BONSAI (1)............................pptx

Bonsai

1. BONSAI The word “Bon- sai ” is a Japanese term which, literally translated, means “planted in a container”. This art form is derived from an ancient Chinese horticultural practice, part of which was then redeveloped under the influence of Japanese Zen Buddhism. It is the art of growing and grooming plants in dwarfed or miniaturised form. I t is generally believed that bonsai emerged as a form of art in China through many years long trials and errors. Japanese people learned this art from Chinese. It is accomplished through creative design.

2. BONSAI Principles of bonsai The basic aspects of bonsai are related to plant selection, design, pruning and management.

3. 1. Plant selection All plants are not suitable or ideal for bonsai. Plants with small leaves, and restricted growth in limited space, are most desirable. Plants generally used include conifers, deciduous trees and ornamental shrubs.

4. 2. Design Since bonsai is a form of art, creativity is very important for the overall appeal of the finished product. Longevity also is an important aspect of bonsai. Designs are particularly meant for making the plants appear old, rugged and withered.

5. Designs of bonsai should be natural. Some designs portray plants responding to the impacts of natural forces, such as wind. Designs may include a single tree with a single trunk, a single tree with multiple trunks, or a group of trees.

6. 3. Pruning Pruning to control plant size is also important in bonsai culture. After establishment, pruning has to be periodically repeated to restrict growth and to maintain the shape of the bonsai. Roots and shoots are judiciously pruned to obtain the desired shape and size and also to control development. It is often necessary to use wires to force the plant to assume a desired shape.

7. 4. Management Bonsai plants need to be properly watered, fertilized, and placed under appropriate env ironmental conditions at all times. This requires effective supervision and management

8. Tools Variety of tools are used for pruning and cutting in bonsai culture. The cutting ends of enough to cut the parts of the miniature plants. These tools should be small: Following are the tools commonly used in bonsai culture. Small scissors for root pruning. (ii) Pliers for cutting tap root. (ii) Pruning scissors for shoot pruning. (iv) Leaf cutter for leaf pruning. (v) Clippers for shaping the bark of limbs. (vi) Copper wires of desired gauge (10-12) for forcing trunk and branches to assume a desired shape and to grow in a desired direction.

9. (vii) Wire cutter for cutting away the copper wire that are used for shaping trunk and branches. ( viil ) Concave cutter for making holes on the trunk. (ix) Saw for removing unwanted branches. (X) Rake for uprooting seedlings from soil and also for raking the soil in the pot. (xi) Filter for filtering the soil during potting. xii) Plastic net for plugging the drainage holes of the pot.

10. Wiring

11. Container The selected plant can be left in its original container during the initial stages of bonsai culture. After top working is completed, it should be transplanted to a bonsai container, which is characteristically very shallow. Bonsai containers are usually round, but they can also be oblong or rectangular.

12. The colour of the container should not be bright (brown and green are the preferred colours). Earthen pots, with unglazed inner face, are the best. Drainage holes should be provided at the bottom of the container.

13. Both deciduous and evergreen plants, purchased from a local nursery or collected from natural surroundings, can be excellent bonsai materials. It is always better to look for seedlings that are already rugged and irregular in appearance. When such a plant is found, it should be carefully taken out and transplanted in the dormant period. It is important to dig up (rather than by plucking) all the roots, together with a ball of soil.

14. Plant shape and primary pruning The selected plant should be examined for desirable features, such as natural curves, turns and twists. The designer should first decide and work for the best viewing angle of the finished product.

15. The lowest primary branch of the future plant should be identified and all the unwanted branches below it should be removed. Dead branches, if any, below the lowest branch can be retained, provided they add to the attraction. The maximum height of the bonsai must be decided next.

16. The plant should then be pruned to that height. The branches between the top and bottom ones are to be pruned in such a way that the upper ones are shorter than the lower ones. Downwardly pointing branches may be completely removed. During the initial pruning stage, one or two lowest branches may be cut away, leaving 2-4 inches long stumps whose bark is stripped off to kill it.

17. This creates dead wood (aging), which enhances the beauty of the design The tap root should be removed to encourage the growth of lateral or secondary roots When starting from seed, pruning must begin when the seedling is young. Tap root and main stem are pruned to induce lateral branching.

18. Secondary pruning Secondary pruning is done quite frequently to preserve the plant shape, to remove unwanted branching, and to control growth. Leaves are chipped and sometimes completely removed in deciduous species. Regular removal of buds produces smaller leaves.

19. Stem and branches may be forced to assume unnatural shapes by twisting a copper wire around them and bending them in a different direction. Wiring starts from the lower part of the stem or branch and progresses to the tip. Thinner wires are used for thinner limbs. Branches that are close to each other can be pushed apart first by wiring.

20. These operations should be done very carefully to avoid bruising the bark or breaking off the limb. The ends of the wires should be tucked away from View. Wires should be removed after the desired shape is obtained. The base of the trunk must be deliberately wired to induce thickening.

21. Artificial ageing The technique by which aged appearance is established is called Ageing A simple grafting knife can be used for this purpose. After stripping off the bark , the bare surface is polished with fine-grade sand paper. Then, dilute citric acid solution is rubbed on the bare surface to bleach the area. The result is the appearance of aged plants.

22. Repotting of bonsai For repotting the bonsai, a piece of wire is passed through the holes in the bottom of the container to anchor the plant. A fine wire mesh is stretched over the drainage hole, and a layer of gravel or potting medium is placed to a depth of about 1 inch in the container.

23. Root pruning For root pruning, the plant is removed from its container and its roots are examined after removing much of the soil. The tap root is cut away, leaving a short stump. Some lateral roots are also pruned in such a way that the remaining roots fit into the bonsai container.

24. With a reduced root system, the plant is often heavy and needs to be fixed in the shallow container. This can be managed by tying the plant with an anchor wire that passes through the drainage holes. After that, more potting medium is added to cover the roots. This forms a mound around the base of stem.

25. Watering and fertilizing Watering and fertilizing are two operations that are very critical to the success of a bonsai. Growth control depends on the extent of watering and fertilizing. Since the bonsai container is shallow, the plant should be watered thoroughly. The spout of the watering can should be capped with a head that delivers a fine spray. Slow-acting fertilizers are most desirable.

26. Specially formulated bonsai fertilizers may be purchased from a nursery. Organic fertilizers, containing nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in the ratio 50:30:20, are compounded from materials such as bone meal and fish meal. Bonsai plants are fertilized during the active growing period.

27. Fertilizing of flowering and fruiting bonsai plants should be delayed until flowering. Bonsai plants are generally designed for outdoors. So, when they are used indoors, appropriate adjustments should be made to provide the necessary environmental conditions for proper growth and development.

28. Bonsai styles Different styles have been adopted for miniaturising frees, retaining their natural features. Some of the common styles of bonsai are the following Formal upright style In this style, the miniaturised plant grows upright, giving branches only to the sides. This is a very simple style.

29. Informal upright style In this case, the potted tree is allowed to grow almost upright, with curved trunk and branches. Sloping trunk style The shoot system grows sloping to left or right at an angle of 45°. Branches are given to both sides.

30. GROUP STYLE

31. Wind swept style Trunk and branches grow sloping to one side as if they are wind-swept. Cascade style and semicascade style Short stem grows fully and vertically downward (cascade style), or partially down ward ( semicascade style), as in the case of the trees growing in running water or close to waterfalls.

32. Cascade style Semi cascade style

33. Twin-trunk style- Doubled main trunk, each branch bearing lateral branches. Multi-trunk style Multiple main trunks, each bearing lateral branches. Raft style Horizontal trunk gives out multiple upright stems, giving the appearance of a raft.

34. Twin trunk Multi trunk

35. RAFT STYLE

36. Bunjin style Main trunk is lean and it grows with iregular curves and very few branches and leaves, Group style planting Several trees grow as a single group, just like the crowding of trees in a forest.

37. BUNJIN STYLE

38. Root clasping-rock style The roots of the miniaturised tree appear grow down to the soil along the sides of a rock. Broom style The miniaturised trees grows in the form of a broom with numerous terminal branches from the trunk.

39. BROOM STYLE

40. Root clasping-rock style