How do we bonsai tree?
I’d like to start from scratch, i have no idea on how it’s done… i only know that it takes a lot of time and effort. I pretty much like the type with red maple leaves. Not sure if it’s the “Japanese Maple Bonsai” though. I’d like to have it indoor, and i live on the Mediterranean coast.
By the way, we start by planting seeds, a branch piece or…? and is there any book on how to bonsai tree???
Thank you
can sum1, who actually practices bonsai-ing give sum tips? like which type of tree to start with? what to avoid? …
http://www.bonsaisite.com/
There may be more than one red-leafed tree used in Bonsai, but the one I’ve always heard of is the Maple. The site above has really good information about Bonsai and some directions on how to get started…Good luck!
April 26th, 2009 at 3:22 am
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/bonsai:
Technique:
The practice of bonsai incorporates a number of techniques either unique to bonsai or, if used in other forms of cultivation, applied in unusual ways that are particularly suitable to the bonsai domain.
Leaf trimming This technique involves the selective removal of leaves (for most varieties of deciduous tree) or needles (for coniferous trees and some others) from a bonsai's trunk and branches. A common esthetic technique in bonsai design is to expose the tree's branches below groups of leaves or needles (sometimes called "pads"). In many species, particularly coniferous ones, this means that leaves or needles projecting below their branches must be trimmed off. For some coniferous varieties, such as spruce, branches carry needles from the trunk to the tip and many of these needles may be trimmed to expose the branch shape and bark. Needle and bud trimming can also be used in coniferous trees to force back-budding or budding on old wood, which may not occur naturally in many conifers.[5] Along with pruning, leaf trimming is the most common activity used for bonsai development and maintenance, and the one that occurs most frequently during the year.
Pruning The small size of the tree and some dwarfing of foliage result from pruning the trunk, branches, and roots. Improper pruning can weaken or kill trees.[6] Careful pruning throughout the tree's life is necessary, however, to maintain a bonsai's basic design, which can otherwise disappear behind the uncontrolled natural growth of branches and leaves.
Wiring Wrapping copper or aluminium wire around branches and trunks allows the bonsai designer to create the desired general form and make detailed branch and leaf placements. When wire is used on new branches or shoots, it holds the branches in place until they lignify (convert into wood), usually 6-9 months or one growing season. Wires are also used to connect a branch to another object (e.g., another branch, the pot itself) so that tightening the wire applies force to the branch. Some species do not lignify strongly, and some specimens' branches are too stiff or brittle to be bent easily. These cases are not conducive to wiring, and shaping them is accomplished primarily through pruning.
Clamping For larger specimens, or species with stiffer wood, bonsai artists also use mechanical devices for shaping trunks and branches. The most common are screw-based clamps, which can straighten or bend a part of the bonsai using much greater force than wiring can supply. To prevent damage to the tree, the clamps are tightened a little at a time and make their changes over a period of months or years.
Grafting In this technique, new growing material (typically a bud, branch, or root) is introduced to a prepared area on the trunk or under the bark of the tree. There are two major purposes for grafting in bonsai. First, a number of favorite species do not thrive as bonsai on their natural root stock and their trunks are often grafted onto hardier root stock. Examples include Japanese red maple and Japanese Black pine. [5] Second, grafting allows the bonsai artist to add branches (and sometimes roots) where they are needed to improve or complete a bonsai design. [7][8] There are many applicable Grafting techniques, none unique to bonsai, including branch grafting, bud grafting, thread grafting, and others.
Defoliation Short-term dwarfing of foliage can be accomplished in certain deciduous bonsai by partial or total defoliation of the plant partway through the growing season. Not all species can survive this technique. In defoliating a healthy tree of a suitable species, most or all of the leaves are removed by clipping partway along each leaf's petiole (the thin stem that connects a leaf to its branch). Petioles later dry up and drop off, or are manually removed once dry. The tree responds by producing a fresh crop of leaves. The new leaves are generally much smaller than those from the first crop, sometimes as small as half the length and width. If the bonsai is shown at this time, the smaller leaves contribute greatly to the bonsai esthetic of dwarfing. It should be noted that this change in leaf size is usually not permanent, and the leaves of the following spring will often be the normal size. Defoliation weakens the tree and should not be performed in two consecutive years. [9]
Deadwood Bonsai growers use deadwood bonsai techniques called jin and shari to simulate age and maturity in a bonsai. Jin is the term used when the bark from an entire branch is removed to create the impression of a snag of deadwood. Shari denotes stripping bark from areas of the trunk to simulate natural scarring from a broken limb or lightning strike. In addition to stripping bark, this technique may also involve the use of tools to scar the deadwood or to raise its grain, and the application of chemicals (usually lime sulfur) to bleach and preserve the exposed deadwood.
References :
April 26th, 2009 at 3:51 am
Search it on the internet
References :
April 26th, 2009 at 4:06 am
google it!
References :
April 26th, 2009 at 4:54 am
Bonsai is actually two words, "Bon", and "Sai". The word "Bon" means "tray" and "Sai", "growing" or "planting". Therefore, the two words put together give you the translation of "tray growing" or "tray planting". When you say the word, "Bonsai" to people, they usually think of a type of tree. However, this art form is actually a way of growing many different species of plants and trees. With that in mind, take your time and browse through the many articles I've written about my favorite hobby, and get started on your path to becoming a true Bonsai Master!
References :
http://www.bonsaigardener.org/how-to-grow-bonsai-trees.html
April 26th, 2009 at 5:24 am
http://www.bonsaisite.com/
There may be more than one red-leafed tree used in Bonsai, but the one I’ve always heard of is the Maple. The site above has really good information about Bonsai and some directions on how to get started…Good luck!
References :
April 26th, 2009 at 6:06 am
Bonsai are not genetically dwarfed plants. They can be created from nearly any tree or shrub species and remain small through pot confinement with crown and root pruning. Some species are more sought after for use as bonsai material, because they have characteristics, such as small leaves or needles, that make them appropriate for the smaller design scope of bonsai. The purposes of bonsai are primarily contemplation (for the viewer) and the pleasant exercise of effort and ingenuity (for the grower). By contrast with other plant-related practices, bonsai is not intended for production of food, for medicine, or for creating yard-sized or park-sized landscapes. As a result, the scope of bonsai practice is narrow and focused on the successful long-term cultivation and shaping of one or more small trees in a single pot.
[edit] Techniques
This juniper makes extensive use of both jin (deadwood branches) and shari (trunk deadwood). This photograph is of the tree’s back.The practice of bonsai incorporates a number of techniques either unique to bonsai or, if used in other forms of cultivation, applied in unusual ways that are particularly suitable to the bonsai domain.
Leaf trimming This technique involves the selective removal of leaves (for most varieties of deciduous tree) or needles (for coniferous trees and some others) from a bonsai’s trunk and branches. A common esthetic technique in bonsai design is to expose the tree’s branches below groups of leaves or needles (sometimes called “pads”). In many species, particularly coniferous ones, this means that leaves or needles projecting below their branches must be trimmed off. For some coniferous varieties, such as spruce, branches carry needles from the trunk to the tip and many of these needles may be trimmed to expose the branch shape and bark. Needle and bud trimming can also be used in coniferous trees to force back-budding or budding on old wood, which may not occur naturally in many conifers.[5] Along with pruning, leaf trimming is the most common activity used for bonsai development and maintenance, and the one that occurs most frequently during the year.
References :