July 15, 2008
Many people would like to have a bonsai tree but some people just don’t have the time or patience to take care for their bonsai tree.
Do you want to buy an artifical bonsai tree?
Here you can choose from a variety of Artifical Bonsai Trees
Having an artificial bonsai tree makes it available for anyone to have a bonsai tree whether it’s real or artificial.
Artificial bonsai trees look so real that you can barely tell the difference from a live one. Making it perfect for anyone who does not have a green thumb.
Another good point about having an artificial bonsai tree is you are not limited to one style. Artificial trees are available for a wide range of different styles and species. So if you like a specific type of bonsia tree, there is a good chance you will be able to find the same type of artificial bonsia tree.
For those people who decide to go with an artificial bonsai tree, you will not have to worry about doing the regular maintenance such as watering, feeding,
trimming or repotting.
The artificial bonsai is perfect for displaying in your home. You can place it in your living room table, by the window, in your bedroom or on a desk in your office. It is all up to you where placed it since it can easily blend with almost any environment.
In cleaning an artificial bonsai, you only need to use a duster or take a clean piece of moistened cloth.
If you would like to have an artificial bonsai tree that bears flowers, then you have the option to go with a cherry or Azalea bonsai tree.
The cherry or Azalea bonsai tree is made from Luna clay which makes it flexible. Because of its flexibility, you can easily twist the branches or bend the trunk according to your desired shape and style. All of the buds are colorfully hand-painted to obtain a real appearance.
An artificial bonsai tree is very ideal as a replacement for the real plant. All you need is to keep the plant clean to retain it realistic appearance. Compared to a real bonsai tree, the maintenance is very simple and easy.
To have a better idea about an artificial bonsai tree, it is best to visit an ornamental plant shop near your area or there are a few links below to check out.
July 8, 2008
Bonsai wire is used to hold the branches of a Bonsai tree in place in order to shape them. The bonsai wire remains wrapped around the trunks and branches until the tree is able to maintain the desired shape, during which the bonsai wire is removed.
Our aluminum wire
has copper color anodized coating, and is designed for shaping and holding branches and small trunks inconspicuously. Re-usable and easy to apply, it is softer than copper wire and less likely to damage the tree. 2.0 mm dia wire in a 150 gm size coil.
You can get bonsai wire from any supplier of bonsai tools and accessories. The types that they will have are plain silver aluminum and a copper-colored anodized aluminum wire.
You can choose either bonsai wire. The advantage of a plain silver bonsai wire is it will be easier to see under developed branches than the anodized one when you need to check your wiring later. On the other hand, the copper or brown color of the anodized wire will blend well with the tree branches so they would be more pleasing to the eye.
If you cannot obtain bonsai wire, you can substitute a wire any type of wire that is easily bendable and removable. Bonsai wire comes in different sizes from 1 mm to 7mm, usually weighing 100 to 150 grams and can be over 100 feet long.
Choosing the right size of bonsai wire can be tricky. Some find it easier to buy coils in different sizes but still, you do not want to waste money buying wires that you will not be able to use. One way to determine the size of bonsai wire that you need is to find a wire that you can bend with the same effort as you would bending your tree’s trunk or branch.
If it is easier for you to bend the wire than the wood, then you would need a thicker bonsai wire. Alternatively, if you find that the wire you bought will not be strong enough to do job properly, then you can try double wrapping the wire by applying two wire pieces.
July 7, 2008
When you are growing a bonsai tree, you may have observed that the bottom does not grow as fast as the top, a “phenomenon” known as apical dominance. This makes pruning a bonsai a necessary process in order to enhance its growth and maintain its shape.
Not all plants respond well to pruning, especially when it is done at an inappropriate time. Pruning a bonsai properly entails knowing the type of plant it is and which time of the year is best to prune it. Usually though, pruning of new growth is done within the growing season, while pruning of old growth is carried out during mid-autumn.
A bonsai which is remained unpruned for sometime will eventually look like a typical tree, and creating a bonsai means starting the whole process all over again. Thus, to prevent this from happening, pruning a bonsai should be done habitually.
Pruning a bonsai can be done in two manners: finger pruning and leaf pruning. Finger pruning is pinching the new growth that sprouted at the top or does not complement the shape of the bonsai. Pinching is done by removing the growth using your forefinger and thumb. Your other hand should be holding the branch where the growth is attached to. This pruning method for coniferous bonsai is better than using scissors because it does not create an unnatural impression on the foliage.
Leaf pruning a bonsai is mostly done during the summer. Deciduous bonsai and tropical plants are pruned by cutting around 60% to 90% of their leaves using fine scissors. The remaining leaves should be enough to supply energy to the tree.
The previously discussed pruning techniques are those which can be done above the ground. Pruning a bonsai can also be accomplished by trimming below the ground. Root pruning becomes essential when the root has grown too much to be in the same pot. Thus, you need to thin it down to make it fit more comfortably inside the pot. However, when trimming the roots, make sure that you do not cut off more than what is necessary that you will deprive the tree of enough feeding roots. Watering should be done after this process.
Pruning a bonsai is basically like giving a person a nice haircut. There are various styles and methods of achieving a particular look to choose from.
Just imagine a tree being swept by a harsh wind and you’ll see the exact appearance of a windswept-styled bonsai. Yes, this form basically simulates the appearance of a tree being exposed to strong winds. So for this style, expect to see your bonsai with branches that appear swept to one particular angle and side.
Note that of the styles available for bonsai, this is the most difficult to portray, though several beginners have started developing it simply for one main reason - the windswept form is dramatic.
One important thing to note about this form is that the tree should be kept growing with all the branches facing at a particular angle. They should never be upright, but they may cascade.
Recommended Species: As claimed by most experts, almost all types of plant species can be appropriate for this form.
Recommended Techniques: Note that pruning, tapering, and wiring will help make your bonsai to imitate a windswept image.
The broom style is specifically the form that replicates the way a number of deciduous plants or trees thrive in nature. This style offers you an image of a tree that grows without any competitors around.
There are two forms available in broom style. The first is the formal, while the other is the informal. In the formal division, you can see a broom bonsai featuring a trunk that separates at a particular angle and point. The division allows three or more branches to grow, each holding a thickness similar to each other.
These branches emerge and grow upwards from the trunk where they originate. The most important thing to note about this type is that its branches grow diagonally to form a shape similar to that of a fan.
The informal broom, on the other hand, has a trunk that boasts bends and twists, resembling a tree blown by a harsh wind, or the one that is in movement. The branches of this type also grow upward to imitate the shape of a fan.
Recommended Species: For the broom style, species of fine branching trees like zelkova and ulmus can create a perfect shape. You can also take some species of broadleaf and deciduous plants. Just make sure not to use some coniferous species like junipers and pines since they won’t allow you to obtain your aim.
Recommended Techniques: The broom styled bonsai will develop and grow successfully once treated with proper pruning. The trunk should be kept growing upward, as well as the branches by cutting some upward divisions of the trunk, allowing the branches to grow horizontally.
Known as shakkan in Japanese, the slanting style of bonsai is noted specifically for its acute angles. The trunk and branches of the tree appears to be somewhat blown by the wind, similar to that that grows in nature.
However, what’s interesting to know about this style is that the trunk leans exactly on a definite angle, while the roots emerge right away from the side where the trunk leans, so to support the mass or weight of its body. Other than that, the branches of the slanting bonsai spread in a direction opposite to that of the slanting angle.
The tip of the plant is even noted to be bending forward on a slight manner. You can also see a miniature tree designed in this way with branches on the lower part arranged in groups composed of three. The first branch in this group grows one-third the way up to the trunk.
The slanting style is often addressed by many bonsai masters as the “leaners”. It is also viewed as the style designed to feature an attitude that falls between what the cascades and the upright forms may offer. And, it’s worth knowing that this style has been valued and appreciated by thousands of bonsai planters or growers simply for its being capable of presenting an appearance that defines age and strength.
Recommended Species: The good news about the slanting form is that it works perfect for almost all species of bonsai. Those that grow successfully with the informal upright form are also appropriate with this style, but conifers are deemed as the best.
Recommended Techniques: In terms of techniques, one can train his or her bonsai to appear slanted by incorporating the wiring method applied to the trunks. The trunk should be wired until it slants. Aside from that, the slanting form can also be achieved by simply putting the pot also slanted. This method will definitely allow your bonsai to grow oddly.
Another easiest style to incorporate, the informal upright or Moyogi in Japanese is known specifically for its trunk that grows upward but bends to the right and left, forming an “S”. Yes, it has pronounced twists and bends, allowing the plant to emerge somewhat in motion, which in turn gives the bonsai the informality it deserves.
Aside from the bending trunk of the informal upright bonsai, it is also noted specifically for its branches that grow from the outer side of the curves or bends.
It may appear triangular in shape, especially if you’ll its silhouette, but this does not hold true at all times. One of the reasons for this is that there are informal uprights that grow a bit slanted.
But one thing that sets this style apart from the others is that it never bends toward the viewer, especially when viewed in front.
Recommended Species: For this style, you can take a Japanese maple, beech, trident maple, and all kinds of conifers. Some ornamental plants such as cotoneaster, crab apple, and pomegranate can also be used for this aim.
Recommended Techniques: As with the case of formal uprights, the informal upright form of bonsai also requires tapering on the trunks. The main difference occurs though as with the direction of the trunk and branches in this style is positioned in an informal way, something similar to that of a tree that grows naturally exposed to all types of elements in nature at an early age.
With this, the trunks curve and bend, while the branches grow in a way that they balance this bending effect. The tip of the tree must also be located up the bottom of the plant and should be filled with foliage.
The formal upright style is by far the most basic in the bonsai forms. Being the most basic, it is expected for this style to be done easily and quickly. This is true specifically for the reason that formal upright requires only in the least experimentation possible. It does not even employ most of the selective pruning methods, and what’s further nice to know is that it holds the most displayable nature of bonsai.
But what exactly is evident for the formal upright in terms of form? This is what basically you can notice: In formal upright, you can find your tree or plant growing rounded or in a conical shape. It’s branches are erect and horizontal in growth, but one is positioned lower and extending a bit farther from the rest of the branches and trunks. Other than that, it is typical for the upright form to feature two branches of the lowest position.
These branches are trained to grow forward on the frontal side of the miniature plant, with one branch a bit lengthy than the other. The third branch then is what extends out through the back of the tree right in the middle of the two side branches. It is this part which offers the bonsai a sense of depth.
One thing that must be noted with the formal upright style of bonsai is that the trunk of the tree should be kept straight, while the branches should be maintained in a symmetrical way, giving the plant a sense of depth and balance.
Recommended Species: There are a number of plant species applicable for this specific form. Included in the list are the junipers, larches, pines, as well as spruces. The other alternative may include the maples, redwood, Japanese cedar, and cypress.
Recommended Techniques: For a beginner to succeed in developing a formal upright style of bonsai, he or she should make sure that about one third of the trunks that grow upright should be noticeable from the front. Other than that, the branches should be kept in a pattern that goes like this: the bottom branches should be trimmed the longest and proportionate.
The width of the branches decreases when it comes to those that are growing up the bottom branch and through the tip of the plant. Just think about a cone-like form. That’s how the formal upright bonsai is grown.
To achieve the upright and proportionate position of trunks and branches, one should start cutting the growing apex of the branches and trunks off regularly. A new branch should be wired into a position for it for form as the plant’s tip.
The cascade is on the most basic a style patterned from plants and trees that grow above and on the sides of mountains and steep cliffs. These trees are noted for their downward bending position, which by nature is caused by a number of factors, including falling rocks and snow.
The challenging part about the cascade is that bonsai, knowing that they only are grown in pots, are a bit harder to be shaped in a way that their branches and trunks are going downward. The tip of the cascades are even directed to reach the bottom of the pot’s base, for it to give an impression of a natural tree growing above a cliff that is pulled against the forces of nature and gravity.
In this way, it is typical for a cascade bonsai to appear with branches that seem to be seeking for light. The winding of its trunks are also viewed by many as somewhat similar to that of a stream that flows down the edge of a mountain.
The cascade style available for bonsai is divided into two types. The first division is known as the full cascade, while the other is the semi-cascade.
In full cascade, the miniature tree grows with its trunk rising upward from the earth. It turns downward in an abrupt manner once it reaches its maximum height until it touches the bottom of the pot base. If this happens to your bonsai, it is recommended by several experts that the pot should be transferred into an area where the cascading form will further continue. Placing it at the side of a table, or on a small stand could be perfect for such aim.
The semi-cascade, on the other hand, is noted particularly for its trunk that grows upright for a particular distance. From that distance, it cascades down less abrupt than that of the full form. So what you can notice in this type is its trunk that curves, but in a way that it does not reach the base of the pot. It should only be grown just beneath the surface of the soil.
Recommended Species of Bonsai: For the cascade, you can take a prostate juniper, star jasmine, wisteria, chrysanthemums, cherries, cidars, and willows. These plants tend to grow in this form if done right.
Techniques Recommended: It is important to note that for the plants or trees to grow cascading, they should be placed in a narrow and tall container. Also, the main trunk should be kept wired for it to grow downward abruptly.
Other than that, a close emphasis to the horizontal and uniform shape of the plants should be taken into consideration, and for the plants to grow successfully according to this style, it should be planted or positioned right into the midst of the container. This is applicable for both the full and semi-cascade forms.
The most crucial factor in growing a bonsai plant is the art of styling it. While styling a bonsai is a very subjective process, there are actually some principles and techniques to follow which will help you come up with the perfect “look” for your bonsai.
Styling a bonsai can be done in any of the five basic techniques: “chokkan” or formal upright; “moyogi” or informal upright; “shankkan” or slanting; “kengi” or cascade; and semi-cascade.
Before styling a bonsai, figure out which side is front and which one is back. Take a look at all the styling techniques, and figure out which one you would like your bonsai to have. Remove surface soil to know where the root starts and how large the trunk is before the first branch.
Get rid of dead leaves and wood using a pointed pair of scissors. Also, remove any leaf that may have grown at the lower end of the branches.
Make sure that the side you consider as the bonsai’s front should have its first major branch standing around 1/3 towards the top of your tree, either to the right or left side. When styling a bonsai, it is important that you can see much of the trunk from the front. There should be no branches or roots that will come straight at you.
The branches are special elements in styling a bonsai. Thus, it is advisable that you choose which ones are best to use in your design. Most beginners tend to preserve more foliage than necessary. Since you are styling a tree, not a shrub, keep in mind that the gaps found in between the foliage serve as much importance as the foliage.
Since the first major branch should be about 1/3 towards the top of the tree, the next one should be a little bit above the first, but on the other side. If possible, branches should not be in the same height and opposite each other, a characteristic known as bar branch and which is not considered ideal.
The third branch should again be higher than the previous one and should be located at the back of the tree. This pattern should be followed as much as possible until you reach the top of the tree. Unwanted branches should be removed and your tree should achieve a somewhat triangular shape.
Styling a bonsai does not really let you conform to strict rules. After all, art does not mean adhering to standards.
