I have these plants which have been with me since my college days i.e. for the past 45 years or so. I remember finding some small banyan saplings growing out of the crevices of a wall in our old house. I pulled them out and since they came root and all and looked so sweet, I planted them in some small earthen pots, lying around in our rambling garden. They took root and flourished in those small pots. I think I may have read somewhere about Bonsais and tried to nurture these plants accordingly. Over the years I have moved a number of times, changed houses and cities but these plants have stayed with me. Many a times the containers have broken and I have replanted them in new containers. They survived everything, like me I guess! As I was an Agriculturist and plants and gardening were not only my job but my hobby and passion, I continued to grow as also gift many Bonsais, but somehow I couldn’t part with these first few plants.
old banyan tree being re-styled
 |
| The roots have taken interesting shapes |
old banyan tree being re-styled
4 year old banyan grafted from above plant
I found Bonsai to be a fascinating hobby. It helps develop some very sterling qualities in you – like patience, tenderness, and nurturing. Trying to shape and beautify a live thing without damaging it, is a profound experience.
I found that the Phycus group of trees make for good Bonsais, as they are hardy and require very little looking after. They can be grafted therefore the bonsai is aged faster as the grafted plant is of the age of the mother plant and will flower and fruit accordingly. Some phycus plants give beautiful aerial roots which add to the “big-tree” look of a bonsai.
Amongst the fruiting trees and shrubs chinese orange, neem, chikoo, pomegranate and mango do well.
Some flowering shrubs make rather beautiful bonsais, like bougainvillea, kamini, harsingar and bottle-brush etc.
 |
| Chinese Orange |
 |
| Pomegranate |
Some flowering shrubs make rather beautiful bonsais, like bougainvillea, kamini, harsingar and bottle-brush etc.
It is my experience that it is not necessary to go strictly by the rules when training a bonsai and instead observe the plant and largely follow its natural lines.
Its not just me, the birds too are fond of the bonsais. I had a bulbul nest in one of them.
Its not just me, the birds too are fond of the bonsais. I had a bulbul nest in one of them.
FACT FILE
* History: Bonsai is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers (from bon, a tray or low-sided pot and sai, a planting or plantings). The word bonsai is often used in English as an umbrella term for all miniature trees in containers or pots. The tradition of Bonsai originated in China known as Penjing around 6th century and the miniature living landscapes of Vietnam. Japanese tradition is about a thousand years old and the art has evolved in unique aesthetics and terminology.
*The purpose: Unlike other plant cultivation practices, bonsai is not intended for production of food, for medicine, or for creating gardens or landscapes. Bonsais require long-term cultivation and shaping of one or more small trees grown in a container, for the experience of nurturing a big tree and designing and moulding it into an aesthetically appealing shape. Bonsais are grown on controlled resources protected environment and continuous care throughout their life span. On withdrawal of these conditions the Bonsai will go back to its natural growth and lose the shape being given to it.
The plant is kept relatively small to meet the aesthetic standards of bonsai. When the bonsai nears its planned final size it is planted in a display pot, usually one designed for bonsai display in one of a few accepted shapes and proportions. From that point forward, its growth is restricted by the pot environment. Throughout the year, the bonsai is shaped to limit growth, redistribute foliar vigour to areas requiring further development, and meet the artist's detailed design.
*Dwarfing The practice of bonsai is sometimes confused with dwarfing, but dwarfing generally refers to research, discovery, or creation of plant cultivars that are permanent, genetic miniatures of existing species. Bonsai does not require genetically dwarfed trees, but rather depends on growing small trees from regular stock and seeds. Bonsai uses cultivation techniques like pruning, root reduction, potting, defoliation, and grafting to produce small trees that mimic the shape and style of mature, full-size trees.
*Styles: Some methods of classification of Bonsais are given below
I. Size classification : a) miniature Bonsais under 6inches b) small Bonsais 6 to 12 inches c) medium Bonsais 13 to 24 d) large Bonsais over 24 inches.
*Design: The traditional Bonsai design is based on the rule of three. Lowest point symbolises Earth; midpoint, Man; highest point, Heaven. These three points form outline of an asymmetrical triangle. In Bonsai balance Line and form are very important. Balance and proportion depend on the location of branches and foliage. Balance does not mean symmetry, eg. a heavy branch on one side can be balanced by a curve on the other. The line of the plant reflects how the apex relates to the trunk. The form or outline should be an asymmetrical triangle.
*Potting: Before putting the plant from the nursery into the Bonsai pot, the root system should be examined and the older roots removed. Make sure the pot has a draining hole. The plant should be watered immediately it is potted. The pot should be kept in a half shade for a week or so taking care to water it every day sometimes more than once if needed. Gradually expose it to the sun, say, for a couple of hours at a time till it is able to tolerate the sun for the whole day.
*Training: A bonsai should be trained only when the plant is strong enough to tolerate the rigors of training. Experts suggest that seedlings or graftings are strong only after they have produced new shoots 2 or 3 inches long. Pruning and wiring and sometimes using weights are methods of training Bonsais.
I. * Pruning: Wiring is not advised on young trees therefore a I or 2 year old tree should be cut off at a dormant bud a few inches from the base. After such cutting has been repeated over 4 or 5 years the trunk becomes interesting. Any tiny branches that are formed low should be encouraged and allowed to grow upto the required length and shortened by pinching back with the fingers while they are still young. This will give its trunk the shape required.
II. * Wiring: Wiring can make a young tree look old by turning branches downward. It can turn an upright tree into a cascade, add a curve to a straight trunk, or create a new apex out of a strong branch. Two kinds of wire work well for bonsai. Copper is traditionally used but aluminium wires work just as well. Before you wire it’s a good idea to let the plant go without water for a day to make the branches more limber and easier to bend. This is more so with deciduous trees, whose branches tend to break more easily when bent. Just before you wrap the wire around the trunk or branches, bend them carefully, a little bit at a time, until they take the shape you want. Never wire shoots less than 2 inches long; they’re tender and too easy to damage. Very soft barked trees can be wired with paper covered wires.
*Fertilising: A bonsai needs nourishment in the form of fertilisers at regular intervals. Natural, organic fertilisers are recommended – blood meal, fish meal, bone meal, cotton seed, rape seed, or aged animal manure are good. Organic house plant food is also good; however, always dilute the fertilisers as very strong fertilisers can damage the delicate roots of the bonsai. Saturate the soil till water runs out the drainage hole but do not spray the leaves as they may burn. If the leaves start to yellow or spot then some trace mineral, like zinc, copper, iron is missing from your fertiliser. Substitute the fertiliser with some other all purpose product.
Experimented, narrated and sketches by Parmita, article by Sumita
