Garden and Flowers

What is bonsai? Bonsai originated from China and is the intricate art of miniaturizing trees and shrubs through the pruning of  its trunk and roots and growing them in small and shallow pots or trays. Growing bonsai plants involves great amount of  patience and care so that the resulting plant will achieve that characteristic look of a bonsai. The art of growing bonsai plants originated in China and was then taken up by the Japanese who took it into a much more venerated and refined art form.

Perfect bonsai plants are regarded as treasures for you can’t measure the care, time and patience that is involved in growing  the plant. Presently, the art of growing bonsai plants is practiced all over the world which many enthusiasts finds it relaxing  and a way to relieve the stresses of the modern world.

Growing a bonsai plant involves partly the art form of sculpture, and partly the practice of horticulture, which skills are used to shape, bend and miniaturize the plant. The main purpose is to achieve the look of a large full grown plant but in a miniaturized form without making it appear that it was created through manual manipulation. It is creating a visual harmony between the bonsai plant and the tray or pot in which it is grown in. You can grow two or three bonsai plant in one tray provided that the tray is large enough for the plants until they mature and the tray will not compromise the whole look of the bonsai plants in it. This is called group planting. When you add stones and figurines together with the plants, it is called Saikei. Bonsai trees are categorized according to various styles used for growing them, which relate to the angle of the trunk, the number or shape of the trunk, whether they are planted in groups, cascade, slant, are unconventionally upright or conventionally upright. The size of bonsai trees also differs a great deal, from trees that are fairly large to tiny ones that are grown in thimble-sized containers.

There are several methods used in order to make yo0ur bonsai look old. The trunk and branches of the young bonsai tree are wired so that they will grow in a certain way and make them look old and gnarled. The barks of the tree are sometimes removed in order to create an aged look. These methods are called Sabamiki, Sharimiki and Jin. Bonsai plants are not that much different from their counterparts that are growing normally. The only difference is that the bonsai are small because they are grown in a confined space. Some of the trees that are made into bonsai trees are juniper, maple and pine but some local species are also grown successfully.

The frequency of pruning the roots and repotting of bonsai trees is based on the age of the tree. Older trees can be repotted every 3-4 years, while younger trees may require it every second year. When the tree is repotted and the roots are pruned, it encourages the growth of new roots at the base of the trunk, giving a look of new vigor. Root pruning and repotting is usually done in the spring, before new buds start opening.