Practical Bonsai

Bonsai Growing in Extreme Weather

2011-09-21T17:40:00.000+12:00

Heavy Constant Rain

When we grow bonsai we always hope that we do not have to face or deal with extremes in weather.

Sometimes heavy constant rain can be a problem. Usually the results I see are that the bonsai seems to grow with a greater vigour than before. But this is not always the case.

If the root ball is so saturated that it doesn’t allow the water to drain away, then the potential for the roots to rot is rather high. The roots are resting in water logged soil. You will not really know this is happening until the leaves begin to change colour and fall off, and the bonsai is effectively dead.

The best way that I know to stop this from happening is to provide adequate drainage.

The Pot

· Make sure that the pot has good sized holes in the base to allow the water to exit as quickly as possible.

o Cover the hole with material that is going to stop the soil from washing through it.

· Some bonsai enthusiasts have a layer of pea metal covering the base to allow the water to drain to the holes.

o I’ve never been too sure how this actually works in the shallow pots that we use.

o In deep pots where the soil is placed towards the top, I can understand that an area underneath filled with pea metal will be good for drainage.

· The pot needs a space underneath of 5 mm to 10 mm above the shelf.

o This stops the water from ponding under the pot by capillary attraction.

o It allows the water to drain away and for air to pass through the gap to keep it dry.

The Soil

· If you experience heavy constant rain for a very long time, remember that you may have to provide some liquid fertilizer to replace those nutrients that have been washed out.

· The soil mix that you use needs to be ‘free draining’.

o This means that the fine soil particles have been removed.

o There are many benefits that your bonsai will enjoy from this one action.

o If you do not have the bonsai set of sieves then use your kitchen flour sieve or its equivalent.

o If you can, include about ⅓ pea metal in your soil mix. The pea metal acts to keep the soil more open and friable.

o It allows the roots to penetrate the soil easier and the subsequent growth is more robust. It also allows the replacement of stale air with oxygen rich air.

o Oxygen is required by the roots to grow. The fine soil particles dictate how fast the water passes through the soil.

o If on a normal watering day it takes more than 5 seconds for the water to disappear from the surface, then the soil is clogged up with fine particles. The amount of moss growing on the top can be better controlled.

o If the moss is too thick it will stop the water from getting into the root ball. The weeds in a friable mix are easily removed.

Ground Cover

· My mix is friable and has the majority of fine particles removed.

· I also keep the soil level 10 mm to 15 mm below the top edge of the pot.

o This space is filled with pea metal. (Pea metal is a stone chip of approximately 5 mm diameter.) It reduces the speed of evaporation and maintains the moisture within the root ball.

Check after heavy constant rain that the water has evaporated from around the bonsai. If it is still wet underneath, then it is more than possible that the root ball is water logged and the bonsai is in danger of suffering root rot.

Be happy and use a friable mix,

Bonsaibevan.

Follow me on Twitter

2011-08-18T10:28:00.005+12:00

My account is Bonsaibevan. I would really love you to follow me. BUT most of all I'd love to have your comments about my tweets.

Here are some of the tweets I have written.

NZ TV showed Gabrielle Gifford's heroic return to the house. Congratulations! Did a bonsai tree help in your recovery?

Masterchef programme would fit Masterbonsai so well. Bonsaists could go head to head on producing different bonsai results just as chefs do.

What could I do to make bonsai 'SEXY'? just imagine the success? Whew!! Everyone would be interested.

How can I make a movie like Karate Kid but call it Bonsai Bevan and feature my bonsai? Would people come and see it?

What makes a great bonsai? It's shape, it's size, it's color or what? It all helps a good bonsai. Leave a note!

Can you tell me what the real difference is between Literati and Bunjin bonsai styles? I'd love to hear from you.

The best part of these tweets is that I include this URL http://practicalbonsai.blogspot.com

Happy Following,

Bonsaibevan

Repot Your Bonsai. A Practical Approach

2011-08-08T20:01:00.002+12:00

There are a number of ways to re-invigorate your bonsai.

The simplest way is to remove a strip of soil from around the edge of the pot. About 1 cm is probably enough. You will notice that this removes the roots that have followed the wall of the pot. So in some instances it can be quite a tangle that you have to remove. If you are careful you can remove the bonsai from the pot and take a strip of soil off the bottom. A layer of soil on the bottom and the soil replaced around the edges will be OK for repotting of your bonsai.

Another way is take the bonsai out of the pot and cut a layer off the root ball all the way round. The new soil in the same pot or a new pot replaces the amount you have cut off. This is quite a good method if you feel that your bonsai is too delicate for the rigors of a complete or near complete soil removal.

A partial soil removal is where you untangle the roots and cut them to approximately ⅓ their length. You do this without disturbing the soil under the trunk and leaving as much of the soil as you can.

A complete soil removal is where you remove all the soil. You can do this by raking the soil out until there is virtually no soil around the roots. At this point, if you find that you have a lot of weed roots, you can wash the soil off, remove the weed roots and then replace the soil. If you have to do this, then do it quickly before the roots dry out.

In the new pot, put a mound of soil under the bonsai, spread the roots out so they straddle the mound of soil. Add more soil right up to the top of the pot. I have found that this is usually enough soil to have in the pot. Use chopsticks or a spatula to embed (firm) the soil in and around the roots.

Repotting is also about;

a. Selecting a pot the matches the gender of the bonsai.

b. Selecting a pot that matches the style of the bonsai.

c. Selecting a pot that is large enough to accommodate the spread of the branches.

d. Placement of the bonsai in the pot. Close to, but not on the center lines. Place the bonsai towards the back of the pot.

e. Secure the bonsai into the pot so it will be held without moving until the roots take hold.

f. Put across the top some sort of ground cover. This gives the soil surface some protection from the weather and allows watering without washing away the soil.

The next most important thing to remember is what to do after repotting. You need to give the bonsai a chance to survive. Put it in a cool place out of the sun for approximately 2 weeks. You can mist the leaves twice a day for two weeks or you can soak it in sugared water during the day and remove it at night time. All of these ways work very well. Your use of any or all of them will be dictated by how you feel you will get the best result for your bonsai form repotting.

Happy repotting.

Bonsaibevan

Your Soil Mixes

2011-08-01T19:44:00.004+12:00

Soil Mixes.

Throughout my bonsai life I have always been struggling with trying to find the best and correct soil mix to use. I had hoped to find a mix that would suit all of my bonsai. I can now tell you that I have learnt that there is only one way to decide on the best soil mix. Use whatever is available at the time that you are (re)potting.

You can find all sorts of formula that will tell you how much of this and how much of that to use. It will tell you names and descriptions that you have know Idea about. So leaving all that aside, there are some fundamental things to remember.

Perhaps the most important thing you need to decide is how much water you want your soil mix to retain. What I mean is this:

a. If you use a very friable mix then there will be a lot spaces within your mix surrounding the particles. This allows the water to drain through very quickly. If you happen to be slow in watering your bonsai, for one or even two days, then it will very quickly dry out. And this is the end for your bonsai.

b. If you use a mix that is less friable then the water is slower to drain through and the mix is slower to dry out. Your bonsai then has a chance to survive if you are slow in watering for a day or two. BUT if your soil mix is too saturated for too long then rot can set in and destroy the roots. When rotting actually begins is something you will have to learn for yourselves because it will be dependent on where your trees are located and how often you water them.

c. I can hear you ask, how does this friable business work? It has all to do with the amount of ‘fines’ that are within the soil mix. The ‘fines’ are the very small particles that ‘clog’ up those fine spaces between the particles. You could say that the ‘fines’ are the tap of the soil mix. They control the flow of water just like a tap over the kitchen.

d. If you want your bonsai to grow quickly then use a well fertilised and very friable mix. Make sure of course that you have a very good watering regime and that you intend to repot the bonsai each year.

e. If you want your bonsai to stay in the pot for a couple of years or longer, then have a less friable mix. The water will take longer to soak in, but the end result will be that your bonsai is still alive.

Now what ingredients to use?

You can use a ‘simple’ commercial potting mix. A mix that is free of too many added ingredients. Read the labels before you buy. They could well be the cheapest soil mixes. This is quite easy to purchase and you will find that your bonsai can grow quite happily in this mix.

For me, I have been reading about bonsai mixes for so that I feel that I must follow the dictates of everyone else in bonsai. For right or wrong I have developed this mix for me. I usually work in thirds.

I start with a third of a simple commercial potting mix. This mix does not have too many added ingredients. But remember that I have a few bonsai and I have sufficient ‘old’ soil from previous repottings. This material I microwave for 50 minutes to kill weeds etc and I use as a basis for my commercial mix.

The next third is ‘pea metal’. It is a small stone chip that you could find on a footpath after the council has re-sealed it. This gives the mix some draining abilities and provides some bulk to the mix.

The remaining third is compost from my household bin. It has been sieved to remove the larger pieces and in the future I am going to microwave this to remove any chances of any weeds that might have survived the composting experience.

Is my soil mix friable? From starting off with having a very friable mix I am now getting to a mix that is less friable. Do I sieve out the fines? No I don’t. BUT I am always looking to see that the soil mix is not going to end up as a thick congealed mass that will allow the roots to rot.

Fertilising is a personal thing and you can include some in your mix or can leave it out and apply it during the life of the bonsai. I am sure fertilisers and their application etc is the subject of another article.

Happy mixing.

Bevanbevan.

Bonsai from Nursery Stock

2008-05-21T19:21:00.002+12:00

When selecting your potential bonsai from nursery stock look for material that has a lot of branches, medium to small leaves and if you know the flower size check that they are smaller rather than larger. In some nurseries they have a ‘throw away’ bin or somewhere they put their plants the general public do not want. They are usually on a discount or cheaper stand. They can also be looking quite disheveled and unloved. If they can meet the following suggestions then they can and sometimes turn into very good bonsai. It is this tough beginning of life that can put some character into the bonsai.

When you have identified a potential bonsai from the nursery stock then you need to start looking more closely at it to refine your selection. Scrape back the soil so that you can find the first major roots. Remember that the plants in the nursery are usually grown deep in the soil. This gives the young plant support. The trunk then grows straight up which for most cases does not make ‘natural’ looking bonsai. The best bonsai come from the shallow grown plant because the trunk can move around in the wind and does allow the trunk to bend. Generally you have to get through some fine roots before you get to the more substantial roots. This is where the soil level is going to be when the bonsai is established. While you have the soil scraped back look for the first curve of the trunk. If you put you finger into the curve and sweep it upwards the direction in which your finger goes is the direction of the bonsai apex.

The very next thing you have to look for is the taper of the trunk. It must go from the soil level up to the apex as a gradual taper. In a bonsai the taper is constant and although the trunk is bent and curved the taper must still be gradual. Branches can sometimes look as though they have a mind of their own and seem to be thicker than they should. When you come to do the initial shaping and styling of the nursery stock you can quite easily use that branch as the new trunk as long as the taper looks right and the apex is still going in the right direction.

Have a look at the structure of the nursery stock and see if your bonsai can have one trunk, three, five or seven branches throughout its length. Put the temptation of leaving more branches on the bonsai to one side because depending on the overall height the bonsai can look too cluttered. Remember that you are after a simple design for the style you have chosen for this bonsai that you have got from nursery stock.

Happy Bonsai

Bonsai Bevan

Chinese Bonsai Style V Japanese Bonsai Style

2008-05-07T20:05:00.005+12:00

The Chinese bonsai style and the Japanese bonsai style are based on trees that have been shaped in nature by the strength and direction of the wind, the position of the tree on an open field or up the side of a mountain, the number and type of animals that may graze on it, the amount of water available to the tree and the climate zones of the world in which it grows. These trees growing in nature can and do exhibit all of the bonsai styles that we endeavor to follow. There are some that are of a style that does not fit into anything that has yet been acceptable to the bonsai community.

The Chinese bonsai styles allow the bonsai tree to grow in an unstructured way. I prefer to call it an unsophisticated bonsai style. The Japanese bonsai style however is what I like to call manicured. There is a serious attempt to have strict adherence to the styling rules. You can see that the strict adherence to the rules are reflected in what some people call their bonsai. Some bonsai trees are named to reflect what is seen captured in the bonsai. Some bonsai are shaped to represent what has happened in their lives. But all styles are a testament to the dedication that we all have for the living art of bonsai.

I have observed that the western countries have this infatuation with the manicured look of the Japanese bonsai style to the detriment of what is the more natural look of the Chinese bonsai style. I think it has come about because Japan has been opened up to the western countries longer than China. I suspect that there has been a conscious effort to please the western appetite for bonsai information and the Japanese adherents have been quick to react to the option of producing information and bonsai trees to satisfy the market.

For me it is important to think about combining both the unsophisticated Chinese bonsai style with the manicured Japanese bonsai style. I can see that with the rules written around an aesthetic balance we will be able to get to a yet unnamed and quite a unique bonsai style. The successful bonsai will still reflect the simplicity of style yet show the different ages of the bonsai.

In future blogs I will explore some of the design principles that I follow when I am styling my own bonsai trees. They are a combination of both the Chinese bonsai style and the Japanese bonsai style.

Happy Bonsai

Bonsai Bevan

Respect the Bonsai

2008-04-27T17:23:00.003+12:00

I've always thought that your bonsai trees should be put somewhere that will get your attention. They need to be placed so that you can look at them every day. If you get into the habit of stopping and asking, "How are you today?" It will be enough time for you to observe the state of your bonsai trees. The down side of this ideal is that when you leave home each morning in the dark and get home in the dark it is not so easy to keep a good eye on your bonsai.

I like to think that this is giving the bonsai tree respect and recognizing that it is growing in a pot and is dependent on me to keep it alive. It is much the same as having and looking after pets and on some occasions I have likened my bonsai trees as having children and providing for them to the best of my ability. Yes, the investment that I have made in looking after my bonsai trees is the same as looking after my children and I am still hoping that my bonsai trees turn out as successful as my children have done. The ups and downs you have to get your children to maturity is the same with the bonsai.

Happy Bonsai

Bonsai Bevan

The Love of Bonsai

2008-04-24T20:04:00.012+12:00

To have The Love of Bonsai is to believe that you can do things to another living thing, and to do it in such a way, that it will reflect, in this case, an artistic approach that will be pleasing to the eye.

Bonsai is sometimes referred to as The Living Art of Bonsai. I applaud this approach because you can consider that in a general sense art once it has been achieved is there for ever for everyone to enjoy and it doesn’t change or alter in any way. But when you have a ‘living art’ then you have something that is always changing and needs to have your attention all the time so that the principles of the art form that you have created in the bonsai are not lost.

In The Living Art of Bonsai the way that this art is practiced is for the bonsai tree specimen to be kept trimmed. This term ‘trimmed’, that bonsai people use is where the art of bonsai begins. The bonsai tree is trimmed in the areas of the foliage and the root ball. A shape has been created in the bonsai tree and then the trimming of the foliage can begin. The trimming of the foliage allows the specimen to develop and to look as though it is a tree that can be recognized in the wild.

Trimming is carried out in two ways. The first is to get the branches, and sometimes the trunk, into another position. One of the ways is by ‘wiring’. This is where the wire is wound around the branch and then using the inherent strength of the wire the branch is bent and the branch is held in this position. By this method you can achieve the ‘sharp’ angles that are needed to get the dynamic change of direction into the branches. It is this dramatic change in direction that attracts people to the beauty in the bonsai. Another method is to use string to hold the branch down into a new growing position. Using string does not produce the dramatic changes in direction but gives a more gentle sense of change.

The important aspect of these methods to try and get a relatively young tree into a form or shape that will represent an old tree in the wild. So the wiring and string methods are the means to achieve this. The important part is to get the branches down so that they are level or slightly lower than level. This gives the image of age as all branches of any real age are beginning to droop. The new growth then begins to appear on the top of the branch and this is necessary to again give the impression of age.

I also think the Art of Bonsai is in the doing, in the creating from complex form into a more simple form. Generally to be able to get something simple is a most difficult thing to do and it can be so quickly be destroyed when the elements of simplicity are compromised in some way. In Bonsai I say that the tree must have only 1 trunk and 3 or 5 or 7 branches. If any more are contemplated then there has to be good reason. The numbers of branches are all prime numbers and are more pleasing to the eye and seem to be in a better proportion.

To me it is this side of Bonsai that I enjoy the most which is the actual practical aspects of doing and trying to achieve simplicity in the Bonsai. The fact of applying horticultural aspects to the growing of the bonsai. To deciding on a shape that suits the plant material. To considering those things that attract your eye and then seeing why this happens. To actually making the cuts that will produce that shape. To using the skills and knowledge that I have learnt over the years and applying them to the task of creating a shape. Even to reshape a bonsai that I may have had for some years.

The development of a bonsai mix in which the bonsai will successfully grow. The transplanting from pot to pot with the hope that the plant will survive. The sourcing out of new plant material with or without the potential to be a good bonsai.

The selection of pots. Making them out of timber, or purchasing ceramic or pottery pots and then consider the size and shape to best display the bonsai.

To making the display stands or in my case the display areas. I fear that I am a true 'collector' with a limited ability ti show the bonsai to the best effect.

To going and conducting demonstrations with all the effort of preparing the 'stuff' that I need for a successful demonstration. This includes packing up the car ready to transport it all to the venue.

To consider other's bonsai to see how I would handle that bonsai ans perhaps be critical of the style or even be approving of the style.

To consider those bonsai that are said to be the best in the world. Mainly to see why they are so admired and to consider how I would deal with that bonsai.

To look at nature and see what and how trees grow. To consider the natural shape in which they have grown and to see if there is something that I could learn and even apply the shaping rules that I have learnt and do they apply.

To teaching bonsai. Teaching on behalf of the Wellington Bonsai Club, NZ a set programme of 'Ready', 'Set' and 'Go'. Club members and individuals who are interested in bonsai attend. Club members attend because they have said that it makes them think of other other ways to deal with their bonsai and they are able to view their bonsai trees in a different way.

I have had a fascination with Bonsai for many years. I was so interested in Bonsai that in 1980 I started the Wellington Bonsai Club, NZ. It came about because I wanted to know how to do Bonsai and the books etc available at that time were inadequate in telling me what and how to do bonsai. So many years later in January 2008 I have begun these thoughts in what I hope will be in 1000 word essays about my involvement in Bonsai. There are a series of these essays that I intend to include in my blogs.

A view along the side boundary with the raised bed displaying some of my bonsai trees.

A closer view of some of my bonsai trees in the raised bed.

A closer view of some of my bonsai trees in the raised bed.

Happy Bonsai

Bonsai Bevan

Nature's Bonsai

2008-04-22T19:22:00.005+12:00

Since following the Living Art of Bonsai I am always looking at the trees on the side of the road. Some will look good as a bonsai and many will not make a good bonsai. Some I promise myself that I'll come back and photograph and then use them as examples for future bonsai styles.

This pine tree that I have photographed I have been looking at for about two years and only recently I took the time to photograph it. It has some promise as a twin trunk style. The location of the foliage is about right and shows that throughout its life it has had some real difficulties to survive and reach this stage in its life.

I have found that by looking around at what grows locally I am able to see what plant material survives and in which bonsai styles it may fit. I am not tempted therefore to go off to a nursery and buy just anything that may take my fancy but I try and see if it is already growing in someone's garden in my local area. This helps to answer the question from newer bonsai enthusiasts, "What trees make good bonsai?". You can answer with, "Look around your neighborhood and see what is growing in the gardens." Then add the rider that the leaves need to be small and the flowers to be in proportion so that the overall effect is in balance.

Happy Bonsai.

Bonsai Bevan.

Introduction

2008-04-21T20:55:00.002+12:00

My approach to this blog is to give as much practical advise as I can about the Living Art of Bonsai. I have been following this art for 30 + years and feel that I must pass on some of those things that I have found that have worked for me.

My other claim to fame is to be the founder of the Wellington Bonsai Club, NZ. The membership fluctuates between 30 and 40 members with and average of 20 to 25 attending the monthly meetings.

In future blogs I will write comments about my own bonsai collection and how it has developed and how it is developing. I will certainly tell you about the more important aspects that I feel you need to know and where possible take some photos and include them to give explanation to my comments.

I am looking forward to expand my computer skills into this form of communication.

Happy Bonsai

Bonsai Bevan