Thanks Dillon, it's the one hobby of many that I have started, that I have always enjoyed and has been with me most of my life! I hope you give it a try!

Thanks Jayson, a fish out of water! I like that.

Thank you and good luck!

I don't think you ever stop learning with bonsai. Luckily as in any art, there is no right or wrong. Just do what appeals to your taste. Good luck!

Nigel Saunders Thanks .!!!

+carlos trevino Thank you Carlos.

I know the feeling, you'll have to plant a new one back home......Nigel

I will be doing that. I have been wanting some patio sized fruit trees. :) Can't wait to create a couple Bonsai tree's as well. :)

Good on ya mate! Did you know I'm Australian? My dad's from Perth and my mom's from Rockhampton.

***** Is that a Blade Runner reference in your name?

Thanks, I'll try and get more seed starting videos over the winter.

I really like the citrus trees, they are like pine trees, they keep getting better each year, building on the previous work you do to them. Some day I'll let mine flower, the smell will be amazing! Good luck with your orange tree, I've seen some wild ones in Florida. They can grow into an amazing tall tree!

​@@TheBonsaiZone My lemon tree is now 8 years old. It was started in 2015. It has some character now, although I wish I trunk chopped it a bit more frequently. Yesterday, I repotted the tree and cut it back. It would be amazing if I could get some back budding lower down the trunk, though I don't think that will happen. That way, I could grow a couple of sacrifice branches and give trunk more taper, without chop the trunk back. It's just the middle section that is lacking the taper.

Logan Heilman I know it doesn't look much like a tree! Some day, I hope it will look good. Time will tell.

I know it will proboaly turn out to look like an amazing tree even though in this video it didn't look like a tree very much at all overall a very helpful video

I now have a 2 years old lemon tree also. I'm curious, 6 years after your comment... what happened to your tree ?

The Lemon tree in the video has been grown in a pot all it's life. It's been let grow tall to a meter high and cut back to a small stump many times. Each time I cut it back, I leave the tree a little taller. We don't have any citrus trees in the ground here in Canada, they wouldn't survive the winter. I'm not sure where you would find out about collecting citrus trees, I couldn't find anything on the internet. Thanks for the comment about roots, I love a bonsai with good surface roots!

Thanks a lot for your prompt reply. Wish you the best in your bonsai hobby and yes your chickens too :)

You could grow the tree in a large container to speed the process up for a twenty year old tree this is not much progression... I am concerned that at the rate Nigel is going, he will never have a bonsai.... Two years on and the tree is still a million miles from being anything approaching a bonsai....In fairness to Nigel I have never seen a lemon tree produce a great bonsai image... When ever you see them on the web they are usually quince on closer inspection. I have a small citrus that I have had in a bonsai pot for years also and although it looks ok and produces fruit every year I have found it growth habit really doesnt lend itself to good bonsai. I find citrus neither wire well or respond well to clip and grow. I am considering attempting to graft different finer folage from a seedling I grew onto a more vigorous trunk aIthough I have never done anything other than approach grafting. I will continue watching with great interest to see what happens over the comming years....

I have a grapefruit tree grown fro seed that is about two feet high. I think I’m ready to turn it into a bonsai. I lost T my lemon tree so as you can imagine I’m nervous to start anything drastic. Should I reduce the height or start with the roots first. It will never grow fruit so I’m willing to take some risks. It is very cold here in The Dalles , Oregon in the winter so it must live inside. Then our summers are hot dry and windy. Should I give it a go. What do you think.

philip northfield you do realize bonsai is not a type of tree it's the art form right ?

Moses Oziel If the trees are hardy outdoor trees, now is the time to repot them. If they are tropicals, early summer is best. Roots only take in water and nutrients from the growing tips, the older sections of the root serve as energy storage and anchor the tree in the ground. Your goal in bonsai is to get a fine root system with many growing tips, this allows the tree to take in lots of water and nutrients, but it still fits in a small container. Try repotting your tree back in the same container, just prune away some of the worst roots for now. If you can repot in some bonsai soil, this helps to develop a good root system. Check out some of the videos on youtube to see how to make your own soil.

When the tree is in the early stages and you are trying to build the trunk size, I let the tree grow all summer, then prune it just before it goes inside for the winter. As your tree starts to get more developed, you will need to pinch and prune more frequently to control the growth. I am now pinching the new growth as the new shoots begin to emerge to start to building my branch structure.

+Dianne Walker Yes this clip and grow method is suitable for many trees. The tree must be able to bud back on old wood, a pine for example would just die. I start my trees in bonsai soil, they do well and the soil is easily removed when re poting. This allows you to work on the roots easily.

Check out this website, good luck with your tree! homeguides.sfgate.com/long-lemon-tree-produce-fruit-51717.html

I am using 1/2 perlite mixed with 1/2 turface. To this I add 10 to 20 percent compost. All ingredients are sifted to remove the fine particles.

+Jim Koeniger All the best Jim, hope you do plant some cypress trees!

Jim Koeniger ~ I wish you love, peace, comfort and happiness Jim. A cypress tree would be most welcome. You are correct in saying that we all are soon to leave this earthly plane. There are no guarantees for any of us. Enjoy each moment!

It is slowly getting more branches, a new video will be coming soon.

+Nir Glazer The fruit of a lemon tree would grow full size, if given the proper conditions. The cuttings would have the same characteristics of a full size lemon tree. The bonsai process does not alter the genetics of the tree, it just helps control the growth and the style. Good questions, thanks.

Thanks!

@@nirglazer5962 there's a technique in which you defullage the tree over time the leaves grow back smaller but you'll have to do it every month or so as for the fruit I've never heard of a fruiting bonsai ever produce small fruit due to it's size but as Nigel said very good question.👍

+Pedro Araújo The tree in the background is a Schefflera. Check out the playlist section of the channel for all the videos done on this tree. Here is a link to one of them..... kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ldWmibSlnp2dhWQ.html

+L. A. Nolan Hi, if the trunk is woody, you should be safe to cut it back. The tree must be in good health and in a sunny spot to recover. I would leave at least a couple of inches below the cut. Good luck!

Hey there Domenick, I don't anchor my trees to avoid wire marks on the roots. Instead I place flat rocks on the surface of the soil to hold them down until the roots anchor the tree in the pot. The stones also keep the top soil layer from drying out in the sun. This is just a personal preference. Good luck with your Lemon trees!

I would do the first re pot and root prune when the trunk starts to get woody, usually after the first year or two. Try and develop a radial root system over time and prune it back when it gets too tall or bushy. Much of the early work can be done without wiring, unless you have a specific shape you are after.

@@TheBonsaiZone Thank you very much, but I also have one more question. Should I keep the plant in a small pot, or should I keep it in a larger pot to let the trunk thicken and the roots grow more?

Tumblinggreen When a tree has been grown as a bonsai, there are no large pruning scars underneath the trunk. This is because the roots have been managed since the tree was young. A larger tree that starts training as a bonsai, always has a major root, usually a tap root that needs to be removed. This wound, because it was a large root, leaves a large scar beneath the soil line. This exposed wood under the soil line can cause the inside of the tree to rot starting from the bottom of the tree. With small roots removed, the wounds heal quickly and the trees wood is sealed at the bottom. Hope this helps.

Nigel Saunders Thank you.

ben johansen Hi Ben, the moss is collected from an area with full sun. It is keep trimmed with regular scissor cutting, just like a lawn. With regular watering and fertilizer, regular moss can look really nice.

Thanks Nigel :)

Hi Nicholas, the best time to prune the tree is after new growth has hardened off. If the new leaves turn a nice mature green colour and the tree has had some good sunlight to build up the trees energy. The tree can then be pruned quite hard and new shoots will emerge at the base of the older leaves. If the tree is pruned hard into older wood. shoots will emerge all over the older growth. Typically a good time to prune is late spring or early summer. You can also prune back quite hard in late fall, before the tree goes inside for the winter. The tree will stay dormant until it starts getting sunshine in late winter. My citrus trees are just sprouting new growth now. Only prune when the tree is healthy.

Hey Nigel, I have the same question as Nicholas: at what age would you start pruning? I also have several months old (kumquat) seedlings and some from last year start to get a woody trunk. While your reply is helpful, it is not an answer to the original question :) Thanks for sharing your bonsai experience!

+gwyn vaughan-matthews I've thought about a bigger pot, but it takes a couple of years for the roots to fill the present pot. If I did put it in a bigger pot and left more time between root pruning and potting, I'd be afraid that the roots would get too thick and would require a drastic root prune to get them back under control. It's always a trade off between growth and shape. I'll see how the roots have done in the next re potting, I am thinking of getting it in a larger shallow oval pot. This spring, I'll be doing another video, cutting the multi trunks back and re potting. The tree is slowly getting towards a bonsai.

This video has me amazed at the number of views! I think maybe it's popular because many people start lemon trees from seed in their kitchen and the video shows that you can keep your tree pruned to size over many years. I am growing the canopy on this tree now and it is going well. I'll be doing some hard profile style pruning to it when it goes outside in spring, I think you will see the tree starting to look like a tree for the first time this summer. Here is another video I noticed that has done really well.... kzfaq.info/get/bejne/otiCktR5lbfVYoU.html I can't explain it!

I like to re pot them after a growth spurt has harden off. My citrus trees tend to sit dormant and then explode in new growth. The best time to re pot is just before the new growth is about to come in. Mid summer is usually a good time!

Thank you for your fast response,it is greatly appreciated.

I would start the bonsai process on the Lemon tree, by working on the roots first, trying to get a nice radial root system. Here is a video on that... kzfaq.info/get/bejne/d8mDqJuEureUm3k.html Your Apple trees should be pruned back when they are dormant. If kept too warm and bright in the winter, they will slowly get weak without this winter rest period. If they are actively growing at the moment, the next best time is mid summer when it is very hot outside and the trees go dormant from the heat.

If the tree has been allowed to grow and has lots of vigor, you can safely remove the leaves when re potting. It will kill a weak tree, this operation should be done in the middle of summer when the tree has ideal conditions to recover.

I the tree is healthy and growing well, it won't hurt the tree to trim it back. You can start by trimming a little off the tree at first, see how the tree reacts and if it puts out more branches, then slowly cut it back over the years until it is shorter

Yes, this tree is just a regular Lemon tree started from a seed in a store bought Lemon fruit.

Great! I'm gonna try that. Thank you for your videos!

I'll work on a video about starting your bonsai from seeds. Stay tuned!

Hello Paul, yes the tree survived, each tree has a playlist so you can follow the progress easily, here is the one for the Lemon tree..... kzfaq.info/sun/PLQouTWwmTQozaSYDGs_kTI1zoCW9laBEs

I think a bonsai Lemon tree can easily out live us mere humans!

thats awesome :D greetings from Holland!

I mix it myself, I use 1/2 perlite and 1/2 turface, here is how I water and fertilize it.... kzfaq.info/get/bejne/nb55fNOputfclI0.html

Hi Rodney, seedling can be difficult to get going at times, I start mine from seeds that have already sprouted roots inside the lemon. Keep your Lemon warm and break it open when it starts to go soft. Plant the seeds in a tall pot for good drainage and keep it watered well until the first leaves form. After that keep the soil on the dry side to encourage the roots to grow, reaching for moisture deep in the pot. Lemon seedlings need lots of sun and warmth to get going. A good time to start them is late winter in a sunny window sill, then when the chance of frost is over, place them outside and keep them watered well. Seedlings usually die from too much moisture, causing the roots to rot. Generally, water more with good sunshine and less or not at all, when you get those long winter cloudy spells. Good luck!

You need to let the tree grow tall and cut it back over and over again. Each time you cut it back the new cut should be higher on the trunk. This will give you taper in the trunk and slowly you will get a fat trunk with a short height.

Hello Ishaan, I'm not sure of your seasons, but I would plant the seeds just before you get your best growing weather. This might be your spring rainy season. Good luck!

There is a period of recovery and the tree must be misted and kept humid while the roots begin to grow again. This usually takes a week or two. After that the tree starts to grow even better in the new soil.

+Olhamo Generally the best time to do a large chop is in the middle of summer, this gives the tree the first half of summer to gain strength and the second half of summer to grow the new shoots. It can be done any time if the tree is kept warm and gets strong consistent sunlight.

My Lemon trees always keep some of their leaves, here is a good article on this subject that hopefully will help.... www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/lemons/lemon-tree-leaf-drop.htm

No. I haven't let it grow enough to get flowers yet, someday I will.

I airlayered a lemon branch beginning of April last year and cut it off in September of last year and planted it. Citrus trees grow almost continuously but they have times of more rapid growth. My citrus trees (ground planted) spree growth late spring after bud and early fall. I think September would be a pretty good time for him. Keeping in mind he puts his trees away for winter and they never drop below freezing. I was concerned about my airlayer when temps dropped last winter to 15 degrees at night. But it made it through healthy. It spent the whole summer putting on more roots and this fall it started pushing top growth. Overall I wouldnt be nervous about reporting early.

One reason people like to cut citrus late winter super early fall is it gives the leaves time to harden against leaf miners. I have to treat for them after fruit harvest this coming harvest my trees are getting straight attacked by them.

@@chasingthefish9042 Thanks for the info. I think I'll be Air layering mine at a later stage as it's grafted.

That is a layer of moss.

The Citrus trees tend to grow in quick spurts. They will sit collecting energy and then will suddenly start to grow. I grow mine now without organic material in the soil, but I do fertilize very weakly, every time I water the tree. I think if you keep the tree warm humid and in good light, it should be OK to re pot. At this time of year, I wouldn't severely prune the roots, just a light trimming.

Yes you can! Here is my email.... thekwbonsaisociety@gmail.com

@@TheBonsaiZone I just wanted to check that you received my email.

You can prune the plant down to the first set of leaves or pinch the top growth to start some branches. It is probably more important to get the roots sorted out at a young age. You can begin by pruning back, the more vigorous roots to try and get a flat radial root base. Only prune the top hard after the tree has grown with a lots of vigor. Good luck.

Nigel Saunders ok thanks

Yes if the tree was allowed to grow, it would flower and get fruit. Trimming the tree as a bonsai stops this process, but as it gets more developed, I may try to get fruit.

I don't really have a video that focuses on leaf size reduction, it is a good idea for a video....... however, leaf size is really the last stage of bonsai development. It comes from ramification and the amount of energy the roots can provide for the tree. There are environmental factors like soil sun watering and fertilizer also. It is a very complex subject and should not be the focus of the work done to the tree until the final stages of refinement. I don't focus on this subject too much, because you will find much of the leaf size reduction comes with time and the development of your tree. Special techniques (like leaf pruning) are used more for preparing your tree for a special show. These techniques if not done properly can greatly weaken your tree and can cause death in some cases. It is always best to focus on the health of your tree and not the leaf size.

Nigel Saunders thanks for the advice... so first we focus on the trunk with clip and grow, then once we reach a good size trunk we start building the branches, then we refine the branching to build up the canopy and for leaf reduction it's really just a temporary state used for shows. Just curious, you say that leaf pruning can cause the death but I have seen you defoliate entirely bonsai trees just to better understand the branches structure - how is that not dangerous for the health of the tree? Sorry for the many questions...

Obrigado!

Trimming the tree will prune off any flower buds that would develop. At this point in time I'm just trying to get the tree's structure underway, as the tree gets closer to looking like a tree, I'll let it grow and try and get some lemons on it. I can't wait!

Regular seeds are perfect! Happy growing!

NC I have just posted a video on bonsai soil. It is basically a sifted, free draining soil mix. I would let your Lemon tree grow all summer, without pruning, and then once a year cut it back. Each year you do this you should cut it back taller than the previous year. keep doing this until you get your trunk close to the thickness and height you want your tree, then start working on multi trunks and then finally branches. Good luck.

okey thanks

The tree in the video is over 25 years old, it was started from a seed by an elderly lady my mom took care of. Good luck with your seeds!

Check out this page for fruit production.... homeguides.sfgate.com/long-lemon-tree-produce-fruit-51717.html The fruit will always grow full size, they do not reduce with bonsai techniques. This is the same for flowering trees. The flowers always come out full size. Here is a quote from that website "Healthy lemon trees produce fruit in their third year. At this point, a well-established root system is in place and the tree has enough foliage to create the photosynthesis energy needed for fruit production. The key to fruit production starting in the third year is soil structure. Using a pH meter, your soil needs to reflect a moderate to slightly acidic environment, or a pH of 5.5 to 6.5, for the most efficient nutrient uptake by the roots. Those juicy fruits also need periodic soil fertilizing; rich soils contribute to foliage and fruit growth over the years."

Nigel Saunders Thanks, so the production of fruit isn't dependent on the size of the tree, just the conditions.

+Nigel Saunders thank you for your reply. I do want a traditional bonsai tree that we are all familiar with, but I love the bonsai style itself. that's why I'm curious about the different types. I'll check out your other videos. thank you again.

Hi Owen, to thicken the trunk up but keep the height short, you need to let the tree grow tall, then cut it back to an inch or two high. Let the tree grow tall again and cut it back a couple of inches higher each time. Keep repeating this process and years from now you will have a thick short trunk. After that you can grow your branches!l

Okay thank you. How long should I wait before each time I cut it back?

I would wait until the tree is 3 feet tall or roughly a metre.

Okay thanks for the help. Think your Bonsai's are amazing by the way.

+tanimal05 The tree in the background is actually a Schefflera, the playlist for this tree is here... kzfaq.info/sun/PLQouTWwmTQoxlE_BuP_rbFEvDFBfDYlYn It does look like a desert rose!

Most of the lemon trees from a nursery are grafted trees, they will graft a specific type of Lemon onto a tougher type of root stock. Trees grown from seeds will avoid this union, however a properly grafted tree can be a turned into a nice bonsai. The tool is one I've had for 20 years, I haven't found another, but a regular fork or a bonsai root rake will work fine.

Geektarts Meyer lemons are typically grown on their own roots.

Much of the timing for pruning has to do with the health and vigor of the tree, also your climate, season, and after care will affect your success.

The Lemon tree has two shoots growing from the top. I removed about 4 shoots from the trunk, to encourage the top two shoots to grow. I will do a follow up video when the tree is ready for another pruning. It hasn't grown very much in the winter, this is normal. The tree is alive and doing well.

Zorica Rajic Yes, if the tree or branch has had a period of vigorous growth and is healthy, they will back bud like crazy. After pruning this tree down, I had new shoots coming out all over the trunk. they had to get picked off, to keep my styling intentions for the tree.

Thank you for the answer. I took a look at you follow up video and sow the beck budding.

+Amod Holla Yes, just be sure to keep your tree under good conditions until the radial roots begin to take over. Keep the tree warm, with lots of diffused light and out of strong winds and rain.

+Nigel Saunders I live in India so its warm all year around

+Nigel Saunders a few more questions how much time till I can start working on the top till I get a woody trunk like yours and how much should I cut the tap root

+Amod Holla Amod, the tap root can be cut flush with the base of the tree, the new growth becomes woody in a year, but it is best to wait two years, to be sure of some good back budding behind the cut.

Hi.... So it's been 2 years and I'm glad to say that the 2 plants are growing well and I repotted them again for the second time fingers crossed it will recover!! Thanks again for the advice you provided at that time :D PS the trunk did become woody