Bonsai is one of the oldest art form of humankind. Though it simply means the art of growing ornamental, artificially dwarf variety of trees and shrubs in pots. But it’s not so easy to grow a bonsai from beginning. After reading this it will be easy for you to make a cool bonsai plant.
Choosing a plant
For making a beautiful bonsai your first work is to choose a plant. For which there are some criteria, such as
- The Climate you live in: Climate is the most important factor. You can’t grow a deciduous plant in very hot temperature, or can’t grow an evergreen in extreme cold.
- Variety of Plants: For beginners it is better to choose dwarf variety plants. But obviously bonsai made with tall variety plants looks gorgeous.
- Leaves: If you can choose a small leaf variety plant it will look better later. Though you can reduce the leaf size of your plant afterwards.
- Sunlight: Those plants that require a low sunlight will be difficult to grow in high sunlight areas.
- Pots: Flat pots are best to grow bonsai. It gives a vintage look.
There are much more but for starters it’s necessary.
How should you care your plant?
“Time and patience are the only thing you need for transforming your regular plant into a bonsai. “
Different plants have different ways to take care about. You should have proper knowledge about your plant you are trying to grow.
- Soil: For most of the beginners soil is the most difficult things to choose. Now it depends on what type of plant you are growing. But as a common there should be well drainage. You may use the mixture of approximately 40%compost, 10% vermicompost, (20-30)%sand, 5%small stone chips ( under 10 mm), and (15-25)% garden soil.
- Drainage: Usually we grow our bonsai in small pots so there should be a well drainage system such that the roots doesn’t rot. For which you have to make holes (as per your pot size) and keep some stone chips on it to make sure it doesn’t cloak.
- Sunlight: Now sunlight is a big deal for shade lovers you need to grow them not under direct sunlight obviously. But for some plants for which you want to reduce leaf size, you should leave it under direct sunlight such that it could be able to create its required form in small part of its leaf and will not increase its length.
- Watering: For less rainfall months you need to water regularly. But don’t overwater them. Rather water them twice. And for high rainfall months you should water them when it requires. And sometimes dry up the soil to avoid root rot.
Advanced care
- Fertilizers: You need to study about your plants what they require. But for bonsai you need to give less fertilizers so as it get stout not grow fast. Sometimes you may use slow fertilizers like bone dust, horn dust or egg shell You should avoid nitrogen base fertilizer and use carbon or potassium based ones. But don’t overfeed them.
- Root Pruning: You are growing your plants in a pot so you do loosen roots by dig the soil once a month. And in the middle of rainy season you pluck the plant with soil. Trim the roots or rearrange it and again plant it. Don’t disturb the roots too much. You may repot them during this time. And keep watering it daily after this for some days.
- Shoot Pruning: There are different designs to make with your plants. And for this pruning your stems are important. So whenever you prune keeping mind that cut just over a node or internode, such that it will grow its stem from there. And look that you should cut over a node which is facing the direction in which you want to let it go.
- Wiring: Sometimes we require to further design our plants. In that case use 6mm aluminium or copper wire but not iron. It is greatly recommended that do the wiring with hand so that you can know the rigidity and strength of the stem, such that it doesn’t break.
Medicines
Pesticides are more or less required to all plants and as per requirements use it over your plants. But what I do is, I have made some neem tree bonsai and kept it in my bonsai collection and for that reason insects are less attracted. Other than neem you may plant any such types of medicinal plants.
And lastly you should have patience and love for your plants and work you are doing for your plants.
Now it’s very difficult to elaborate everything in one article so to know more follow my website Green Gardens and comments if you have any questions about your bonsai.
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