PSA:
First off, I would like to apologize beforehand if I offend anyone with this Public Service Announcement.
I didn't know about this channel until Bonsai Mike called him out on FB. Anyhow I've been hooked on watching his channel. But not in a good way. It's a train wreck.
Milton Chang "Bonsai Heirloom" is a Self proclaimed Bonsai Master with "50yrs of experience." I'm sure he is a good man with a passion for the hobby and I commend him for sharing his garden and perhaps bringing interest to the hobby.
I usually like to stay in my lane and NOT publically bash anyone. BUT today I have to make it clear that this man is setting the Bonsai hobby back several decades with the info he is teaching.
This is a prime example of why you don't use potting soil in bonsai pots. He also uses a whole big piece of mesh liner at the bottom of the soil which blocks the drainage holes, claims that the mesh helps roots division and keeps the roots from circling the pot. But its a wet soggy mess. Upon removing the tree from the pot the roots appear to be rotten and 2/3rds of it breaks off as it's pulled out and he says see there's no circling roots. That's because they are rotted and fell apart in his proven soil mix.
A Master of 50yrs should not have this kind of wiring work.
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A master should know that a deciduous tree in winter goes through Dormancy and there's no need to to do a scratch test on a tree in the winter time. Spring maybe. Summer definitely if it looks dead.
He also repots the tree but slamming it to the ground. Hmm interesting technique.
Holds a branch and continues to call it a root cutting. maybe I'm too critical.
Simple fundamentals like not straight edge sheering across needles is completely ignored. He completely ruined that 8200.00 Sierra Yamadori tree. Its a crying shame. I doubt it will live there's barely enough needles for it to draw energy from.
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I'm not judging his design or philosophy but just the lack of understanding of basic fundamentals and knowing the difference between how to prune conifers and deciduous makes me wonder how he calls himself a master.
Please don't compare him to Peter Chan. Peter at least knows horticulture and knows how to keep trees healthy.
John Naka realized it way back then and told him to quite Bonsai.
It's true it's his channel and he can do what he wants but sometimes we gotta fact check claims for those new folks getting into the hobby.
not that that's the moral thing to do but possibly the only way you'd stop him and his bot farm
