Cultivating Bonsai Trees

The art of cultivating bonsai trees has been a Japanese tradition stretching back hundreds of years. Bonsai literally translates to "tray planting," and involves actively cultivating trees into an artistic dwarfed version of themselves. A bonsai tree is not a special dwarf or hybrid species of a common tree; they’re genetically identical to their taller relatives. It’s the careful cultivation and shaping techniques that keeps these trees miniture is size. However, the trees are not sick or damaged. In fact, given the correct attention, the dwarfed version of a tree can live longer than the same tree if it was allowed to grow in the wild.

Grown from seeds or cuttings, Bonsai trees normally grow in height from two inches to three feet. They are kept miniture through pruning both branches and roots. They’re also repotted periodically, and new growth is frequently pinched off.

There is a much about art as there is about horticulture in the cultivating of bonsai trees. Not only are bonsai trees kept miniture, they are also formed into pleasing shapes. They frequently follow a number of different patterns of growth, from elaborate waterfall shapes cascading down over their pots to simple triangular pattens. The shapes are normally a result of both the pruning of the tree and by the wrapping the trunk and branches with wire, shaping the tree into its desired form. The pots themselves are part of the art as well, chosen to compliment the color and shape of the tree itself. Rocks and mosses are frequently added to the base for aesthetic appeal.

Taking care of a bonsai tree is more complicated than the growing of most houseplants. Since the bonsai has has a smaller root system than most plants, it needs fertilizer and water more frequently than most garden-variety houseplants. Pruining is also essential occasionally, since the bonsai tree would grow into just a normal large tree without pruning. Also, if wire is used to help mold and form the tree, it is important to take care that the wire doesn’t dig into the bark of the tree, scarring the branches permanently. Depending on the type of bonsai tree and your climate, you may be able to keep some bonsai trees outside year round, while others will need to be kept inside for at least part of the year. Moisture is also important, not only in the soil but in the leaves and branches of the bonsai. They need to be misted occasionally for the bonsai to develop healthily.