Bonsai Garden Forums / BONSAI / Bonsai Techniques

Styling

Stymie — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:45:55 GMT

I suppose this is how the wild semi-cascades start.

Basic bonsai care

Stymie — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:36:48 GMT

Hints on the care of your Bonsai

During the growing season (April to September inclusive in the northern hemisphere antipodeans please add or subtract six months) inspect the compost daily and water as needed. This will be a daily need when the weather is really warm. For the rest of the year, just make sure that it doesn’t dry out completely. A fortnightly liquid feed at around half strength is beneficial when there is actual growth taking place.
If your tree has been styled already, it is necessary to trim new growth to keep the style and shape from getting out of hand. This can be achieved by allowing the formation of around five new leaves or buds to develop and then trim back to just above the second or first new bud. This choice allows you to select the one which points outwards or downwards for new extension which will create a better shape each time you do it.

In spring, just as the first signs of buds swelling are seen, it is usual to re-pot your tree. Not, as is the usual practice with potted plants, into a larger container but back into the same one with fresh compost. This is the process which dwarfs the tree and makes it look like a mature specimen in miniature. To make room for the new compost it is usual to cut away some of the roots. Up to one third is quite safe, taking away any coarse or tap roots which may have formed. The fine fibrous roots are the ones which do the feeding anyway. The only function of the long coarse ones is to anchor the tree in the ground. It is not considered adviseable to prune the roots of Larch after new green growth has appeared so they should be the first specie on the list for a re-pot. If they start growing before one starts re-potting, it is best to leave them for the following late winter.
A useful mixture for compost, which should always be free draining is equal parts by volume (not weight) of John Innes no.2, sieved composted bark and coarse grit. There are many personal ideas about compost mixes but you’ll not go wrong with the above. This may be modified for specific needs, for instance, by increasing the portion of grit for pine or increasing the bark and reducing the John Innes for lime intolerant species.
There is no such thing as an ‘indoor’ tree and your’s should spend most of it’s time outside. The occasional time indoors (no more than three days) is nice if you wish to show it off to visitors. The exceptions being those trees from warm climes which may need protection from low temperatures.

It is helpful to mention at this point that evergreen, needle bearing trees are better left until May for re-potting. They may be done at any time during the comparatively inactive cold months, as some of us, with a lot of trees to look after, have to spread out this time consuming activity. Pruning of these can differ according to species so ask here if in need of guidance.

multiple air-layers

nige — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 19:23:42 GMT

I bought a southern beech(Nothofagus antartica) today that is really bushy and quite a bit taller than I would want so I was thinking about doing some air-layering to take off the excess growth before I cut it back to the basic structure.

Does anyone know if it is possible to do multiple air-layers on the same trunk/ branch simultaneously?

Multiple plantings

Stymie — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:47:25 GMT

Here's a sketchy outline in respect of Groups or Forests.

CONTAINERS.

Large ceramic pots can be expensive so consider whether a slab of stone or slate would be appropriate. Drainage holes are not mandatory in slabs unless there are hollows, which will hold water to cause root rot. Small holes for anchorage wires are useful but wire can be glued in place. The absence of walls on slabs will allow excess water to drain over the edges. If you wish to display your group away from home, keep the size down to something that you can lift without personal injury.

PLANTING MEDIUM.

This needs to be no different to your usual bonsai mix but sometimes a clay/peat mix is used to hold the perimeter in place if on a slab.

SPECIES.

Any material suitable for bonsai can be used. The majority of people will use only one species in a group planting but mixes with space between varieties work reasonably well. Even mixes of needle bearing trees and broadleaf have been used.

ACCESSORIES.

Rock, accent plants and moss are useful, as are mounded soil levels to form an undulating landscape. Ceramic figures of animals, people and buildings are seldom used outside of China but this is a matter for the individual’s preference and not a rule of thumb.

NUMBER OF TREES.

It is more likely to achieve a harmonious design if an odd number is used up to a total of nine. Over and above that total, it is not as important.

GENERAL POSITIONING.

This is simplified if trees of varying height, thickness and age are gathered together before starting. It is useful to have the largest one at about a third of the way along from one side and slightly behind a middle line. The next largest will be placed near to the first one or well away if it is to be the focal point of a secondary grouping. Experiment with placing on/in the container, bearing in mind that larger, thicker trees look nearer and smaller, thinner ones should be further behind affording a feeling of depth and distance. It is usual, particularly with smaller numbers, to ensure that three or more trees don’t end up in a straight line. This would never occur in nature and after all, we’re not planting a hedge. A water-course can be suggested by a trickle of sand. Trees with a side comparatively free of branches can be cuddled up together as shading one another would probably cause this naturally. Outside members of a group generally lean outwards away from the others as if reaching for light. There are no rules as to positioning but these suggestions will ensure a more natural design. An important point, space toward the front and/or side of the container, covered with sand or moss, helps the open landscape effect and the natural perspective. A mound or hummock helps to emphasize the major tree or group.

I have purposely refrained from including a planting plan, as I believe that the trees themselves will suggest an arrangement. The eventual plan has to be a balance between what the trees tell you and the personality of the planter. Go ahead, have a go at this. Individual plants can be moved or replaced even years afterward. Very often another arrangement is visualised at re-potting time. Most important of all, have fun.

Thoughts on SCALE control

Stymie — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 12:10:55 GMT

ORGANIC SCALE CONTROL

Scales are small sap-sucking insects that often go unnoticed by the gardener, but they can do damage out of all proportion to their size. Common scales include black scale, pink wax scale, cottonycushion scale, San Jose scale, soft brown scale, red scale and white louse scale. Scale tend to have small, round shells and are often found along the veins of leaves and the stems of plants. They look like small bumps and can be mistaken for part of the plant, as adults do not move.

Eggs are laid under the scale shell and immature 'crawlers' emerge. Crawlers can be moved around by wind, by ants, or by hitching a ride on a bird's leg. Scale in large numbers cause leaf yellowing, leaf drop and dieback of twigs and limbs. In very large numbers red scale can seriously damage or kill young citrus trees. Some scales secrete large amounts of 'honeydew', for example in a eucalyptus forest this can sometimes be seen as a gentle sticky rain. The honeydew causes problems by sticking to the lower leaves where it is fed on by a black fungus called 'sooty mould'. This makes a plant look unattractive and interferes with photosynthesis. Honeydew also attracts ants, which feed on it. The ants can 'farm' the scale, protecting it from predators.

BIOLOGICAL CONTROLS

Enhancing the environment for the natural predators of scale is a long-term strategy with the benefits increasing over time. Natural enemies of scale include ladybeetles, lacewings, spiders and tiny parasitoid wasps. Many beneficial insects that feed on garden pests need nectar and pollen for food during part of their lifecycle. Growing a year-round supply of suitable flowers will maintain beneficial insect populations throughout the year. Small insect-eating birds are also helpful in controlling scale; attract them by providing safe nest sites and a constant supply of water. Try to keep any birds visiting your garden safe from cats.

PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL CONTROLS

The first step is always to control any ants, as without their protection the abundance of natural enemies in an organic garden will usually be able to keep scales under control. Keep ants out of your trees by banding the trunks with sticky barriers or grease bands. Prune any low branches that are touching the ground and make sure tall stems of grass aren't providing an alternative route for the ants.

On indoor plants small colonies of scale can be rubbed off by hand, wear garden gloves and dip a toothbrush or a cotton bud in a soap solution. In the garden very heavily infested twigs can be pruned off, dropped into a bucket of soapy water, then composted or mulched.

LEAST TOXIC CHEMICAL CONTROLS

The best time to control scales is when the crawlers have recently emerged, as they are more vulnerable to organic sprays than the adults with their thick shells. Correctly identifying the scale will help you to time this exactly but mid-summer is common. Frenetic ant activity can indicate scale-hatching periods.

Insecticidal soap sprays such as Natrasoap work by blocking the breathing pores and dissolving the scales outer covering so they dehydrate and die. Commercial soap sprays are based on potassium and will not harm beneficial insects and have a very low toxicity to people or pets. Oil sprays such as Pest Oil kill all stages of scale insects by suffocation. It has a low impact on beneficial insects.

If you plan to spray, wait for settled weather with little wind and no rain. Spray in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid burning the leaves and to reduce the impact on beneficial insects

Wettable sulphur or lime sulphur can be sprayed in winter to control white louse scale on citrus.

Oils kill all stages of scale insects by suffocation, which is a physical impact rather than a pesticidal action. It has a low impact on beneficial insects. A big advantage of this new generation Pest Oil is the low application rate at 5ml to a litre, so the product goes a long way. Advances in oil technology mean that this oil can be used all year round without damage to plants, up to a temperature of 35ºC. Pest Oil will control: red, white wax, pink wax, black, soft brown, grapevine, San Jose & oyster shell scale; bryobia mite eggs, European red mite eggs, two-spotted spider mite, aphids, white fly & mealy bugs. Pest Oil is the first registered non-toxic control for citrus leafminer; it works by forming a protective film on immature leaves, which the adult leafminer moths avoid.

Hornbeam air-layer to pot

Stymie — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:09:34 GMT

I managed to salvage a plastic container of ample proportions and went to work on this.

[img]http://forums.bonsaigarden.net/Attachment131.aspx[/img]

scaring

Jinny — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:12:29 GMT

Hello can anything be done for scaring on trees(fukien tea) got some wound sealent and thought i'd do the tree...anyway came across top of the tree just chopped off and nothing put on( i think) and load of (the only word i can think of)knots on the trunk.

i think whoever did this shoud change thier profession

cuttings from jade money

Jinny — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:55:52 GMT

Hello

Just got a cutting from a nice Jade money plant(was mine about 10 years ago).got 2 nice stem with leaves and loads of leaves dipped them in rooting powder then into bonsai soil...I don't know if it will work...but you don't learn if you don't try

i managed

Jinny — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:09:13 GMT

hi i managed to repot after moaning this morning my stuff hadn't arrived lol

before picture

After picture

Think it went ok

Jinny

bonsai tools

Jinny — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:37:50 GMT

Hello

Im new here...only got my bonsai's a few days ago and i'm looking for tools for pruning etc......seen that many tools in different sizes so totally confused me...i will have to get my tools online...been to every shop in my home town not found 1 tool :( so can some 1 point me in the right directio please....oh when is the best time for re-pottng and root pruning..

Thanks

Jinny

Air layering a hawthorn

daryl — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 19:13:00 GMT

Hello everyone

I'd like some advice please about air layering a hawthorn as this is my first attempt. The parent tree is about 6' high at the bottom of the garden. A few months ago (October) I did an air layer about 4' up from the ground where the trunk is about 3/4 " thick. I cut away an inch wide band of bark down to the cambium layer (I think) and then used a split flower pot to hold wet sphagnum up to the cut. The outside was then wrapped in clingfilm to keep everything in place. I have checked a couple of times just to ensure that the moss is still wet but apart from that I haven't looked at all.

Today I decided to take away the moss and look for roots as the tree above and below the cut is forming buds but there was nothing to be seen. Am I being impatient or do I need to do something else? I thought that as there are signs of growth above it that something must be happening but apparently not! Any suggestions?

Daryl

drastic sycamore chop back

Surrey John — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 23:54:42 GMT

As they say in the House of Commons, "in another place", I posted a thread about my daughter Amy's sycamore which she planted when she was two and which is still alive in its pot after about 28 years and I have been trying to bonsai it over the past 5. I finally decided, sometime last autumn, to chop it right back to a stump, and let this produce fresh buds, aiming at a broom style.

I'm just about ready to givitago now, but need to check two things:

1) When I saw the trunk off, will it be better done with a 'V' cross section or sould I saw straight across?

2) Should I seal the cut? Will sealant inhibit the production of buds, or what?

I'd be grateful for any words of wisdom on either if these before I make the fateful incision. Sorry i have no pic at present - it's on a disc somewhere. If I can find it I'll post it.

:) SJ

Watering

Stymie — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 19:00:01 GMT

WATERING

I have stated ad nauseum that sufficient water should be added to the planting medium of a potted plant/tree to maintain a just moist consistency. Neither too wet nor too dry. This is not the full picture of watering requirements.
Water is needed for the metabolism of a plant to continue to work. Water pressure in the plant system is necessary for it to hold its leaves up without drooping. It always moves toward the highest concentration of salt so if the planting medium contains more salt than the top of the plant, water will be drawn downwards instead of up and the plant will probably expire.
Photosynthesis in the leaves converts carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen. Water then, is again necessary for that procedure to take place.
As the weather becomes warmer, the leaves transpire (their equivalent of sweating) to keep the plant cool, making a larger amount of water necessary and this has to be taken into account.
Ideally the water should contain little or no salt and have a pH value of something between 6 and 7.5.
Water direct from the tap has a chlorine content which can be reduced by drawing the mains water and allowing it to stand for a time, when most of this will be released into the atmosphere. The standing water will also assume the same temperature as the air and will benefit from being close to the plants/trees for which it is intended.
Pond and well water can often have concentrations of salt in it and should only be used if tested and found suitable.
Rain-water appears to be the best for our purpose if it is collected and stored out of contact with contaminants. It is usually almost salt and calcium free and very slightly acidic. It is nearly mandatory for Rhododendrons, Camellias and Gardenias.
If you grow Hornbeam, Hazel, Hawthorn, Beech, Spruce, Yew or Cherry be particularly careful about avoiding salt.
A modicum of lime is welcomed by Euonymus, Sabina juniper, Apple and pear, Blackthorn, Oak, Mountain ash and Yew.
Watering through a fine rose gives a more natural application and is less likely to wash medium out of the pot or cause puddling. Leaves may also be wet in this way but not if watering last thing before nightfall when less evaporation takes place. Moisture remaining on the leaves overnight or for a long time can result in fungus growth.
Only if the root ball has dried out completely, is it sometimes necessary to dunk the pot completely in water until all bubbles cease to rise. Peat based mixes are sometimes difficult to re-wet and may need this and even a spot of detergent added for particularly moisture resistant mixes. After being allowed to drain, subsequent watering is best continued from above in the normal way. The passage of moisture from top to bottom of the medium draws air in behind it. Air being necessary for the health of the roots too.
If I have missed anything important out, tell me and I will add it to these ramblings.

Re-using bonsai soil medium?

Surrey John — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 16:14:49 GMT

OK everyone, here's my first 'proper' BG post, and it's about re-using bonsai soil. I've just started re-potting some of my little trees - just done 3-4 today, replaced the soil for each, and ended up with a pile of old soil out of the pots. I'm really pleased to report that all three trees - a small Corylus, my small Quercus (which I have now cut right down - photo follows soon I hope), and my I-don't-ever-know-what -to-do-with-it-Lonicera, each had developed fantastic fibrous root systems. I take this to be a main effect of using the TCL:HG:NPC mix we have all been discussing for the past 1-2 years.

Now, my question is - the old compost, which came out of the pots - why shouldn't I sieve it and use it again? The pro is obvious - no waste, less expense, but what are the cons, if any? Does anyone re-cycle soil at all? :cool: SJ.

Practical styling instruction

Stymie — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 21:00:44 GMT

We're indebted to Simon for this link. Talk about clip and grow. It takes the waiting out of bonsai and helps you to make styling decisions.

http://experimentalgameplay.com/cm/g/472/bonsai.swf

Avago- I can't leave it alone.