7 simple steps to create bonsai
Jan 04, 2017 Exteriors
Text: Aruna Rathod
Photograph: Shutterstock
Photograph: Shutterstock
Creating a bonsai is easy but requires time, patience and observation skills. At the same time it teaches patience and respect for nature. Bonsai expert Ruppa Shah gives the steps to create a miniature bonsai.
- For starters, we need to know the things required to create a bonsai. These are a flat pot, about 3 inches deep and reasonably wide with a hole for drainage, bonsai soil, aluminum wire to shape the branches, nets to cover the bottom of the plant and a variety of cutting scissors. It's always good to source this material from a nursery that stocks bonsai material. Here, you will also find good 'starter' plants for this exercise.
- There are specific plants for making a plant into bonsai; for beginners the best option is the ficus. Remember to choose a plant with small dense foliage that can resemble the canopy of a fully grown tree. So opt for a healthy looking plant that has a good thick trunk.
- Now uproot it and expose the roots; if it’s a plant with plenty of roots, cut off some roots at the end but make sure that you do not tamper with the tap root (the main thick root).
- Then prepare the pot by covering the hole at the bottom with a net or a large pebble so that water drains out without letting the fine soil go through it. Once the pot is filled three-fourth, place the plant firmly in the soil and add the rest of the soil and press hard to make the plant steady.
- Observe the plant from all angles; bonsai should always have a back and front portion. Cut off the criss-cross branches, giving the canopy a round shape. Once the branch grows out, keep pruning the canopy to keep it in shape.
- You should be able to tell the health of your plant by just looking at it. Be observant and check whether the leaves are wilting or turning yellow. Yellow is a sign of lack of sunlight and nutrition. Also, fertilize it if you think your plant looks a bit weak. Use chemical fertilizers if needed.
- Spray the leaves gently with water. This depends on several factors (like species of tree, size of tree, and size of pot, time of year, soil-mixture and climate. Watering once a day is sufficient. Carefully observe the plant while watering and prune the branches that grow out. It takes a year for a bonsai to resemble a miniature tree if done in the right way.
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Ruppa Shah
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