Bonsai is an artificially dwarfed plant grown in containers or pots for aesthetic purposes. A bonsai plant is kept small and beautiful by shaping and root pruning. A bonsai needs regular care and maintenance to maintain its vigor and shape. It is claimed that a properly maintained Bonsai can outlive a full size tree of the same species. There are indoor bonsai gardening and outdoor bonsai gardening.
Bonsai gardening is an art of growing certain species of big trees and shrubs in a small environment, preferably in small pots or containers for aesthetic purposes. By keeping the plants pot-bound, their growth is restricted and their size is dwarfed. With regular training and root pruning, their shape and growth is regulated and maintained.
Origin of Bonsai Gardening: It is believed that bonsai gardening was originated in China over 2000 years ago. The Chinese used to use Bonsai for outdoor displays. Bonsai became popular in Japan about 700 years ago. The Japanese introduced the concept of indoor bonsai gardening to the world. Modern bonsai gardening mainly uses Japanese bonsai gardening principles.
Factors to be considered in Bonsai Gardening: Below are the factors to be considered while practicing bonsai gardening.
- Selection of Appropriate Plant Species
- Proper Shaping and Pruning of the Plant
- Use of Right Soil Mixture/Growing Media
- Selection of a Suitable Container
Choosing an Ideal Container: While selecting containers, following factors should be considered:
- Adequate drainage: Containers should have at least one hole of an adequate size at the bottom as in earthen pots, to drain out excess water
- Containers can easily be placed on the terrace, window sills, window boxes, balcony and verandah where direct sunlight is available for the plant
- Remember, cilantro needs direct sunlight for healthy growth
- Containers can hold sufficient volume of growing medium
- Containers should be lightweight and easy to handle
- Containers should be durable and free of toxic substances
- Containers should prevent root circling
- Containers should facilitate easy repotting which needs to be done on yearly basis or as and when plant roots grow out of its container
Three major factors that are to be considered while making bonsai plants are, species of the plant, containers in which plants are to be grown and the growing media used for plant growth
Suitable Plant Species for Bonsai: Not all plants are suitable for making bonsai. Most popular plant species that are used for making bonsai are: Pine sp., Azalea sp., Camellia sp., Maple sp., Beech sp., Plum sp., Cyclamen sp., Echinopsis subdenudata, Dracaena sanderiana, Yucca gloriosa, Ficus sp. and Bamboo sp.
Principles of Bonsai Gardening: Two major principles in bonsai gardening are,
- Plant, Soil and Container Come Together To Express “Heaven and Earth in One Container” As Per Japanese Principle
- Japanese believe that three forces play an important role in bonsai creation. These are Truth, Essence and Beauty
Types of Bonsai Gardening: There are two types of bonsai gardening. These are, Indoor bonsai gardening and Outdoor bonsai gardening
What Is Outdoor Bonsai Gardening? When bonsai plants are created for outdoor displays, it is called as outdoor bonsai gardening. Chinese started bonsai gardening for outdoor displays of artificially dwarfed plants.
What Is Indoor Bonsai Gardening? When bonsai plants are especially created for indoors by taking care of various aesthetic aspects of plants used for bonsai-making and air-purifying properties of these plants, it is called as indoor bonsai gardening. High skills in pruning are required to develop a beautiful bonsai and it may take several years to train a fully developed bonsai for indoors. Indoor Bonsai Gardening is actually a Japanese art of gardening.
Advantages of Indoor Bonsai Gardening: Bonsai plants if properly maintained have a long life and therefore are a good choice for indoor decorations. Bonsai plants developed from plants of Ficus species and other air purifying plants are in high demand because of the health benefits these plants offer. By keeping air-purifying bonsai plants, indoors can be made full of fresh air with a cool indoor environment.
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