Class 3
Richard K. Nordin
subject of bonsai. Many new readers were coming on board asking about how to
get started. I believe you should just start making bonsai. So, I will try to
lead you through creating your first. Besides this gentle counsel, be sure to
read the FAQ (which appears periodically) and search out some good books or
people to introduce you to the subject. I will post sporadically with a
subject containing the word "Class". I am going slow, so be prepared to be
frustrated. If you have questions or comments about building your own first
bonsai, post them "Re:" this thread (and if you have other questions, try to
avoid a subject containing "Class").]
I went to the hardware store to buy some plumbing and, as usual, I took a
swing through the nursery. A bunch of 1-gallon plants, normally US $5 to $7,
were on sale for $3. Hmm. I decided it might be a good thing if I played along
at home with you rookies. I wound up buying three--a mugo pine (p. mugo), a
Japanese black pine (p. thunbergiana), and a juniper (j. procumbens nana).
Because just the day before, at the drugstore, I had seen a small, scrawny
juniper as a ready-made bonsai on sale for $12, I am smiling, knowing that
soon I will have 3 nice bonsai, that in total cost less.
The first thing I did was cut away the part of the plastic pots above the soil
level so I could see, and get at, the whole plant. Repotting into a slightly
smaller container would work, too, so that "ground" level was accessible.
I couldn't resist; to help myself see what I had, I plucked the needles that
were growing on the lower part of the trunk. It is spring, here in California,
and each of the plants is growing vigorously. Each has a very dense growth of
branches. I am very tempted to thin out some of the densely growing branches,
if only to better see the structure of the trees, but I guess I will follow my
own advice and study these trees a bit before doing any pruning. (And, it's
hard not to pinch back those rapidly growing candles, but I'll wait.)
===
So what tactics do we have to give our bonsai the form of a mature tree?
Fundamentally, there are two: removing (or adding) material and shaping
existing material.
Raw stock will usually require that some, or a good many, of its branches be
removed by judicious pruning. (If you are a positivist like me, you can just
think of pruning as adding to the "negative space".) Adding material--grafting
branches onto a tree--is not something you need to get into right away, but
keep in mind that it is possible in those situations that demand it. Another
way to add material takes a little more time and cooperation from your
subject: letting the tree grow it. Sometimes a branch can be coaxed to grow
right where it is needed. Actually, because the bonsai is a living tree, it is
always adding more branches for you to work with. So, your job of shaping the
bonsai is never done! You have been warned. Pruning is your main ally, and
with just a half-hour of clipping on some raw material you can make something
prettier than a cheap ready-made bonsai, something quite beautiful, especially
to the non-initiated. I know; I've seen the jaws drop.
Existing branches are usually shaped with a mechanical restraint, usually
copper wire. (Other methods include tying branches to rigid stakes, or hanging
weights from branches.) Copper wire is wrapped around a branch and then the
branch is bent into the desired shape. This kind of stress causes slight
(hopefully invisible and painless) damage to the branch, and, much later, when
the damage has healed and the wire removed, then the branch will retain the
shape it was given. For instance, wiring youthful upward-growing branches and
bending them down below the horizontal, is how we achieve that appearance of
the limbs of an older tree being affected by years of gravity and weather.
Long, bare limbs can be given beautiful, sinuous forms that bring the foliage
in closer to the trunk. Annoying kinks can be straightened out. It is a
powerful tool.
===
Last time, I left you with a question about how tall will your tree be. Note
that I used the future tense, for its height is mostly up to you. You could
make the tree taller than it is by stretching out the existing apex, but more
likely you will make the tree a little shorter, for that is one way to achieve
the wider trunk to height ratio that is characteristic of a more mature tree.
Now that you have identified the apex of your little tree, it may be time to
reconsider. The existing apex may have to go!
Now, you could just lop of the upper part of the trunk, but that will look
like a tree with its top lopped off. But what if you remove the top just above
a small branch that currently grows horizontally, and you use wire to bend
that branch into a more vertical position? Instantly, you have a new apex, I
hope a lower one, and perhaps a "new, improved" trunk that grows narrow a
little more quickly. And, if that branch was one that had been growing toward
the front of the bonsai, the scar left by removing the apex is now hidden on
the back side of the tree. Luck? No. Planning!
[Are words clear enough here? I have a feeling that I'll eventually have to do
some ASCII artwork to communicate some of these ideas. Holler if a crude
picture would help!]
I have hinted at it, but let me state it directly: the height of the tree
depends on which side is the front; the front of the tree depends on the first
branch; the first branch depends on the height of the tree. Do you get the
feeling you are solving a puzzle? This is why thinking about the design is so
important. You will find yourself often compromising between what you want and
what your bonsai wants.
===
I am still not advocating you attack your subject yet. Keep thinking. I just
want you to know some options you have while you are planning your design.
Think about which branches are undesirable and in need of pruning. Think about
which of the remaining branches will need to be reshaped. Think about how tall
your bonsai will be. The final apex of your bonsai could be anywhere on your
tree right now. So, deciding how tall your tree will be may not be as simple
as it sounded.
[Warning: pruning is better done at some times of the year than others. And,
it varies by location and by tree. Here is where a bonsai book comes in
handy. They often include such data. When we finally get to it, if it's not
a good time to be cutting away at your tree, you may want to be very
conservative and just prune a few branches for practice, saving the extreme
work for the right time of year.]
===
Next time I want to talk about aesthetics--of branch structures to avoid or
eliminate, and what kinds to keep. ASCII art, I can see it coming.
--
Hud Nordin
Cybernetic Arts r...@guest.apple.com
Post Office Box 2066 Telephone: 408.248.0377
Judith Newton
]] Existing branches are usually shaped with a mechanical restraint, usually
]] copper wire.
I've been wondering about the copper wire. Is it very important that we use COPPER wire, or is that just the most widely available in craft stores and the like? Is it the patina after exposure to the elements that is pleasing?
Would you care to recommend a gauge?
Thanks for the class!
--
+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
+ Judith Elaine Bush Newton | std disclaimer *
* bu...@bohr.physics.upenn.edu | Advertise your cause here! +
+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
Ole Mikael Soerensen
>>>>> On 18 Apr 93 02:58:48 GMT, r...@apple.com (Richard K. Nordin) said:
Richard> Next time I want to talk about aesthetics--of branch structures to avoid or
Richard> eliminate, and what kinds to keep. ASCII art, I can see it coming.
Perhaps you could draw your drawings and post them in post-script format.
I would guess, that most of us will be able to view them.
--
.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| __________ ___ __ __ ___ ___ |
| /_________/\/__/\ |\_\ /\_\ /\__\/\__\ |
| \ ____ \ \ \ \ ___ | | \ / / | _\/__/ / / |
| \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ /__/\ | | \ / / | /\__\/ / /_ |
| \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ / _ \/|| | \ / / | / / / / /__\ |
| \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ | |/| ||| | \/ / | / / / / __| |
| \ \ \_\ \ \ \ \| ___|/| | |\ \/ /| |/ / / / /| | |
| \ \/__\ \ \ \ | |/___/| | | \ / | | / / / / | | |
| \_________\/\__\/\____/ \|__| \/ \|__|/__/\/__/ \|__| |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| COCA COLA IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT!! |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| ole...@iesd.auc.dk | There is no problem, that is | Snail-Mail: |
| Aalborg University | so big or so complicated, | Ole Soerensen |
| Fr. Bajersvej 7, E3-114 | that it can't be run | Abelsvej 19 |
| DK-9000 Aalborg, DENMARK | away from. | DK-9000 Aalborg |
`-----------------------------------------------------------------------------'
Daniel Cwiertniewicz
>
>>>>>> On 18 Apr 93 02:58:48 GMT, r...@apple.com (Richard K. Nordin) said:
>
>Richard> Next time I want to talk about aesthetics--of branch structures to avoid or
>Richard> eliminate, and what kinds to keep. ASCII art, I can see it coming.
>
>Perhaps you could draw your drawings and post them in post-script format.
>I would guess, that most of us will be able to view them.
You could post GIFS or other such images to the FTP server on BONSAI.PASS.WAYNE.EDU
in the downloads directory. I've already got a few GIFs in the /pub/GIFS directory.
Daniel Cwiertniewicz, Systems Analyst, C&IT, WSU, (313)-577-0787
Let's talk Bonsai !
Bon...@cms.cc.wayne.edu
LIST...@cms.cc.wayne.edu (To subscribe)
Richard K. Nordin
[This is a continuing series of spontaneous and unrehearsed "classes" on
the subject of bonsai. Many new readers were coming on board asking
about how to get started. I believe you should just start making bonsai.
So, I will try to lead you through creating your first. Besides this
gentle counsel, be sure to read the FAQ (which appears periodically) and
search out some good books or people to introduce you to the subject. I
will post sporadically with a subject containing the word "Class". I am
going slow, so be prepared to be frustrated. If you have questions or
comments about building your own first bonsai, post them "Re:" this
thread (and if you have other questions, try to avoid a subject
containing "Class").]
===
I threatened to do some ASCII art to try to convey bonsai aesthetics.
(Several people suggested GIF or PostScript renderings, but I think I'll
hold off on that, suspecting that a lot of readers could not render
them. I do have access to a scanner, though. Maybe when class is over,
people can send me photos of their first bonsai and we, who are able,
can all see them!) I am going to try to do it with words.
In John Naka's wonderful book "Bonsai Techniques I" (Bonsai Institute of
California, PO Box 78211, Los Angeles CA 90016), there is a lovely
drawing of an imaginary tree that exhibits 18 branch faults. I love it.
It is SO ugly!
Let's see if I can render it in words, from the top down. These are
things to AVOID:
1) No Apex (just lopped off)
2) Stubbed Branch (just lopped off, leaving stub)
3) Reversed Growing Branch (is thin, then thick, then thin again)
4) Ingrowing Branch (turns and grows back toward trunk)
5) Parallel Branch (2 consecutive branches from same side of trunk)
6) Bar Branch (2 branches come from exact opposite sides of trunk)
7) Pocket Branch (1 smaller branch grows between 2 larger)
8) Wheel-spoke Branch (several branches grow at same level)
9) Trunk-crossing Branch (turns and crosses in front of trunk)
10) Crossed Branch (1 grows down, another upward, crossing)
11) Y-shaped Branch (forking, one branch upward and one downward)
12) Half-circle Branch (has a single, simple curve)
13) U-shaped Branch (grows out, then curves upward swiftly)
14) Elbow Branch (has a very sharp bend)
15) Up-growing Branch (horizontal, but its branches grow up)
16) Dangling Branch (horizontal, but its branches grow down)
17) Tangled Branch (horizontal, but its branches grow every-which-way)
18) Eye-poking Branch (grows straight out toward the front)
These are all branches that could be produced in nature. But, even in
the billions of trees on earth, one hopes that nature has not made a
tree as homely as the one in Naka's drawing!
A bonsai artist has a better aesthetic sense than does Mother Nature.
He also describes some faulty trunks to AVOID:
1) Pigeon Breast (grows toward front, then curves back)
2) Bow Shape (has single, simple curve)
3) Gun Barrel (has the shape of a cylinder and does not taper)
4) Inverted Shape (has a bulge wider than the base of the tree)
5) Zig-zag Curve (has repetitive, monotonous zig-zag bends)
6) Repeated S (has repetitive, monotonous S-curves)
And finally, some faulty apexes to AVOID:
1) Failure to wire branch upward that is replacing a removed apex
2) Simply bending down a larger apex and replacing it with smaller one
3) Live apex and "jin" of same height
4) A sharp apex shooting out of a bushy crown
5) Two or more apex branches
===
Jin? What's that? Jin is another way to remove material. Instead of
totally removing a branch, sometimes you can shorten it, or remove some
branches and leaves, and then strip it bare of bark, leaving dead wood,
as if the branch had suffered some wind or lightning damage. The mass of
the branch is lessened, and it conveys a definite feeling of aging. I
have seen some bonsai that are more jin than living material, looking
like a piece of driftwood with a few leaves. Jin is something to keep in
mind when you are thinking about styling. Sometimes, before pruning away
a branch, you might try jinning it first to see if it will "work" that
way. If not, you can always totally remove it. A beginner probably
should avoid jin, for it requires some fussy care, but keep it in your
bag of tricks for that situation where a branch is definitely needed,
but the existing branch just has too much foliage mass.
===
How are you at pruning? Done much? A lot of the rules of pruning big
trees applies to bonsai. (If you have access to big trees, you can
practice pruning on them, though it might take a year to see if your
technique is right. Through them you can learn what to expect of
pruning. Especially if you can find an actively growing big tree to
experiment on, nip off the ends of a few branches to see how new growth
comes in.)
Here are a couple of fundamentals:
When a branch is eliminated, a slightly concave wound should be left.
Then, when the bark grows over the wound, it will end up relatively
flat. This takes a lot of practice to get exactly right, for every tree
heals its wounds differently. There is even a refinement for large
branches where you leave a slight peak in the middle of the wound in
order to get flat healing. Don't worry about it too much; it's really an
issue of fine detail. What you do NOT want to do is leave a stub behind
that has no chance of ever looking like anything but a stub left behind
by pruning. Remember, we are after naturalness in a bonsai, and clear
evidence of pruning destroys that. When you are done pruning, and the
tree has had a chance to heal, it should look like nature never put a
branch there in the first place.
(This is a place where a special bonsai tool can be useful. Some bonsai
cutters are designed to produce a concave wound. General-purpose pruning
tools often don't bother with this nicety. But, you can always produce a
a finer result with a little more effort, for instance, by finishing up
a straight cut with a little knife-whittling to yield a concave wound.)
Do pay attention to where new growth will come from when pruning small
branches and twigs that are growing outward. In general you want to
remove material so that the succeeding growth will tend to be downward.
If a bud is left on the end of a branch that will produce upward growth,
then it will be hard to train the twig down to the horizontal. A bud
that produces downward growth will give you a twig that can be trained
to grow horizontally. Oh, how about a picture?
For this branch, you would prefer to cut it like this:
---/@--------\ \--/@-------------@
----------\@--\ \----------\@---/
And NOT like this:
---/@--------------/@--/ /-------@
----------\@----------/ /--\@---/
(How much of a stub you leave in this kind of pruning is dependent on
the tree. Less looks better, but if you cut too close to the bud, you
can damage it. The faint of heart can be conservative and trim off the
excess stub, once new growth has been established.)
===
Are you getting tired of just looking at your potential bonsai? Are you
ready to remove some material? Do you have a design planned? And, are
you aware that as you begin removing material your design will
undoubtedly have to evolve to accommodate new things you learn about
your tree as you work with it? As I said before, be prepared to
compromise. You and your tree may have different ideas about what it
will be!
Relax. There is no one right answer. There are probably several bonsai
trees waiting to be discovered in your subject. All you have to do is
"liberate" one of them. I have read articles in bonsai magazines that
have several bonsai masters describing what they would do with a given
specimen. Often, there is considerable disagreement! Of course, any of
their approaches would probably yield a nice bonsai.
I would suggest that you try to begin cutting. Have I offered you enough
hope? You can do it!
Feel free to be very tentative. While a good deal of material may need
to be removed from your tree, starting slow will not hurt. Take your
time.
I hope you can see some branches on your tree that definitely have to
go--perhaps some little sprouts among the lower, main branches that you
know you do not want. Perhaps you see a branch that is growing obviously
too low on the trunk. (But, first, be sure to remove soil down to the
level of the roots; I have spotted such obvious branches before and then
found that actually an inch or two of the trunk is covered in soil. A
good bonsai will have some roots partially visible on the surface of the
soil, just before they plunge into the ground and, if possible, a trunk
that flares a little at the base--signs of a mature tree, you know.)
Maybe you have a conifer that still has needles growing on the trunk;
those can go. And, if you have vigorous shoots growing, they can
probably be shortened some; nibble away at it. You can always do more
later. Perhaps you can spot one of those dreaded branches to be avoided,
listed above, and eliminate the problem.
A possible con to "nibbling" is that the design can drift in your mind
and you might lose track of what you are trying to do. Sometimes it is
best to get it all done at once. As a beginner, you can go slow,
especially considering the languid pace of your instruction. But, if you
take the approach of always making the best bonsai you can out of
whatever material is currently there, then you should be OK. Sometimes
it really helps to remove the obviously offending material, and then
stop, so you can better see the material that remains and make better
decisions about what comes next. If you happen to make a mistake, do not
worry. We all make plenty. Just roll with the punches and modify your
design. You'll get there. (And, if you commit a horrible, unrepairable,
mistake, there is always another tree to be had.)
[I will remind you that this might not be the best time to prune your
particular kind of tree in your particular location. If possible, find
out when pruning should occur and wait. But, cut away if you cannot
resist; you can always declare this a "practice" tree if pruning causes
harm now.]
===
Any questions?
I have a lot more to ramble on about, like wiring and de-wiring, bending
branches, roots, tools, pots, soil, maintenance, styles... No wonder
people can write whole books on the subject!
Oh, and I began to nip away at those three trees I bought last week.
There were some pleasant surprises (and some accidents). I'll have to
tell you about them.
But, have a small go at removing some material. Just a little. Get your
hands dirty, and maybe that will foster some questions we all can profit
from!
Later.
Richard K. Nordin
>
>--
>
>Hud Nordin
>Cybernetic Arts r...@guest.apple.com
>Post Office Box 2066 Telephone: 408.248.0377
Why didn't SOMEBODY tell me my signature was truncated? No wonder some
correspondents were having trouble figuring out where I was geographically
coming from!
-Hud (feeling stupid, hoping the signature is all there, now; and, if
it isn't, that PO Box 2066 is in Sunnyvale, California, 94087, USA)
--
Hud Nordin
Cybernetic Arts r...@guest.apple.com
Post Office Box 2066 Telephone: 408.248.0377
Sunnyvale, California 94087 Facsimile: 408.248.0416
Richard K. Nordin
I was sorting through my old bonsai catalogs and I stumbled across
this: "Growing Bonsai", a bulletin of the United States Department
of Agriculture. Noticing that it was delightfully free of copyright,
I decided this would make a good "text" for the ongoing bonsai class
I am conducting.
It is not great information. It is short, and somewhat provincial,
but the price is right. It is good basic information.
This will let me skim a lot of details, and just concentrate on
the fun part--coaching, mentoring, exhorting, encouraging, or pushing
you into attempting your own first bonsai.
I'll keep on with the classes. And, hey, feel free to ask questions
in the context of the class, as long as you are a beginner. I would
prefer that more advanced questions go to the general audience, so
I don't feel compelled to answer them, and so that we don't scare
anyone off. I have gotten some email questions that would have been
fine fodder for posting. I may summarize those answers for the class
anyway, since I just hate throwing away good general-purpose
keystrokes. But if you are wondering, so, too, probably are some of
your compatriots, so post the questions.
Disclaimer: if I haven't made it clear already, I am not a bonsai
expert (but, feel free to worship me, anyway :). I dabble, but my
depth is limited. Take none of my words as gospel.
Upcoming is the USDA bulletin "Growing Bonsai" in 4 parts.
--
Hud Nordin
Cybernetic Arts r...@guest.apple.com
Post Office Box 2066 Telephone: 408.248.0377
Richard K. Nordin
GROWING BONSAI
United States Department of Agriculture
Home and Garden Bulletin No. 206
Issued August 1973
Superintendent of Documents
U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington D.C. 20402
Stock No. 0100-02772
Prepared by Henry M. Cathey
Plant Genetics and Germplasm Institute
Northeastern Region
Agricultural Research Service
CONTENTS
Introduction
Principles of bonsai
Choosing a style
Bonsai guide
Obtaining plants
Shaping your bonsai
Containers for bonsai
Potting
Repotting
Growth media
Seasonal care
Propagating your own bonsai
Displaying your bonsai
INTRODUCTION
Bonsai are miniature trees grown in pots. The aim of bonsai culture is
to develop a tiny tree that has all the elements of a large tree growing
in a natural setting. This look is achieved, principally, by branch and
root pruning and shaping, but other factors are also important. The
texture of the trunk, its look of age, the moss and the underplantings
in the container--all contribute to the illusion of a miniature tree as
it is seen in nature.
A presentable bonsai can be created in a few seasons. Cultivating these
miniature potted trees is both an intriguing hobby, and a means of
adapting a wide range of plants to specialized and decorative uses.
Bonsai require daily watering during their growing season, and, because
the plants are rooted in shallow pots, careful pruning.
Bonsai are kept outdoors most of the year, but--from time to time--these
miniaturized versions of nature are brought indoors for display. Only
certain tropical trees, shrubs, and vines can be continually kept
indoors full time as bonsai.
Bonsai, as an art form, stems from ancient oriental culture. It
originated in China and was developed by the Japanese. In the 13th
century, the Japanese collected and potted wild trees that had been
dwarfed by nature. These naturally formed miniatures were the first
bonsai.
When demand for the small trees outstripped the supply, Japanese
gardeners began to train bonsai from native trees. They shaped the trees
to give them the illusion of age and naturalness. Over the years, the
Japanese devised standards of shape and form which gradually began the
classic bonsai styles.
American bonsai are much freer in concept and style than Japanese
bonsai. American bonsai growers have recognized that the horticultural
and aesthetic rules are important, but are specifically aimed at
Japanese culture. Because of this, Americans have taken oriental styles
and applied them to plants never grown by the Japanese. Therefore, the
rigid procedures and names used by the Japanese are not used in this
bulletin.
PRINCIPLES OF BONSAI
Not all plants are equally effective as bonsai. To produce a realistic
illusion of a mature tree, look for plants with the following
characteristics:
-Small leaves or needles.
-Short internodes, or distances between leaves.
-Attractive bark or roots.
-Branching characteristics for good twig forms.
All parts of the ideal bonsai--trunk, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers,
fruits, buds, roots--should be in perfect scale with the size of the
tree. Plants used for bonsai should have small leaves, or leaves that
become small under bonsai culture. Plants with overly large leaves, such
as the avocado, will look out of proportion if chosen for bonsai.
Sycamores also develop leaves that are too large. Certain species of
both maple and oak trees usually respond well to bonsai culture and
develop leaves that are in proportion.
Among the plants with small leaves and needles are: spruce, pine,
zelkova, pomegranate, and certain oaks and maples.
Plants chosen for bonsai should have attractive bark, and the trunk must
give the illusion of maturity. The trunk should have girth, but must
remain in proportion to the entire tree. The trunk should taper
gradually toward the top of the tree. Sometimes one or two of the main
branches must be shortened to emphasize the vertical line of the trunk
and give the trunk a balanced appearance.
To give the appearance of age, the upper one-third of the root structure
of a mature bonsai is often exposed. This is especially effective if the
roots have good girth and form. Twisted and tangled roots should be
straightened before potting or repotting a tree to achieve an aged
appearance.
Bonsai from nursery stock, and trees collected from the wild, should
have a root system that will--when exposed--add to the appearance of the
finished bonsai.
Plants have a "best profile" just as people do. Decide on the front of
the tree at the very beginning, because planting and shaping are done
with the front of the tree in mind. However, you may change your ideas
about the plants ultimate shape as you clip and prune.
The front of the bonsai should offer a good view of the main trunk which
must be clearly visible from the base to the first branch, typically
about one-third the way up. Everywhere on the tree, but mostly from the
front, the branches should look balanced and appear to be floating in
space; they should not appear lopsided or top heavy. The branches should
not be opposite one another with their lines cutting horizontally across
the trunk. The branches give the bonsai the dimension and establish the
tree's basic form.
A bonsai should have a harmonious arrangement of branches without
unsightly gaps. Flaws can be spotted by looking down on a bonsai. Upper
branches should not overshadow lower branches.
Before deciding on the shape of your bonsai, study the tree carefully,
and take into account the natural form of the species. Observe the way
mature trees of the same kind grow in their natural setting to achieve
an impression of age and reality.
Decide on the final shape and size of your bonsai before starting. Make
a rough sketch of what you wish to create and use it as a guide.
CHOOSING A STYLE
Bonsai can be classified into five basic styles: formal upright,
informal upright, slanting, cascade, and semicascade. These
classifications are based on the overall shape of the tree and how much
the trunk slants away from an imaginary vertical axis. (See figs. 4 and
6.)
The numerous Japanese bonsai styles are principally variations of these
five basic styles. The styles given in this bulletin apply to trees with
single trunks. The single trunk style is the basic design that is
simplest to shape because the one trunk determines the overall
composition.
The formal upright style has classic proportions and is the basis of all
bonsai. It is the easiest for a beginner to develop because it requires
the least experimentation, avoids the problem of selective pruning, and
should almost immediately become a displayable bonsai.
In this style, the form is conical or sometimes rounded and the tree has
an erect leader and horizontal branches. One of the branches is lower
and extends a little farther from the trunk than the others. (See fig.
1.)
[Figure 1 (Photograph unavailable. Caption:)--Note the off-center
placement of this mugho pine in its rectangular container. This tree was
trained in the formal upright style.]
Also, the lowest two branches are trained to come forward on the front
side of the tree, one slightly higher than the other. The third branch
of this style extends out in the back of the tree at a level between the
two side branches to give the plant depth. (See fig. 2.)
[Figure 2 (Drawing unavailable. Caption:)--The formal upright style is
considered the easiest for the novice bonsai grower. This style features
a straight trunk, and a bottom branch that is lower and extends further
from the trunk than its opposite.]
Plants in the formal upright style look best in oval or rectangular
containers. Do not center the plant when placing it in the container.
Plant it about a third of the distance from one end.
In choosing a nursery plant for this style, make sure the trunk rises
from the ground in a fairly straight line. The trunk should be straight
and not fork or branch out for the total height of the tree. Trim off
the small branches or twigs that are too close to the base and near the
main stem. These branches detract from the overall composition.
The informal upright style has much the same branch arrangement as the
formal upright style, but the top--instead of being erect as in the
formal upright style--bends slightly to the front. This bend makes the
tree's branches appear to be in motion and enhances the look of
informality. (See figs. 3 and 4.)
[Figure 3 (Photograph unavailable. Caption:)--Flowering plum bonsai,
trained in the informal upright style, is set on a rock; this setting
enhances the illusion of a tree growing in the wild.]
[Figure 4 (Drawing unavailable. Caption:)--The trunk in the informal
upright style bends slightly to the front. This bend helps to give the
style of informality.]
Many nursery trees are naturally slanted. This makes them well suited to
the informal upright style. Check the tree's slant by looking down at
the trunk from above--from this angle the top should slant to the front.
If this view is not attractive, you may move the rootball to slant the
tree in another direction.
If you choose a vertical tree at the nursery, and want to train it in
the informal upright style, simply tilt the plant when potting it. When
you do this, trim the branches and foliage so they are scaled to the
size of the tree.
The informal upright style looks best in an oval or rectangular
container. It should be planted, not in the center of the container, but
a third of the distance form one end.
In the slanting style, the trunk has a more acute angle than in the
previous styles. The lowest branch should spread in the direction
opposite to that in which the tree slants. The top of the tree is bent
slightly toward the front. (See figs. 5 and 6.)
[Figure 5 (Photograph unavailable. Caption:)--Lodgepole pine was 67
years old when it was collected from the Sierra Nevada mountains of
California; it was trained in the slanting style of bonsai.]
[Figure 6 (Drawing unavailable. Caption:)--In the slanting style the
trunk has a more acute angle than in the informal upright style. The
lowest branch spreads in the opposite direction to that in which the
tree slants.]
The lower branches are arranged in groups of three, staring about one-
third the way up the trunk.
Slanting trees in nature are called "leaners"--trees that have been
forced by the wind and gravity into nonvertical growth. The attitude of
the slanting style falls between the upright and cascade styles. This
style looks best planted in the center of a round or square container.
In the cascade style the trunk starts by growing upward from the soil,
then turns downward abruptly, and reaches a point below the bottom edge
of the container. For this reason, the container should be placed on the
edge of the table, or on a small stand. (See figs. 7 and 8.)
[Figure 7 (Photograph unavailable. Caption:)--Firethorn bonsai, trained
in the cascade style, has a characteristic leader which descends below
the bottom edge of the container.]
[Figure 8 (Drawing unavailable. Caption:)--The cascade style of bonsai
represents a natural tree growing down the face of an embankment. A
cascaded planting usually looks best in a round or hexagonal container.]
The cascade style has most of its foliage below the soil surface. This
style is representative of a natural tree that is growing down the face
of an embankment.
Training a tree in the cascade style takes longer than in the slanting
style. Choose a low-growing species instead of forcing a tree that
normally grows upright into an unnatural form. Bend the whole tree
forward so one back branch is vertical and the side branches fall
naturally.
A cascaded planting usually looks best in a round or hexagonal container
that is higher than it is wide. The tree should be planted off-center
from the cascading side.
The semicascade style has a trunk that is allowed to grow straight for a
certain distance, and then is cascaded down at a less abrupt angle than
in the cascade style. (See figs. 9 and 10.)
[Figure 9 (Photograph unavailable. Caption:)--Cotoneaster in round
container was trained in the semicascade style.]
[Figure 10 (Drawing unavailable. Caption:)--The semicascade style has a
curving trunk that does not reach the bottom of the container as in the
cascade style. Prostrate junipers and flowering plants are well adapted
to both of these styles.]
The cascading branches are thought of as the front of the tree, and the
back branches are trained closer to the trunk than in the other styles.
The semicascade should not reach below the bottom of the container, but
should go below the level of the soil surface.
Plants that are well adapted to the cascade and semicascade styles are
prostrate junipers, and flowering plants such as chrysanthemums,
wisteria, willows, and star jasmine.
Before potting a tree for bonsai in any of the five styles, keep in mind
the image of how the tree will stand in the container. Don't plant a
tree one way, and then uproot it to make a change.
Keep your overall theme in mind when planting bonsai. Upright trees
should have a stabilized look in the container; slanted and cascaded
styles often have their upper root surfaces exposed to imitate plants
that grow this way in nature.
No matter what style you choose--whether single trunk specimens or
groups of trees from single roots--everything depends on your selection
of plant material, and your ability to visualize the bonsai's final
form.
Richard K. Nordin
BONSAI GUIDE
Trees and Shrubs
The following alphabetical list of plants includes trees and shrubs
suitable for traditional bonsai. This is not intended to be a complete
list. Specialty nurseries often have a wide selection of dwarf and
semidwarf varieties of many of these species. Dwarf plants, however, do
not always convey the same impression as their full size counterparts
because the growth habit is quite different.
APRICOT:
Prunus species
ARBORVITAE:
American, Thuja occidentalis
Oriental, Thuja orientalis
AZALEA:
Hiryu, Rhododendron obtusum
Indica azalea, Rhododendron indicum
Kurume, Rhododendron hybrids
BEECH:
American, Fagus grandifolia
European, Fagus sylvatica
BIRCH:
White, Betula alba
BOX:
Buxus species
BURNINGBUSH:
Euonymus nana
CEDAR:
Atlas, Cedrus atlantica
Deodar, Cedrus deodara
CHERRY:
Prunus species
COTONEASTER:
Cotoneaster species
CRABAPPLE:
Malus species
CRYPTOMERIA:
Cryptomeria japonica and cultivars
CYPRESS:
Bald, Taxodium distichum
Dwarf hinoki, Chamaecyparis obtusa var. compacta
ELM:
American, Ulmus americana
Chinese, Ulmus parvifolia
Siberian, Ulmus pumila
FIR:
Abies species
FIRETHORN:
Pyracantha species
GINKGO:
Ginkgo biloba
GOLDENRAIN:
Koelreuteria paniculata
GUM:
Sweet, Liquidambar styraciflua
HAWTHORN:
English, Crataegus oxycantha
Washington, Crataegus phaenopyrum
HEATHER:
Calluna vulgaris
HEMLOCK:
Canadian, Tsuga canadensis and cultivars
HORNBEAM:
American, Carpinus caroliniana
Japanese, Carpinus japonica
IVY:
Hedera helix and cultivars
JASMINE:
Winter, Jasminum nudiflorum
JUNIPER:
Juniperus species and cultivars
LOCUST:
Black, Robinia pseudoacacia
MAPLE:
Amur, Acer ginnala
Hedge, Acer campestre
Trident, Acer buergerianum
OAK:
English, Quercus robur
Pin, Quercus palustris
Scarlet, Quercus coccinea
White, Quercus alba
PEACH:
Prunus species
PINE:
Bristlecone, Pinus aristata
Japanese white, Pinus parviflora
Japanese black, Pinus thunbergi
Mugo, Pinus mughus
Swiss stone, Pinus cembra
White, Pinus strobus
PLUM:
Prunus species
POMEGRANATE:
Dwarf, Punica granatum nana
QUINCE:
Japanese, Chaenomeles japonica
SNOWBELL:
Japanese, Styrax japonica
SPRUCE:
Picea species and cultivars
WILLOW:
Weeping, Salix blanda
WISTERIA:
Japanese, Wisteria floribunda
YEW:
Taxus species and cultivars
ZELKOVA:
Graybark elm, Zelkova serrata
House Plants
American gardeners have taken bonsai concepts and have applied them to
house plants. By combining traditional procedures for handling house
plants with bonsai concepts of design, growers have created different
bonsai styles. The following alphabetical list consists of woody plants
(native to the tropics and subtropics of the world) that have been grown
as indoor bonsai. These plants can be obtained from either local or
specialized nurseries.
ACACIA:
Acacia Baileyana
ARALIA:
Polyscias balfouriana
Polyscias fruticosa
Polyscias guilfoylei
BIRD'S EYE BUSH:
Ochna multiflora
CAMELLIA:
Camellia japonica
Camellia sasanqua
CAPE-JASMINE:
Gardenia jasminoides radicans
Gardenia jasminoides
CITRUS:
Citrus species (calamondin, kumquat, lemon, lime, orange, and tangerine)
CHERRY:
Surinam, Eugenia uniflora
CYPRESS:
Arizona, Cupressus arizonica
Monterey, Cupressus macrocarpa
FIG:
Mistletoe, Ficus diversifolia
HERB:
Elfin, Cuphea hyssopifolia
HIBISCUS:
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Cooperi
HOLLY:
Miniature, Malpighia coccigera
JACARANDA:
Jacaranda acutifolia
JADE:
Crassula species
JASMINE:
Jasminum parkeri
Orange, Murraea exotica
Star, Trachelospermum jasminoides
LAUREL:
Indian, Ficus retusa
MYRTLE:
Classic, Myrtus communis
OAK:
Cork, Quercus suber
Indoor, Nicodemia diversifolia
Silk, Grevillea robusta
ORCHID TREE:
Bauhinia variegata
OXERA PULCHELLA
PEPPER TREE:
California, Schinus molle
PISTACHIO:
Chinese, Pistacia chinensis
PLUM:
Natal, Carissa grandiflora
POINCIANA:
Royal, Delonix regia
POMEGRANATE:
Dwarf, Punica granatum nana
POWDERPUFF TREE:
Calliandra surinamensis
SERISSA FOETIDA
SHOWER TREE:
Cassia eremophila
[Information about USDA house plant bulletin deleted, due to age.]
You can also obtain books that supply information about growing plants
indoors from your local library.
[Information about bonsai publications deleted, due to age.]
OBTAINING THE PLANTS
There are many ways to obtain bonsai. At the beginning it is best to
work with the more common plants. Most are obtainable at local
nurseries. Plants that are native the area where you live often make
fine subjects for bonsai. But make sure these plants meet the bonsai
requirements of size, leaf, trunk, and scale. (See fig. 11.)
[Figure 11 (Photograph unavailable. Caption:)--A group planting in any
of the bonsai styles makes use of only one species of tree. Cryptomeria
is shown here.]
Some old favorites grown as bonsai because of their classical good looks
are: Sargent juniper (Juniperus chinensis sargentii); Japanese black
pine (Pinus thunbergii); wisteria (Wisteria floribunda, Wisteria
sinensis); flowering cherries (Prunus subhirtella, Prunus yedoensis);
and graybark elm (zelkova serrata).
Among the plants recommended for the beginner are: Firethorn (Pyracantha
coccinea or Pyracantha fortuneana) which is an evergreen with small
leaves; Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri) which characteristics similar
to those of firethorn; the Dwarf pomegranate (Punica granatum nana)
which is deciduous, and has tiny green leaves; and Juniper (Juniperus
scopulorum or Juniperus virginiana) which is a hardy evergreen with
heavy foliage that takes well to pruning.
In addition to nursery stock, plants for bonsai can be collected from
the wild or propogated from plants in your garden. (See discussion of
propogation [below].)
Growers can now purchase mature bonsai created in this country; these
plants have recently become available at selected nurseries. Mature
bonsai plants also can be imported from Japan, but only deciduous
varieties ship well.
Collecting plants from the wild
The job of finding plants in the wild that adapt well to bonsai is
difficult for the beginner. Traveling in wild terrain where such
specimens are found can be hazardous. Also, at least a year must pass
before a plant collected this way can be containerized, and much care is
necessary to insure survival during this period. Wild plants, however,
often look older than they actually are and make handsome specimens.
The best time for collecting plants in the wild is during March and
April, when new growth or leaves have not yet begun to sprout. Here, the
collector must recognize when the wild plant is in its dormant period.
On a collecting trip the following items will be helpful: a small
collapsible shovel; polyethylene sheeting and string for wrapping
rootballs; sphagnum moss for packing around the rootball; a container of
water for wetting leaves and rootball; and a small crowbar for getting
roots out of rocks.
Remember the following points when taking plants from the wild:
1. Get permission to dig from the owner of the property.
2. Do not randomly dig wild plants. Make sure that the plant you are
removing is not on your State conservation list. Remember that nothing
can be removed from national parks and similarly conserved areas.
3. When digging the plant you want, try not to injure the taproots. Get
as much soil around the roots as possible. Older trees will require
greater care and a slower training schedule.
4. After you cover the roots and soil with wet sphagnum, wrap the
rootball in polyethylene film. Wet the branches with water frequently.
5. At home, unwrap the rootball carefully. (It is not necessary to
unwrap the rootball if it is wrapped in burlap.) Plant the tree in loose
garden soil in a location that is protected from the sun and wind.
6. Water, and examine the roots of the new plant for several moths. Feed
the plant sparingly.
7. After at least 1 year, the plant can be dug up and placed in a
container. (Large trees may have to go into a succession of smaller
containers before they are ready.) Trim the roots around the base
carefully so the plant will fit into its container.
8. If shaping is necessary when potting a collected tree, prune the
branches lightly.
9. Two years after the plant has been collected from the wild, start it
on a regular training program.
Importing mature plants
If you are going to import bonsai trees from Japan, it is best to do so
during their dormant period. Such plants are subject to severe
fumigation before they are allowed to enter this country and thus are
likely to be harmed by fumigation.
To find out which trees can be imported, check with the Plant Protection
and Quarantine Programs, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Hyattsville, MD 20782.
Bonsai plants are now available that have been trained in the United
States. These plants have the advantage of being acclimated to various
areas of the country.
The nursery plant
The easiest and best method for the beginner to obtain bonsai is to buy
nursery stock and develop his own. These plants come in 1- and 5-gallon
cans and their root systems have become adapted to cramped conditions.
Buy only young, healthy plants when purchasing nursery stock.
When searching for potential bonsai among nursery stock, do the
following:
-Look for plants that are well rooted and well branched. The plant must
be able to withstand severe initial pruning.
-Inspect the overall plant and then push back the foliage and examine
the base from all sides. See if the foliage is full enough to be shaped
into an interesting bonsai. Check to see if branches are where you will
need them.
-Do not purchase a plant that cannot be easily transplanted to a pot.
Do not thin the root system excessively all at once when placing the
plant in a smaller container. By thinning the roots gradually and
reducing the root system, safely and over a period of years, you will
not damage the plant. If you prune and shape first and neglect thinning
the roots, some plants may die.
Richard K. Nordin
SHAPING YOUR BONSAI
Strive for flowing form when shaping bonsai. Visualize the overall theme
and try to get a three-dimensional effect. Remember to select the front,
back, and sides of your bonsai before pruning, and don't forget to
examine the roots that will influence the growth of these areas.
For overall design. the "Rule of Thirds" is a simple concept to use as a
basis for obtaining a pleasing form for your bonsai. The "Rule of
Thirds" (see fig 12.) assures you of getting the proper division of
space. In this aid to design, the total space is divided into thirds--
both horizontally and vertically.
[Figure 12 (Drawing unavailable. Caption:)--The "Rule of Thirds" is a
useful design aid when planning the overall form of your bonsai. The
total space of plant and container is divided into thirds, both
horizontally and vertically.]
Use your pruning shears judiciously to make changes that benefit your
bonsai. Fine adjustments are made by wiring and bending and thinning
(removal of branches). Remember that a badly designed bonsai will not
grow well.
Before shaping a plant into a bonsai, decide whether the best attitude
of the tree is upright, slanted, cascaded, or semicascaded. Examine the
general form of the tree and note whether it is straight or twisted.
Match the potential of a tree to the style that fits it best. Decide
whether the base will rise from the soil level or whether you will
expose bare roots.
Three basic operations are necessary to establish the basic form in
bonsai culture:pruning, nipping and wiring.
You will need the following basic tools: a pair of sharp hook-and-blade
pruning shears; a garden trowel; blunt sticks; a pair of sturdy wire
cutters; copper wire of various lengths; and a sprinkling can. Also
useful are scissors for trimming leaves, tweezers for nipping, and
brushes for cleaning top soil.
Pruning
Nursery plants are often overgrown and need much pruning to establish
their best form. Through pruning, you control growth and form by
removing excess foliage and ugly limbs.
Some points to remember when pruning are:
-Make all cuts above a bud, a side branch or a main fork of the tree.
Remove all buds except those on the outside of the trunk to force the
growth outward and upward.
-Leave stubs flush with the stem; long stubs serve as an entry for
insects.
-Avoid cutting back so far that you weaken the main branches.
When pruning, keep branches growing toward an open space instead of
toward each other or the trunk. Do not shear bonsai as you would cut a
hedge; shearing makes the plant look artificial.
After deciding on the foliage form for your bonsai, remove all crossed
branches until the tree takes on the form you selected.
If you want to slant a tree that has been growing in an upright position
and insure that branches take a natural shape, prune it in an upright
attitude, and then tip it to where it should be and work on it that way.
Next, cut back new growth and thin out excess branches. When pruning an
upright style, remove unneeded side branches and leave the center ones
that will fill out as they grow.
Space out your pruning schedule, even if the plant has heavy foliage.
Plants must have a certain number of leaves for photosynthesis.
Protect pruning scars when removing heavy wood from thick branches or
the trunk. Cut the wood as close to the trunk as possible, pare the
stump flush, then scoop it out with a chisel, making a shallow wound
that will heal without looking unsightly. Treat these wounds with
grafting compound and they will be unnoticeable after healing. Several
years must pass before the bark will grow over these cut surfaces and
replace the scar tissue.
Nipping
A tree usually requires one heavy pruning in its life to establish its
basic form. After this initial pruning, shaping is done by nipping.
Nipping, or pinching back, is done to shape and develop the trunk and to
control the overall size of the plant. Nipping controls new growth
before it becomes so dense that it must be pruned.
A twiggy plant can be made more dense when it is nipped. When all
terminal buds on a branch have been pinched, several side shoots
develop. In this way growth is stimulated. This will give the plant a
bushier appearance.
Nipping is done not only to shape a plant but also to develop more
luxuriant foliage. As the new growth tips show up, nip them with your
fingers, twisting rather than pulling. Also nip off tiny spurs that
appear on the trunk or along heavy branches. These may develop into
unsightly suckers that will leave scars when removed. Do not overdo this
removal; be careful not to damage the foliage you leave on the plant.
After the top of a bonsai is pruned, trim the roots. Try to keep all
fibrous roots and maintain a balance, if possible, of one branch for one
root. Remove any roots that were damaged in digging. Leave the surface
root system intact and make it appear as if the roots cling to the soil
surface. Prune roots with sharp, sloping cuts to avoid damaging them.
Wiring
The wiring and bending of branches that give bonsai its shape is unique
to the art. Wiring is done after pruning when the tree has been thinned
to essential branches.
Copper wire is usually used for shaping bonsai because it is flexible.
The sizes of copper wire that are best for bonsai are: 10, 12, 14, 16,
and 18. (No. 8 wire is heavy and should be used only for the trunk.)
Wire as light as No. 16 should be used for very thin branches, and for
tying rather than bending.
Wire evergreen trees only during their dormant period when the branches
can be shaped without damaging growth. Wire deciduous trees only during
their growing season.
The day before you wire a plant do not water it; this will make the
branches more flexible. Once a branch has taken on its trained form,
remove the wire, straighten out its twists, and flatten it with a mallet
for reuse.
Wiring and shaping should begin at the lowest point of the tree, working
upward. Do the following when wiring:
1. Anchor the end of the wire at the base of the tree before winding it.
Push the end of the wire deep into the soil.
2. Wire from the trunk to the main branch. Use a foam pad under the wire
to prevent damaging the bark. Keep the turns about 1/4-inch apart and
spiral upward at a 45-degree angle. Do not wire too tightly, and do not
damage the leaves or stems.
One length of wire can serve for two branches by anchoring the center of
the wire at the trunk.
After wiring, the plant is shaped or bent by hand. The trunk and main
branches are gradually bent in the planned direction. Never try to
straighten a branch that has been bent; this may split the bark.
Branches sometimes snap, even when carefully wired and bent. If the
branch is not completely broken, rejoin the broken ends, and wind some
garden tape around the break. These fractures often heal quickly. If a
branch snaps off, prune back cleanly at the first side branch.
Wire should be kept on the plant for not more than 1 year. Remove the
wire before the bark becomes constricted; ridges will form if the wire
is left on too long. When removing a wire, start at the outermost end of
the branches, and take care not to harm leaves, twigs, or bark.
CONTAINERS FOR BONSAI
Most plant material for bonsai has long roots that will not fit into a
bonsai container. For this reason a training pot is used. The training
pot is larger than a bonsai container and holds the heavy roots, which
are gradually cut back, for a period of years until small, fibrous roots
develop.
All kinds of containers are used for training pots: clay saucers,
plastic containers, and wooden boxes of many different sizes. Many of
these clay and plastic pots are available at garden centers. The azalea
pot and the bulb pan are especially suitable. The pot should be just
large enough to accommodate the tree's root system. It should be similar
in shape to the bonsai pot which will eventually replace it.
For example, an upright tree, destined for a low, flat container, should
be grown in a fairly low training pot. A cascading tree, to be planted
later in a high bonsai pot, should be trained in an ordinary flower pot.
Make sure that all training pots you use have drain holes at least 1/2-
inch in diameter.
Choose a pot in which to display your bonsai when the training of your
bonsai is sufficiently advanced. The size and shape of this pot will
depend on the size and shape of the tree.
Trees trained in the cascade and semicascade styles look best in round
or rectangular pots. Plant the trunk in the center of the pot with the
branches sweeping down over the side.
Place upright trees slightly off-center (one-third the distance from one
end) in oval or rectangular pots. Place trees with thick trunks and
dense foliage in deep, heavy pots.
Branches of a bonsai should harmonize with the shape of a pot. If the
branches are longer on one side than the other, place the trunk off-
center in the pot. (See fig. 13.)
[Figure 13 (Photograph unavailable. Caption:)--The trunk of this bonsai
plant (Berchemia paucifolia) has cracks and scaly ridges that give it a
look of age. Note the off-center placement of the tree in the round
container.]
The color of the pot should contrast with the tree's foliage. Use white,
tan, or green pots for trees with brightly colored flowers or fruits.
Use unglazed pots with pines and deciduous trees.
Generally, bonsai containers come in five shapes: round, oval, square,
rectangular, and hexagonal. In each shape there is a wide variety of
sizes.
Bonsai containers can be obtained from some of the larger nurseries.
Chinese or Japanese hardware stores, and stores that specialize in
imported items, also offer containers.
Bonsai plants must be anchored to their containers until the roots take
hold. One method used to anchor the plant is to tie it down with wires
leading up through the screens that are placed over the drainage holes
in the container. After tying the plant to the container, adjust the
plant's elevation.
POTTING
At the end of the first year, the tree is usually transplanted from its
training pot (or from the ground) into a pot suitable to its dimensions.
Retain some of the original soil, and trim the roots if necessary. Cut
away any abundant growth of new roots at the base of the trunk before
repotting. If only a few roots have formed around the taproot, prune
these roots slightly. Prune the taproot again at the end of the second
year, and cut it short at the end if the third year. This final cutting
should be done when the new roots have appeared at the base.
REPOTTING
Repotting of bonsai plants is usually needed when soil insects damage
the plants, or when soil is in poor condition. Sometimes, however, a
soil condition can be corrected without repotting and disturbing the
roots of the plant. This is done by adding new soil around the outer
surface, or by removing plugs of soil and replacing them with a free-
draining soil mix.
The health of trees grown as bonsai depends largely on the care of
changing the soil in the pots and the proper pruning of surface roots.
A healthy bonsai puts out new surface roots every year. The growth of
these roots makes it difficult for vital water and air to penetrate the
soil. The surface roots will be nourished but the main root near the
trunk will die. Therefore, periodically cut back the main root and thin
out the surface roots.
A tree's rate of growth determines the frequency of repotting. Pines and
spruces, for example, need repotting only once every 3 to 5 years;
flowering and fruiting trees, every year or--depending on the variety--
every second year. Repot quick-growing species, such as willow and crape
myrtle, at least twice a year. These intervals apply to healthy trees
that have received proper care.
Repot your plants in the early spring when the first new buds appear. A
secondary season occurs in late summer or early autumn when, for a short
time, the roots check their growth. It is dangerous to repot in late
spring and early summer when the leaves are just open and still tender.
When the tree is in a dormant state it is unable to establish itself in
the new soil and root diseases are likely. For this reason, bonsai must
never be repotted in winter, except when kept in greenhouse culture.
Richard K. Nordin
GROWTH MEDIA
Soil mixtures vary a great deal depending on geographical area and
personal preferences. There are many conflicting ideas on the type of
mix to use.
Many growers find that bagged potting soil is satisfactory for potting
bonsai plants. If you use bagged soils, make sure they contain sphagnum
peat moss and coarse perlite in equal quantities. Bagged soils are
available in most garden supply houses.
Generally, mixing soil should have rapid drainage, a structure that
permits fine roots to develop, and contains decaying humus and mineral
nutrients. It should also be free of root rot and have a pH similar to
the tree's native soil. Try to avoid high levels of dry fertilizers in
the soil mix. Screen bagged soil to remove the fine clay particles.
A good basic mixture consists of one-third clay, one-third humus, and
one-third sand. If you live in an area where humus is not available,
then obtaining an artificial soil mix from your garden store or nursery
is the only answer. River or quarry sand can be purchased from lumber
yards and variety stores where it is sold under the name of white
aquarium sand.
SEASONAL CARE
Bonsai from miniature forest trees must live outdoors all the time. They
are brought into the house for short periods on special occasions.
Bonsai from forest trees will die if kept too long indoors, particularly
in overheated rooms. These bonsai may be brought inside once or twice a
week for 2 or 3 hours--during winter, spring, and autumn. They should
not be brought inside in summer unless the room is well ventilated.
Summer care
Bonsai are very sensitive and thrive best in localities that offer cool
nights, sunny days, and mist or rain almost daily. Most of the United
States does not have this climate, so special provisions must be made to
compensate for the lack of desired climatic conditions. Extremes in
light, rain, and wind are to be avoided.
Place your bonsai on a platform or table in your garden where the plants
can receive 3 to 5 hours of direct sunlight a day. The site should be
shaded, preferably in the afternoon. If the area is subject to drying
winds, put up screening around the plants to protect them. Screening
also serves to provide the plants with shade.
Water the entire bonsai--plant and soil--daily. If you skip even 1 day
you can permanently damage the plant. Make sure your plants are located
where rain can fall on them. However, plants should not remain wet or
water-logged for long periods.
Fertilizer
To maintain plant growth use fertilizer to supply nutrients. Maintain
the nutrient level in the soil mix throughout active growth with monthly
applications of a diluted liquid fertilizer. Apply fertilizer only
before and during active growth. For a liquid fertilizer you can use a
typical house-plant fertilizer (20-20-20 or its equivalent) diluted to
one-quarter strength on the label.
Fall care
During this period bonsai must be prepared to endure the approaching
cold. Plant growth must be slowed. Water plants less frequently to slow
growth, and, when growth slows, reduce applications of fertilizers.
Do not prune or cut any branches after mid-August. Do not use artificial
night-lighting (incandescent filament lamps) on plants after August 1.
To reduce winter dieback of flowering trees and maples make light
applications of 0-10-10 fertilizer.
Winter care
A major problem in winter is to protect bonsai against low temperatures
and drying winds. Bonsai can only be left outdoors in climates where
temperatures drop no lower than 28 F degrees. This is not the case
throughout most of the United States, so a greenhouse, pit, or coldframe
is necessary.
Winter frosts will seldom bother bonsai that are sheltered under the
foliage of a spreading tree. Watch out, however, during the frost period
for drying soil.
Coldframes
It is easy to construct a simple coldframe for bonsai. Before the ground
is frozen, dig a hole at least 1-1/2 feet in the soil. Make the hole as
long and as wide as you need for all your plants. Line the sides of this
hole with exterior grade plywood which extends 6 inches above the
surface. Put 4 to 6 inches of gravel in the bottom of the hole, set your
plant containers on this gravel, and spread straw around and over them.
Put a loose-fitting cover on the frame made of polyethylene sheeting or
any similar material.
Be sure the top of your coldframe is strong enough to withstand a heavy
load of snow. Ventilate on days when the air temperature is above 40 F
degrees to keep the plants cool and dormant.
To purchase a coldframe kit, check your local nurseries or see catalogs
of mail-order garden supply houses.
Spring care
Spring is the time when new bonsai are started. It is the time for any
pruning and training of last season's bonsai. The plants then have a
whole growing season to readjust to these changes.
Watering
In the summer, during hot weather when the temperature is over 90 F
degrees, water the bonsai plants one or more times a day. If the plants
are in an unusually sandy soil they will require watering three or more
times a day.
In early autumn, follow the watering directions for late spring. In late
autumn, follow the watering directions for early spring.
In winter, keep the trees in a coldframe and ventilate the plants on one
or more sides to keep them dormant. Check for dryness every 2 weeks.
Water the plants every second day, or less, as required. Keep in mind
that far more bonsai are killed by overwatering than by a lack of water.
PROPAGATING YOUR OWN BONSAI
Seedlings
Growing bonsai from seeds is a slow process, unless you intend to grow
plants whose maximum height will be 6 inches. A more nearly perfect tree
can be grown from seed because the trunk can be shaped from the
beginning to suit the grower.
To develop the trunk rapidly, plant seedlings in the ground outdoors;
seedlings are kept outside from 2 to 5 years, depending on the type of
material planted and its rate of growth.
Each spring, dig up the plant and prune its roots just as if it were in
a pot.
When you choose a seedling, select one that has small leaves to begin
with. For example, silk oak and cherimoya seedlings have been
successfully grown indoors.
Cuttings
Staring bonsai from cuttings is faster than starting them from seed.
Make cuttings in the late spring and early summer, just before the buds
open or after the new growth has hardened.
Plants that propagate easily from cuttings are olive, willow,
cotoneaster, firethorn, azaleas, and boxwood.
Layering
This is a simple and convenient method of rooting branches in the soil
while they are still attached to the parent plant. The branches
immediately have a well-established form and branch structure. Layering
often results in good, balanced root systems.
Mid-spring is the best time to do soil layering. Choose a branch that
has good form. Make sure the branch is low enough to reach the ground.
Mark a point about one foot from the end of the branch and dig a hole in
the ground 4 inches deep. In the soil, mix equal parts of sand and peat
moss made from ground bark.
Make a slanting cut on the underside of the branch. Insert a pebble in
this cut. Bend the branch back in the hole, taking care not to crack the
branch. Anchor the bent branch in a vertical position. Then cover it
with prepared soil, and water it.
In 9 months to a year the branch (layer) should have rooted. When this
occurs, it is ready for transfer to a bonsai pot. (Remember to cut the
stem just below the original cut when removing it for transfer.)
Softwood plants that are layered will root in 6 to 8 weeks. When they
have rooted, be sure to cut them form the parent plant and pot them.
Pinch off new buds until the layered stem develops a mature root system.
Remember to keep the layered area moist so that the root systems will
develop quickly.
Plants that propagate well by the layering method are: rhododendrons,
maples, pomegranate, cryptomeria, and many others.
Grafting
Grafting is complex and requires patience and practice, especially by
the novice bonsai grower. It is not as successful as the other methods
of propagation. One of the drawbacks for bonsai is that even after a
graft has taken, an ugly scar remains. The "side" or "notch" grafting
methods have the advantage of hiding the scar.
Grafting is usually done in the winter or early spring when the buds are
dormant. There are numerous methods of grafting, but the most popular
among bonsai enthusiasts are "cleft" and "whip" grafting.
DISPLAYING YOUR BONSAI
Indoor display
Before you bring your bonsai indoors to display them, water them first
and let them drain well. Wipe all dirt and dampness from the container.
Bonsai look well placed in front of a plain wall on a raised stand. The
Japanese display bonsai on a platform raised a few inches above the
floor in one corner of the living room. Paintings and scrolls are hung
against the wall at the back. Other objects, such as ceramic ware and
flower arrangements,are grouped with the bonsai on the platform.
If you set bonsai on a low stand or table, try using a small Japanese
folding screen behind it. These stands can be purchased in oriental
stores. It's a good idea to contrast the shape of the stand with the
bonsai container; the height of the stand should harmonize with the
height of the tree.
Bonsai in the garden
Display bonsai in the garden on simple shelves set on concrete blocks.
Place the shelves against an outside wall away from trees, and protect
them from the sun. Other good locations for bonsai are slat benches and
decks, either in the garden or adjoining the house. (See fig. 14.)
Bonsai in large containers look better displayed alone. Place them on
some kind of stand, rather than setting them on the ground.
[Figure 14 (Photograph unavailable. Caption:)--Bonsai tables for garden
display are high enough to prevent cascaded plants from touching the
ground. The lath overhead provides shade for the plants.]
End of GROWING BONSAI
United States Department of Agriculture
Home and Garden Bulletin No. 206
August 1973
Richard K. Nordin
>
>In response to the issue on wire, copper or not to copper that is the
>question? There are two sides to this issue. One copper is stronger and
>therefore a smaller gauge can bend a larger branch than an equal guage
>aluminum wire but the draw back is that since it is stiffer one has to
>aneal it in order to work with it and that also causes the wire to become
>sonewhat dirty to work with. Also you have to be more carefull whean
>wiring not to damage the tree. It was stated that there had been a
>mention of aluminum wire being used but that not much has been heard of.
I logged on to issue a self-rebuttal to my previous posting about aluminum
and what should I find but someone who had already done the job for me.
Thanks!
I did notice that aluminum was being sold in catalogs. (I have such a
stockpile of copper, that I have not investigated wire for years.) It
is still out there as an alternative, and is, in fact, recommended
by many. It is readily available by mail-order, and is often available
at bonsai nurseries or Asian-owned hardware stores. Copper anodized
aluminum wire is available for those that want the classic color.
A big advantage to aluminum is that it is softer and less likely to
damage the tree, and that it does not require annealing (heating with
gradual cooling) like copper wire does. Gee, I kind of like the magical
annealing process; it is so cool! Any metallurigsts out there care to
describe why this works? I read of the crystal-structure changes that
occur, but I forget what makes what happen. Copper wire can be very
stiff. By heating it to cherry red and letting it cool, the crystal-
structure is changed (some way) so that it becomes very easy to bend.
But the very act of bending it makes it stiffer again. Thus it will
wrap on gently and then hold relatively strongly. When you take the
wire off, you can straighten it out, anneal it again, and re-use it.
Magic.
Copper wire is more readily available, in the electrical department of
hardware stores (get un-insulated, or strip off the insulation yourself;
a lot of my wire stockpile is stripped wire remnants from construction
sites; you can't beat the price!), or from craft stores.
Happy wiring!
--
Hud Nordin
Cybernetic Arts r...@guest.apple.com
Post Office Box 2066 Telephone: 408.248.0377
Sandro Fouche
>the subject of bonsai. Many new readers were coming on board asking
>about how to get started.
Unfortunatly I've missed the first 3 installments of this series, are they
on an FTP site somewhere, or can someone send them to me??
-laz
PS> I think this is a great idea!
Richard K. Nordin
That address came from the book. I saw an advertisement for the book
that gave this (probably newer and more accurate) address:
Bonsai Institute of California
PO Box 6268
Whittier CA 90609
USA
(Just giving credit where credit is due.)
--
Hud Nordin
Cybernetic Arts r...@guest.apple.com
Post Office Box 2066 Telephone: 408.248.0377
Richard K. Nordin
[This is a continuing series of spontaneous and unrehearsed "classes" on
the subject of bonsai. Many new readers were coming on board asking
about how to get started. I believe you should just start making bonsai.
So, I will try to lead you through creating your first. Besides this
gentle counsel, be sure to read the FAQ (which appears periodically) and
search out some good books or people to introduce you to the subject. I
will post sporadically with a subject containing the word "Class". I am
going slow, so be prepared to be frustrated. If you have questions or
comments about building your own first bonsai, post them "Re:" this
===
Pop Quiz!
1) Which is the more pleasing bonsai? A or B? Why?
| | |
| * | * |
| **** * | **** |
| * |*** | |*** |
| ** */ | */ |
| ***-| * * | ***-| |
| \* ** | *** \* |
| |---*** | |---**** |
| / | / ***** |
| / | / |
| XXXXXXXXXXX | XXXXXXXXXXX |
| XXXXXXXXXXX | XXXXXXXXXXX |
| | |
| A | B |
2) Which is the more pleasing bonsai? C or D? Why?
| | |
| * | * |
| ** | ** |
| ***-|-** | **-|-*** |
| * \ | \ * |
| |--** | **--| |
| **/ *** | *** / ** |
| | | | |
| ****--| | |--**** |
| ***** | | | ***** |
| \ | \ |
| | | | |
| XXXXXXXXXXX | XXXXXXXXXXX |
| XXXXXXXXXXX | XXXXXXXXXXX |
| | |
| C | D |
3) Which is the more pleasing bonsai? E or F? Why?
| | |
| * | * |
| **** | **** |
| *|*** | *|*** |
| **** / | **** / |
| | | | |
| XXXXXXX | XXXXXXX |
| | |
| E | F |
4) Which is the more pleasing bonsai? G or H? Why?
| * | |
| * **** | * |
| **---** /*** | ** |
| ***-|-**-* | ***-|-** |
| **** * \ **** | * \ |
| * ****---|-*** | |--** |
| * ** *****/\ * | **/ *** |
| **** **** | ****** | | |
| ******--****** | ****--| |
| * ***|/ * | ***** | |
| **** --\*** | \ |
| **| | | |
| XXXXXXXX | XXXXXXXX |
| XXXXXXXX | XXXXXXXX |
| XXXXXXXX | XXXXXXXX |
| XXXXXXXX | XXXXXXXX |
| XXXXXXXX | XXXXXXXX |
| | |
| G | H |
Answers:
1) B, because the downward sloping branches give a feeling of age in
contrast to the youthful, upward growing branches of A.
2) C, because it has branches on the outside curves of the trunk,
yielding a more balanced, flowing feeling. (Notice how a simple rule of
thumb, "Keep branches coming out of outside curves," can provide a more
pleasing form.)
3) E, because the tree is placed off-center of the container, yielding a
more balanced feeling. (This may be a difference almost too subtle for
you to notice, but, again, a simple rule provides a more pleasing
overall form.)
4) H, because it looks more like a mature tree.
Question 4 should be an easy one for you. Perhaps the raw material that
you are turning into a bonsai looks more like G right now. You should be
beginning to transform it into something more like H. Have you removed
any material from your tree yet? You ought to. What is holding you back?
Have I offered sufficient encouragement?
If you compare H with C, you will notice how much the shallow bonsai pot
of C contributes to the overall appearance, in contrast with the deeper
training pot of H. Eventually we will be addressing that issue, but for
now, we concentrate on the form of the tree.
I should warn you that before too long, we will have to worry about the
roots, so, please, start addressing the form of you tree, now.
The reason we have to worry about the roots is that we are doing some
pruning and removing branches and reducing the mass of the leaves. Those
leaves lost were doing a job--feeding the roots. The roots are often
thought of as feeding the rest of the tree, providing water and
nutrients. But, it is a two-way street. The leaves convert carbon-
dioxide and sunlight into sugars which feed the roots, too. So, having
removed a lot of leaves, we now have a tree with hungry roots. If we do
not balance the amount of roots with the amount of leaves, the tree will
be weakened.
===
Back in Class 2, I mentioned some differences between bonsai and
natural, mature trees. I thought of another one: a bonsai usually has
fewer branches. While a bonsai attempts to be a scale-model tree, you
cannot keep all aspects in scale, for instance, the number of branches.
The branches of a bonsai more give the impression of a mature tree than
mimic it precisely.
A bonsai is an artwork that provides an impression of a tree, not just a
small copy of the real thing.
An often annoying similarity between bonsai and trees is that a bonsai
has leaves of approximately the same size as a tree. Though the bonsai
may be younger, and smaller, the size of the leaves is pretty well
fixed, genetically. To get the leaves more in scale, two approaches are
taken. First, plants with genetically smaller leaves are used, like the
tiny needles of the juniper, or the smaller leaves of the Chinese elm
(ulmus parvifola). Second, training for growth in a pot often reduces
the size of the leaves a plant puts out, and techniques like
defoliation--in which every last leaf is removed from a healthy
deciduous plant, promoting a second smaller set of leaves--are utilized.
If your material does not have small leaves to begin with, then
encouraging smaller leaves will have to be left as an advanced topic
of refinement.
===
I had intended to tell you what I did with my three raw specimens. Next
time. Do some pruning, so we can compare experiences!
There is probably enough to digest, here. At least if you have no other
access to bonsai pictures, you now have the few crude drawings from the
quiz, above. I continue to encourage you to seek out books on bonsai, or
to examine live bonsai, so you can have some idea of where you are
headed with your tree.
Oh, the preferred bonsai in the quiz are all "informal upright" style.
Remember, there are several styles--and many variations--and informal
upright may not be exactly right for your tree. The "text" (Growing
Bonsai) describes the 5 main styles.
--
Hud Nordin
Cybernetic Arts r...@guest.apple.com
Post Office Box 2066 Telephone: 408.248.0377
Richard K. Nordin
From the mailbag:
> Are there bonsai that can live indoors in a sunny southern exposure
> window, in a warm house?
Indoor bonsai can be done. I do outdoor, so I don't have much advice.
Generally, indoor bonsai have to be tropical species that can survive
the heat (and usual lack of light) of indoors. I think the FAQ mentions
some indoor species.
I like outdoors because that means I can get free material from local
sources like vacant lots, yards, etc. Outdoor trees seem hardier, and
need less care from me. And, you know that something collected locally
is suitable to your local climate.
But, try an indoor species. Lots of people do.
In Dorothy Young's "Bonsai the Art and Technique", for warm indoor
temperatures (65-75 daytime), she suggests:
Auraucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island pine)
Bougainvillea glabra
Brassaia actinophylla (Schefflera)
Calliandra emaginate (powder-puff)
Carissa grandiflora (Natal plum)
Ceratonia Siliqua (Carob)
Citrus Limon (lemon)
Crassula argenta (jade tree)
Cuphea hyssopifolia (elfin herb)
Cycas revoluta (cycad)
Ehretia microphylla (fukien tea)
Ficus Aurea (strangler fig), F. benjamina, deltoidea, microcarpa,
neriifolia, pumila, runignosa [big win in the fig family!]
Grevillea robusta (silk oak)
Hedera helix (ivy)
Lagerstroemia indica (crape myrtle)
Malpighia coccigera & glabra (miniature holly & Barbados cherry)
Myrtus communis (Greek myrtle)
Olea europaea (olive)
Pithecellobeum flexicaule (Texas ebony)
Punica granatum (pomegranate)
Pyracantha coccinea, fortunaea, koidzumii (everlasting thorn,
Chinese fire thorn, Formosa fire thorn)
Sageretia thea (sageretia)
Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian pepper)
Serissa foetida (serissa)
Severinia buxifolia (Chinese box orange)
Syzygium paniculatum (brush cherry)
That ought to give you something to choose from. Indoor light is
deceivingly dim. Our eyes adjust, but if you really measure it, it is
low, even by a large window, where at least half the sky is obscured by
the roof and walls of the house. If sunlight comes into the window, then
at least the plant will get some high-intensity light for a while. But
then, a plant can get awfully warm and dry in direct sunlight, so it's a
delicate balancing act. I do not know exact hour-exposure numbers. It
will vary by species. (And, since the light comes from the side, you
have to be sure to constantly rotate the plant so it doesn't grow in a
single direction.)
Adam (Beowulf) Lidvik
> > Are there bonsai that can live indoors in a sunny southern exposure
> > window, in a warm house?
> Indoor bonsai can be done. I do outdoor, so I don't have much advice.
> Generally, indoor bonsai have to be tropical species that can survive
> the heat (and usual lack of light) of indoors.
I find that there is many trees suitable for bonsai indoors, but I just
have to come with a small warning. The temperature on the inside of a window
facing south can rise rather dramatically when the spring and summer sun hits.
There is generally no wind to smooth out the temperature changes, therefore it
is all too easy to overheat the bonsai.
But if you are careful, there is a lot of suitable species.
Also, if you have access to a somewhat cooler room for the winter, with
+5 - +10 Celsius , you can give many trees the winter rest they want.
Many trees from the Mediterranean feel at home with cooler temperature in the
winter.
Adam Lidvik
--
---------------------------------------------------------
Who: Adam Lidvik
Doing: Studying
Where: College of Technology in Linköping
What: Computer Science and Engineering
Why: ?
Enjoy the day.
---------------------------------------------------------
Richard K. Nordin
[This is a continuing series of spontaneous and unrehearsed "classes" on
the subject of bonsai. Many new readers were coming on board asking
about how to get started. I believe you should just start making bonsai.
So, I will try to lead you through creating your first. Besides this
gentle counsel, be sure to read the FAQ (which appears periodically) and
search out some good books or people to introduce you to the subject. I
will post sporadically with a subject containing the word "Class". I am
going slow, so be prepared to be frustrated. If you have questions or
comments about building your own first bonsai, post them "Re:" this
===
I told you I had purchased 3 trees a couple of weeks ago, so I could
share the adventure, and maybe help inspire you. Let me tell you about
them. All were recently purchased at a landscape nursery, on sale for US
$2.95.
Subject 1 was a Japanese black pine (Pinus Thunbergii) in a 1-gallon
pot, with new sprouts making it about 12 inches tall.
Subject 2 was a mugho pine (Pinus mugo) in a 1-gallon pot, about 10
inches tall.
Subject 3 was a juniper (Juniperus chinensis procumbens nana), in a 1-
gallon pot, about 7 inches tall.
And, let me describe a bonus Subject 4: a volunteer ($0.00!) deciduous
tree I saw growing in a flower box two years ago. It could be a willow
but I think it is a peach (Prunus persica); that would be like me--
eating a peach out on the deck and lazily tossing the stone into the
flower box instead of properly disposing of it! I let it grow the first
year just to see what it was, and it grew straight up, reaching a height
of about 4 feet, with a base trunk diameter of 3/8 inch. That winter,
seeing that it had an attractive, gentle S-curve near the base, I
transplanted it to a 1-foot diameter clay azalea pot, and cut the trunk
clean off at 6 inches. Last spring, it developed 8 branches in good
places; I let them grow to develop girth. By winter, the trunk diameter
was 5/8 inch.
On with the results.
===
1) Japanese black pine. This classic bonsai material seduced me. It was
an impulse buy (Hey, they were on sale!) and I didn't have much to
choose from. It had a nice 1/2-inch trunk, but was lacking in attractive
branches. Three inches up, four wheel-spoke branches emerged. A half-
inch further up, three more branches emerged. Each of the branches had
new buds at about 2 inches, and the ends of every branch had new, long
growth.
The first thing I did was remove needles from the trunk and the lower
part of the main branches, just so I could see how things looked. I then
pinched out most of the new end growth on the branches to get a more
realistic idea of the finished height.
It really needed a first branch, so I removed all but the one best of
the first set of wheel-spoke branches. There went about half the
foliage! I still didn't know if the first branch went left or right.
The second branch, one of the three a half-inch up, would determine
that. One went the same direction as the first branch, so I removed it.
Both of the other two branches grew about ninety degrees to the first
branch, so there wasn't an easy choice. I kept the thickest one. I will
wire and bend it around so it is more opposite the first branch. This
left me with a first branch that is on the right, and a second branch
that will come left from the rear half of the tree. Although the
branches are at ninety degrees, if I also swing the first branch a
little toward the front, then the bases of both branches can be seen.
I still don't have a back branch, but there is a sprout at the rear that
has possibilities. But, it is about the same height as the first two
branches, so it will probably have to go. I'll probably have to get a
back branch from the sprouts two inches farther up the trunk.
I cut each branch back to about 2 inches, where their new sprouts were,
leaving the tree about 6 inches tall. They will form nice branches
eventually, but right now it doesn't look much like a bonsai.
To help that, I did some needle cutting. The needles on this tree were 5
to 6 inches long. They aren't now! I cut them back to 1 to 1-1/2 inches.
This leaves about 15% of the needles the tree originally had; I hope it
is strong! It's still not a bonsai, but in a couple years...
===
2) Mugho pine. This tree had more potential. The trunk was almost an
inch in diameter, and there was a clear winner of a first branch, about
a half-inch in diameter, that grew horizontally for an inch and then up.
Besides a lot of smaller branches on the trunk, there was a good-sized
branch that could be a back branch, which would demand that the first
branch goes left. I removed all of the smaller branches from the lower
part of the trunk, leaving the first branch, the back branch, and the
trunk.
Unfortunately, there is no clear second branch going to the right. I
turned this tree around and around, trying to figure out exactly where
the front was. (A lazy-susan, or turntable, can be useful at this
stage.) Up the trunk from the first two main branches, there is a
cluster of three branches. The inner one is probably the apex. One of
the other two will be the second branch, and will be wired out to the
right. I can't decide which one right now. I have to think about it
more.
I pruned back all of the branches to just above their new buds, leaving
it about 8 inches tall. All of the branches look a little gangly, about
6 inches right now, but maybe some new branches will grow lower down
next spring, and then I can shorten them. Yeah, next spring, that's the
ticket! Next spring, it will look great.
But, in general, the tree already has a nice form, and makes a pretty
good bonsai, for a half-hour of pruning and a couple hours of pondering.
===
3) Juniper. This tree had a nice half-inch diameter trunk that grew up
two inches, two inches at forty-five degrees, and then up and curving
for about 18 inches of horizontal growth. Typical of junipers, it had a
lot of branches, and the trick was just selecting the right ones to make
a bonsai.
I decided on a first branch that came out a little below the first curve
in the trunk. I plucked out all the little branches on the lower part of
the trunk, to better see the structure. There was a good candidate for a
second branch on the second curve of the trunk. Above it was a branch
that came out of the trunk almost on the opposite side. I decided that
would be wired to become the back branch, and that the first branch
would therefore be on the right. I removed the smaller branches from the
lower third of each of the main limbs.
Since the main trunk curved to grow horizontally, it had to be bent
upward to supply an apex. I shortened it to about 8 inches and selected
one of its side branches to become the new apex. I decided to wire the
trunk to bring it up vertically. Ah! Nice. Instead of sweeping off
horizontally to the right, it now curved forward and upward to the left.
Suddenly it looked like a tree.
[We haven't really talked about wiring techniques, so you don't have to
worry about that on your tree; just shape the tree by pruning and
remember that some of the remaining branches can be moved around a
little to complete the form.]
Then, disaster struck. In rolling it around, reducing its size, and
wiring, somehow the first branch was broken severely at the trunk. Damn!
Well, see, we all make mistakes!
While I could try to save the branch by wiring it in place and letting
it heal, I decided to revisit my decisions about branches. I mentally
removed it and saw that what had been my second branch would make a
pretty good first branch, even though it was a little far off the
ground, just under half the way up to the apex. No problem.
Now, I can't lower that branch so it comes out from the trunk at 1/3 the
height of the tree, but I can make the tree taller! The tree will grow
in the future to make the proportions better, but I couldn't wait. The
apex branch was sweeping to the left; I brought the last couple of
inches to vertical and instantly the proportions were better.
It looked great. Off went the former first branch!
The former second branch, going to the left, was promoted to be the
first. The branch I had envisioned as the back branch became the second
branch, going to the right. Another branch, a little further up, became
the back branch.
This was close to being a great "instant bonsai", so I continued. I
shortened all of the branches. On the lower branches, I removed all
twigs growing straight up (looking too youthful) or straight down
(looking plain ugly). This leaves the remaining twigs all growing out
horizontally, giving the outer portion of each branch the appearance of
a little green cloud of needles.
The second branch bothered me. I had removed all twigs for half its
length, in preparation to bending it around to function as the back
branch. But now, as the second branch, the foliage seemed too far from
the tree. I wired this branch and bent its lower third into a sinuous
curve, pulling the foliage in closer to the trunk. It improved the
overall balance, and made the branch more interesting in the bargain!
The tree looks a tad sparse right now, but a summer of pinching to
encourage new growth will solve that. If I add a little jin (that's jin,
not gin--removing bark to make a dead limb for the effect of age), it'll
be perfect. I don't really have a branch to spare right now, so that is
something to look forward to in the future.
===
4) Peach. By this spring, the tree had a 5/8-inch diameter trunk, about
6-inches long, with a subtle S-curve, and 8 two-foot long branches,
nicely spaced up the trunk. Important branches had grown on the outside
of the curves in the trunk; it seemed like this tree just wanted to be a
bonsai! About two months ago, just before budding, I cut back the upper
four branches to about 4 inches. I left the lower four branches long,
still, to encourage girth. At that point, the tree looked really ugly!
As it began to develop leaves, I experimented with pinching them back,
just to see how it went. It went well; it always quickly put out new
shoots. The wound from the very first topping was beginning to heal
nicely. Among its new spring growth was a new branch on the trunk, in
almost the exact place one was needed; I let that grow long, as well, to
develop girth.
Now, since the tree seems very healthy, the time had come to turn this
ugly duckling into a beautiful bonsai. I just cut all of its branches
back to 1/2 to 1 inch (pruning, of course, so that buds on the end of
the branches are located on the bottom or outside). In a week or two,
I'll know if the operation was a success. I expect the nine short
branches to soon each be sporting several new branches. Then, it will
look really nice. I'll have to stay on top of this one; it will require
constant pinching back so that it develops dense foliage and short
internodes. I will still have to let the lower branches grow, for their
diameter is still less than the upper branches, but I know that will be
fixed.
I think it's got what it takes!
===
So, out of 3 nursery trees bought for $9 total, and a found freebie
(I'll have to throw some more peach pits in the flower box!), I have one
nice juniper bonsai, one mugho that is OK but will be a good bonsai next
year, a black pine that won't be anything for a couple years, and a
peach that will look superb in about 3 years. Not bad! (Patience? Nah,
patience is for people who don't like what they are doing.)
Next time, I'll report on what I did to the lower half of the trees.
Don't forget the roots!
===
I just read a cute trick for beginners, to practice pruning: snip a
branch off a big tree and prune and shape it as if it were a bonsai. If
you really doubt your ability to find the bonsai hiding in your subject,
doing a few of these might help you gain confidence. At least your
mistakes won't matter.
===
A while ago, I mentioned that a good overall shape for a bonsai was
triangular. That is especially true of conifers, for that is their
natural form. Other shapes, usually geometric, are possible. For
instance, I'll probably prune the peach to attain an oval outline. Let
the shape of a similar mature tree be your guide to the shape you give
your bonsai.
===
So, how is your tree? Any problems? Through E-mail, some people have
told me they have acquired trees to turn into their first bonsai. Let me
know how it's going--privately, or in this forum, whichever you prefer.
I appreciate the feedback.
