Bonsai: The most economic form of gardening
Jul 07, 2006
GROWING of <i>bonsai</i> plants is one of the unique ways of gardening. It is<br>very unique in the sense that it is the only way in which plant species in a home can be preserved for more than 20 years, without altering their features, but only reducing the plant’s height and size by giving it v
MEET THE GARDENER- By Harriet Birungi
GROWING of bonsai plants is one of the unique ways of gardening. It is
very unique in the sense that it is the only way in which plant species in a home can be preserved for more than 20 years, without altering their features, but only reducing the plant’s height and size by giving it very little manure.
Bonsai gardening is a style of gardening that originated from Japan, according to Mini Gopal, a gardener who has taken to growing the plants. She further explains that ‘bon’ and ‘sai’ are Japanese words that mean a small pot and a big tree respectively.
“So, bonsai plants are those big trees that grow for many years in small pots where they can be tamed into desired shapes. And because they take years for one to realise returns, they are often termed as a business for the next generation,†explained Gopal.
Through giving little manure for the plant’s survival, one is in position to maintain the desired 20-70cm height of the bonsai. Because little amounts of nutrients are required for the survival of the plant, then bonsai gardening is one of the most economic forms of gardening.
“To ensure that the required nutrients are always available to the plants, every year the soil should be changed and little manure added,†Gopal says.
She adds that when growing these plants, the pot in which the plant is grown should be the main area of interest. It should be shallow and the height roughly the same as the diameter of the tree trunk. The intention is to keep the tree short.
To grow bonsai plants, one can acquire seedlings either through seeds, cutting a one-year-old branch, grafting or layering. The plants to look out for are those that have thick foliage such as ficus, mango, jackfruit, orange, guava or small leaf trees like pine, bottlebrush, cyprus locally known as the Christmas tree.
When it comes to planting, one needs to prepare a soil mixture of gravel, lake sand and organic manure in the amount of 2: 2: 1 trowels, respectively (two trowels of gravel, two of sand and one of organic manure). Put the soil in a small wide pot or wooden box and cut of all excess branches and roots, especially the taproot. The intention is to ensure that there is room for new ones to grow.
After planting, keep the plant in the nursery for 10 to 15 days or up to when the new shoot comes and make sure there is no excess manure added. As part of the plant’s care, pruning of the leaves and roots should be done.
Bonsai growing is the only art of gardening where plants are permanently tamed to a shape that a gardener requires. To get the exact shape that one wants the plant to take, the branches need to be guided by aluminium or copper wires. But normally the copper wires are preferred not to affect the plant with a lot of heat.
“Though low-cost, bonsai gardening is an art of patience and plants can take any shape from that of a peacock to anything that one can imagine, if they are properly wired,†says Gopal.
GROWING of bonsai plants is one of the unique ways of gardening. It is
very unique in the sense that it is the only way in which plant species in a home can be preserved for more than 20 years, without altering their features, but only reducing the plant’s height and size by giving it very little manure.
Bonsai gardening is a style of gardening that originated from Japan, according to Mini Gopal, a gardener who has taken to growing the plants. She further explains that ‘bon’ and ‘sai’ are Japanese words that mean a small pot and a big tree respectively.
“So, bonsai plants are those big trees that grow for many years in small pots where they can be tamed into desired shapes. And because they take years for one to realise returns, they are often termed as a business for the next generation,†explained Gopal.
Through giving little manure for the plant’s survival, one is in position to maintain the desired 20-70cm height of the bonsai. Because little amounts of nutrients are required for the survival of the plant, then bonsai gardening is one of the most economic forms of gardening.
“To ensure that the required nutrients are always available to the plants, every year the soil should be changed and little manure added,†Gopal says.
She adds that when growing these plants, the pot in which the plant is grown should be the main area of interest. It should be shallow and the height roughly the same as the diameter of the tree trunk. The intention is to keep the tree short.
To grow bonsai plants, one can acquire seedlings either through seeds, cutting a one-year-old branch, grafting or layering. The plants to look out for are those that have thick foliage such as ficus, mango, jackfruit, orange, guava or small leaf trees like pine, bottlebrush, cyprus locally known as the Christmas tree.
When it comes to planting, one needs to prepare a soil mixture of gravel, lake sand and organic manure in the amount of 2: 2: 1 trowels, respectively (two trowels of gravel, two of sand and one of organic manure). Put the soil in a small wide pot or wooden box and cut of all excess branches and roots, especially the taproot. The intention is to ensure that there is room for new ones to grow.
After planting, keep the plant in the nursery for 10 to 15 days or up to when the new shoot comes and make sure there is no excess manure added. As part of the plant’s care, pruning of the leaves and roots should be done.
Bonsai growing is the only art of gardening where plants are permanently tamed to a shape that a gardener requires. To get the exact shape that one wants the plant to take, the branches need to be guided by aluminium or copper wires. But normally the copper wires are preferred not to affect the plant with a lot of heat.
“Though low-cost, bonsai gardening is an art of patience and plants can take any shape from that of a peacock to anything that one can imagine, if they are properly wired,†says Gopal.