Me: I wanna make this tree into a bonsai! Internet:Can't do it. Family:Can't do it. Peers:Can't do it. Nigel:I would encourage anyone to develop their favourite species of tree into a bonsai. Just one of thefew reasons that makes Nigel different and better than other bonsai artists!Love from India.
Hahaha! 🤣😂🤣 That is the advantage of being a hobby Bonsai practitioner. You don't have to care what other people say and you don't have to earnoney with what you are growing. It's freedom.
I totally loved when you said "tree collector". I do have some plants around that more than trying to do any bonsai techniques to them, I have them because I love the species more than anything.
Yes, it's so nice seeing a tree get old and mature, especially a species from another part of the world. It's like a window on nature that you normally don't see!
I came here to say the same thing. Nigel's trees are all so different and natural looking and I really like that. It really shows his appreciation for their natural features
A while ago I went on a bonsai forum and wanted some help on growing a citrus bonsai (lemon) and every single person yold me "leaves are to big no good for bonsai" if I wasnt as stubborn of a person wanting to prove people wrong haha, comments like that couldve made me lose interest in bonsai. Its nice to see someone that approaches bonsai with freedom and not stuck between so many rules.
There are several Citrus trees in the Brooklyn bonsai collection that are really nice, here is a good video.... ruclips.net/video/HHA9BVXif1c/видео.html Some of those chat forums are very toxic, too many people think they know it all. I find the more you learn, the more you realize that you have to learn!
@@TheBonsaiZone exactly! A hobby should be about what you enjoy. Shouldnt have so many rules. Those trees are beautiful, especially like the lemon with the dead wood on it! I also love your lemon tree, its coming along nicely 😊
I wish more people would think like you Nigel. Do what pleases you not to worry if it pleases others. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all.. thanks again for another great video.
I’ve watched this video before and encouraged me to make bonsais out of this tree. I have a free access to the big mother trees and I did air layering to selected branches with potential to make a bonsai. I now have few of them under training and I air layer the new branches before pruning to make sure they are rooted before cutting. I started bonsai in 1998 but I only choose trees with small leaves but you are one of the few who made bonsai with huge leaves. I also have big trunk rubber trees bonsai materials. Thank you Sir Saunders. Enjoy planting and keep safe always. Greetings from the Philippines
No harm in making a tree that you do not see in bonsai. As Yoda would say: "Do or do not. There is no try." An excellent work of making a tree into a bonsai that no one else would care to do. I cannot wait to see the outcome of this magnificent tree.
I acquire new plants sometimes, only because they are sad and dying. Sometimes people give me near dead plants, sometimes I find them in stores. It feel really good to watch them become healthy again.
Hi Nigel! I also like big leaf Bonsai trees. Especially many of our native trees here in Germany are big leaf trees. And I am the guy who tries to "bonsaianize" native trees in the first place. But as you said you can reduce the leaves by a good amount. Although I think big leaf trees don't necessarily have to be big or giant Bonsai. Also trying to create a shohin or a 30 cm tree with big leaves is quite fun and refreshing. Other than you I am not always a big fan of thin straight trunks. So personally I would have cut this ficus down just above the low branch, as you discussed it. Maybe you reconsider. 😜 I would love to see that and you would gain lots of space and light for the other trees. hahaha 😂🤣😂
Hi Nigel, one of the reasons l enjoy your channel so much is your unconventional approach to bonsai. I get inspiration from your videos to have a go at creating a bonsai from different types of trees and plants and I just find it enjoyable.
Maybe it is a ugly duckling after all. I never had much appreciation for this species but yeah it will be followed by much interest from now on. There is always a refreshing and wonderful feelin to be able to change your mind. That goes for everything in the world like a person you did not thought to be any nice but turned up be the opposite. Merry Christmas Nigel and all other tree lovers!!!
Nice to hear the birds in the background! Looking forward to seeing how this tree develops... I love the big tree’s roots too! Please do an update on your Christmas cactus? =)
Hey Nigel! Do you have an update on how this tree is doing? I'm getting a very large one from my daughter in laws mother. It's at least 5 ft tall and was going to cut it I half or air layer it. Really just looking to develope into a small tree form. Right now it's mostly tall and straight, but has leaves from bottom to top. Beautiful full leafed plant.
Thank you 🙏 for the info, as always you do nice 👍 work. I just bought one of these yesterday.. ficuses are my favorite tree so far. Or maybe it’s just the one I’ve had the most luck with .. so I was hoping to air layer some of the suckers off the base of the tree. All I did yesterday was slip pot it. Should I wait to propagate till spring? It has five suckers that are not attached to what I want to use as the main trunk.
Please let us know if you have (updated) information on this wonderful tree... I also like big size leaves trees, every species have its uniqueness, we have to encourage it...
The buttress roots do certainly seem to be more common with the bigger leafed ficus, and structurally I guess I see why. I am seeing some significant growth along those lines with F. macrophylla - seeking out species which lay out their aerials in a linear fashion along the length of the trunk might be a good idea. Seeing my macrophylla do this goes a long way toward explaining why/how some species develop ribbon/buttress roots faster than others.
I have a different ficus I started as a cutting that made some good gains this last summer. It has a lower branch that has started in a good place to thicken the trunk I am wanting to air layer it as well I don’t think my plants went into dormancy yet due to a light I keep on in my kitchen it is a sun blaster .. I’m not wanting to stress them but would love to start the next phase of work. Any insight would be helpful.
Ficuses look great with large leaves and enormous roots and lots of aerial roots that's how they grow in wild.Would love to see u try a ficus benghalensis.Correct me if I m wrong but I think fiddle leaf fig is kinda overrated in west and other ficus varieties are a bit underrated.
This tree and the pencil cactus seems to be the more difficult(not growing wise) bonsai trees. One them the leaves are huge and the other the leaves are.. . pencil shaped
Good morning Nigel. Last summer I did the same with one that was lanky, three came out by air layering, very easy in this species. This summer I will let them grow and I will try to make them bonsai. I am learning a lot with your videos, thank you very much and have a very merry Christmas.
Sir Nigel, I have what we call Balete or Ficus Benjamina in the Philippines. I have had it for about 3 months and last week I decided to repot it and do some carving to reduce reverse taper. Now one week later the whole tree is growing new shoots on every branch. Not at all what I expected after a repotting. Do you have any idea why it might be flourishing? It had not been growing much prior to this.
I often find my Ficus suddenly gain vigor after a re pot, I think it's the fresh bonsai soil and that the new roots have room to grow. This increases the vigor and the top growth reflects the new root growth.
Unfortunately my favorite species is the weeping willow. So easy to start from a cutting and they always look good most of the summer, then a slow decline and the dieback creeps down and they die. Every time. I'm happy yours live so long, but I feel your pain with the fallen. Such a difficult tree to keep alive.
Do you style it right after starting it? I've read on some forum that it will survive if you let it be for a few years before going in with pruning etc, but I don't know how credible that information is.
Great Video as usual Nigel! I have a 3/4 year old cutting of a ficus carica that is roughly 30 cm tall. I trimmed off the tip last month and now it grew three new branches right at the top. Should I let them grow or prune them back to the first leaf? Besides those three branches it doesn't have any other branches and the trunk is still very thin (~1 cm to 0,5 cm). Or should I reduce the overall height?
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Me: I wanna make this tree into a bonsai!
Internet:Can't do it.
Family:Can't do it.
Peers:Can't do it.
Nigel:I would encourage anyone to develop their favourite species of tree into a bonsai.
Just one of thefew reasons that makes Nigel different and better than other bonsai artists!Love from India.
Hahaha! 🤣😂🤣
That is the advantage of being a hobby Bonsai practitioner. You don't have to care what other people say and you don't have to earnoney with what you are growing. It's freedom.
Go for it!
Huge leaves, skinny trunk, almost no branching. Yup perfect bonsai plant!
I totally loved when you said "tree collector". I do have some plants around that more than trying to do any bonsai techniques to them, I have them because I love the species more than anything.
Yes, it's so nice seeing a tree get old and mature, especially a species from another part of the world. It's like a window on nature that you normally don't see!
I came here to say the same thing. Nigel's trees are all so different and natural looking and I really like that. It really shows his appreciation for their natural features
A while ago I went on a bonsai forum and wanted some help on growing a citrus bonsai (lemon) and every single person yold me "leaves are to big no good for bonsai" if I wasnt as stubborn of a person wanting to prove people wrong haha, comments like that couldve made me lose interest in bonsai. Its nice to see someone that approaches bonsai with freedom and not stuck between so many rules.
There are several Citrus trees in the Brooklyn bonsai collection that are really nice, here is a good video....
ruclips.net/video/HHA9BVXif1c/видео.html
Some of those chat forums are very toxic, too many people think they know it all. I find the more you learn, the more you realize that you have to learn!
@@TheBonsaiZone exactly! A hobby should be about what you enjoy. Shouldnt have so many rules. Those trees are beautiful, especially like the lemon with the dead wood on it! I also love your lemon tree, its coming along nicely 😊
I wish more people would think like you Nigel. Do what pleases you not to worry if it pleases others. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all.. thanks again for another great video.
Thanks for that Trevor!
Nigel try growing a Fiddle Leaf Fig 'Bambino' it has much smaller leaves and might work great for bonsai!
This is my only non pre bonsai tree because of the amazing leafs. Thanks for giving hope for keeping it small
Nice to hear Spencer, I hope it does well!
this is objectively one of his coolest trees
I can just imagine looking up at the canopy on a sunny day and seeing all the nice green leaves from below!
I’ve watched this video before and encouraged me to make bonsais out of this tree. I have a free access to the big mother trees and I did air layering to selected branches with potential to make a bonsai. I now have few of them under training and I air layer the new branches before pruning to make sure they are rooted before cutting. I started bonsai in 1998 but I only choose trees with small leaves but you are one of the few who made bonsai with huge leaves. I also have big trunk rubber trees bonsai materials. Thank you Sir Saunders. Enjoy planting and keep safe always. Greetings from the Philippines
No harm in making a tree that you do not see in bonsai. As Yoda would say: "Do or do not. There is no try." An excellent work of making a tree into a bonsai that no one else would care to do. I cannot wait to see the outcome of this magnificent tree.
Thanks, Tom, I think if nothing else, it will be interesting!
when i have a stick bonsai project and feel hopeless... i watch mr. nigel.. and then say... it will be a good bonsai someday...😊
My favorite project now. Can't wait to see you pruning this in the summer!
Cheers for all the great uploads for my holiday mate, Merry Christmas from down here in NZ 🤙
Man that Ficus Lyrata in the greenhouse was something. Not seen one even close to that large before...
Love your videos
Thank you Denise, I really enjoy making them!
I acquire new plants sometimes, only because they are sad and dying. Sometimes people give me near dead plants, sometimes I find them in stores. It feel really good to watch them become healthy again.
Hi Nigel! I also like big leaf Bonsai trees. Especially many of our native trees here in Germany are big leaf trees. And I am the guy who tries to "bonsaianize" native trees in the first place. But as you said you can reduce the leaves by a good amount. Although I think big leaf trees don't necessarily have to be big or giant Bonsai. Also trying to create a shohin or a 30 cm tree with big leaves is quite fun and refreshing. Other than you I am not always a big fan of thin straight trunks. So personally I would have cut this ficus down just above the low branch, as you discussed it. Maybe you reconsider. 😜 I would love to see that and you would gain lots of space and light for the other trees. hahaha 😂🤣😂
Great updates on all your plants. Merry Christmas 🎁🎄
Looks interesting!
I wish I have neighbour like Nigel Saunders! People who understand and respect nature...
Hi Nigel, one of the reasons l enjoy your channel so much is your unconventional approach to bonsai. I get inspiration from your videos to have a go at creating a bonsai from different types of trees and plants and I just find it enjoyable.
I just got a cutting of one of those from my job! It will be fun to grow mine while watching you grow yours :)
Nice Zack, I hope it does well!
Maybe it is a ugly duckling after all. I never had much appreciation for this species but yeah it will be followed by much interest from now on. There is always a refreshing and wonderful feelin to be able to change your mind. That goes for everything in the world like a person you did not thought to be any nice but turned up be the opposite.
Merry Christmas Nigel and all other tree lovers!!!
HI Nigel yuo'd try to make an air layer on this plant the next spring so you 'd have two plants and big tronks too soon.Fine plant.Bye,
Nice to hear the birds in the background!
Looking forward to seeing how this tree develops... I love the big tree’s roots too!
Please do an update on your Christmas cactus? =)
Very interesting project :) I hope you had a good Christmas time, Nigel!
So awesome! 👏
Nigel Sir,this tree is very unusual bonsai but nevertheless I think with you styling the tree it’ll one day look like a true spectacular bonsai 👍🙂
Good job ,nigel
Thanks Septian!
Hey Nigel! Do you have an update on how this tree is doing? I'm getting a very large one from my daughter in laws mother. It's at least 5 ft tall and was going to cut it I half or air layer it. Really just looking to develope into a small tree form. Right now it's mostly tall and straight, but has leaves from bottom to top. Beautiful full leafed plant.
Thank you 🙏 for the info, as always you do nice 👍 work. I just bought one of these yesterday.. ficuses are my favorite tree so far. Or maybe it’s just the one I’ve had the most luck with .. so I was hoping to air layer some of the suckers off the base of the tree. All I did yesterday was slip pot it. Should I wait to propagate till spring? It has five suckers that are not attached to what I want to use as the main trunk.
Please let us know if you have (updated) information on this wonderful tree...
I also like big size leaves trees, every species have its uniqueness, we have to encourage it...
The buttress roots do certainly seem to be more common with the bigger leafed ficus, and structurally I guess I see why. I am seeing some significant growth along those lines with F. macrophylla - seeking out species which lay out their aerials in a linear fashion along the length of the trunk might be a good idea. Seeing my macrophylla do this goes a long way toward explaining why/how some species develop ribbon/buttress roots faster than others.
Nice Florence, I can't wait to re pot this tree and further develop the root base!
Thanks for sharing
merry christmas from germany! :)
I have a different ficus I started as a cutting that made some good gains this last summer. It has a lower branch that has started in a good place to thicken the trunk I am wanting to air layer it as well I don’t think my plants went into dormancy yet due to a light I keep on in my kitchen it is a sun blaster .. I’m not wanting to stress them but would love to start the next phase of work. Any insight would be helpful.
Just want to know, whether cutting leaves into half would that help in future to reducing size of leaves.
Very good i like this
Ficuses look great with large leaves and enormous roots and lots of aerial roots that's how they grow in wild.Would love to see u try a ficus benghalensis.Correct me if I m wrong but I think fiddle leaf fig is kinda overrated in west and other ficus varieties are a bit underrated.
merry christmas from Austria
This tree and the pencil cactus seems to be the more difficult(not growing wise) bonsai trees. One them the leaves are huge and the other the leaves are.. . pencil shaped
Whatever happened to your ficus you had growing on the wooden board?
Beauty lies in the eyes of beholder
Yes, I just love the big leaves!
Sir
U started a clum style cuttings of lyrata
What happened to that
so cool
Thanks Elijah!
Good morning Nigel. Last summer I did the same with one that was lanky, three came out by air layering, very easy in this species. This summer I will let them grow and I will try to make them bonsai. I am learning a lot with your videos, thank you very much and have a very merry Christmas.
Very nice
Thanks
Have you ever tried to bonsai an edible fig?
Yes, I have two in the basement, they need a cool winter to remain healthy.
@@TheBonsaiZone Oh! I don’t think I’ve seen a video of your edible figs! I just started some cuttings last summer. I think they rooted. 🤞
Sir Nigel, I have what we call Balete or Ficus Benjamina in the Philippines. I have had it for about 3 months and last week I decided to repot it and do some carving to reduce reverse taper. Now one week later the whole tree is growing new shoots on every branch. Not at all what I expected after a repotting. Do you have any idea why it might be flourishing? It had not been growing much prior to this.
I often find my Ficus suddenly gain vigor after a re pot, I think it's the fresh bonsai soil and that the new roots have room to grow. This increases the vigor and the top growth reflects the new root growth.
I notice your soil doesn't seem to have any compost in it anymore. Why did you change it from your soil mix video?
Hello Jim, I've been using just 50 percent perlite and 50 percent turface for about 12 years now. It seems to be a really good soil for me!
Unfortunately my favorite species is the weeping willow. So easy to start from a cutting and they always look good most of the summer, then a slow decline and the dieback creeps down and they die. Every time. I'm happy yours live so long, but I feel your pain with the fallen. Such a difficult tree to keep alive.
Do you style it right after starting it? I've read on some forum that it will survive if you let it be for a few years before going in with pruning etc, but I don't know how credible that information is.
Great Video as usual Nigel!
I have a 3/4 year old cutting of a ficus carica that is roughly 30 cm tall. I trimmed off the tip last month and now it grew three new branches right at the top. Should I let them grow or prune them back to the first leaf? Besides those three branches it doesn't have any other branches and the trunk is still very thin (~1 cm to 0,5 cm). Or should I reduce the overall height?
I would let the three branches grow until they have at least 12 leaves on them each, and then prune them back. This will keep the tree vigorous!
@@TheBonsaiZone will do, thank you!
Merry Holly-Days or, Ilex spp. Days, if you prefer.
Is "lyrata" related to the god Apollo's symbol- the lyre? Could not find the answer via internet.
Yup, it's about the shape of the leaves, which is lyre-like
@@bdeclerc Thank you. Very kind.
👌👌👌...!!!
👏👏👏
Looks like a palm tree now 😊
Nhìn giống cây bàng ở Việt Nam
Vâng, đó là kích thước của lá!
Hello
First
You are foist LOVE OF PLANTS! Nice going!
Thoird
Noice Geoff!
I'm sorry but this will never be a true bonsai.
It will be, it's actually looking very nice at the moment!