Bonsai: Culture

A Bonsai is grown and shaped to reflect the beauty of nature. For a list of accessories click here. Bonsai literally means 'tree in pot.' Bonsais are grown in Asia to reflect the image of an old tree. They are basically older trees in miniature. The pot is intended to provide balance to the overall composition. A well shaped Bonsai is like a living painting reflecting all the characteristics of nature. Bonsai reflects the essence of Eastern culture in a nutshell.

History of Bonsai
Over 2000 years ago, Chinese monks appreciated the beauty of trees occurring in their natural mountainous environment which had remained very small, and also associated such miniature trees with great powers. They took such trees home with them to remind them of the beauty of the surrounding mountains and allowed them to continue growing in pots. Eventually, other species of trees were also used, and a tradition developed involving the growing and shaping of such miniature trees, referred to as the Bonsai tradition.

Aesthetic characteristics
A Bonsai is not simply a smaller mathematical counterpart to a full-sized tree found in nature, but it does create this impression. A good Bonsai is like a living painting which reflects all the characteristics of nature itself. Bonsai is art and nature in one.

Your Bonsai already has a long history behind it and has been grown and aesthetically shaped with the greatest care. The information below will help you to easily keep your Bonsai beautiful and healthy.

Watering
Your Bonsai is a living tree, and all trees need moisture to survive and grow. An insufficient supply of water will cause the leaves to dry out, and in time will also cause the sap flow to dry out. Too much water will cause the roots in the pot to rot and weaken the tree. Water your Bonsai once the soil begins to dry out, and wait until the tree has absorbed the water (in an average location, this takes about two days) before supplying more water. Always make sure that the ball of soil around the roots absorbs sufficient water. Excess water will drain off via the bottom of the pot.

Nutrients
Every Bonsai needs certain nutrients in order to remain healthy. Your best option is to use commercially available Bonsai nutrients in solid or liquid form. Solid nutrients should be pressed into the soil, after which they dissolve in the water that is periodically added. Liquid nutrients should be mixed into the water used for watering the Bonsai. Follow the dosage instructions given on the packaging. You can also use regular plant nutrients, but in that case you should adjust the dosage to 60%. Your Bonsai grows throughout the year and therefore needs nutrients on a year-round basis.

Location
Your Bonsai was grown in South China and is accustomed to an annual variation in temperature of between 12°C and 30°C. As a result, it is very suitable for indoor locations. If the outdoor temperature exceeds 12°C, you may also place it outdoors. Bonsais need light to grow properly, so you should place your bonsais in a well-lit location, which may include some direct sunlight if available. However, make sure your tree is not exposed to direct sunlight all day long.

Repotting
Thanks to the care taken during the growing process, your Bonsai is in perfect balance. The volumes of roots and foliage are well balanced, and the size of the pot has also been carefully chosen. After some years of healthy growth, the roots will become cramped in the pot, and the Bonsai can be moved to a larger pot. This will give you the opportunity to prune the roots, which in turn will ensure that the root structure remains young and vital. The best time to repot your Bonsai is during the spring. Remove the tree from the pot and carefully comb away the old soil from the roots, after which you can prune off 30% of the roots. To ensure good vitality, you should also cut away some of the thicker roots. Place some loose potting soil, mixed with some coarse sand if you prefer, into the bottom of the pot and place the tree on top of the bottom layer. Finally, fill the pot further with the same new soil mixture.

Diseases and pests
A healthy Bonsai has little or nothing to fear from diseases or pests. Lice or spider mite does sometimes crop up. Lice can be detected by the sticky drops they produce, and spider mites give the leaves a light dull spotted colour. To prevent lice or spider mite from occurring, you should make sure that your Bonsai stands in a well ventilated location. This also prevents damage from moulds such as mildew. You can also purchase effective remedies against the above conditions in almost any garden supply centre.

Pruning
Every tree has a natural tendency to grow outwards from the tips of the branches and to lose the oldest leaves or needles from the inside. To achieve a beautiful and finally branched Bonsai, you need to reverse this tendency. This can be done quite easily by pruning the outer growth. The Bonsai that you have purchased already has the proper shape and therefore only needs proper maintenance. You should cut off all the young shoots which extend outside the silhouettes of the tree itself. You should also prune away all shoots growing out from the branches in a vertical or downward direction. You will be rewarded with a healthy Bonsai which retains its proper shape.

Wiring
Young branches have a natural tendency to initially grow upwards and to bend downwards only after the passage of time. The branches of your Bonsai bend downwards in order to create the image of an older tree. You can further influence the shape of your Bonsai with the help of wires. If you wind wires of the proper thickness around the branches at an angle of 45°, you can bend the branches into any desired shape. In time, the branch will grow thicker and become constricted by the wire, at which time you should remove the wire.