I just watched the 2024 video where the tree is 25-26 yrs old. Now I’m watching the same tree when it 17 yrs old? That’s so cool, I cannot believe this tree is that old. Amazing. I love bougainvillea my favorite plants.
My ears perked up when you mentioned knitting needles. I'm a knitter by profession. I also bought a starter bougainvillea at Green Acres and I haven't killed it yet. So, this video is a good reference for me.
Fred Grech Fred, the tree is growing really well, I'm thinking of letting it grow for now and wait for flowers to form. After the flowers, I'll give it another pruning and get the moss on the soil. I'll post an update when it is in flower. Hopefully it will flower soon!
Beautiful tree. I'm new to Bonsai. I have a very young Bougainvillea I'm hoping to Bonsai. I haven't dared to attempt wire it. I don't know how to and don't want to possibly hurt it. The branches if I can call them that are so thin I'm scared they'd break despite seeming very flexible. The The leaves on my Bougainvillea seem bigger than those on yours. Is it possible to have them grow out smaller? If so how? Thank you for your time & sharing your knowledge videos.
+Kalinna Aub The leaf size will reduce in time as the number of leaves increases on the tree. There are also several varieties of Bougainvillea, some do have naturally larger leaves. The variety in this video is a pink pixie. If you do have a tree with larger leaves, you may want to grow the tree to a medium size. I have just shaped my tree with pruning and have not wired it. Good luck with your tree!
it's good to know that you havent done any wiring on this one. I also have a dwarf pixie bougainvillea wich is my first bonsai attempt and I was starting to feel like I was missing out by not wiring it.
At first the tree was re potted less frequently, it didn't have many leaves and so it grew slowly at first. As the tree gained vigor I stated to re pot more frequently, going from four years to three and then two. The tree could be re potted again this summer, but I am going to wait a little longer and may re pot this winter or next summer. The tree started life as a cutting and looked like a stick with some leaves at the top. I did cut off a larger leader when the tree was young to create a bit of taper up top. The taper in the base of the tree has formed just by having a nice radial root base. The trunk and root base have gotten thicker together over the years and is slowly forming a nice trunk. The tree has never been wired, just clip and grow.
Hi Nigel, Your Bonsais are truly inspiring. Just want to understand from you that how pot the trees in a small pot with out using wires to hold the plant to the pot? Kindly explain.
Hi Nigel, your channel is one of my most favorite! I could watch it all day everyday! I have a question, somebody might have asked you this already. I'm just wondering, your outdoor trees, how do they get their nutrients in the winter? Do you water them still with fertilizer? I'm only wondering because you usually pot your plants in Turface and Perlite and they don't have any nutrients on their own
The outdoor trees go dormant for the whole winter and don't need any fertilizer. The indoor trees get watered as usual with a small pinch of fertilizer in every watering can full.
Hi Nigel, just bought a bougainvillea, and I cant seem o find out if it will backbud through the internet. It must be atleast 3 m tall with the first branch at maybe 50cm. And as always, love your videos, just keep em coming :)
Yes if the tree is healthy and strong, it will back bud easily. Here is a video with some major cuts. The trees are doing really well now and look like small trees! ruclips.net/video/94-Lto4F6MU/видео.html
I loved your video, thank you. I have a maybe a 2yr old bougainvillea plant...the trunk is as big around as a large pea. Its twice as tall as yours I think. Just made it through the first winter in Missouri (super cold). I wanted to try and bonsai it...or at the least get the trunk big and keep the plant short. I wanted to ask how you get the trunk to lean like yours? I love that look!
+Emily Stubbs The radial surface roots must be developed with the trunk on an angle. You need to plant the trunk with a slant and then train the radial roots to be level with the top of the soil. This can be done with a combination of bending and pruning the roots. It will take many years for the roots to look old and convincing.
Hello! I am really curious to know what soil mix is this? I would really appreciate the answer as I also have to re pot my Bougainvillea. Your soil is really nice looking soil. Thanks.
It is best when it is warm and sunny and humid. I find that the cuttings will root very easily in summer, but it is much more difficult inside in the winter.
Nigel, have you ever done a gardenia bonsai? I would love to have some. I think gardenias are actually bushes, but I seem to remember seeing a gardenia bonsai in a catalog about 15 years ago. It was very expensive so I didn't order it. Your videos are very well done. TFS.
Hi Nigel, I am finally taking the plunge and going to buy a bougainvillea from a local garden center. I have not picked one out, but the bougainvilleas they have are medium sized bushes. Have you ever cut down trunks/branches (woody) leaving no leaves or buds? A lot of the bougainvilleas I looked at today have interesting, but quite long straight trunks that will need to be reduced - i'm just worried about the tree back budding (or not), thanks!
I haven't cut back my bougainvillea drastically, but it seems it can be done! homeguides.sfgate.com/hard-prune-bougainvillea-hedge-53998.html ofbonsai.org/contest/ryuga-2013/entry-bougainvillea-paper-flower-zambia
thanks ,, I will get one out of the ground here the next day or so, and keep the soil with it as much as possible, how long does it take for them shoots you clipped off this tree/vine root?
Leah Mondloch Cuttings usually root over the summer and can be repotted the next year. The best success is rate is cuttings taken in the middle of summer.
+Zorica Rajic Give your tree the brightest spot you can, and keep it warm also. Water less in winter, but don't let the soil dry out completely. Whenever the Bougainvillea is brought in from outdoors in full sun to indoor light, the tree will loose most of its leaves. Don't be alarmed, new indoor leaves will grow in to take their place. Be careful when taking the tree from indoors to outdoors again, transition the tree slowly until it gets used to sunlight again. In summer when it is warm and sunny, give it plenty of water and fertilize regularly. Misting the tree on sunny days in winter is a good way to keep the humidity high.
A very nice presentation, Nigel. I am so-o-o tired of pretentious bonsai videos, so seeing this one of yours is really a joy and a pleasure. BTW. I see that you gave the tree a good mist. Does that not affect the flowers/bracts in a negative way?
Nigel Saunders I've had three Bougainvillea potensai die on me over the last few years. I must be a glutton for failure because I just brought another one (orange-coloured bracts) home from Turkey. I'll be watching your progress closely and maybe I'll avoid killing this one! LOL.
+Emily Stubbs Roots that radiate from the trunk, work towards thickening the base of the tree, I remove all the others to get the maximum growth of the radial roots. Check out this video, it will explain all....I hope. ruclips.net/video/AcSu8SUQ0kE/видео.html
I really like your bougainvilleas that’s why i bought one from nursery and make it a bonsai. It’s five days from now since i hardly prune the branches and roots. Can you give me tips and advices, especially winter care. Thanks sir. I’m a fan of yours.
Hello, I leave my Bougainvillea's outside until there is a risk of frost, then I bring them inside for the winter. They usually drop most of their leaves when I do this, but they quickly grow back in. Indoors I keep the night time temperatures lower and then increase it in the day. I mist the tree a lot and keep the room warm and humid if possible. They get as much natural light through the window as I can give them, but I also have LED lights that help brighten up the room in the daytime. At night all the lights get turned off to give the trees a rest. I do fertilize with each watering, but with a very, very weak solution.
This Bougainvillea is about 18 years old in the video. It is allowed to grow and then it gets cut back regularly. In time the trunk thickens up. A good radial root base also helps to get a tapered base to the trunk. It is best to let the mango grow tall and then prune the trunk back to about 10 cm tall. Let it grow again and repeat, letting the tree grow a little taller each time.
Bonsai can be inexpensive, but the more refined and old the tree is, the more valuable it becomes. You do have to find someone interested in the tree and who is willing to pay what it is worth. I have seen many trees sold for a very low price, but an old well developed tree is known in the bonsai community and these trees can be worth thousands of dollars. A starter tree can be as low as ten dollars. I can't put a price on my trees as many are still in the early developmental stages and they aren't well developed. When it's time to pass them on, I'd rather they get a good home with an experienced bonsai person, then get any money for them.
ExtremToxodon The small leaf lime is doing well, I actually got a new branch on the main trunk in a good position. I'm just letting it grow for now. I'll post an update later on.
Nigel. You said you needed a smaller tamper to work your finer soil into the roots. They make plastic chop sticks with much finer points than the wooden ones, or you can stick a wooden chop stick into a pencil sharpener and stop when its right for your purpose. Haven't tried to sharpen a bamboo chop stick yet, so not sure how that would fair. Or just sharpen your chop stick with a knife. Forget the knitting needle!
Jim Doyel Thanks Jim, I'll have to add one of these to my tool box. I was thinking a dental pick would work also, but maybe too sharp. I think your chopstick idea is best.
Watching this video makes me want to bonsai our bougainvillea. It is more than a meter in height. We keep it indoors here in France but inmy native country Philippines, we plant bougainvilleas outside and just let them become bigger on a pot or let them climb on a fence!
Nigel Saunders Thank you, Sir. Unfortunately (fortunately for the plant :-), my husband wouldn't allow me to prune his almost 8 yr old bougainvillea. Guess, I'll buy one from the store to practise with!
Can you go into a little bit more depth on the mixture of soil that you use for Bougainvillea? I have a prime specimen that I am ready to attempt. I have been growing bougainvillea for several years and I am ready to take them to the next level. Thanks a bunch.
Check out my soil video for the basic mix. I put the same mixture as a top layer, but it is a finer. ruclips.net/video/p522AYawgOI/видео.html Good luck with your bougainvillea!
I use 45 percent perlite, 45 percent turface and 10 percent composted pine bark. All materials are sifted to get a particle size of 1/8 inch or 3 to 4 mm. Because there is very little organic components in the soil, you will need to fertilize often. You will also need to water often..
Nigel Saunders hmm cool. I wanted to maybe add a bit of steer manure into the mix so it has fertilizer. But I also have 14-14-14 pellets that I could put every four months. What do you think is better? I know it doesn't really matter in a sense.
I like to add my fertilizer to the soil when I water. If the tree is growing with too much vigor, I can cut back on the fertilizer. If the fertilizer is in your soil, you are stuck with the amount you mixed in.
+Stan Kelly Hi Stan, in winter. I keep my tropicals in a plant room attached to the house. It is heated by a space heater and stays on the cool side. I keep the temperature between 10 c and 15 c. When the sun is out the room heats up to 30 to 35 c. By keeping the temperature on the cool side, I get less insect problems and I have to water less. Towards the end of winter, the sun gets stronger and the plants come out of dormancy and begin growing strongly again. Check out this video to see my plant room. ruclips.net/video/Fr1o--xtxjg/видео.html
Today i learn something new, i lov ur bonsai tree.But tell me which kind of send is that..? since many time i thought about bonsai tree. but I dont h'v any idea about that after watching ur video i learn how to treat a plant,and how to remove useless root of plant....ples suggest some plants that make bonsai....
No, light trimming can be done throughout the year. If you are going to cut a tropical tree back hard, I like to do it in the middle of summer. I let the tree grow for the first half of summer to gain strength, then cut it back and let it recover for the second half. It is always best to let your tree grow for a while and then prune it back. Continuous pruning will weaken the tree.
Question : Can you use a jet of water to rid off the soil in the roots, instead of using the fork? I am a newbie and have been washing off the earth because I have yet to find a fork to buy. Second question : Where may I find a fork exactly like yours? I only do mame bonsai so all my tool needs to be tiny..
A jet of water will work fine to clean the roots. The fork I use to untangle them was part of a children's gardening kit. I cannot find one like it anywhere, I've looked on the internet, but no luck. I would try bending up a regular fork used for eating, and grind or file the tips to a rounded profile. You could even shape the other end to use as a chopstick.
Thank you for the tip, I will start looking at children's gardening rake!! It almost look like a mini zen rock garden rake, but those will not be sturdy enough to go through the tangles. Thank you for your fantastic videos, such wonder to keep each plant for such a long time - it makes me not mind the ageing process quite so much!! I wish there were more tutorials on developing mame bonsai. Whatever I am doing right now are just saplings, and for those trees with enough bark, I do not have the guts or heart to do a trunk chop - after watching your video, I shall endeavour to do so because I do not want to end up with spindly trees and spindly branches. Note : Some of your videos made me crack up because your hairstyle matches the trees (before pruning)..
You never seem to wire your trees into the pot, do you have any falling over in the wind, I know this is an indoor tree but you don't seem to wire in outdoor trees either.
lambypie100 I have never had a tree fall over from the wind. I usually place stones around a freshly repotted tree to keep them stable until the roots develop. I don't want any wire marks to go across the roots of my trees. If you are careful and protect the roots, you can avoid scars caused by wiring the tree in the pot. It is a good safety feature to protect against wind and squirrels, and I would recommend you secure the tree in the pot, and sometimes wire the pot to the bench also. If I do get a problem by not wiring them into the pot, I'll change my ways!
Small leaf size is a long term process, the more leaves you have on the tree, the smaller each one will be. The leaf size also depends on many other factors, pot size, your root system, your watering and fertilization methods and your general care of the tree. Some trees also have naturally smaller leaves than other species.
Usually twice a year for me, once in spring and then again in fall. If you prune it a lot, you won't get any flowers. They seem to grow at the tips of vigorous branches.
The soil is 1/2 perlite and 1/2 turface. The materials are sifted to remove the fine particles. I also will add 10 to 20 percent composted pine bark to the mix, but not always. It doesn't seem to make much difference.
It is 1/ perlite and 1/2 turface. I often add 1- to 20 percent composted pine bark to the mix also. All materials are sifted to remove the fine particles and dust. The end result is a particle size of 3 to 4 mm (1/8") I fertilize very weakly, every time I water. I put a pinch of 20-20-20 with micro nutrients into my 2 litre watering can. Every time the tree gets watered, it gets just a little bit of fertilizer.
Teacher thank you; Watering should be done as often. the cleaning roots as you show us when the time is right, this bonsai is a real gem. thank you for showing us bonsai and teach us.
a small town in Michigan called hastings I'm not sure why some city ordinance just for the city of Hastings it's also illegal to ride your bike downtown or walking on the sidewalk sometimes I wonder if I didn't go back to 1946 and moved the concentrated Germany
Hello Nigel. Thank you for sharing this video. I learned alot from it. I have tried to bonsai a Bougainvillea plant like yours but not exactly like yours (17 years...Awesome). Mine still needs lot of work. I was wondering when will be the best time to re-pot? Is it too late to do it now? Thank you.
+Jack Wong Hi Jack, I wouldn't re pot now, just because the days are getting shorter and the light less intense. A good time to re pot is late January to February if your tree is getting natural light from a window. After February the sun starts getting higher in the sky and you don't get as much light from the south facing windows. Late spring and early summer is the ideal time to re pot, this gives the tree warm weather and sunshine for recovery. Be sure to keep your Bougainvillea out of direct sunlight, until the roots begin to grow again. A spot with bright diffused light is ideal. I keep mine in the greenhouse until it starts growing again, then it can go outside on the bench. Good luck, Nigel
Hello Nigel, I need some help. My small bougenvilla (not yet a bonsai, but I still like the plant) lost all o her leaves in like 3 days. They did not even turn yellow when they started dropping, 1 week ago, it was full in blooms. I've been reading online, that this is probably because of too much watering. Now, the soil is not for bonsais, it's actually pretty heavy soil. I don't think I should do any repotting now, that it is without any leaves. Do you have any advice for me? What would you do? I keep it next to a suny window.
Your Bougainvillea will need very little water when it has no leaves. I would leave it in the sunny window and let the soil dry out until it is damp, but not wet. The leaves should come back and in a week or two. Be sure your pot has good drainage and it isn't sitting in standing water under the pot.
Thanks for a quick response. I gently took the plant out of the pot and looked at the roots. It was pretty root bound and the roots in the bottom and around were all darkish brown color - dead. I remove some soil without disturbing the healthy roots too much and put it in a pot, added bonsai soil and slowly worked the soil in the older soil (not too much though, I don't want to stress out the roots). I think it will be fine now. Now, I have to wait for the new leaves. Probably once the plant starts to grow again, it will grow a lot faster than it did before. :)
Hello Eloy, to increase the diameter of the trunk you need to let the tree grow and then cut it back. Repeating this clip and grow operation over many years will give you a thick but short tapered trunk. Cutting the tree back does leave scars on the trunk, but these to will heal and smooth over in time. Growing the trunk is one of the hardest and also the operation that takes the most time. Once your trunk is grown close to size, then you can start to develop the branch structure.
Thank's for your reply Neal. Can you tell me why all my juniper's (die) buy the way I lieve In the State Of Florida, what am I doing wrong?? Please help me THANK YOU Mr. Nigl
Nigel - As one who is guilty of watching your videos many times over, I noticed you spoke about the lime deposits on your pot. I know that you would never show the tree when the pot's in this condition, however I was watching another bonsai enthusiast here in Southern California, and in one of his videos he said that if you soak your pot in a muriatic acid solution, it will remove the mineral deposits. Don't ask me the ratios, however I believe he just mixed it (the acid) with water. Just thought I would pass this on to you and your viewers.
Jim Doyel Thanks Jim, that is a very good tip! I'm so glad I can use rainwater again. I usually fill one rain barrel in the plant room for the winter. When we get a thaw, I top it up mid winter and it usually lasts me until spring. This year we didn't really get a thaw in winter, so I ran short of rainwater. I should have melted some snow, but it takes a long time to melt enough. This year, I'll put two full barrels of water in the plant room!
I'm not sure what you could substitute, I think peat moss or ground coconut husks would do. Here are some videos on soil that might help.... ruclips.net/video/misgH7LntgE/видео.html ruclips.net/video/1r6an_NbfJI/видео.html
mch869 The soil is approx. 60 percent sifted turface, 20 percent sifted perlite, 10 percent sifted compost and 10 percent pine bark. The sifting gets out the fine particles in the bottom layer and the top layer uses these fine particles. The tree is growing strongly and it will be time to prune it again soon. You can check out my video on making bonsai soil if you need more information.
No we usually get snow all winter, some winters we get a thaw and the snow melts and I can re fill the barrel, but this winter it was cold all winter. I would have to melt snow inside, this is a long slow process.
خدا وکیلی اینا چرا خشک نمیشن حالا اگه مال ما بود نابود شده بود من ی گل کاغذی فقط گلدونشو عوض کردم اصلا دست ب ریششم نزدم داغون شد نابود شد بعد این اقا نشسته راحت داره🤣ریشه هرس میکنه... خیلی دلم میخواد ۳روز بعد این گله رو ببینم واقعا سالمه یا نه؟؟
my boyfriend tells me that I am the only woman he knows that can grow a stick. he cant get over how I can get them to grow. I must have a really good GREEN THUMB. hahahaha
Leah Mondloch My bonsai collection is often called a stick garden. When I am building trunks , I reduce all the trees to just sticks in fall. I'm glad you are having good luck growing things!
+G Keller Leaf removal is a technique to reduce the leaf size on your trees. The tree will produce a new set of leaves and because this requires a lot of energy from the tree, the new leaves will be smaller. Leaf removal is only recommended on strong healthy trees. Too much of this technique will weaken and kill the tree. Partial leaf removal on the strongest sections of the tree, is a safer way to go. On a very dense tree, leaf removal is used to see the branch structure, for corrective pruning. Show trees are sometimes defoliated to remove the large spring leaves and are then displayed when the smaller leaves come in. If your tree is being grown to thicken the trunk, leaf removal is not recommended, as it will slow down the growth of the tree. It can be used to balance the vigor in the branches, vigorous branches can be leaf pruned and the weaker branches, left alone.
Wtf. So it took you 17 years to grow that cute bougainvillea. If I start doing that now, then by the time I am 34 years old is when my bonsai would finally look like that? Whattt? That's too.... Looonnng to wait. I should have patience.
Gracias. Voy a volver a macerar este árbol pronto, noté una raíz que está creciendo muy fuerte en comparación con los demás. Tendré que recortarlo y restablecer el equilibrio entre el vigor de la raíz.
I'm not sure why it's illegal they have some conspiracy with the water company I'm not sure but it's a city ordinance for the city of Hastings Michigan sometimes it feels like you went back to 1946 concentrated Germany
I have over a hundred and eighty bonsai's in my backyard in beautiful garden and I had to pay $45 for a permit to have bonsai trees have any kind of garden inside the city limits
I just watched the 2024 video where the tree is 25-26 yrs old. Now I’m watching the same tree when it 17 yrs old? That’s so cool, I cannot believe this tree is that old. Amazing. I love bougainvillea my favorite plants.
Your the master of bonsai.Amazing hands and work.I'm your fan from the Philipines.Whoooh!1
Thank you so much 😀
Your videos gives me hope for my little bougainvillea stick 😃 hooefully in 25 years mine will have a thick trunj like yours!
Very cool Nigel! Wow! Approx. 17 yrs working with the little giant wonder. Awesome TLC dedication. Thanks for the inspiration! :)
I was real keen on azaleas until I acquired my first bogey. Now I have a new favorite. Nice bogey you have there as well Nigel.
Nigel thank you for sharing your experiences
My ears perked up when you mentioned knitting needles. I'm a knitter by profession. I also bought a starter bougainvillea at Green Acres and I haven't killed it yet. So, this video is a good reference for me.
I will be re potting my Bougainvillea again soon, I noticed one root has taken off in growth and I need to equalize the vigor in the root base again!
I'm looking forward to have an update about this nice bounganville!
This is a great video thank you. I have my first Bonsai it is a Chinese Elm and I love it. I will be watching all of your videos thanks again.
mkkmb5 Good luck with your first bonsai! I started some Chinese elms from seeds this year and am looking forward to their journey as a bonsai, Nigel
Sweet Bonsai. Love your videos. So informative.
Thank you Betty Ann!
Can you show us how to start from a sapling stage? I have wisteria and bougainvillea saplings I'd like to try to turn into bonsai
I've been trying to grow a wisteria bonsai from seed and it's really hard!
Wow 27 years..lots of dedication
belo Bonsai... parabéns
Tonny Fênix
ok
Sir I'm a fan of your work. I have been collecting bonsai materials. I hope I can create some of your work
All the best, and I hope you enjoy the challenge!
Hi nigel love this video and I love this tree any updates on it
Fred Grech Fred, the tree is growing really well, I'm thinking of letting it grow for now and wait for flowers to form. After the flowers, I'll give it another pruning and get the moss on the soil. I'll post an update when it is in flower. Hopefully it will flower soon!
Looks a very nice shohin nigal there the best ones! The ones with the history
Beautiful tree. I'm new to Bonsai. I have a very young Bougainvillea I'm hoping to Bonsai. I haven't dared to attempt wire it. I don't know how to and don't want to possibly hurt it. The branches if I can call them that are so thin I'm scared they'd break despite seeming very flexible. The The leaves on my Bougainvillea seem bigger than those on yours. Is it possible to have them grow out smaller? If so how? Thank you for your time & sharing your knowledge videos.
+Kalinna Aub The leaf size will reduce in time as the number of leaves increases on the tree. There are also several varieties of Bougainvillea, some do have naturally larger leaves. The variety in this video is a pink pixie. If you do have a tree with larger leaves, you may want to grow the tree to a medium size. I have just shaped my tree with pruning and have not wired it. Good luck with your tree!
it's good to know that you havent done any wiring on this one. I also have a dwarf pixie bougainvillea wich is my first bonsai attempt and I was starting to feel like I was missing out by not wiring it.
Beautiful little tree! I am interested in obtaining one for my cramped little NYC apartment.
bougainvilla looks beautiful as bonsai trees.
Hi, very nice video. In the last 17 years did you repot every year? Second question, at the beginning how did you get the trunk thicker?
At first the tree was re potted less frequently, it didn't have many leaves and so it grew slowly at first. As the tree gained vigor I stated to re pot more frequently, going from four years to three and then two. The tree could be re potted again this summer, but I am going to wait a little longer and may re pot this winter or next summer. The tree started life as a cutting and looked like a stick with some leaves at the top. I did cut off a larger leader when the tree was young to create a bit of taper up top. The taper in the base of the tree has formed just by having a nice radial root base. The trunk and root base have gotten thicker together over the years and is slowly forming a nice trunk. The tree has never been wired, just clip and grow.
Hi Nigel,
Your Bonsais are truly inspiring. Just want to understand from you that how pot the trees in a small pot with out using wires to hold the plant to the pot? Kindly explain.
Hi Nigel, your channel is one of my most favorite! I could watch it all day everyday! I have a question, somebody might have asked you this already. I'm just wondering, your outdoor trees, how do they get their nutrients in the winter? Do you water them still with fertilizer? I'm only wondering because you usually pot your plants in Turface and Perlite and they don't have any nutrients on their own
The outdoor trees go dormant for the whole winter and don't need any fertilizer. The indoor trees get watered as usual with a small pinch of fertilizer in every watering can full.
Hi Nigel, just bought a bougainvillea, and I cant seem o find out if it will backbud through the internet. It must be atleast 3 m tall with the first branch at maybe 50cm. And as always, love your videos, just keep em coming :)
Yes if the tree is healthy and strong, it will back bud easily. Here is a video with some major cuts. The trees are doing really well now and look like small trees!
ruclips.net/video/94-Lto4F6MU/видео.html
I loved your video, thank you. I have a maybe a 2yr old bougainvillea plant...the trunk is as big around as a large pea. Its twice as tall as yours I think. Just made it through the first winter in Missouri (super cold).
I wanted to try and bonsai it...or at the least get the trunk big and keep the plant short. I wanted to ask how you get the trunk to lean like yours? I love that look!
+Emily Stubbs The radial surface roots must be developed with the trunk on an angle. You need to plant the trunk with a slant and then train the radial roots to be level with the top of the soil. This can be done with a combination of bending and pruning the roots. It will take many years for the roots to look old and convincing.
Beautiful tree
Hello! I am really curious to know what soil mix is this? I would really appreciate the answer as I also have to re pot my Bougainvillea. Your soil is really nice looking soil. Thanks.
Looking really nice...Thanks...
Mr Nigel in which season should we grow cuttings of this plant ?
It is best when it is warm and sunny and humid. I find that the cuttings will root very easily in summer, but it is much more difficult inside in the winter.
Nigel, have you ever done a gardenia bonsai? I would love to have some. I think gardenias are actually bushes, but I seem to remember seeing a gardenia bonsai in a catalog about 15 years ago. It was very expensive so I didn't order it. Your videos are very well done. TFS.
I haven't got a Gardenia bonsai, they do make really nice little trees and they have nice white flowers. I'ii keep my eyes open for one!
Just curious, any idea what are those tiny worms at 17:15? Right next to the tweezers.
Very beautiful bougainvillea.
Thank you, here is the playlist so you can follow the progression....
ruclips.net/p/PLQouTWwmTQozEBc0slQK9nzOxMKR4g65L
Living in the tropics has it's advantages. We never run out of rainwater and we also can defoliate a tree anytime of the year!
Hi Nigel, I am finally taking the plunge and going to buy a bougainvillea from a local garden center. I have not picked one out, but the bougainvilleas they have are medium sized bushes.
Have you ever cut down trunks/branches (woody) leaving no leaves or buds? A lot of the bougainvilleas I looked at today have interesting, but quite long straight trunks that will need to be reduced - i'm just worried about the tree back budding (or not), thanks!
I haven't cut back my bougainvillea drastically, but it seems it can be done!
homeguides.sfgate.com/hard-prune-bougainvillea-hedge-53998.html
ofbonsai.org/contest/ryuga-2013/entry-bougainvillea-paper-flower-zambia
Thanks! I ended up leaving some green for now, but it's good to know other's have cut back harder. Looking forward to developing this tree!
thanks ,, I will get one out of the ground here the next day or so, and keep the soil with it as much as possible, how long does it take for them shoots you clipped off this tree/vine root?
Leah Mondloch Cuttings usually root over the summer and can be repotted the next year. The best success is rate is cuttings taken in the middle of summer.
Hi Nigel, can you, please, give some advice about overwintering Bougainvillea? I live in a cold climate, like you and don't have a greenhouse.
+Zorica Rajic Give your tree the brightest spot you can, and keep it warm also. Water less in winter, but don't let the soil dry out completely. Whenever the Bougainvillea is brought in from outdoors in full sun to indoor light, the tree will loose most of its leaves. Don't be alarmed, new indoor leaves will grow in to take their place. Be careful when taking the tree from indoors to outdoors again, transition the tree slowly until it gets used to sunlight again. In summer when it is warm and sunny, give it plenty of water and fertilize regularly. Misting the tree on sunny days in winter is a good way to keep the humidity high.
+Nigel Saunders Thank you very much :)
A very nice presentation, Nigel. I am so-o-o tired of pretentious bonsai videos, so seeing this one of yours is really a joy and a pleasure. BTW. I see that you gave the tree a good mist. Does that not affect the flowers/bracts in a negative way?
BackSeatHump Thank you, the tree is growing really well, I'm going to let it grow until it flowers this year. I'll do an update when in bloom.
Nigel Saunders I've had three Bougainvillea potensai die on me over the last few years. I must be a glutton for failure because I just brought another one (orange-coloured bracts) home from Turkey. I'll be watching your progress closely and maybe I'll avoid killing this one! LOL.
Also, why do you trim roots going straight down, and roots not going in the same direction as the others?
+Emily Stubbs Roots that radiate from the trunk, work towards thickening the base of the tree, I remove all the others to get the maximum growth of the radial roots. Check out this video, it will explain all....I hope.
ruclips.net/video/AcSu8SUQ0kE/видео.html
Hi, Nigel. What is your winter care for this bougainvillea? Thanks.
I really like your bougainvilleas that’s why i bought one from nursery and make it a bonsai. It’s five days from now since i hardly prune the branches and roots. Can you give me tips and advices, especially winter care. Thanks sir. I’m a fan of yours.
I’m fro Blythe California by the way. The weather temperature here now at daytime is 60’s farenheight and in night time it drops to 40’s.
Hello, I leave my Bougainvillea's outside until there is a risk of frost, then I bring them inside for the winter. They usually drop most of their leaves when I do this, but they quickly grow back in. Indoors I keep the night time temperatures lower and then increase it in the day. I mist the tree a lot and keep the room warm and humid if possible. They get as much natural light through the window as I can give them, but I also have LED lights that help brighten up the room in the daytime. At night all the lights get turned off to give the trees a rest. I do fertilize with each watering, but with a very, very weak solution.
Thank you, Nigel! God bless
How do you get the trunks so thick? How long does it take to start getting think? Just starting my first mango bonsai from seed
This Bougainvillea is about 18 years old in the video. It is allowed to grow and then it gets cut back regularly. In time the trunk thickens up. A good radial root base also helps to get a tapered base to the trunk. It is best to let the mango grow tall and then prune the trunk back to about 10 cm tall. Let it grow again and repeat, letting the tree grow a little taller each time.
I know you would likely never sell it but if you had a number what would it be? What does a bonsai cost.
Bonsai can be inexpensive, but the more refined and old the tree is, the more valuable it becomes. You do have to find someone interested in the tree and who is willing to pay what it is worth. I have seen many trees sold for a very low price, but an old well developed tree is known in the bonsai community and these trees can be worth thousands of dollars. A starter tree can be as low as ten dollars. I can't put a price on my trees as many are still in the early developmental stages and they aren't well developed. When it's time to pass them on, I'd rather they get a good home with an experienced bonsai person, then get any money for them.
Can I take a cutting from a neighbours borgainvillea and grow it into a bonsai or does it need to be a special small variety?
Any bougainvillea can be made into a bonsai. The smaller leaf varieties are better for creating smaller trees.
Nigel Saunders
Ah good, thanks!
Hi Nigel, great video !
I just have one question : what about your small-leaved lime tree ( Tilia cordata) ?
Thanks :)
ExtremToxodon The small leaf lime is doing well, I actually got a new branch on the main trunk in a good position. I'm just letting it grow for now. I'll post an update later on.
Hi teacher nigel! How old is this tree before you made this like this? ❤️
It was just a small cutting in a pot, maybe 2 or 3 years old. I have been growing it for almost 20 years.
Nigel Saunders, The Bonsai Zone sir! I want to show you my plant to ask any suggestions from you but i dont know how
Nigel. You said you needed a smaller tamper to work your finer soil into the roots. They make plastic chop sticks with much finer points than the wooden ones, or you can stick a wooden chop stick into a pencil sharpener and stop when its right for your purpose. Haven't tried to sharpen a bamboo chop stick yet, so not sure how that would fair. Or just sharpen your chop stick with a knife. Forget the knitting needle!
Jim Doyel Thanks Jim, I'll have to add one of these to my tool box. I was thinking a dental pick would work also, but maybe too sharp. I think your chopstick idea is best.
Watching this video makes me want to bonsai our bougainvillea. It is more than a meter in height. We keep it indoors here in France but inmy native country Philippines, we plant bougainvilleas outside and just let them become bigger on a pot or let them climb on a fence!
I hope all goes well with your bougainvillea! Good luck.
Nigel Saunders Thank you, Sir. Unfortunately (fortunately for the plant :-), my husband wouldn't allow me to prune his almost 8 yr old bougainvillea. Guess, I'll buy one from the store to practise with!
@PinylnFrance, you can propagate a cutting from your existing bougainvillea .
Can you go into a little bit more depth on the mixture of soil that you use for Bougainvillea? I have a prime specimen that I am ready to attempt. I have been growing bougainvillea for several years and I am ready to take them to the next level. Thanks a bunch.
Check out my soil video for the basic mix. I put the same mixture as a top layer, but it is a finer.
ruclips.net/video/p522AYawgOI/видео.html
Good luck with your bougainvillea!
Hello Mr. Saunders Can You Make Another Video Of Your Bouganvillea Please. How Big It Is.??
Beautiful!
Thank you, they are so nice in flower!
Hey whata your soul mixture? Have a bougainvillea and plan to repot soon. Wanna know what's ideal to you for soil.
I use 45 percent perlite, 45 percent turface and 10 percent composted pine bark. All materials are sifted to get a particle size of 1/8 inch or 3 to 4 mm. Because there is very little organic components in the soil, you will need to fertilize often. You will also need to water often..
Nigel Saunders hmm cool. I wanted to maybe add a bit of steer manure into the mix so it has fertilizer. But I also have 14-14-14 pellets that I could put every four months. What do you think is better? I know it doesn't really matter in a sense.
I like to add my fertilizer to the soil when I water. If the tree is growing with too much vigor, I can cut back on the fertilizer. If the fertilizer is in your soil, you are stuck with the amount you mixed in.
How do you keep your Pink Pixie Bougainvillea in the house or the hot house? if the house do you have your house on the cool side like under 70% temp?
+Stan Kelly Hi Stan, in winter. I keep my tropicals in a plant room attached to the house. It is heated by a space heater and stays on the cool side. I keep the temperature between 10 c and 15 c. When the sun is out the room heats up to 30 to 35 c. By keeping the temperature on the cool side, I get less insect problems and I have to water less. Towards the end of winter, the sun gets stronger and the plants come out of dormancy and begin growing strongly again. Check out this video to see my plant room.
ruclips.net/video/Fr1o--xtxjg/видео.html
Today i learn something new, i lov ur bonsai tree.But tell me which kind of send is that..? since many time i thought about bonsai tree. but I dont h'v any idea about that after watching ur video i learn how to treat a plant,and how to remove useless root of plant....ples suggest some plants that make bonsai....
does it need to be summer for pruning a bonsai tree?
No, light trimming can be done throughout the year. If you are going to cut a tropical tree back hard, I like to do it in the middle of summer. I let the tree grow for the first half of summer to gain strength, then cut it back and let it recover for the second half. It is always best to let your tree grow for a while and then prune it back. Continuous pruning will weaken the tree.
Nigel Saunders thanks, appreciate your work
Very nice!
***** Thank you Raymond, the tree has filled out really nicely, since the repotting and is growing well.
say I have some creeping juniper, is there a way I can take some of that and find a good trunk base and make that into a bonsai?
Leah Mondloch Creeping junipers are often used as bonsai. They can make some great cascading trees!
Where would I find a Bougainvillea plant?
Most nurseries with a tropical plant section will have them!
Question : Can you use a jet of water to rid off the soil in the roots, instead of using the fork? I am a newbie and have been washing off the earth because I have yet to find a fork to buy. Second question : Where may I find a fork exactly like yours? I only do mame bonsai so all my tool needs to be tiny..
A jet of water will work fine to clean the roots. The fork I use to untangle them was part of a children's gardening kit. I cannot find one like it anywhere, I've looked on the internet, but no luck. I would try bending up a regular fork used for eating, and grind or file the tips to a rounded profile. You could even shape the other end to use as a chopstick.
Thank you for the tip, I will start looking at children's gardening rake!! It almost look like a mini zen rock garden rake, but those will not be sturdy enough to go through the tangles. Thank you for your fantastic videos, such wonder to keep each plant for such a long time - it makes me not mind the ageing process quite so much!! I wish there were more tutorials on developing mame bonsai. Whatever I am doing right now are just saplings, and for those trees with enough bark, I do not have the guts or heart to do a trunk chop - after watching your video, I shall endeavour to do so because I do not want to end up with spindly trees and spindly branches.
Note : Some of your videos made me crack up because your hairstyle matches the trees (before pruning)..
Poesy Liang Good luck in your bonsai adventures!
Thank you very much for your guidance!
You never seem to wire your trees into the pot, do you have any falling over in the wind, I know this is an indoor tree but you don't seem to wire in outdoor trees either.
lambypie100 I have never had a tree fall over from the wind. I usually place stones around a freshly repotted tree to keep them stable until the roots develop. I don't want any wire marks to go across the roots of my trees. If you are careful and protect the roots, you can avoid scars caused by wiring the tree in the pot. It is a good safety feature to protect against wind and squirrels, and I would recommend you secure the tree in the pot, and sometimes wire the pot to the bench also. If I do get a problem by not wiring them into the pot, I'll change my ways!
What do you do to keep small leaves in your bonsai?
Small leaf size is a long term process, the more leaves you have on the tree, the smaller each one will be. The leaf size also depends on many other factors, pot size, your root system, your watering and fertilization methods and your general care of the tree. Some trees also have naturally smaller leaves than other species.
Mr. Saunders. How many times a year do Bougainvillea Blume there flowers?
Usually twice a year for me, once in spring and then again in fall. If you prune it a lot, you won't get any flowers. They seem to grow at the tips of vigorous branches.
What will happen if you prune off the thorns?
It is a good idea to remove the thorns and it is safe for the tree. Some people get a bad reaction to the thorn pricks.
Nigel - Do you know if Bougainvillea can be planted in Kanuma bonsai mix ?
how to make the soil that you use in bogenvillia bonsai
The soil is 1/2 perlite and 1/2 turface. The materials are sifted to remove the fine particles. I also will add 10 to 20 percent composted pine bark to the mix, but not always. It doesn't seem to make much difference.
Nice ❤
hay..I have bought a boganvela plan it's in a bag so how can I transfer it to a bonsai pot or a pot
Yes, trees always react well to getting in bonsai soil with a good watering schedule!
great work
Hi teacher, could you tell me what substrate you are using for this bougainvillea, which kind of mixes. Thank you.
It is 1/ perlite and 1/2 turface. I often add 1- to 20 percent composted pine bark to the mix also. All materials are sifted to remove the fine particles and dust. The end result is a particle size of 3 to 4 mm (1/8") I fertilize very weakly, every time I water. I put a pinch of 20-20-20 with micro nutrients into my 2 litre watering can. Every time the tree gets watered, it gets just a little bit of fertilizer.
Teacher thank you; Watering should be done as often. the cleaning roots as you show us when the time is right, this bonsai is a real gem. thank you for showing us bonsai and teach us.
a small town in Michigan called hastings I'm not sure why some city ordinance just for the city of Hastings it's also illegal to ride your bike downtown or walking on the sidewalk sometimes I wonder if I didn't go back to 1946 and moved the concentrated Germany
when do new blums come back
The Bougainvillea will flower from the middle of summer to fall and then again mid winter if it gets enough sunlight.
do you have updates
+Juan Martinez The tree is doing really well, I'm waiting for it to flower again for the next video.
Hello Nigel. Thank you for sharing this video. I learned alot from it. I have tried to bonsai a Bougainvillea plant like yours but not exactly like yours (17 years...Awesome). Mine still needs lot of work. I was wondering when will be the best time to re-pot? Is it too late to do it now? Thank you.
+Jack Wong Hi Jack, I wouldn't re pot now, just because the days are getting shorter and the light less intense. A good time to re pot is late January to February if your tree is getting natural light from a window. After February the sun starts getting higher in the sky and you don't get as much light from the south facing windows. Late spring and early summer is the ideal time to re pot, this gives the tree warm weather and sunshine for recovery. Be sure to keep your Bougainvillea out of direct sunlight, until the roots begin to grow again. A spot with bright diffused light is ideal. I keep mine in the greenhouse until it starts growing again, then it can go outside on the bench. Good luck, Nigel
Thank you very much for your quick reply. :) I will repot it next summer.
Hello Nigel, I need some help. My small bougenvilla (not yet a bonsai, but I still like the plant) lost all o her leaves in like 3 days. They did not even turn yellow when they started dropping, 1 week ago, it was full in blooms. I've been reading online, that this is probably because of too much watering. Now, the soil is not for bonsais, it's actually pretty heavy soil. I don't think I should do any repotting now, that it is without any leaves. Do you have any advice for me? What would you do? I keep it next to a suny window.
Your Bougainvillea will need very little water when it has no leaves. I would leave it in the sunny window and let the soil dry out until it is damp, but not wet. The leaves should come back and in a week or two. Be sure your pot has good drainage and it isn't sitting in standing water under the pot.
Thanks for a quick response. I gently took the plant out of the pot and looked at the roots. It was pretty root bound and the roots in the bottom and around were all darkish brown color - dead. I remove some soil without disturbing the healthy roots too much and put it in a pot, added bonsai soil and slowly worked the soil in the older soil (not too much though, I don't want to stress out the roots). I think it will be fine now. Now, I have to wait for the new leaves. Probably once the plant starts to grow again, it will grow a lot faster than it did before. :)
Sounds great!
Nigel , How can develope a thicker truck on my BOUGAINVILLEA thank you in aadvance
Hello Eloy, to increase the diameter of the trunk you need to let the tree grow and then cut it back. Repeating this clip and grow operation over many years will give you a thick but short tapered trunk. Cutting the tree back does leave scars on the trunk, but these to will heal and smooth over in time. Growing the trunk is one of the hardest and also the operation that takes the most time. Once your trunk is grown close to size, then you can start to develop the branch structure.
Thank's for your reply Neal. Can you tell me why all my juniper's (die) buy the way I lieve In the State Of Florida, what am I doing wrong?? Please help me THANK YOU Mr. Nigl
See if this article helps.....
betterbonsai.blogspot.ca/2007/12/juniper-bonsai-for-beginners.html
If you have any more questions, let me know!
Nigel - As one who is guilty of watching your videos many times over, I noticed you spoke about the lime deposits on your pot. I know that you would never show the tree when the pot's in this condition, however I was watching another bonsai enthusiast here in Southern California, and in one of his videos he said that if you soak your pot in a muriatic acid solution, it will remove the mineral deposits. Don't ask me the ratios, however I believe he just mixed it (the acid) with water. Just thought I would pass this on to you and your viewers.
Jim Doyel Thanks Jim, that is a very good tip! I'm so glad I can use rainwater again. I usually fill one rain barrel in the plant room for the winter. When we get a thaw, I top it up mid winter and it usually lasts me until spring. This year we didn't really get a thaw in winter, so I ran short of rainwater. I should have melted some snow, but it takes a long time to melt enough. This year, I'll put two full barrels of water in the plant room!
can we use bark of an indian tree? if yes, then suggest the name of tree. because pine is not available in india
I'm not sure what you could substitute, I think peat moss or ground coconut husks would do. Here are some videos on soil that might help....
ruclips.net/video/misgH7LntgE/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/1r6an_NbfJI/видео.html
what kind of banzai soil? pls
mch869 The soil is approx. 60 percent sifted turface, 20 percent sifted perlite, 10 percent sifted compost and 10 percent pine bark. The sifting gets out the fine particles in the bottom layer and the top layer uses these fine particles.
The tree is growing strongly and it will be time to prune it again soon. You can check out my video on making bonsai soil if you need more information.
THANK YOU SO MUCH
**Liked the video for the Bonsai and stayed for the timmes lol
Lol you ran out of rainwater in the WINTER?? Isn't that when it rains the most? xD
No we usually get snow all winter, some winters we get a thaw and the snow melts and I can re fill the barrel, but this winter it was cold all winter. I would have to melt snow inside, this is a long slow process.
Nigel Saunders
Ah I see, you can't just bring a bucket of snow inside?
We never get snow where I live now, I miss it sometimes.
congratulation beatiful bonsai
Great video! Great fro!
Thank you!
You haven't wired it?
No, it's just been trained with clip and grow so far.
nice tree
Lovely tree.
Greets
K
Ha, I posted the comment below just before you explained why you don't wire you trees in and what you do with your outdoor trees.
how to made bonsai soil
Check out my soil making video here....
ruclips.net/video/p522AYawgOI/видео.html
please update
Here is the playlist for this tree, more will be coming in the future!
ruclips.net/p/PLQouTWwmTQozEBc0slQK9nzOxMKR4g65L
Nigel Saunders thank you boss
Quá tuyệt vời luôn
خدا وکیلی اینا چرا خشک نمیشن حالا اگه مال ما بود نابود شده بود من ی گل کاغذی فقط گلدونشو عوض کردم اصلا دست ب ریششم نزدم داغون شد نابود شد بعد این اقا نشسته راحت داره🤣ریشه هرس میکنه... خیلی دلم میخواد ۳روز بعد این گله رو ببینم واقعا سالمه یا نه؟؟
Nigel, has anyone said you like Antonio Banderas? :o
Thank you, I wish I were that handsome!
0:11 Seventeen years, Wow.
my boyfriend tells me that I am the only woman he knows that can grow a stick. he cant get over how I can get them to grow. I must have a really good GREEN THUMB. hahahaha
Leah Mondloch My bonsai collection is often called a stick garden. When I am building trunks , I reduce all the trees to just sticks in fall. I'm glad you are having good luck growing things!
+G Keller Leaf removal is a technique to reduce the leaf size on your trees. The tree will produce a new set of leaves and because this requires a lot of energy from the tree, the new leaves will be smaller. Leaf removal is only recommended on strong healthy trees. Too much of this technique will weaken and kill the tree. Partial leaf removal on the strongest sections of the tree, is a safer way to go. On a very dense tree, leaf removal is used to see the branch structure, for corrective pruning. Show trees are sometimes defoliated to remove the large spring leaves and are then displayed when the smaller leaves come in. If your tree is being grown to thicken the trunk, leaf removal is not recommended, as it will slow down the growth of the tree. It can be used to balance the vigor in the branches, vigorous branches can be leaf pruned and the weaker branches, left alone.
Wtf. So it took you 17 years to grow that cute bougainvillea. If I start doing that now, then by the time I am 34 years old is when my bonsai would finally look like that? Whattt? That's too.... Looonnng to wait. I should have patience.
Parabéns
Dude what's up with that hair?
+Flowerdoodle2 You have to have wild crazy hair to grow bonsai, it's a proven fact!
Gran ejemplar
Gracias. Voy a volver a macerar este árbol pronto, noté una raíz que está creciendo muy fuerte en comparación con los demás. Tendré que recortarlo y restablecer el equilibrio entre el vigor de la raíz.
you lost me at 17 years ...
The time flies by too fast for me, I wish I could slow things down!
where I live it's illegal to collect rainwater funny s*** huh
Why and where do you live? Just curious!
I'm not sure why it's illegal they have some conspiracy with the water company I'm not sure but it's a city ordinance for the city of Hastings Michigan sometimes it feels like you went back to 1946 concentrated Germany
I have over a hundred and eighty bonsai's in my backyard in beautiful garden and I had to pay $45 for a permit to have bonsai trees have any kind of garden inside the city limits