Bonsai Making

              Bonsai is the practice of drawfing trees and shrubs artificially so that they can be grown as miniature plants in shallow pots or containers. Miniature= Very small copy or model of something.

  

An important feature of the bonsai plant;

-Bonsai trees should have the apperance and shape of the mature specimen as found in nature itself but on a much smaller scale.

-Bonsai trees should have an artistic apperance in a miniature form.

How dwarfness or miniature form of the bonsai plant is achieved?

-By regular training and pruning of the branches.

-By restriction of growth of the roots by growing plants in a shallow container.

Places where bonsai plants can be grown;

-Outdoor or inddor (living rooms, verandas, terraces, windows,ets)

-places which receive sufficient sunlight are best suitable.

 

CLASSIFICATION OF BONSAI

1.) Upright or Chokkan style:

2.) Winding or kyokkuk style:

3.) Oblique or shakan style:

4.) Gnarled or hankan style:

5.) Cascade or kengai style:

6.) Ikadi-buki style:

THREE IMPORTANT ITEMS OF A SUCCESSFUL BONSAI ARE:

i.) Selection of plants.

ii.) Selection of the container.

iii.) Types of the potting mixture used.

i.)Selection of plants:

the criterion for selecting plants for bonsai making:

-life span

-Hardiness

-Growth habit

-Seasonal variation

-Ornamental value

ii.)Selection of container:

The container should be shallow(5-7cm deep)

The length of the container must be around 2/3 the height of the plant.

The shape may be round, oval, rectangular, square, or hexagonal.

An unglazed container is preferred to a glazed one as the former allows aeration of the soil.

A container should have one or two drainage holes.

The color of the container should be as natural as possible and is generally black, green, or brown.

iii.) Potting mixture:

- Mixture should be nutritionally balanced.

- Should hold the required moisture.

- Should easily, drain the excess water to allow aeration of roots.

                                   "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago.

                                             The second best time is now".😊