I apologize for not being creative enough to find this on my own, but using the search feature and browsing the index I can’t seem to find any discussion of high quality online videos. YouTube is littered with crappy “turn garbage into something that isn’t bonsai in 15 minutes!!!”

I am a beginner, so I do not need advanced videos, and I have definitely found a few good ones, but I’m mostly finding repeats of the same clickbait vids.

If you take the time to shoot me some links, or even just a link to a list of links, I will be forever grateful and you will be rewarded with knowing you are a wonderful human being.

I enjoy simple vids as long as the person doing the work gives solid advice and demonstrates the hands on work in a way that is either very informative or at least something I can zen out on.

Hey,

the video course from bonsai empire are worth the effort; www.bonsaiempire.com/courses
Bonsai Mirai makes good quality videos, probably the best channel I know: www.youtube.com/user/BonsaiMirai
Harrington makes decent videos: www.youtube.com/user/bonsai4me2
Kaizen bonsai videos are no longer updates but a good watch: www.youtube.com/user/GrahamWPotter

I am skeptical towards the Nigel Saunders videos. Too many nonsense trees there.

You can start with Nigel Saunders, Graham Potter, Ryan Neil, ...
I think you used the wrong search words because in YouTube there are loads of good informative videos!

lucR wrote:

You can start with Nigel Saunders

Nigel Saunders if you want a course in 'Playing with Plants' in stead of seriously doing bonsai, and if you believe Aloe vera, Yucca and pencil cactus are good for bonsai. OK, he probably has some good videos but you'll have to be very selective.

Graham Potter

Great videos, but do understand that the bonsai he creates by carving massive trees are maybe shaped in a short time, but required a very, very long preparation. Do not expect you'll be able to do the same thing without years of practice.

Ryan Neil

Very good indeed. Some of his videos probably a bit much for beginners.

The course on this site is pretty good, imho.

Mixed feelings about Nigel Saunders.
I like his relaxed approach to bonsai, but I hate when he tries to make bonsai out of succulents and the such.

I've not been doing bonsai for that many years.. I can recommend the Video courses here wholeheartedly. They have been a great help, and resource when ihr come to basic things, as well as a good deal of theory and asthetics.

Thank you! I will start on this list tonight.

I never had a doubt there are good vids out there, it was just wading through the garbage seemed an inefficient approach.

I started last spring with nursery stock. Since then I have been collecting pre-bonsai, cuttings, seeds, and seedling for future projects. I am now, slowly, keeping an eye out for urban Yamadori and finds of classic bonsai: Ulmus parvifolia, Juniperus chinensis ‘Shimpaku’, Acer Palmatum, and if I get very daring Pinus thunbergii. I have a two year old Cupressus macrocarpa that I love very much, though it is decades from a piece of art.

I’m not in a rush, so I will not expect to carve massive ancients tomorrow. At this point I have so many trees, including some truly ugly ones that are only kept as a lesson of what not to do, that I just want to learn more and more as I work on my cheap material. I plan to invest in good material in a couple years once I know I will not kill it or foolishly cut the most important branch in the design.

I have always enjoyed the pruning aspect of yard work and I will be fine if I never have a “specimen”. I just enjoy visualizing branch structure and selecting where to cut. I check on my plants with enthusiasm and I think my wife is a bit jealous.

It is great that I have enough plants now that after a long stressful workday I can go outside and always find one of the plants telling me something, even if it is subtle.

Sorry for the length of this post... I am avoiding leaving for work!

Thanks!

Scott81 wrote:

Sorry for the length of this post... I am avoiding leaving for work!

Not at all! Good to see someone with genuine interest in the hobby. Very refreshing.

One of the other advantages to the Bonsai Empire courses, is that you can ask specific questions to the Videos. I got answers fairly quickly. Forgot to mention that before.

Search youtube for "ryan neil nursery stock series pt. 1" and you should be good for 2:24:27 hours.