| This contest is fueled by the following news: |
| | Bonsai (Japanese – “plant in a pot”) is the art of growing arbuscles (dwarf trees) in small containers. The word “Bonsai” originated from the Chinese, where a similar concept “Penzai” was adopted after widespread use of the bonsai techniques in Japan. The art “bonsai” originated in 200 BC in China.
History:
Initially, bonsai decorated the Japanese houses and gardens. During the Tokugawa era, landscape designs received a boost: the growing of azaleas and maples became a pastime of rich people. Cultivation of dwarf plants (“Tree in a pot”) also developed, but the bonsai of those times were very big. Now, regular trees are used for bonsai, which become small owing to regular trimming, poor soil and various other methods.
Techniques:
Various methods are available for reducing the size of trees. Often, seasonal trimming is the guarantee of success; however, if it is done unskillfully, you may end up ruining the tree. The majority of tree types used in bonsai can be deformed using copper or aluminum wires. Some trees do not give in to such formation and their appearance changes mainly due to trimming.
Sometimes dead trees are used to create the look of old trees. Old looking trees are obtained by cutting off the branch from the trunk of a live tree and barking the trunk entirely or partially and creating the appearance of natural scars on the tree. These methods should be used with the utmost care because such actions can lead to tree infection. Also, it is impossible to bark the solid rind of the trunk; otherwise the sap flow is disturbed in the tree.
Re-plantation and binding:
Usually bonsai is replanted approximately once in two years in the spring just before they start sap flow after winter “hibernation”. The younger the plant the re-plantation is more often. It prevents accretion of the roots around the pot from within and provokes growth.
The binding of trees is one of the strongest ways of managing the tree shape. The best time for binding is spring and autumn. Sometimes, weights are suspended to the branches for creating the bends and knots and also for the effect of an old tree. Though binding by wire is accomplished rather tightly, in any case wire should not grow into the tree. Wire is removed by cutting it into small pieces instead of simply untwisting it.
The thickness of the wire should be proportional to the thickness of the branch. Instead of very thick wire, a pair of twisted thin wires can be used. The crossing of wires should not be allowed. It is better to gradually braid the trunk from bottom to top over a period of several months.
Soil and pot:
Some fans use only inorganic soils, others just use normal soil and some plentifully fertilize the soil with reagents, all these techniques have the right for existence. All soils for bonsai should be light and pass water; a mix of gravel, ceramic crocks, bark, coarse sand, volcanic clay- pumiceous soil or coke are used more often.
Each pot should have draining apertures so that the excess water can filter into the tray. Each such aperture should be covered by a ceramic crock or a plastic piece so as to avoid precipitation of the soil. Lacquered (shining) and non-lacquered, multi-colored or flat pots are used in bonsai.
Position and wintering:
Contrary to public opinion, Bonsai can be arranged even inside the house if the plant gets sufficient light. Maple or pines can grow both outside as well as indoors, however they have a sleeping period. Many trees need to be grown first in a room and then moved into the garden. The Japanese black pine and some other kinds, being externally-grown trees, can survive in a room though it is better to put them in a cold room or even in a special refrigerator. To make sure the proper position of the tree, it is necessary to track the illumination and conditions during the winter season. Try to open a window but not if you are residing in an extremely cold region. Actually, complete “outside-growing” trees are not available. All cold-resistant trees, after placing them in hot conditions, will acclimatize after some time.
Some trees require special protection in the winter and the intensity of the techniques used in cold times depends mainly on the adaptation capability of the tree to the climate. If the plant has a hibernation period, then in no way the hibernation period should be disturbed, especially in deciduous plants. To save the plant from the outside cold, the plant can be placed in additional containers or cover the soil in the pot with a layer of humus touching the first branch.
Collecting:
Bonsai can be created from purchased or independently dug-out trees. In the southwest part of the USA, for example, easily-cultivated types such as cypress grow. When you dig-out a tree, it is necessary to be very careful not to damage its roots since they are un-restorable. If the roots of a given type of tree don't grow too deep it is the ideal candidate for digging-out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
