How to Grow Bonsai Tree's.
There is nothing more satisfying than growing your own Bonsai tree; it's personal and requires a great deal of patience and understanding to achieve the desired result. But once your tree becomes established it will become the focal point of your gardening experience.
The art of Bonsai growing originated in China about a thousand years ago but was later practiced in Japan, and is today a popular pastime in many countries all over the world.
Bonsai is a Japanese word, or two words, 'Bon' and 'Sai;' the word 'Bon' means 'tray' and 'Sai,' means 'growing' or 'planting.' The two words together give the translation of 'tray growing' or 'tray-planted.'
The idea is to take a small pot containing drainage material and soil; placing a seed or cutting in it; and pruning the roots and branches alike, as it grows. In effect you are causing the plant to grow to your specification of size and shape. It's a method of dwarfing; causing a tree to grow from a pot but giving it that look of a mature tree.
Apart from the pruning, other techniques are employed to attain the desired result; these include wiring the trunk and branches to grow into a specific shape. There are also a number of manufactured tools on the market to shape the trunk and branches.
A large number of Bonsai growing kits are available on the market which provides everything to get you started. They normally contain about five different types of trees (in seed form), the starter pots, soil, and full instructions on how to care for the particular plants in the package.
To grow the seeds place just below the surface of the soil in the pot, water and place the pot in a dark warm place. Of the four seeds I planted only two actually germinated and only one survived, so it may be a good idea to plant more than one seed at any time.
It is important to realise that each particular plant requires its own type of environment and care, so ensure that the information you have is for the plant you are growing.
This essay mainly covers the ficus plant.
To begin, there are two favourite plants to start with; one is the ficus tree and the other the Japanese Red Maple.
The Japanese Red Maple has vibrant colours; in the spring and autumn the leaves turn red or orange; in the summertime they turn a much deeper, duller red. The trunks remain green or red for months.
The ficus is an exotic looking tree resembling a miniature version of the Banyan tree; and is ideally suitable as an indoor bonsai. There are a number of slow growing varieties with small leaves and these are ideal for your first choice. The ficus needs to be kept indoors all year long, although an occasional 'airing' in the sunlight outside is tolerable.
You should be able to acquire everything you require to begin to grow your Bonsai tree from the local gardening centre. Apart from the seeds or cuttings, you should find the correct type of shallow dish, particular bonsai growing soil, and the fertilisers necessary for your plant.
The pot for a Bonsai tree is normally shallow and oval, this is essential to dwarf the roots, keeping them tight within a small space. The soil is not normally conventional but one which has been designed to dry out quickly. This small container will only hold a small amount of soil and it is important that the roots of the tree are never over watered.
Amongst the fertilisers ensure that they contain nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash.
If you choose to use a manufactured fertiliser then try to use different brands because they will differ in the quantity of trace elements.
To water your tree soak the complete pot in water for about 10 minutes, and then allow the soil to drain until no more water leaks from the bottom. Bonsai trees should be allowed to dry out after watering. The soil should always be rather dry, not wet and you can test the soil by putting your finger in the soil. However, it is important not to let the plant remain in a dry condition for too long.
Trimming and shaping should always be done in the growing season. When it comes to shaping you can use the manufactured tools and/or copper wire. By using copper wire on the trunk and branches you can control the shape of the tree, but ensure that the wire is not too tight and that as the tree grows in size that the wire will not cut into it. In shaping the tree, try to keep it proportional in size; the trunk, the branches and even the pot.
Pruning is essential in order to maintain the correct shape of the tree, while still encouraging growth, but you may find that some trees will respond very well to pruning while others will struggle. The main reason for this is the time the pruning is undertaken, so please ensure to follow your instructions. The reason for this is that the tree needs time to recover from the pruning; if you conduct the pruning too late in the season then the plant may not recover.
If any part of the trunk appears weak, then leave any branches that may be growing there because they will add to strengthen the tree. The branches you really wish to prune away would be those branches that cross each other or those that seem too close together.
But whatever you do above soil, remember to do below soil, otherwise the plant will seek to repair itself the following season.
Pruning is not a difficult process as long as you are careful.
Re-potting is usually done about every two years, but if you notice the plant is growing faster than anticipated, so that it seems to be getting too big for its pot, re-pot it then.
Normally the best time to re-pot a ficus tree would be during early spring; once you have placed it in a larger container be sure to water it thoroughly, as explained earlier. Then the plant will be required to spend some time in a shaded area until the root system becomes established. Re-potting creates healthier plants that handle easier, and makes them stronger when it comes to pruning and trimming. Ficus bonsai should always be kept indoors, where the temperature is between 60 to 65 degrees.
For those of you, who decide to grow Bonsai trees, just remember that it takes a lot of practice and patience, but with the right information and a little trial and error, you will soon see a reward for your efforts.