BONSAI

Bush-cherry

Bonsai translates as " tree in a pot " and for centuries these little trees have been specially cultivated. The Chinese were the first to nurture and grow these trees a thousand years ago and they were called Pun-Sai

They were adopted by the Japanese at around 1200 AD and they created an art form out of them. These miniature trees are beautiful and are  highly respected by the Japanese, who have a natural eye for things of beauty.

Often these trees are grown and handed down family to family and a single tree can survive through many generations if it is cared for properly.

Bonsai trees do not have to be solely Japanese in origin, in fact they can be grown from any tree.

I think that a miniature Oak tree would be something special and British ! 

Box orange

These trees grow small because they are restricted by growth in small pots and the roots do not have the room to expand. Also they are constantly pruned to acquire there shape along with the fact that they have their branches and even the trunk itself wired down to acquire a special direction of growth.

The Japanese state that these trees create a natural harmony and bring peace and nature into the house-hold. It is said that a Bonsai tree in a city home evokes contemplation and a tranquility.

Bonsai of course is available to the world and a nice tree can be purchased quite cheaply, I recently paid £ 9.99 ( approx $14.00) for a very nice example and intend to get a collection of them as I think that they are  wonderful and generate a lot of interest.

They cost between £10.00 up to £200.00 and sometimes more, depending upon the age, style, size and type of tree.

These two pictures are of my own Bonsai tree. It is between 3-5 years old and has a nice wind-swept appearance with the trunk swerving in different directions. 

Keeping A Bonsai Tree

Lighting

Bonsai love light but not direct sunlight, so they should be kept near a window with NO drafts. They should also be kept in a relative warm place, about 50degrees F is ideal. They should not be kept in a dark area for long if at all. Bonsai can be kept near to an artificial light source as well.

Humidity & Watering

Most Bonsai trees today are kept indoors for the best viewing pleasure. Invariably  our homes are too dry and warm and evaporation of water from the compost in the trees pot occurs, so we need to replace as much lost water as possible. Leaving some water in its drip tray can supply some humidity to the tree. Incidentally, the drip tray is situated under the pot that the tree stands in.

Black olive

There is not much compost in the trees base because the roots take up most of this region, therefore it will need to be watered every day as the compost does not absorb a lot of water. The compost should be kept  wet throughout the day. Misting the leaves with an atomiser spray is a good idea too.

Some Bonsai owners actually stand the tree in a bucket of water for ten minutes so that the water completely covers the pot. The compost must never be allowed to get dry, if it does the tree starts to wilt. If the leaves start to go brown and fall off then the tree needs a mixture of water and nourishment to revive it.

This watering process must be balanced out. Not too much watering and then again not to little either. A saturated base can last for 2 to 3 days before the above process is repeated.

Juniper

The tree will need to be fertilized every 2 weeks with a special mixture that is commonly available from most garden centres. The best is in a watered mixture that you actually add to the water that you supply it.  Do not fertilize a tree if it is in flower.

Re-pot the tree every 3-5 years, March or April before flowering is the best time to do this.

With care and attention your Bonsai tree should last for years. They are a little fussy and if proper attention is not adhered to then the tree quickly suffers as a consequence.

If you do purchase a Bonsai then may I wish you the best of luck in keeping it. For the pleasure that these little trees bring I am sure that your efforts will not be wasted.