have my trees really securely wired in the pot but l'll bear it in mind for future guy wires, thank you, 👍
Thanks J! Yes that's the great thing about boxwoods, the bark looks really old after just 4 or so years of growth. It's quite a paradox when these things seem to grow so slowly!
Hi Dave, I have a question...My wife has given me a multi trunk 4 foot high box, which she had attempted to shape but failed. The trunks are about 11/4" thick and quite long and sparse, some being inside and some outside the cluster. Can the thick trunks be made into bonsai cuttings and if so How ?
Hi, Thin boxwood cuttings can take root but thicker cuttings might die before they root. The solution: do an air layer on the trunk at the point where you want new roots to emerge. I did a comprehensive video on ground layering, which is basically an air layer at ground level. ruclips.net/video/c1nasUQCRiM/видео.html That should help you see the principles of how and why it works. The only thing that makes an air layer slightly more delicate is that you have to support the layer packet someway up the trunk.. other than that, an air layer is actually less risky because you're not putting the lower trunk / branches / roots at risk; only the part of the tree that you're girdling. On boxwood an air layer could take several months - if you do it now, keep it there until probably end-summer when you see sufficient roots through your plastic wrapping. Check it every now and then - don't let it get dry, nor mouldy - also cover the plastic with aluminium foil so the sun can't heat up that package. Good luck! Be sure to let me know how it goes!
@@BlueSkyBonsai Thank you for such a speedy reply. I have done air layering before with mixed results and could not understand why but after watching your video about cuttings, it is obvious to me that I had not been removing all the green every time, hence the variable results!!! Now thanks to your excellent video I can try what you suggest and will certainly keep you in the picture.. I am 85 yrs of age and have only been into Bonsai for a couple of years now, I so regret not having found it years ago as time may not be on my side for long term projects but we shall see but there is no doubt I shall enjoy it more with the benefit of your videos Stay safe and well Alan🤡👍
Hi Dave, Two months on and I have no idea yet how the layering is coming along, however, what was the middle of the large bush has now started sprouting a multitude of leaves where there used to be none so my layered tree should look quite nice if the layering works. w When should I uncover it ? and when should Ibe looking at separating it and planting it ?
@@alandouthwaite6980 Hi Alan, a few things to consider: - Most boxwood species don't grow very quickly compared to many other trees and shrubs. Their roots grow like noodles but don't get thick and woody for a few years- they won't fill a pot for two years or more. - air layers and cuttings grow roots quicker in warm weather than cold weather. - air layers usually don't kill their branch if you leave them too long. They can kill the branch if you chop it off too soon, ie. before the new root system is sufficient to support all the foliage. - if you use clear plastic packing around your layer, you can look to see how much is filled with roots. With all the above in mind I would guess it's not yet ready to become an independent self-sufficient plant. If you can look at the roots, they should really be filling your layer packet to be confident before chopping. But if you can't look at it, I would wait until late August 'just in case' ...and of course it's important that the layer stays damp all the time, which should be the case if you used sphagnum moss and sealed it properly. But some people intentionally leave the layer open so it's always oxygenated but that means you need to water it every day, especially in summer. Does that help?
@@BlueSkyBonsai Thanks Dave, most helpful as usual but I have a further question......Is it possible to remove layering after two months and then repack it ? I ask because I am not convinced that I used enough sphagnum in the first place and it was packed quite tightly ? Can I start a new layer higher up ? I really don't want to loose it !!!
It is copper wire, 0.4mm. Copper is stronger than aluminium so it lets you use much thinner wire, which is ideal for guy wiring that you want to be virtually invisible.
Dave, hope you're doing well. I did have a question for you. I see in this video that you used guy wire to pull down the branch. You have the wire attached to the bottom side of the pot. How are you doing that? I'm just not understanding how the wire end at the bottom of the pot is being held there. Thank you in advance for your reply. Take care my bonsai brother.
Cheers BP, great question! When I repot, I use wire to hold the tree in place for a few months, while the roots re-grow in the new soil and pot. I do that to keep the tree rock-still in the face of strong winds and kids... That wire is fixed by threading it through holes in the bottom of the pot - You can see in this trident repot video at about 4 minutes in: ruclips.net/video/fEduMQQcaOQ/видео.html If there are no wire holes then I use drainage holes. If there's only one drainage hole then I wrap my tie wire around a thicker piece of wire on the underside of the pot. Not all bonsai hobbyists use that tie wire when repotting, maybe because they don't have strong winds or kids playing ball where they are! After a few months I loosen the wire from the top side, so that root growth isn't being constrained, but I leave the wire there. Anyway, that's the anchor wire underneath that you're looking for.
Hi, the leaves of boxes do change colour in late autumn to winter. Even though they're not deciduous trees, they still need 2 or 3 months of dormancy every year. The question is, did the leaves go dark redish-brown? (That's good). Or did they go light greyish-brown? (In which case the leaves died). But even if the leaves died, it doesn't mean the tree died.. keep it out in the sun through spring and it should bounce back to life!
Glad I found these videos on boxwoods I love boxwoods and have about 20 in my pre bonsai collection I have so many I tried a total defoliation for an experiment. It worked and added another season of growth give it a try you'll be pleasantly surprised
Thanks Ken, wow it never occurred to me to defoliate a box because they are such slow growers. Defoliation is usually intended to slow growth and reduce leaf & internodes. Yeah I will try with one box next summer, the one I'm not planning to repot. Thanks for the suggestion! 👍🏻
Love your nerdy working style! Full of information and helpful ideas .
Thanks! Geek is my middle name hahaha
Another relaxing and informative video. Got a Box that I'm "Windswept" myself. Thanks.
Cheers! And great to hear you got a box, they are excellent for bonsai.
Great videos. The best I have found. I am just starting my bonsai journey and these are so informative. Brilliant job 👍
Thanks Rudy for your kind words. And welcome to the world of mini trees! It is a journey that you'll never regret and the "bug" will stay with you for the rest of your life. 🌳👍🏻
i have acquired 2 windswept maples from friends gardens, they hated them, I love them, great video, as always, 👍
That's great to hear! There's ome thing I would change since I did this video nearly 4 years ago, now I don't use guy wires to pull down one side of a tree because over a couple ofyears that gradually tilts the whole tree in the pot. Guy wiring needs to be evenly balanced on both sides of a pot to prevent that??from happening. HTH
@@BlueSkyBonsai thanks, l haven't had that problem yet, l try to have my trees really securely wired in the pot but l'll bear it in mind for future guy wires, thank you, 👍
Nice boxwood collection ! Your windswept style boxwood is looking good, really interesting bark on the trunk. 👍
Thanks J! Yes that's the great thing about boxwoods, the bark looks really old after just 4 or so years of growth. It's quite a paradox when these things seem to grow so slowly!
I am about to try this... Just left Lowes with a nice one...
You won't regret it! 👍🏻🌳
Hi. I really enjoyed your video. I am new to bonsai and I appreciated your thorough explanations. I enjoyed the music, as well. Thank you.
So glad you enjoyed it--thanks for watching and for commenting!
Beautiful vedio
Thank you so much!
Hi Dave, I have a question...My wife has given me a multi trunk 4 foot high box, which she had attempted to shape but failed. The trunks are about 11/4" thick and quite long and sparse, some being inside and some outside the cluster. Can the thick trunks be made into bonsai cuttings and if so How ?
Hi, Thin boxwood cuttings can take root but thicker cuttings might die before they root. The solution: do an air layer on the trunk at the point where you want new roots to emerge. I did a comprehensive video on ground layering, which is basically an air layer at ground level. ruclips.net/video/c1nasUQCRiM/видео.html
That should help you see the principles of how and why it works. The only thing that makes an air layer slightly more delicate is that you have to support the layer packet someway up the trunk.. other than that, an air layer is actually less risky because you're not putting the lower trunk / branches / roots at risk; only the part of the tree that you're girdling.
On boxwood an air layer could take several months - if you do it now, keep it there until probably end-summer when you see sufficient roots through your plastic wrapping. Check it every now and then - don't let it get dry, nor mouldy - also cover the plastic with aluminium foil so the sun can't heat up that package.
Good luck! Be sure to let me know how it goes!
@@BlueSkyBonsai Thank you for such a speedy reply. I have done air layering before with mixed results and could not understand why but after watching your video about cuttings, it is obvious to me that I had not been removing all the green every time, hence the variable results!!! Now thanks to your excellent video I can try what you suggest and will certainly keep you in the picture..
I am 85 yrs of age and have only been into Bonsai for a couple of years now, I so regret not having found it years ago as time may not be on my side for long term projects but we shall see but there is no doubt I shall enjoy it more with the benefit of your videos
Stay safe and well
Alan🤡👍
Hi Dave, Two months on and I have no idea yet how the layering is coming along, however, what was the middle of the large bush has now started sprouting a multitude of leaves where there used to be none so my layered tree should look quite nice if the layering works. w
When should I uncover it ? and when should Ibe looking at separating it and planting it ?
@@alandouthwaite6980 Hi Alan, a few things to consider:
- Most boxwood species don't grow very quickly compared to many other trees and shrubs. Their roots grow like noodles but don't get thick and woody for a few years- they won't fill a pot for two years or more.
- air layers and cuttings grow roots quicker in warm weather than cold weather.
- air layers usually don't kill their branch if you leave them too long. They can kill the branch if you chop it off too soon, ie. before the new root system is sufficient to support all the foliage.
- if you use clear plastic packing around your layer, you can look to see how much is filled with roots.
With all the above in mind I would guess it's not yet ready to become an independent self-sufficient plant. If you can look at the roots, they should really be filling your layer packet to be confident before chopping. But if you can't look at it, I would wait until late August 'just in case'
...and of course it's important that the layer stays damp all the time, which should be the case if you used sphagnum moss and sealed it properly. But some people intentionally leave the layer open so it's always oxygenated but that means you need to water it every day, especially in summer.
Does that help?
@@BlueSkyBonsai Thanks Dave, most helpful as usual but I have a further question......Is it possible to remove layering after two months and then repack it ? I ask because I am not convinced that I used enough sphagnum in the first place and it was packed quite tightly ?
Can I start a new layer higher up ? I really don't want to loose it !!!
What are you using for that guide wire?
It is copper wire, 0.4mm. Copper is stronger than aluminium so it lets you use much thinner wire, which is ideal for guy wiring that you want to be virtually invisible.
Dave, hope you're doing well. I did have a question for you. I see in this video that you used guy wire to pull down the branch. You have the wire attached to the bottom side of the pot. How are you doing that? I'm just not understanding how the wire end at the bottom of the pot is being held there. Thank you in advance for your reply. Take care my bonsai brother.
Cheers BP, great question! When I repot, I use wire to hold the tree in place for a few months, while the roots re-grow in the new soil and pot. I do that to keep the tree rock-still in the face of strong winds and kids...
That wire is fixed by threading it through holes in the bottom of the pot - You can see in this trident repot video at about 4 minutes in: ruclips.net/video/fEduMQQcaOQ/видео.html
If there are no wire holes then I use drainage holes. If there's only one drainage hole then I wrap my tie wire around a thicker piece of wire on the underside of the pot.
Not all bonsai hobbyists use that tie wire when repotting, maybe because they don't have strong winds or kids playing ball where they are!
After a few months I loosen the wire from the top side, so that root growth isn't being constrained, but I leave the wire there. Anyway, that's the anchor wire underneath that you're looking for.
@@BlueSkyBonsai THANK YOU SO MUCH.
My box leaves turned brown in winter ...is that ok in this season?
Hi, the leaves of boxes do change colour in late autumn to winter. Even though they're not deciduous trees, they still need 2 or 3 months of dormancy every year. The question is, did the leaves go dark redish-brown? (That's good). Or did they go light greyish-brown? (In which case the leaves died). But even if the leaves died, it doesn't mean the tree died.. keep it out in the sun through spring and it should bounce back to life!
@@BlueSkyBonsai leaves are redish brown...thanks for precious information
@@Gardeningwithdushyant you're welcome! Thry will turn back to dark green in spring.
@@BlueSkyBonsai thanks
Is this plastic or ceramic pot?
This is a ceramic pot.