Mr. Nigel Saunder you’re one of my faves Enthusiast too!-your expression to the hobby really inspired my Journey of Bonsai in so many ways! One was Get my ideas from nature & build my own greenhouse which will begin in April when Air layering season starts (well I’m Located @ the Eastern time south region of Kentucky in the US) that when all the trees nodes start to begin to show their leaves. With your spiky fuzzy hair with glasses ,you look like a mad scientist & with all due of the Highest respect for you & Hobby -it totally suits you & fits your persona and out-look for bonsai.❤️
I had the same problem until last year: collect moss from dry places, walls etc. This is the type that thrives on bonsai soil. Next get yourself a greenhouse for the trees in spring, it helps a lot and in a couple of weeks your trees will have a lawn.
Where have you been my whole bonsai life!?! This is a great idea. I live in Idaho (pretty dry) and this will help beautify my tree display and keep them healthy!
What a fantastic idea and now I intend to steal it!!! I love doing little mame stuff from my cuttings so this seems perfect. I really like your style as well. Cheers.
A great unique idea. I dont grow mame myself, but even pots 6 to 8 inches can dry out quickly, so this could be utilised for larger pots. Thanks for the demo.
WOW! I have seen Mame, but never how to to grow them..... Great video. I learn so much every time I turn on RUclips. Thank you for showing us how you grow your trees.... they look sooo cool.....
Nice one! I did similar setup but with fine sand for my shohins in spring. I have a vid about creating it and one when checking the roots and prunning not long ago. Works fantastic!
I love bonsai but I used to grow them, not anymore. I am still very much interested in them. I stumbled upon your channel because it was presented in my RUclips probably because I am subscriber to Herons Bonsai. So I’ve subscribed to your channel, it triggered something in me. I might give it a go. I like the video a lot so the rest of the day I will binge watch everything on your channel 😄
Lol, welcome aboard! We've been getting a lot of great feedback and hope you like all the videos. If you have any questions you'd like to see in a video, let us know.
First vid of yours I’ve seen and will definitely binge your channel. I like the short lengths many of your vids have. Some days, I like long 20min vids. Other days, 5mins is plenty I like the name focus too. I’m going to try a few myself
Thanks for the video. Such a gorgeous display. Great technique to get some more vigorous growth. I must try it. Can't wait for more videos. I'm getting back into bonsai again.
Salam bonsai mini... Salam satu hobi dari kami penggemar bonsai dari INDOnesia... Saya suka mini bonsai Sy dapat inspirasi dari postingan... terima kasih
Your trick helped me and nigel, you bonsai saint. Granted definitely need to water mine 3-4x daily inside. If they were outside period, I can't imagine anything that scale would have made it past a year. Granted still not sure the ones I started survived winter 3 yet. No buds yet. So not 100%. But it's bendy? So I'm assuming they are OK? We will see come spring spring.
Hi Eric, it's really impressive the work you do and i think we're all very thankful with you sharing your knowledge with everyone. Here's a thing, what 2 diameters of wire would you recommend to a person who is basically starting in mame bonsai? (Junipers, olive trees, Japanese black pines and chinese elms, as ficus are less strong and i think the wire could be the same?) Thank you very much and I'll carry on enjoying your content 😀😊😊💪🏻🌱
Hmm. I think 16 and 18 copper. But TBH wiring the trunks would need larger and sometimes branching needs smaller. I use AL for training young trees and copper when I want them to look pretty.
Great tip I wonder if this might be a good idea for wisteria I'm developing one here in the hot central valley and it's tuff to keep it from drying out
I think the common technique for wisteria is to sit the bottom inch or so in a tray of water since they absorb a lot of water in summer. However, I think this can cause root death if you over-do it so do a few days in a row and then let it dry a bit before doing it again.
Want to ask if any chance do you have Stone pine bonsai and if yes any chance to make a video about it? Thanks . What pines and spruces you working with?
A friend of mine got a tiny stone pine seedling. We turned it into an exposed root bonsai. It's quite an oddity actually because we keep it all juvenile - so it looks more like a spruce or something. I would say as a mature tree Stone pine are probably not a great choice just due to the needle length and character. I actually really like P. monticola, but I only have two old ones and a bunch of seedlings so far - they are very slow growing. Scots pine is probably a good choice - I'm growing a batch and they are vigorous yet have short needles naturally. Picea glenhii is the most well-documented spruce for bonsai. (Red Ezo spruce.) I think Black hills spruce is rapidly becoming a favorite in North America. You can make a decent bonsai from a Norway spruce nursery tree actually. Keep in mind spruce generally need a colder winter - so better for northern/colder climates.
@@Bonsaify awesome, thank you. As a beginner I will say no then to stone pine and will go for Scot’s pines and black pines. Will follow your videos and guides. Thanks
This video is very good and it’s always a pleasure to watch you explaining your work, but in this case I think I don’t get it. What is the point of growing a plant in a small pot if you need to put that pot inside another pot in order to keep the plant alive?
They're not really growing into the other pot. But the point is to moderate the environment - just one of a lot of tools we use to do that with bonsai. (shade cloth, humidity trays, automated watering, misting, etc.) Keeping the bottom of the pot cooler effectively increases the size of the container without having to have a container that is actually larger.
I've tried this, and it works! But mine look a lot more chaotic. 😅 Perhaps because a few of my trays have baby's tears or selaginella in them, which gets messier than moss.
I put my bonsai in the garage for the winter. I have a few that are really tiny. Mame style ones. How do you care for them over the winter? How often do you water them? Kim🍁🇨🇦
Unfortunately, I'm not a cold-winter expert! I would say water occasionally to ensure they do not dry out, but dormant trees do not require a lot of water.
Wow, what a fantastic idea, and so beautiful. I have been very reluctant to try Mame, but with this suggestion in mind I will have to give it a try. How do you overwinter the tray?
Well...technically I don't think we're supposed to ship plants to the UK, but I'll have to look into it. It's crazy how many regulations there are for these little plants! But, definitely can ship pots and stuff, and we'll give the plants a try if anyone is interested. And if anyone has resources we should be aware of drop us a line.
Greetings! I love the little ones too! I'm in Northern Michigan and will be bringing my tropicals and ficus indoors for the winter. What are your thoughts about using this technique indoors? Thank you!
I think this tray technique will work well indoors. I'm not sure how moss will do, but it will probably also do fine. The key here is that your plants are fooled into thinking that there is a lot more root space than there actually is!
Hi there, we propagate these junipers ourselves from cuttings. Small starters are available on Bonsaify.com, if you want extra-small, we have 2" containers that are not listed right now also. Th maples was from seed we collected, the cotoneaster were propagated by cutting from a larger older bonsai in Eric's personal collection.
8:22 - "The tiny container that they're in gives you the sort of aesthetic goal that you're trying to create, which is that nice, small, err -- container"
Hi I have 3 Question please 1- do you water 2 times a day? 2- it’s only fine black lava that your using under them? 3- from where did you get the mousse? Thanks 🙏
1 - Water - yes when it's warm to hot. Generally the lava keeps the lower part of the pot cooler, but the tops can dry out quickly. 2 - Yes. 3 - It grew there by itself! But, you can collect moss. Moss is a finicky thing, so see what grows naturally in your yard and try to encourage it.
Hello Eric ! I was just wondering if white sand would work just fine for this type of trays? It drains quite alot but retains mosture. Some people told me that it would not allow airflow below the pots? What do you think ?
Airflow....well, you wouldn't want to bury the pots too deep. But yes, I think sand would be fine. I'm not sure what white sand is - e.g. if it's actually just sand. Regardless, the key here is to provide a moist layer of soil under the pots, which acts both as a humidity tray and a place for the roots to escape into a larger container.
@@Bonsaify Thanks for the response! Yeah I just put them on the layer of sand, didn't push them into it. I watered them and it drained very well so I don't think there should be a problem. Thanks again !
Yes...but I would suggest that you try to cultivate it instead local to yourself. Take a flat of sand, water it, fertilize it with fish emulsion a few times, and then find a clump of moss with spore heads on it that you like. Place it in the middle and then keep the sand moist on top for a few months. You should see moss start to pop up. The other way you can do it is just go collect moss off the side of the road. Golf course sand traps (along the edge), vineyards (under irrigated vines), road sides that are irrigated. Basically it seems like the best moss is full-sun, and that normally only grows where people make sure that grass and other plants don't. Moss is not susceptible to herbicide, so it often grows where people use herbicide to keep grass down.
@@Bonsaify Hello again, thank you for the info and taking the time to answer my question. I like that moss in particular because for me it looks like grass to scale with bonsai. The moss i can find around where i live grows stringy and flat which i don't like. Do you know the name of that particular class of moss and where one could buy it? I looked around have found close to but not exactly like that moss.
This is such a clever trick - I always felt like mame bonsai were daunting or require an unreasonable level of care : / This is making me consider having a go at it :)
Oh, dunno. I guess that would depend on how good you are at caring for them since most probably die due to a lapse in care. Most of the ones in this video are 6-9 years old. Bonsai have no age limit, but death gets everything eventually!
Lava/ soil underneath - about once per year or even less. Watering - here in SF - once per day on a typical cool summer day - or 2-3 times on a warmer day. The second and third time might just be a light spray, to wet the top but not re-soak the soil underneath completely.
So Eric, what do you do to get these through the winter in a zone 6-7 area? Can these little guys take it or do I have to build a special winter cold frame for them?
I would use a cold frame to keep them at or above 32F. In some ways they should be no different than any other bonsai, but with such small root balls and root systems there is no room for dieback. Using a heating mat to keep them above 32F inside a coldframe might be a good way to go. But, I am not a cold weather expert.
That tray full of moss and mame pots makes me unreasonably happy. Like looking upon the Shire of Bonsai.
OMG same feeling here!!
Excellent video Eric!
Thanks! I love those little guys. :-)
Thanks for being so active on other bonsai-channels!
Mr. Nigel Saunder you’re one of my faves Enthusiast too!-your expression to the hobby really inspired my Journey of Bonsai in so many ways!
One was Get my ideas from nature & build my own greenhouse which will begin in April when Air layering season starts (well I’m Located @ the Eastern time south region of Kentucky in the US) that when all the trees nodes start to begin to show their leaves. With your spiky fuzzy hair with glasses ,you look like a mad scientist & with all due of the Highest respect for you & Hobby -it totally suits you & fits your persona and out-look for bonsai.❤️
@@garlanddavidson6845 Thanks Garland, happy growing!!
NEXT PLEASE: How to grow moss
I like to...
Im waiting..
Simple put some moss in semi shade and water as much as possible
I had the same problem until last year: collect moss from dry places, walls etc. This is the type that thrives on bonsai soil. Next get yourself a greenhouse for the trees in spring, it helps a lot and in a couple of weeks your trees will have a lawn.
@@maexchef it's a mission keeping that moss moist once a chef always a chef
yes please - ive just failed miserably at growing moss and not the soil molded over, gotta restart
Where have you been my whole bonsai life!?! This is a great idea. I live in Idaho (pretty dry) and this will help beautify my tree display and keep them healthy!
I have been doing this since the last video you did with the tray and they grow so well! I have come to love the little ones so much now, thanks!
What a fantastic idea and now I intend to steal it!!! I love doing little mame stuff from my cuttings so this seems perfect. I really like your style as well. Cheers.
Excellent👍👍👍. Looking forward to the next video on the Mame’s.
Thank you so much for sharing this with us! I have been struggling with my mame bonsai and this seems to be the answer I have been looking for!
Mame bonsai, nice video, thanks for sharing Eric
Those dwarf bonsai looks really cool
Watching replay great share,nice bonsai tree
A great unique idea. I dont grow mame myself, but even pots 6 to 8 inches can dry out quickly, so this could be utilised for larger pots.
Thanks for the demo.
for small pots, i consider using more organic, so it holds moisture longer. because yeah they do dry out quickly
the grow a bonsai tree 🌲 very nice 👍 unique design so good thanks you for sharing... God 🙏 bless you...
Fantastic vlog ,watching and support
WOW! I have seen Mame, but never how to to grow them..... Great video. I learn so much every time I turn on RUclips. Thank you for showing us how you grow your trees.... they look sooo cool.....
Thank you for this great video! I have been wanting to focus on mame bonsai and this trick gives me the inspiration I needed!
This is the video I was looking for! Thanks!
Nice one! I did similar setup but with fine sand for my shohins in spring. I have a vid about creating it and one when checking the roots and prunning not long ago. Works fantastic!
I love bonsai but I used to grow them, not anymore. I am still very much interested in them. I stumbled upon your channel because it was presented in my RUclips probably because I am subscriber to Herons Bonsai. So I’ve subscribed to your channel, it triggered something in me. I might give it a go. I like the video a lot so the rest of the day I will binge watch everything on your channel 😄
It would be awesome if this channel brought you back to Bonsai as a hobby! Keep us posted :-)
Lol, welcome aboard! We've been getting a lot of great feedback and hope you like all the videos. If you have any questions you'd like to see in a video, let us know.
Amazing Technique Sir 👌
You are a great teacher 😁
Thank you for the beautifull videom. Your mini bonsais look verry pretty
Wow. Literally a different level of bonsai
Cool and unique mame bonsai in one pot, greetings sir, good luck to all
First vid of yours I’ve seen and will definitely binge your channel. I like the short lengths many of your vids have. Some days, I like long 20min vids. Other days, 5mins is plenty
I like the name focus too. I’m going to try a few myself
Great video! I'm going to set up a tray and see how it goes.
OMG, you're gonna love it. Just remember to cut the roots from time to time.
Very, very beautiful collection! Namaste 🕉
What a talent!
Thank you for sharing.
Fantastic idea brother
Wow… amazing… tks for share mini bonsai video…
Wow! Its so interesting! Love from India. 💖
Thanks! 😃
My Mommy is so impressed!
Thanks for the video. Such a gorgeous display. Great technique to get some more vigorous growth. I must try it. Can't wait for more videos. I'm getting back into bonsai again.
Thanks for watching!
This is so clever and has given me many ideas to do similar experiments. Thank you.
Fantastic idea Eric. Thanks for the demo.
Very cool. Thanks for posting.
Amazing tree Mr Erick.thankyou
A small and effective trick, indeed.
6:58 Totally love that Itoigawa 😍
Thanks! I've been working on a batch of these for about 7 years now, and these are the ones I kept.
That’s great!!!! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing this video.
Thanks for watching!
Excellent, as usual.
Great video thanks Eric!
love the tray idea
really cool way to propagate moss too!!
Your work is so beautiful
Informative vid ☘️🌸🌸🌸❤️
This method is called Double Potting. Just did this a couple of weeks ago with my jade that I wanna style as mame.
Salam bonsai mini...
Salam satu hobi dari kami penggemar bonsai dari INDOnesia...
Saya suka mini bonsai
Sy dapat inspirasi dari postingan... terima kasih
You're welcome. Bonsai in Indonesia, love it!
@@Bonsaify salut buat semua postingannya...
good and very helpful for beginner bonsai lovers indonesia
I do this too but with sphagnum as medium on the extension pot. Dont need to water 3 times a day.
Very cute.❤❤👍
Graeaaat info!
excellent..... very very good
I m new subscriber in India 🇮🇳
The junipers are gorgeous! I really love mame but I don't think the extra maintanence is for me. The mini orchard is obviously working well!
😂the way he pops up saludos ❤🤝🇨🇷
Your trick helped me and nigel, you bonsai saint. Granted definitely need to water mine 3-4x daily inside. If they were outside period, I can't imagine anything that scale would have made it past a year. Granted still not sure the ones I started survived winter 3 yet. No buds yet. So not 100%. But it's bendy? So I'm assuming they are OK? We will see come spring spring.
Great, Thank You!
Hi Eric, it's really impressive the work you do and i think we're all very thankful with you sharing your knowledge with everyone.
Here's a thing, what 2 diameters of wire would you recommend to a person who is basically starting in mame bonsai? (Junipers, olive trees, Japanese black pines and chinese elms, as ficus are less strong and i think the wire could be the same?)
Thank you very much and I'll carry on enjoying your content 😀😊😊💪🏻🌱
Hmm. I think 16 and 18 copper. But TBH wiring the trunks would need larger and sometimes branching needs smaller. I use AL for training young trees and copper when I want them to look pretty.
Интересный приём! Nice.
Great tip I wonder if this might be a good idea for wisteria I'm developing one here in the hot central valley and it's tuff to keep it from drying out
I think the common technique for wisteria is to sit the bottom inch or so in a tray of water since they absorb a lot of water in summer. However, I think this can cause root death if you over-do it so do a few days in a row and then let it dry a bit before doing it again.
Muchas gracias por los subtítulos en español.
Salud!
🙇♂️
What a good idea…..I’ve done something similar for root over rock, but I’ll expand……
Want to ask if any chance do you have Stone pine bonsai and if yes any chance to make a video about it? Thanks . What pines and spruces you working with?
A friend of mine got a tiny stone pine seedling. We turned it into an exposed root bonsai. It's quite an oddity actually because we keep it all juvenile - so it looks more like a spruce or something. I would say as a mature tree Stone pine are probably not a great choice just due to the needle length and character. I actually really like P. monticola, but I only have two old ones and a bunch of seedlings so far - they are very slow growing. Scots pine is probably a good choice - I'm growing a batch and they are vigorous yet have short needles naturally. Picea glenhii is the most well-documented spruce for bonsai. (Red Ezo spruce.) I think Black hills spruce is rapidly becoming a favorite in North America. You can make a decent bonsai from a Norway spruce nursery tree actually. Keep in mind spruce generally need a colder winter - so better for northern/colder climates.
@@Bonsaify awesome, thank you. As a beginner I will say no then to stone pine and will go for Scot’s pines and black pines. Will follow your videos and guides. Thanks
Good. Very good. I like it.
Sehr schönes Video. Grüße aus Deutschland
Woow amazing Bonsai small
Very interesting,thank you
So nice ☘☘🍃🌱🌿💕
Muy buen video, Thank you
This video is very good and it’s always a pleasure to watch you explaining your work, but in this case I think I don’t get it.
What is the point of growing a plant in a small pot if you need to put that pot inside another pot in order to keep the plant alive?
They're not really growing into the other pot. But the point is to moderate the environment - just one of a lot of tools we use to do that with bonsai. (shade cloth, humidity trays, automated watering, misting, etc.) Keeping the bottom of the pot cooler effectively increases the size of the container without having to have a container that is actually larger.
Do mame alwasy in same size or we have to move them to big later ?
Nice 👍
Luar biasa😍😍😍
I've tried this, and it works! But mine look a lot more chaotic. 😅 Perhaps because a few of my trays have baby's tears or selaginella in them, which gets messier than moss.
Odd question maybe. Would Siberian iris , for example, grow smaller like bonsai? Always looking to make miniatures not necessarily bonsai I guess.
Many plants grow smaller when established in small containers. But I'm not familiar with the one you're asking about.
@ thanks. Great video btw
Thanks
I put my bonsai in the garage for the winter. I have a few that are really tiny. Mame style ones. How do you care for them over the winter? How often do you water them?
Kim🍁🇨🇦
Unfortunately, I'm not a cold-winter expert! I would say water occasionally to ensure they do not dry out, but dormant trees do not require a lot of water.
Nice...❣️
Very nice beautiful trees sir! I have one question, where can I get pots like that for my trees?
Hi, we're hoping to have some in stock soon. Otherwise, you could take a trip to Japan - to the green club during the Kokufu show.
Waooooow mantap keren
👍❤️
Wow, what a fantastic idea, and so beautiful. I have been very reluctant to try Mame, but with this suggestion in mind I will have to give it a try. How do you overwinter the tray?
Your shop store won't deliver to the UK. Will this change in the future?
Hi, thanks for pointing that out. We've enabled shipping to the UK on the shop.
@@Bonsaify wallet let’s out a sigh - here we go again lol
Well...technically I don't think we're supposed to ship plants to the UK, but I'll have to look into it. It's crazy how many regulations there are for these little plants! But, definitely can ship pots and stuff, and we'll give the plants a try if anyone is interested. And if anyone has resources we should be aware of drop us a line.
Greetings! I love the little ones too! I'm in Northern Michigan and will be bringing my tropicals and ficus indoors for the winter. What are your thoughts about using this technique indoors? Thank you!
I think this tray technique will work well indoors. I'm not sure how moss will do, but it will probably also do fine. The key here is that your plants are fooled into thinking that there is a lot more root space than there actually is!
❤ thanks✨🙌🏾🙏🏾
Amazing! Please tell me how you get that moss?
What soil mix are you using in the containers, please?
Excellent video. I am just starting to look into growing Mame. These are some excellent tips. Where do you get your material?
Hi there, we propagate these junipers ourselves from cuttings. Small starters are available on Bonsaify.com, if you want extra-small, we have 2" containers that are not listed right now also. Th maples was from seed we collected, the cotoneaster were propagated by cutting from a larger older bonsai in Eric's personal collection.
Have you tried red scoria? It’s a red lava rock it’s pretty heavy but I can get lots and lots of it for cheap
is there a reason to pull the roots off by hand rather than clip them? thanks!
No, either will work fine.
8:22 - "The tiny container that they're in gives you the sort of aesthetic goal that you're trying to create, which is that nice, small, err -- container"
Hi
I have 3 Question please
1- do you water 2 times a day?
2- it’s only fine black lava that your using under them?
3- from where did you get the mousse?
Thanks 🙏
1 - Water - yes when it's warm to hot. Generally the lava keeps the lower part of the pot cooler, but the tops can dry out quickly.
2 - Yes.
3 - It grew there by itself! But, you can collect moss. Moss is a finicky thing, so see what grows naturally in your yard and try to encourage it.
@@Bonsaify
You are the best
Thanks a lots for answering my questions
You are very professional and nice
Thanks you
@@Bonsaify
And the lava it’s less than 3 or 2 mm no !??
Hello Eric ! I was just wondering if white sand would work just fine for this type of trays? It drains quite alot but retains mosture. Some people told me that it would not allow airflow below the pots? What do you think ?
Airflow....well, you wouldn't want to bury the pots too deep. But yes, I think sand would be fine. I'm not sure what white sand is - e.g. if it's actually just sand. Regardless, the key here is to provide a moist layer of soil under the pots, which acts both as a humidity tray and a place for the roots to escape into a larger container.
@@Bonsaify Thanks for the response! Yeah I just put them on the layer of sand, didn't push them into it. I watered them and it drained very well so I don't think there should be a problem. Thanks again !
Hello can you buy that kind of moss?
Yes...but I would suggest that you try to cultivate it instead local to yourself. Take a flat of sand, water it, fertilize it with fish emulsion a few times, and then find a clump of moss with spore heads on it that you like. Place it in the middle and then keep the sand moist on top for a few months. You should see moss start to pop up. The other way you can do it is just go collect moss off the side of the road. Golf course sand traps (along the edge), vineyards (under irrigated vines), road sides that are irrigated. Basically it seems like the best moss is full-sun, and that normally only grows where people make sure that grass and other plants don't. Moss is not susceptible to herbicide, so it often grows where people use herbicide to keep grass down.
@@Bonsaify Hello again, thank you for the info and taking the time to answer my question. I like that moss in particular because for me it looks like grass to scale with bonsai. The moss i can find around where i live grows stringy and flat which i don't like. Do you know the name of that particular class of moss and where one could buy it? I looked around have found close to but not exactly like that moss.
This is such a clever trick - I always felt like mame bonsai were daunting or require an unreasonable level of care : / This is making me consider having a go at it :)
Yes, give it a go and share photos! ;-)
Please share the ingredients of the soil used in tray .
I keep my mame in double pot but not so healthy like u sir
It is 100% lava / scoria. The size is about 1-2mm or 1/16th inch. Dust removed also. But sand or other similar size particles will also work..
I do that same technique ,but I don’t do them all together,Just as individual ,like one in each tray.
So awesome would love to make a few myself.
Hello just wanted to ask, what is the average age limit of a mame?
Oh, dunno. I guess that would depend on how good you are at caring for them since most probably die due to a lapse in care. Most of the ones in this video are 6-9 years old. Bonsai have no age limit, but death gets everything eventually!
Thanks for the video Eric. How often do you change the lava underneath? How often do you water? Greetings from Honduras
Lava/ soil underneath - about once per year or even less. Watering - here in SF - once per day on a typical cool summer day - or 2-3 times on a warmer day. The second and third time might just be a light spray, to wet the top but not re-soak the soil underneath completely.
So Eric, what do you do to get these through the winter in a zone 6-7 area? Can these little guys take it or do I have to build a special winter cold frame for them?
I would use a cold frame to keep them at or above 32F. In some ways they should be no different than any other bonsai, but with such small root balls and root systems there is no room for dieback. Using a heating mat to keep them above 32F inside a coldframe might be a good way to go. But, I am not a cold weather expert.