THICKENING THE TRUNK OF A BONSAI

Bonsai Trees

Bonsai Trees

THICKENING THE TRUNK OF A BONSAI

It often happens that the trunk of a Bonsai looks too thin in relation to the crown and if this occurs you will have to resolve to thickness it.It is the lower branches that determine the thickness of a tree-trunk,so cut them away once the trunk is as thick as you want it.
If you want to thicken only the base of the trunk,start in spring by wrapping a piece of aluminum wire round the trunk just below the surface of the soil.Above the wire the trunk will swell relatively quickly.Remove the wire in the autumn of the same year otherwise it will constrict the tree too much and it might die.

Bonsai Trees

Bonsai Trees

Bonsai Trees

Bonsai Trees

Bonsai-The complete guide to art and technique

Bonsai-The complete guide to art and technique

Bonsai-The complete guide to art and technique

BONSAI-THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO ART AND TECHNIQUE

Bonsai-The complete guide to art and technique

Bonsai-The complete guide to art and technique

Bonsai-The complete guide to art and technique

Bonsai-The complete guide to art and technique

Bonsai-The complete guide to art and technique

Bonsai-The complete guide to art and technique

Bonsai-The complete guide to art and technique

Bonsai-The complete guide to art and technique

BONSAI FROM THE WILD

Bonsai Tree-Taken at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum


BONSAI FROM THE WILD

Bonsai Tree-Taken at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum


In years gone by many people in Japan used to take themselves off to the mountains in spring to find suitable bonsai,and they often brought home with them some really lovely specimens.
before collecting from the wild you should gain the permission of the landowner if you intend removing any material,and make sure you are up-to-date with information regarding protected species.Your chances of successfully replanting your find will be good if you go collecting at the beginning of spring;plants will not have begun to grow again and so can still tolerate a change of site quite well.Take with you a small spade,a sharp knife or secateurs,a couple of plastic boxes,newspaper and some water.That way you'll be able to dig up your specimen with as much root and soil attached as possible,and be able to wrap it in damp newspaper to stop it drying out and get it home safely.

Bonsai from the wild


Seedlings about 10-20cm high are suitable material and should present no problems for further cultivation as they still have a compact ball of roots and can be taken out of the ground easily.
At home plant your young tree in loose soil in the garden or put it in a large pot with a good drainage layer and a mixture of equal parts peat/sand.
After one or two years the roots should be cut and the tree repotted into a bonsai dish.

Maple Bonsai Tree, Acer campestre

Japanese Bonsai Styles

Windswept style


No two bonsai are the same.However,in Japanese bonsai some typical shapes have evolved,all of which are found in nature.The most important ones to be able to recognize are follows.

Individual trees
-Formal upright
-Curved informal upright
-Slanting style
-Semi cascade
-Cascade or hanging style

Triple trunk style


Trees with several trunks,and group plantings
-Twin trunk
-Triple trunk
-Clump
-Raft style
-Raft from root,or sinuous,style
-Multi-tree or group planting

Semi cascade style


Styles that may be planted singly or in groups
-Broom,or besom,style
-Windswept style
-Literati style
-Clinging-to-rock,or rock grown,style

Clinging-to-rock style

Bonsai -Miniature landscapes(Saikei)

Bonsai -Miniature landscapes(Saikei)


Saikei are miniature landscapes planted in shallow dishes to represent a piece of natural scenery-perhaps a strip of river,a waterfall in the mountains,a pine grove by the sea or a deciduous wood with pathways and streams.Saikei have a long history if we include among the art those miniature landscapes depicted on thirteenth and fourteenth century scroll paintings.The art of forming saikei was rediscovered recently by Japanese bonsai master,who developed the art further.In the West,saikei is becoming better known and has attracted much admiration from bonsai enthusiasts.

Bonsai -Miniature landscapes(Saikei)


Saikei are different from bonsai group plantings mainly in that not only trees are used but also rocks and various types of earth-sometimes even tiny houses,bridges,animals and figures,too.Good saikei formations work because the three basic elements,trees,rocks and earth combine in a harmonious way.

Bonsai -Miniature landscapes(Saikei)


Bonsai -Miniature landscapes(Saikei)

Bonsai-Rock Plantings

Bonsai-Rock Plantings


Bonsai-Rock Plantings
Bonsai arrangements using rocks follow two basic patterns:those with plants rooted on the rock and having no link with the earth in the dish,and those whose roots run down over the rock into the earth.
Good bonsai rock compositions are achieved when the plants,rocks and dishes form a natural-looking unity.

Bonsai-Rock Plantings


The main thing to consider is which quality of a rock landscape you wish to recreate and which perspective you will select for it.These are considerations that will determine how you arrange the two basic elements of your bonsai.Rocks will look like giant cliff-faces if the trees on them are relatively much smaller,and they'll shrink to the size of rocky fragments if the trees dominate the scene.

Bonsai-Rock Plantings

Bonsai Proportional

Bonsai Proportional


Bonsai Proportional
Each bonsai enthusiast tends to proportionality of trunks, branches and leaves. The size of the leaves can be reduced in several ways. In the summer you can cut leaves with the specific, sharp scissors, clips of leaves. Sure,it must be strong and healthy tree. New buds will be adorned smaller leaves. For Bonsai will be less stressful if dilute leaves in the branches half at once, while the other half over the two weeks. Before and after dilute leaves the tree does not fertilize and less water at the same time. Until they start running the new buds, you need to have them in the shade.

Bonsai Proportional


Bonsai Proportional

Bonsai Trees-Forms of Bonsai

Bonsai Trees-Forms of Bonsai

Today's Chinese bonsai “masters” strictly segregated 'pun-sai' and 'pun-ching. For many the word 'pun-jing' represents both forms of bonsais. The word 'pun-sai', consisting of the same characters as the Japanese word 'bonsai' means and the tree planted in a container, and without the province, while the 'pun-ching' means a tree planted in a container with the landscape. The art of pun-ching goes back deep into history in the initial period of Han dynasty, around 206 BC. – 220, when the Chinese artists in the creation of the provinces began to create miniature variants of its famous rock garden. Legend says that the Jiang-feng was endowed with magic power, which has allowed to magic small landscapes on the plate. Provinces were very detailed with the rocks, mountains, trees, rivers, houses, people and animals.
In the same period as that pun-ching, which is still a very popular form in Chinese, also the first record of the arts pun-sai in the Ch'in Dynasty (221 - 206 BC). Ton Guen-ming, a well known poet and high official was tired of government affairs, withdrew to the quiet countryside, where he began cultivating chrysanthemums in pots. This was the beginning of the cultivation of plants in pots, which led to the subsequent zooming trees. Only 200 years later we see in the figures from the T'ang period cypress, plum, or the bamboo all growing in containers.


Bonsai Trees-Forms of Bonsai


Bonsai Trees-Forms of Bonsai

Bonsai Arts

Bonsai Arts

Bonsai arts have developed in the Far East, where the term represents the harmony between heaven and earth, between man and nature. Its spiritual values derived from the Eastern philosophy of life, which tends to harmony between man and nature - a harmony that is achieved when the apparent sympathy with the procedure fully inclusive growth and development. The best example of this is certainly bringing bonsais.
Fan of bonsais will certainly conscientiously care for their trees and regularly reviewed. Through the re-feel the rhythm of the seasons and nourishes deep within themselves, the power of creation, which establishes and reduced our small trees. Education bonsai requires much care and attention, but us as a prize to give tranquility of thought, and the internal concentration.
Probably there is no man, who would not have been impressed over these perfect small trees which grow in containers and in each of the smallest details, with the exception of height, reminiscent of its larger brothers in the wild. For their education through need a few skills, but will anyone who has some luck in plants, given the great satisfaction in bringing bonsai. Miniature trees were first planted in containers and Chinese Bonsai is still part of Chinese culture. Bonsai has a place in each of the Chinese community, even beyond the borders of China, in places such as Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore.


Bonsai Arts