There are many different types of bonsai trees. Some are Conventional, trimmed and shaped regular trees; there are also Semi or Informal, which are also known as Rainforest and woodland trees.
It is also possible to spot a bonsai from it’s basic shape, and there are several styles such as the cascade, semi cascade, slanting, windswept, informal upright, raft and forest. These basic styles are used mainly in domestic gardens, to create landscapes similar to those in nature. When creating your own bonsai, it is important to know the requirements of the tree to be used, so that you can meet them halfway. The full cascade, for example, will not work in a small pot.
In order to create a bonsai with an aged look, the windswept style is a good choice. The trunk is wider at the base, and tapers off at the top. Informal upright bonsais are another popular choice, with the trunk wider at the base, and the branches really close together. If the tree has a twisted trunk, is is called the raft style, while a straight trunk is called the upright.
Many conifers can be modified to be used as bonsai. The ideal tree would beTaxus (owners of the cherry trees) minimus, Prunus (owners of the crab apples) platus, and the dwarf husky trees. Some other conifers can be used as bonsai, though they do take a dwarf approach. The dwarf husky trees are a good example of Energy- balanced bonsai trees. Other conifers that can be used are less commonly used, but they are there.
Fallen leaves and garden wastes are essential components of bonsai preparation. These may be mixed with sense grass, shredded paper, and sawdust to create the basic bonsai soil. Decayed leaves and straw are also helpful in hulling and creating the basic bonsai soil. Fallen leaves can be layering on top of the soil to provide protection. They may also be soaked in water to help it thickens.
There are five basic techniques to creating a bonsai tree: the Bring Out, shaping, the Cold Touch, the Semi-Cascade and the Cascade.
To bring out a bonsai tree, you must have a saw, some quarter inch drill bits, and a crudely worded instruction sheet.
To shape a bonsai tree, you use wire and a number of compasses. With wire, you would select a branch, and then give a number of dip swivel holes. The branches are then wrapped with string or plastic tape, and the bonsai is placed in a warm spot over the winter. When the tree is ‘started’, (is growing) the branch is allowed to grow unhindered, while being kept well watered. If this is not done, then a period of several months must pass before re-potting.
Finally, to cascade or semi-cascade, the tree is grown in a fashion that looks like a tree snakes around a rock.
Start with a small pot with the bottom of the pot a little above the ground level. Place the tree in the pot and fill the side with stones or gravel. This will house the root system, until the roots can grow through the gravel to the bottom of the pot. Once the roots are able to grow freely through the gravel, roots can grow wide enough to get around the rock.
Bonsai may be kept in the open, exposed to the sun or partial shade. They are unhappy where the winter temperatures settle around 50 degrees or more, and growth is restricted through frost.
Start with a clean container, clean soil, and the right sort of tree. Good bonsai soil is dark looking, full of organic matter, sweet smelling, and contains good drainage qualities.
The right sort of tree is Japanese White PinePinus mugo ‘ Baby Jade ‘osenoche’ , commonly called Baby Jade or Great Baby’s Digging Fork. Baby Jade is a baby jade tree, which is reputed to be a very early succession tree. The co-ability of Baby Jade and Azaleas is the reason that Baby Jade is so popular. Baby Jade is a beautiful white pine with light-green finely pleated leaves, and large beautiful flowers. The flowers are pollenless, white in the summer months, and realistically look like waxes the entire year. This results in a bonsai with very interesting bark, as well as a real focal point, with the brilliant Fall colors making it a bonsai to behold.
