Bonsai http://www.bonsaispecialist.com Bonsai gardens and Bonsai Growing Mon, 04 Jan 2010 05:20:51 +0000 en hourly 1 © admin admin The Hydroponics Guide No No The Art Of Growing Indoor Bonsai http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/the-art-of-growing-indoor-bonsai/ http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/the-art-of-growing-indoor-bonsai/#comments Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:12:29 +0000 Bonsai Gardener http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/the-art-of-growing-indoor-bonsai/ The thought of you spending so much time on growing indoor bonsai may just blow your mind away. A lot of time, if not years is spent on growing indoor bonsai. Dedication and a lot of knowledge of the art of growing indoor bonsai is required, and is mastered by a lot of people around the world, not only in Japan where this art originated.

There is however a difference between growing indoor bonsai and outdoor bonsai. And the difference is simply that it is easier to manipulate the indoor bonsai than the outside one, as the outside one has to deal with all the weather conditions. Since winter cannot be controlled outside, the bonsai grown outdoors goes into a dormant stage or hibernation time during winter, whereas the indoor one does not due to manipulation of surrounding conditions.

Growing indoor bonsai could also be in a hot house or somewhere in your home where it gets the best weather conditions, but also not on the windowsill where most people tend to put a small new plant. The suns rays are magnified by the glass and will soon burn the living daylights out of the plant if temperatures soar.

Taking The Time

If you have decided on nurturing and growing indoor bonsai, there are lots of books at the library to guide you, and of course there is the Internet too to rely on. However, you will never be able to learn everything there is to know about growing indoor bonsai from just one book; you will soon have your own collection on your shelf to guide you all the way. Time is another thing that is required. You don't need green fingers for growing indoor bonsai, but it could help. Since the bonsai is usually started off as a seed from a tree, it could take months or years to grow a mature tree, depending on what tree you are growing.

Other Growth Influences

Another factor that influences the growth of the bonsai is the soil used. There is a lot of controversy that you should rather use inorganic soil for growing bonsai. Bonsai soil is available at nurseries, but some people profess that cat litter works just as well mixed with organic soil, the grit helps with drainage for the soil too. The reason for this is that inorganic soil does not just disintegrate in less than two years. For this reason the soil would not need changing in less than every two years at a time which could put the plant into distress due to the change.

]]> http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/the-art-of-growing-indoor-bonsai/feed/ The Saga Of The Indoor Bonsai For Sale http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/the-saga-of-the-indoor-bonsai-for-sale/ http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/the-saga-of-the-indoor-bonsai-for-sale/#comments Sun, 19 Apr 2009 01:12:29 +0000 Bonsai Gardener http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/the-saga-of-the-indoor-bonsai-for-sale/ Since you first noticed that advert of the indoor bonsai for sale in the classifieds, you thought you were looking at an advert with a big error in it. The price you saw for the indoor bonsai for sale was huge in your opinion just for a tiny tree. Since you had no clue on what bonsai was all about besides the fact that they are tiny trees that the Japanese had perfected an art on, you couldn’t find any valid reason to purchase the offer of the indoor bonsai for sale.

The price alone shocked you, and you tossed the paper to one side. And along came one of your friends that you didn’t even know was into the whole art of growing indoor bonsai themselves. You rambled on to them about this advert you saw about the indoor bonsai for sale and the ridiculous price that was wanted for it. Your friend asked you more about the advert, and you finally pulled the paper out again for them.

In shock themselves, your friend asked quickly if they could call the number to see if the indoor bonsai for sale was still available. You looked even more shocked to see what was happening right in front of your very own eyes, as you truly had no idea or concept of what the real value of the tree was. This was like someone buying a cookie jar verses a Ming vase. If you didn’t know any better you would just buy the cookie jar.

Small Price To Pay For Big Investment

Your friend thanked you for their little investment from your rambling off scene you had with them, and also informed you that this price wanted was basically the price you would have paid for a seed from the plant, not to mention a plant that was about to bear more seeds and fruits, making it quite an investment for you.

The pot was big enough for it to grow to full bloom, and the soil was still rich and moist for maximum growth. The bonsai was still in excellent shape but the owner was immigrating in a few weeks and wanted to get the best price possible for his long commitment to this bonsai, and so it worked out for all concerned, since wood was one of the few things that were not allowed to be brought into the country he was going to.

]]> http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/the-saga-of-the-indoor-bonsai-for-sale/feed/ How To Find The Right Bonsai Soil Recipe For Your Plants http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/bonsai-products/bonsai-supplies/how-to-find-the-right-bonsai-soil-recipe-for-your-plants/ http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/bonsai-products/bonsai-supplies/how-to-find-the-right-bonsai-soil-recipe-for-your-plants/#comments Sat, 18 Apr 2009 00:47:23 +0000 Bonsai Gardener http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/bonsai-products/bonsai-supplies/how-to-find-the-right-bonsai-soil-recipe-for-your-plants/ Bonsai enthusiasts from all over the world are continuously arguing as to which types of soils are best for bonsai plants. Those who are advocates for the environment argue vigorously that organic bonsai soil is better than inorganic soil. Most of these environmentalists recommend bonsai soil recipes that make use of recycled organic matters. They distribute bonsai soil recipes during bonsai conferences and try to convince others to try their bonsai soil recipes. On the other hand, those people who are in favor of using inorganic bonsai soil are also campaigning for the use of their special bonsai soil recipes. They argue that their bonsai soil recipes are best for growing both endemic and exotic species of bonsai plants. Since groups of people have very convincing arguments when it comes to the use of their bonsai soil recipes, it is therefore up to you to decide which bonsai soil recipes you should use for your plants. To help you decide which one to use, here are some points that you need to take into consideration.

Availability Of Ingredients

As much as possible, you should work with available ingredients for your bonsai soil. Forget about those bonsai soil recipes that feature hard to find ingredients. There is really no point of wasting so much time and energy on your part to find the right ingredients for your bonsai soil. Besides, exotic ingredients can be expensive so if you do not want to end up spending a lot of money on your bonsai soil, just stick to those bonsai soil recipes that let you use whatever ingredients you have available. For instance, if you choose to go organic, you can use your kitchen leftovers to make compost. Just put your leftover food in a close container and let it stand for a few months. Once the organic matters have fully decomposed, you can use it as soil for your bonsai plants.

On the other hand, if you choose to use those inorganic bonsai soil recipes, check with your local garden suppliers and see if they have the ingredients that you need. Better yet, if your local garden supplier has some bonsai soil for sale, buy that soil and save yourself from the trouble of making your own.

Cost Of The Soil

We all need to be budget conscious especially during a recession. Be mindful of how much money you spend on your bonsai soil. As much as possible, go for those bonsai soil recipes that do not require a lot of expensive ingredients.

]]> http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/bonsai-products/bonsai-supplies/how-to-find-the-right-bonsai-soil-recipe-for-your-plants/feed/ The Difference Between The Outdoor And Indoor Bonsai Plant http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/the-difference-between-the-outdoor-and-indoor-bonsai-plant/ http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/the-difference-between-the-outdoor-and-indoor-bonsai-plant/#comments Fri, 17 Apr 2009 01:12:29 +0000 Bonsai Gardener http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/the-difference-between-the-outdoor-and-indoor-bonsai-plant/ While there is a difference between the indoor bonsai plant and the outdoor range, it is not difficult to know that plants kept indoors are usually not as hardy as those living in the outdoors. The indoor bonsai plant can be maintained all year round, while outdoor ones go into a resting period during the winter months. Besides the indoor bonsai plant being indoors there is not much difference to the sizing of the pots or bases they are in, the soil that is used or the size that they would be growing to.

Bonsai Plants As Gifts

Most people give plant lovers an indoor bonsai plant as a gift, but they fail to give them the proper tools and manuals that come with the type of tree they have purchased, as it doesn't matter if you had an apple tree as your indoor bonsai plant or an elm tree as your indoor bonsai plant, you would still need to know the differences between these and their growing habits.

Bonsai Has Japanese Origin

The art of growing bonsai originated in Japan centuries ago, and the knowledge of this art is still passed down from generation to generation. It takes a lot of knowledge and patience to grow a bonsai tree from scratch. While there is a sense of tranquillity in doing gardening, the art of bonsai was also created when you are limited to space in your home. Since the art of growing bonsai has flooded the green fingers market, you will find on the odd occasion there is an indoor bonsai for sale in your local classified newspapers. It is not that often, but it does still happen. These trees are sometimes quite pricey, depending on the type of tree has been grown and the maturity of it.

The art of growing bonsai was not only to delude the plant into keeping it miniature, but also used as a method of finding a space of tranquillity and focusing on natures little gifts, while manipulating and training them to do what you wanted them to do. By pruning these bonsai in the right way, different effects can be created. Just as with any tree that you may have on your property, these work on the same principals but stay small due to the roots being forced by the pot not to expand, and by keeping the roots also short to stunt the growth of the plant.

]]> http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/the-difference-between-the-outdoor-and-indoor-bonsai-plant/feed/ Tips In Getting The Best Bonsai Soil For Your Plants http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/bonsai-products/bonsai-supplies/tips-in-getting-the-best-bonsai-soil-for-your-plants/ http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/bonsai-products/bonsai-supplies/tips-in-getting-the-best-bonsai-soil-for-your-plants/#comments Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:47:23 +0000 Bonsai Gardener http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/bonsai-products/bonsai-supplies/tips-in-getting-the-best-bonsai-soil-for-your-plants/ There are many factors that affect the growth of your bonsai plants. One of these factors is the kind of soil that you use for planting. If your bonsai plants look anemic despite giving it enough sunlight and water, you should check the composition of your soil. The best bonsai soil can help your plants grow healthy and strong so make sure that your bonsai soil recipe is good enough for your plants. Remember that different types of bonsai trees require different types of soil. To keep your plants, healthy, you need to give your plants the best bonsai soil available.

Finding Good Quality Soil

Since your bonsai plants only get limited amount of soil in its pot, you need to make sure that you give it the best bonsai soil. The correct quality of soil will keep your plant alive and healthy. The best bonsai soil has good water retaining quality. When you go hunting for the best bonsai soil, check the ingredients of the soil carefully. Soils that have dead organic matters in them can absorb water better than those soils that do not have any organic matters in them. Most bonsai lovers agree organic soils are better than inorganic ones. Not only will this type of soil help your bonsai plant grow well and stay healthy, this type of soil is also good for the environment. You can contribute a lot towards the protection of the environment if you use organic soils for your plants.

Aside from its capacity to absorb water, the best bonsai soil has the right nutrition absorbing qualities. To see if the bonsai soil is good in absorbing nutrients, check the label of the soils sold in your favorite garden supply store. To make things easier for you, ask the help of your local garden shop salesclerk when it comes to selecting the best bonsai soil.

Match Your Soil With The Kind Of Plants That You Have

Plants are just like human beings. They have different needs and preferences. To make sure that your plants stay healthy, you need to buy the right types of soil for your plants. Remember that the best bonsai soil for one plant specie may not be good enough for other plant species. You need to match your soil with the kind of plants that you have. If you are really serious about growing beautiful bonsai plants at home, take time to study the needs of your different bonsai plants.

]]> http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/bonsai-products/bonsai-supplies/tips-in-getting-the-best-bonsai-soil-for-your-plants/feed/ Indoor Bonsai Care: Prune The Roots, Crowns And Locate The Plants Properly http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/indoor-bonsai-care-prune-the-roots-crowns-and-locate-the-plants-properly/ http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/indoor-bonsai-care-prune-the-roots-crowns-and-locate-the-plants-properly/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:12:29 +0000 Bonsai Gardener http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/indoor-bonsai-care-prune-the-roots-crowns-and-locate-the-plants-properly/ It pays to understand what is required to be sure that you are providing proper indoor Bonsai care for your trees and plants because only then can you hope to achieve your objectives which are to get the right shape and style and to also ensure that the plants or trees that you are growing do not die because of lack of proper care. This means that you need to understand the proper means of pruning the roots and crowns of the trees and to also understand that indoor Bonsai care requires that you also ensure placing the pots in the best possible location.

Ensure Success

The history of Bonsai can be traced to ancient China from where the practice spread to Japan and then to different parts of the world. Indoor Bonsai is an art that helps to turn out small sized plants and trees that are grown indoors instead of their more natural outdoor surroundings. It is therefore necessary that to ensure success with indoor Bonsai that you understand the ins and outs of proper indoor Bonsai care.

The first aspect to providing suitable indoor Bonsai care is ensuring the correct environment for different plants and trees and these indoor conditions should mimic those that the plants and trees are used to in their natural outdoor environment. So, anything that grew in the sub-tropics or in cold climates must be made to grow in similar conditions when made a part of indoor Bonsai. It follows therefore that you understand the exact needs of the plants and then provide the right conditions to ensure the good health of the plants or trees.

Another aspect to proper indoor Bonsai care is mimicking the type of sunlight that the trees are used to in their natural environment. Also, a very important aspect to indoor Bonsai care is ensuring that the plants or trees get the right amount of water. In addition, it pays to place the indoor Bonsai plants or trees close to an east-facing window to allow them to get proper sunlight. Even using artificial lighting can be considered an important aspect of indoor Bonsai care.

When it concerns growing indoor Bonsai plants the Chinese as too the Japanese are past masters at this particular art. Only after the end of the Second World War did this form of planting become known to the US and to other western societies. It is imperative therefore that you learn from the Chinese and the Japanese as to how to provide the right balance between what you plant and its vessel as well as weather conditions – all of which will help ensure the most pleasing results.

]]> http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/indoor-bonsai-care-prune-the-roots-crowns-and-locate-the-plants-properly/feed/ Making Bonsai Soil: Easy Way Of Creating Organic Soil Mix For Your Plants http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/bonsai-products/bonsai-supplies/making-bonsai-soil-easy-way-of-creating-organic-soil-mix-for-your-plants/ http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/bonsai-products/bonsai-supplies/making-bonsai-soil-easy-way-of-creating-organic-soil-mix-for-your-plants/#comments Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:47:23 +0000 Bonsai Gardener http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/bonsai-products/bonsai-supplies/making-bonsai-soil-easy-way-of-creating-organic-soil-mix-for-your-plants/ Many people are not aware that most types of chemical based soil additives become persistent organic pollutants that stay in the soil for hundreds of years. Studies show that certain types of fertilizers and chemicals used by people several decades ago can still be found in the soils all over the country. To help prevent the spread of organic pollutants, you should use organic soil in your bonsai plants. Making organic bonsai soil at home is easy and cost efficient. You can use some organic waste materials from your kitchen when making organic bonsai soil. Studies show that the best bonsai soils are those soils that have organic matters in them so those leftover foods in your kitchen will definitely come in handy when making organic bonsai soil. To help you make organic soil mix, here is what you need to do.

Getting Started

You need to find a good bonsai soil recipe to work with. Making bonsai soil is easier if you have the right recipe. You can easily find some good recipes for making organic bonsai soil online. Just launch a search for organic soil recipes and then check out the different leads generated from your search. Choose at least two easy bonsai soil making recipes. After finding organic soil recipes, prepare your materials and ingredients. You can use an old covered trash can for composting.

You will variety of organic materials for your compost. Check your kitchen for left over foods and other organic maters. You may want to gather leftovers for a couple of days before you put all these things inside your trash can for composting. Since organic matters start to rot after a couple of days, it would be better for you to have more than one trash can to store your compost in. You don't really want to end up opening a can of rotting food every now and then to add some more organic waste. Moreover, you should see to it that you cover your trash can tightly to keep away flies and other insects.

Adding Soil Into Your Compost

Compost is just one ingredient to your organic soil mix. This means that you need more than just compost when making organic bonsai soil. According to experts, the ideal composition of your organic bonsai soil is 40% compost, 30 % seramis clay granule and 30% grit. As much as possible, you need to use all these ingredients when making bonsai soil.

]]> http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/bonsai-products/bonsai-supplies/making-bonsai-soil-easy-way-of-creating-organic-soil-mix-for-your-plants/feed/ Indoor Bonsai Tree: The Juniper Is An Obvious Choice http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/indoor-bonsai-tree-the-juniper-is-an-obvious-choice/ http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/indoor-bonsai-tree-the-juniper-is-an-obvious-choice/#comments Mon, 13 Apr 2009 01:12:29 +0000 Bonsai Gardener http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/indoor-bonsai-tree-the-juniper-is-an-obvious-choice/ Let's face it, when someone mentions the term 'indoor Bonsai tree' your mind will naturally and immediately start to conjure up visions of China and also Japan. This is quite understandable as these two Asian giants are the most closely associated with indoor bonsai though some people might argue that ancient Egypt too knew of this as they were growing miniature types of trees way back when. However, contrary to popular conception Bonsai does not necessarily allude to plants or even trees that have had their genes modified in order to make them grow in the indoors environment.

Experimenting With New Species

The fact of the matter is that any kind of indoor Bonsai tree can be made to grow in the indoors and those that are masters at the craft of growing the indoor Bonsai tree are constantly looking for new species to experiment on. However, it must be said that most indoor Bonsai trees are usually miniaturized through cutting of their roots and then growing the trees in pots of small sizes.

Another notable feature to the indoor Bonsai tree is that they are of special shape and also style which is how it is possible to distinguish an indoor Bonsai tree from a normal tree. In fact, to get the indoor variety's shape right often requires taking many years in which the tree trunk and its branches are made to grow in a certain way in order to get the ideal and desired style.

When it comes to picking suitable indoor Bonsai tree the Juniper is most people's first choice and part of the reason why it pays to pick the Juniper is its excellent style that makes it an obvious choice. The Juniper reminds one of a tree swaying in the winds and its limbs too make a strong impression on the mind as they spread from the tree trunk in a single direction and are not symmetrical as is the case with most trees.

Taking care of an indoor Bonsai tree is the hardest part as you need to ensure that it gets just the right quantity of water because too little or too much will kill off the tree. It therefore pays to invest in buying a meter to measure moisture as this gadget will help ensure that the indoor Bonsai tree gets the right amount of water.

Bonsai is a term that signifies an art of growing trees that are well suited for being miniaturized. It follows therefore that a person interested in Bonsai be well aware of proper indoor Bonsai care. This in turn requires understanding the right way to prune the roots and crowns and a lot more as well including watering the trees.

]]> http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/indoor-bonsai-tree-the-juniper-is-an-obvious-choice/feed/ Bonsai Tree Soil: Akadama Is An Excellent Choice http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/bonsai-products/bonsai-supplies/bonsai-tree-soil-akadama-is-an-excellent-choice/ http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/bonsai-products/bonsai-supplies/bonsai-tree-soil-akadama-is-an-excellent-choice/#comments Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:47:23 +0000 Bonsai Gardener http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/bonsai-products/bonsai-supplies/bonsai-tree-soil-akadama-is-an-excellent-choice/ The first and perhaps most essential feature to selecting the right Bonsai tree soil is that it must suit a particular tree's characteristics even though there no doubts the fact that such soil in any case also be good for proper drainage as well as is able to provide superior retention of water. For example, trees such as Junipers and Pines that do not require much water as compared with other tree species will require that a Bonsai tree soil for such trees has a soil mix that allows for less water retention capabilities.

High Water Retentive Capabilities

If however, you are using Bonsai tree soil for trees that flower and which grow fruits then you need a soil mix that has high water retentive capabilities and which provide good water drainage as well. As with other forms of Bonsai soils, when choosing Bonsai tree soil you can choose to purchase readymade soils or you can create a more personalized soil. If you want to improve water drainage then you would require using higher ratio of mix to grit as this will improve drainage as well as water retentive capacities.

Another aspect to Bonsai tree soil, organic or non-organic soils are available and you need to decide which type is most suited for your trees. Both organic and non-organic Bonsai tree soil can provide suitable drainage as well as water retentive capabilities though the latter is made up of different ingredients and is often better because of lack of any kind of artificial ingredients.

Akadama is believed to be a superior Bonsai tree soil and it differs from other soils in having large grains and being quite powdery as well. It is also a Bonsai tree soil that is widely used in Japanese gardens and it serves twin purposes: decorative dressing as well as a good medium for potting. It also has superior air to water ratio and has Ph that is mostly neutral and it retains water in a far superior manner than most other options.

Akadama is Bonsai tree soil that has been derived from volcanic eruptions and so is sure to contain a high amount of minerals that are natural and not in any way artificial.

Anyone that is involved in making Bonsai soil will tell you that it is an activity that is very much like creating an interesting spaghetti sauce dish. How well a tree grows in the Bonsai soil depends to a large extent on how well the soil was made; though there are many variations that you can think of, the basic types of ingredients and their amounts generally are the same across all Bonsai soils.

]]> http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/bonsai-products/bonsai-supplies/bonsai-tree-soil-akadama-is-an-excellent-choice/feed/ Indoor Bonsai: Making The Indoors Mimic The Outdoors http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/indoor-bonsai-making-the-indoors-mimic-the-outdoors/ http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/indoor-bonsai-making-the-indoors-mimic-the-outdoors/#comments Sat, 11 Apr 2009 01:12:29 +0000 Bonsai Gardener http://www.bonsaispecialist.com/types-of-bonsai/indoor-bonsai-making-the-indoors-mimic-the-outdoors/ When it concerns choosing the right trees for indoor bonsai the needs of each of these trees is sure to be different and so you will be called upon to address special indoor atmospheric conditions that are different than what the trees normally experience when growing in the outdoors. The fact is that indoor bonsai requires that trees are grown in conditions that differ from their usual outdoor environment. It follows therefore that special attention is paid to how trees that are part of an indoor bonsai are grown, especially if you are planning to grow trees that normally thrive in the cold weather in a location where it is hot.

Artificial Conditions

Fortunately, man has been successful in being able to create artificial conditions that can mimic any kind of weather and so, growing indoor bonsai is a lot easier today than at any time in the past. This in fact has led most gardeners to try growing indoor bonsai trees which can be seen in the greater numbers of pines that are grown indoors that can now survive because of manmade conditions.

Even amateurs can use different gadgets in their homes to create a desired atmosphere in which to grow indoor bonsai. Use of heaters as well as refrigerators help in mimicking hot and cold conditions and with the help moisture regulation it has become a lot easier to make the trees grow and flourish in the indoors.

It only needs that you are able to successfully create the right growing conditions for growing your trees for indoor bonsai after which you can expect to enjoy seeing your trees grow and survive. To make this task a bit easier it is also a good idea that you try placing the trees of your indoor bonsai in a place where they face the windows that in turn should be facing eastward as then the trees will get maximum sunlight.

Even the most difficult tree species can be made part of indoor bonsai provided you are able to recreate the exact environment in which the tree species thrives. Species such as Chinese elms as too Buddhist pines though difficult to grow indoors can still is made part of indoor bonsai provided you are able to recreate their climatic conditions.

The bottom line is that indoor bonsai can prove to be a big success as long as the right conditions are created and also as long as the special needs of various tree species are addressed. These two factors will ensure the health of your trees and also a successful indoor bonsai project.

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