Bonsai For Free - Digging Out A Birch Tree & Black Bag Technique

Рет қаралды 5,830

Күн бұрын

Bonsai does not have to be expensive. You can start with collected native trees and self seeded trees like this birch tree which was growing in a flower bed.
In this video I talk through collecting and digging out a birch tree, before tidying the roots and performing a severe trunk chop.
Finally the tree is enclosed in a black bag to help it to recover, and develop new buds and branches.
I explain the underlying biological and horticultural theory and practice and how it relates to bonsai.
Enjoy 🙏😁🌳
If you enjoyed this video then please like, share and comment. To be notified of future videos like this then please subscribe:
www.youtube.com/@TheBonsaiGar...
Chapters:
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00:00 Introduction - bonsai for FREE
00:33 Birch Trees
00:56 Digging Out A Birch Tree
03:34 Root Work
07:43 Severe Trunk Chop
11:00 The Black Bag Technique
12:50 Future Bonsai Design Revealed
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Discover how to rapidly develop a fantastic nebari on your bonsai trees. My top tips:
• Develop Rapid Nebari a...
See which 5 trees I recommend for anyone new to bonsai:
• 5 Great Bonsai Trees f...
To get thicker trunks on your bonsai, and develop more powerful, impressive bonsai trees see my essential tips and advice:
• Ground growing bonsai ...
Audio and Sound Effects:
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All audio tracks and sound effects are provided by Epidemic Sound.
Social media:
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Instagram: the_bonsai_garden
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#bonsai
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Пікірлер: 88

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

If you enjoyed this video then please like, share and comment. To be notified of future videos like this then please subscribe: www.youtube.com/@TheBonsaiGarden?sub_confirmation=1 To see how to master ramification, and why it matters to your bonsai trees: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/h76eprVk1qypZY0.html

@andrewclack4881 5 ай бұрын

I passed a birch tree planted by the roadside by the council, probably a number of years previously. Most of the tree had been snapped off leaving about a foot left. the following season it had developed about 20 new shoots around the break and now looks like the perfect broom style tree. I have even thought about contacting the council to see if I can remove it and replace it with an unbroken birch I have.

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Definitely hoping for that kind of result Andrew 👍

@natedykstra1498 5 ай бұрын

Love the Totoro shirt!

@TheBonsaiGarden 4 ай бұрын

Thanks Nate. Totoro-Godzilla 😂

@mattbrennan647 5 ай бұрын

Nice project Jason. My experience is to remove all those thick roots upon collection. The energy stored in the tree will never be as great as it is upon collection. Another technique I’ve used with great success is to make those lateral cuts circling the roots the year before collecting. The tree will respond with pushing new fibrous roots closer to the trunk. The black bag method is fantastic. I look forward to following this project into the future. Thanks, keep growing

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Good point Matt. Perhaps I should have prepared this tree with those lateral root cuts in about late summer/autumn.

@user-hw6hd4pk7d 2 ай бұрын

Also do the extreme trunk cut maybe a few months after the circle cut if you have the luxury of leaving it for a year. They recover as you have pointed out much quicker in the ground. That being said I am a beginner in bonsai but a long time grower of many things and grew up watching the victory garden and my grandfather who was the best gardener and composter I’ve ever seen. And now your greatly appreciated channel and I really don’t feel worthy of giving advice to either of you but I have done so many extreme chops on trees and shrubs that remained in the ground and the success rate in ground is near 100 percent, well rarely lose a tree. In fact some I’m not sure you could kill if you tried because I tried on some undesirables.

@epidemicsound 5 ай бұрын

🎶 track? It’s *Viridian* by *Voodulce* - and yes we are THRILLED to be your trusted provider. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ecqibKSUyZzbnqs.html // Epidemic Sound

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

That’s just one of the four tracks being used here, including Before Daybreak (the beautiful choral track), from the superb Epidemic Sound library.

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat 5 ай бұрын

The technique is tried and tested and exactly what I do for my dig trees. Cutting that trunk down is exactly what should be done and my earliest errors always involved leaving too much trunk and surrounding branches. This tree needs to be built. From experience I can say that you could happily take away more of the fat roots - especially that big bar one you had. You have set this up well for a future bonsai. Great stuff Jason :)

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Great reassuring comments Xavier. My plan is to let this recover a bit and put on some feeder roots then likely revisit the major roots in a future season. 🙏

@heidizwaenepoel7355 5 ай бұрын

I have several in my garden too. And plane maples as well. Excellent to experiment ! Thank you 🙏

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

You are welcome Heidi 🙏

@notionbonsai 5 ай бұрын

Great video Jason! I love videos like this where material is collected! Always great when a Bonsai is free too 😁😁

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Cheers Adam. It really is!

@markwoodard659 5 ай бұрын

I’ve used white plastic bags that allows filtered light in when l chopped a ficus in half and rooted the top that had about an inch and a half trunk. I covered both trees and l used coarse sand to root the top.

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Good to know Mark 👍

@markwoodard659 5 ай бұрын

If a black bag is used and the tree isn’t shaded, it will get too hot.

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Definitely something to bear in mind, Mark, if sat in full sun. 👍

@mattbrennan647 5 ай бұрын

I’ve had great success using the black bag technique. The only thing I’d add is that I’ve placed it in full sun and misted it daily daily. Tony Tickle and Harry Harrington have great tutorials on the process. Good luck Jason.

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Cheers for this info Matt. I will check out those references 👍

@jonathanaristone2468 5 ай бұрын

Hi Jason, yes the black bag was recommended to me by Harry Harrington and it served me well. I look forward to this season's progress on this Birch.

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Fingers crossed for it in the coming growing season Jonathan 🤞😊

@Steves_Backyard_Bonsai 5 ай бұрын

I’m going to love seeing the resulting tree! Excellent video as always Jason.

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

You and me both Steve!

@-Crataegus 5 ай бұрын

Ive been fighting hard suppressing my "yamadori" tree poaching fantasies 😂

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

😂😂🌲🌴🌴

@Jack-tv1bb 4 ай бұрын

Great vid

@TheBonsaiGarden 4 ай бұрын

Thanks 🙏

@Bonsaicrazy 5 ай бұрын

Good luck with it Jason 👊👊

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Thanks Andy 🙏

@meenaxisanga 5 ай бұрын

Very nice view and very beautiful plants infomation

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Thank you 🙏

@raymondplodzien7459 5 ай бұрын

Never heard of the black bag technique. I will have to give it a try.

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Definitely worth investigating Raymond 👍

@AndrewHomer 5 ай бұрын

turn bin bag upside down so opening at top, then thick layer of moss on pot to keep humidity up

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for the tip

@AndrewHomer 5 ай бұрын

@@TheBonsaiGarden i normally build a little frame over tree to stop the bag touching new buds when they come thru too

@MKbonsai 5 ай бұрын

Video yang bagus sobat, Terima kasih sudah berbagai video, langkah awal dalam seni bonsai yang sangat keren❤❤❤, salam hangat dari indonesia

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

🙏

@markjagger7139 5 ай бұрын

I’ve done the same thing with a 2 year old hazelnut sapling and a free hawthorn from a farmers field he was clearing of saplings, fingers crossed for all three

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Good luck 🤞

@sueb1317 5 ай бұрын

Looks like you got quite the workout digging up that birch! I really hope it sends out lots of shoots - it will be quite interesting to see the outcome. Now to put the flower bed back the way you found it😁😁

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

I hope so too Sue 👍🙏

@KennetDeBondt 5 ай бұрын

Love the bark on these ones.😊 Grts ´ennet

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Silver birch are such beautiful, elegant trees 👍

@TheBonsaiCreator 5 ай бұрын

Amazing transformation to a beautiful bonsai. New subscriber here

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Thanks and welcome 🙏

@tomsbonsaidiary 5 ай бұрын

Really nice freebie, fingers crossed for its survival. I think it’ll be fine, birch trees I’ve found can be very hard to kill. Hopefully you get a nice canopy started come spring. 👌

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Thanks Tom. I initially trunk chopped all the trees in my birch forest planting and they are all thriving. Hope this does too 👍😱

@natrjack965 5 ай бұрын

Good luck Jason, I always worry when I cut off loads of roots ,but they bounce back ..

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Thanks Michael 👍

@MDMARaver 5 ай бұрын

When I saw the tree and its long trunk, my first thought was 'I bet he'll cut it all the way down'. 😁

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Ha ha - once a lover of shohin, always a lover of shohin. Though my tallest tree is a silver birch tree standing about 3ft tall.

@mikec3820 5 ай бұрын

used clear bags for higher humidity. never black tho. nice free starter tree too btw

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Interesting to hear Mike 🤗👍

@susanbossert6833 5 ай бұрын

I'll keep my fingers crossed that this works for you. As you say, there isn't anything to loose with a free tree.

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Thanks Susan. I’m hoping for a similar result to my hornbeam stumpy tree with this birch. Time will tell 🤗

@AlexBraunton 5 ай бұрын

The tree put up a good fight but was no match for you in end haha. I'm interested to see if the black bag method works? I've never tried it before

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

It gave me as much of a beating as I gave it. The black bag trick is new to me see interesting to see how it progresses Alex 👍

@nerinat8371 5 ай бұрын

It will come back with vengeance!!

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Hope so Nerina 👍🌴

@dialecticcoma 5 ай бұрын

lazy yamadori nice

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Thank you 🙏

@slaytf32 5 ай бұрын

Awesome video. I was just thinking of doing the same with a maple in the forest outside my house. I’m just not sure when I should do it, right now I’m in mid to late winter. I thought it would best to wait until the buds start swelling a bit more then do the trunk chop and repot. What do you think? Great video btw

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Go for it Tristan👍

@slaytf32 5 ай бұрын

⁠@@TheBonsaiGardenyour videos are amazing. Keep up the good work. You should also do a video showing your whole collection of trees

@carolkotsiopoulos5781 5 ай бұрын

Thanks Jason! I have a Mesquite tree I'm thinking of try the same with, so this eas great timing! Do you use the same soil mix for all new starts like this or do you change it based on type of tree? Also with that black bag technique, do you was during those 4 to 6 weeks? Thanks so much again! Love your videos! I learn so much!

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Thanks Carol. I tend to use a similar mix for most of my trees, sometimes add a bit of perlite for young trees. Or add a little composted pine bark with pines as this helps with mycorrhizal fungus which is beneficial to pines. The black bag is quite new to me. It keeps up moisture around the tree so occasional watering and checking is recommended.

@carolkotsiopoulos5781 5 ай бұрын

@@TheBonsaiGarden awesome, thanks!!

@ebcornell23 5 ай бұрын

Any thoughts on trying this with a Japanese maple? I have one that I dug up a year or so ago and once it was established I tried my first air layer. No joy last summer so I left it on but I don’t know when to chop the top off now!

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

I have had mixed results with Japanese maples, though mostly successful. I always do this big cuts about this time of year as energy is about to surge back up the tree. To my mind this is the best time to get those adventituous buds forming.

@howardmckeown7187 5 ай бұрын

beginners question, would it not be better to wait until the buds are bursting, like in a repot? I'm waiting patiently to dig up 2 silver birch in N Ireland, I did the trunk chops a couple of months ago, I now know maybe not the best time, any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

That would also be an option. I have not tried the black bag method so trying that as an experiment here in this free material. I have found these types of sever trunk chops have been successful in late winter/early spring as the energy starts to surge back up the tree post dormancy.

@brucedeacon28 5 ай бұрын

👍🎂🙂

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

🙏🌸😜

@howardmckeown7187 5 ай бұрын

beginners question, would it not be better to wait until the buds are bursting before digging up? like in a repot, I'm waiting patiently to dig up 2 silver birch in N Ireland, I've done the trunk chops about 2 months ago, I now know maybe not the best time, any advice would be brilliant, thanks

@TheBonsaiGarden 5 ай бұрын

Yes leaving the tree to set buds would be an option but this tree has to be removed now before it gets too established right next to the house. It’s only a year old and has grown significantly in that time. For trunk chops I have had success in late winter/early spring as the stored energy is beginning to surge back up the tree. Good luck with your silver birches.

@howardmckeown7187 5 ай бұрын

@@TheBonsaiGarden don't know why but when I clicked comment my comment disappeared, obviously you got it, strange. your tree wouldn't have grown much in the next 2/3 months, that's why I asked the question. would I be better to leave them until bud burst? thanks

@XaviersBonsaiRetreat 5 ай бұрын

Just to confirm what Jason is saying. I always dig my trees either early or late winter when the buds are still dormant. @@howardmckeown7187