Creating a Bonsai

Have you ever visited a nursery or garden shop and seen very small trees growing in shallow containers- These miniature trees have all the characteristics of larger, mature trees, but never seem to grow. They are created by a specialized horticulture technique called "bonsai". Bonsai comes from two Japanese words meaning "pot" and "to plant". It is an art form that comes from an ancient oriental culture which originated in China and was later acquired by the Japanese. In the 13th century, the Japanese collected mature trees which had been naturally dwarfed and placed them in containers, thereby creating the first bonsai.

Today, techniques have been perfected so that anyone can create a bonsai. Plants for bonsai can be collected from the wild, or propagated from seeds, cuttings, or grafting, in addition to being purchased from your local nursery. When looking for a suitable plant, choose one that is well rooted and well branched. All parts of the bonsai should be in proportion with the size of the tree. Therefore, it is important to choose a plant with small leaves or needles. If a large-leaf plant is used it may appear out of balance. Some plants that have characteristics which make them suitable for bonsai are: pine, juniper, cedar, bald cypress, elm, pyracantha, willow, citrus, hibiscus, jacaranda, orchid tree, and royal poinciana. Consider the tree's natural form before you decide on the shape of the bonsai. The four bonsai styles are upright, slanted, cascading and semicascading. After you determine the existing form of the tree, select the style that will fit it best.

The basic procedures for creating a bonsai are pruning, pinching, wiring, potting and repotting, so after you've selected your plant you can begin shoot and root pruning. By pruning you can shape the plant, control growth, and remove ugly foliage. In most cases, the tree will only need one heavy pruning to develop its shape. After this pruning, pinching back the new growth is done to complete and maintain the shaping process.

The root system should be pruned gradually, reducing the root system over a period of years. Prune roots at the same time that you prune the shoots so that the bonsai does not become root bound. The surface roots should be left intact.

Wiring is next and it is this, together with the bending of the branches that makes the art unique. Wiring is done after the tree has been pruned to its essential branches. Copper wire is flexible and is usually used for wiring. Evergreen trees should only be wired during their dormancy so that the new growth is not damaged. Deciduous trees should be wired during their growing season. Begin wiring and shaping at the lowers part of the tree and work up. Don't wrap wire tightly since it could girdle branches and trunk. After wiring, the plant is shaped by hand by gradually bending the trunk and main branches in the desired position. Remove wires before the bark becomes constricted and ridges form.

Bonsai should be grown outdoors or in a greenhouse. They should never be kept indoors for more than a day or two or in air condition or heated homes for more than a few hours except during extreme weather conditions. They need protection from low temperatures and drying winds and should be brought indoors when temperatures fall below freezing.

Bonsai require the same care you would give any other pot plant. Water when the soil surface feels dry, apply fertilizer sparingly and control insects, diseases and other pests. Although making and maintaining a bonsai is not easy, the feeling of having created a living piece of art makes the effort all worth while.


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