The Art of Bonsai


Thread Starter #1

350Z

Core Team
Joined
Aug 10, 2009
Messages
21,187
Likes
7,835
Location
New Delhi
I'm not sure whether we do have any plant lovers on board but hopefully this thread should be interesting for everyone. I'm attaching some pictures of plants which have been shaped into miniature Trees after care and efforts of several years. The oldest one I could spot was 29 Years old (As seen in last picture). [thumbswink]

About Bonsai from Wikipedia:
Bonsai is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers. Similar practices exist in other cultures, including the Chinese tradition of penjing from which the art originated, and the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese hòn non bộ. The Japanese tradition dates back over a thousand years, and has evolved its own unique aesthetics and terminology. The purposes of bonsai are primarily contemplation (for the viewer) and the pleasant exercise of effort and ingenuity (for the grower). By contrast with other plant cultivation practices, bonsai is not intended for production of food, for medicine, or for creating yard-size or park-size gardens or landscapes. Instead, bonsai practice focuses on long-term cultivation and shaping of one or more small trees growing in a container.
bonsai.jpg

DSC04217.jpg

DSC04218.jpg

DSC04219.jpg

DSC04221.jpg

DSC04222.jpg
 
Joined
Dec 28, 2010
Messages
985
Likes
62
Location
Bangalore
@ 350Z, Am a huge fan of Bonsai since school days. Thanks for sharing lovely bonsai work. Feels so good to see these trees [thumbsup]
 
Joined
Sep 22, 2009
Messages
6,377
Likes
489
Location
NYC
I am not a fan of plants, gardening etc, but my mom surely is. Will mail these pics to my mom, i am sure she will love it. BTW nice captures.
 
Thread Starter #5

350Z

Core Team
Joined
Aug 10, 2009
Messages
21,187
Likes
7,835
Location
New Delhi
Thanks. This was the first time I saw them in person and really, growing them is truly an art.

Drive Safe,
350Z
 
Joined
Jul 20, 2011
Messages
347
Likes
25
Location
Cochin
I'm also a fan of Bonsai plants.And 2 years before,I tried to grow a bonsai(banyan tree).But later I'd to give up that idea because it requires a lot of time and patience.
 
Joined
Aug 22, 2009
Messages
2,977
Likes
27
Location
India
wow excellent pics @ 350z..thanks for them buddy i also never seen bonsai. this is amazing creation by human to turn small plant into tree [thumbsup]
 
Joined
Jun 5, 2015
Messages
270
Likes
89
Location
Moga (Punjab)
I don't know if i should post this in this thread. Mods Please do as you like.
I have a small garden in my home and few pots, of which half are dead. I tried to water them regularly and they get proper sun light may be more than required. What i am doing wrong?

Their are very little fly like insects in my grass, how to get rid of them?

any help will be appreciated, Thanks in advance.
 
Joined
Oct 8, 2011
Messages
1,558
Likes
457
Location
Bangalore
I don't know if i should post this in this thread. Mods Please do as you like.
I have a small garden in my home and few pots, of which half are dead. I tried to water them regularly and they get proper sun light may be more than required. What i am doing wrong?

Their are very little fly like insects in my grass, how to get rid of them?

any help will be appreciated, Thanks in advance.
Hello "Jazzyb5454"
I am not a total expert in gardening but well versed in scientific agriculture & some parts of botany etc.And yes we are a bit offtopic than the title but will comment.

- Do you have any fertilizer mixed into the pots? Are these plants recently added into the plants? Maybe soil change or composition must have been too much or fertilizer must be burning up the plants.

- What time do you water the plants? If it is twice a day or late evening then you are doing it wrong like most people. Some people are against watering in the afternoon hot sun but that is still ok(my view) but never do it late evening. Best time according to me is to water from 6AM to 9:30AM morning.

- How are you watering these pots?Are you using a pipe or a mug? I have seen neighbours & sometimes my own family & workers making a lake of the pots using a water pipe. Best is to use a mug & use max a litre & use your hands to diffuse the water around the root area of the plant. 1 to 2 litres of water applied slowly can imitate 1 inch of rainfall.As an example 4 inches of rain can flood a city to give you an idea.

- I do not know what kind of pests you are taking about but there are some neem oil based pest control options which you can mix or dilute with water or how its instructed on the bottle. If you cannot find these you can always order them on Amazon. They seem to have all kinds of things for gardeners & hardcore agriculturists.

- If your plants are getting too much sunlight it mite be a good idea to purchase a shade net that comes in black or green colour.Should cost between 800 to 2000 depending on size.

Hope this helps!
 
Joined
Jun 5, 2015
Messages
270
Likes
89
Location
Moga (Punjab)
Hello "Jazzyb5454"
I am not a total expert in gardening but well versed in scientific agriculture & some parts of botany etc.And yes we are a bit offtopic than the title but will comment.

- Do you have any fertilizer mixed into the pots? Are these plants recently added into the plants? Maybe soil change or composition must have been too much or fertilizer must be burning up the plants.

- What time do you water the plants? If it is twice a day or late evening then you are doing it wrong like most people. Some people are against watering in the afternoon hot sun but that is still ok(my view) but never do it late evening. Best time according to me is to water from 6AM to 9:30AM morning.

- How are you watering these pots?Are you using a pipe or a mug? I have seen neighbours & sometimes my own family & workers making a lake of the pots using a water pipe. Best is to use a mug & use max a litre & use your hands to diffuse the water around the root area of the plant. 1 to 2 litres of water applied slowly can imitate 1 inch of rainfall.As an example 4 inches of rain can flood a city to give you an idea.

- I do not know what kind of pests you are taking about but there are some neem oil based pest control options which you can mix or dilute with water or how its instructed on the bottle. If you cannot find these you can always order them on Amazon. They seem to have all kinds of things for gardeners & hardcore agriculturists.

- If your plants are getting too much sunlight it mite be a good idea to purchase a shade net that comes in black or green colour.Should cost between 800 to 2000 depending on size.

Hope this helps!
Thanks for replying.
Yes, I mixed something in my plants, it was some kind of fertilizer. It Looked like black pepper and it was bought to me by driver and never asked him how much to use. I give water to plant by bucket.

Is it necessary to change soil after sometime because i have never done that. I was also thinking of neem oil will buy some from local shop and will also buy organic manure from nursery.
 
Joined
Oct 9, 2012
Messages
1,888
Likes
2,180
Location
Riyadh/Kanpur
Hi All,

Homemade fertilizer for house plants, can be used in pots or kiyari.

Do not throw used tea leaves & egg shells, store is a small bucket crush and mix well, mix and dig with plant soil, water as normal.

For house plants, or plants in the garden, as summer is approaching, try and avoid direct sunlight, do not water 2 times a day, just once, and in the evening spray the leaves with water.
 
Joined
Oct 30, 2013
Messages
245
Likes
110
Location
Bangalore
Normal trees are the toughest to convert to bonsai. I have a fig tree which is around 12 years old. It need maintenance once a year for it roots
 
Joined
Oct 8, 2011
Messages
1,558
Likes
457
Location
Bangalore
Gardening & plant queries!

Yes, I mixed something in my plants, it was some kind of fertilizer. It Looked like black pepper and it was bought to me by driver and never asked him how much to use. I give water to plant by bucket.
[roll] Buddy i think you burnt your plants by applying too much DAP. Its a source of slow release Nitrogen(Ammonia) & major nutrient Phosphorus. All farmers & agriculture sector are fooled into using tons of this expensive fertilizer when in reality plants/crops dont require alot of it. You should have mixed 5 grams of it to a liter of water & applied it. Best not apply fertilizers from Feb to June(Indian conditions).
Give each pot half to one full mug on alternate days during early morning.

Is it necessary to change soil after sometime because i have never done that. I was also thinking of neem oil will buy some from local shop and will also buy organic manure from nursery.
I am not familiar with repotting methods but sometimes when plants get too big for a pot they are moved. Ideally i dont recommend you repot, otherwise you can loosen the soil once in 3 months by sticking a stick into the soil or something but only 20% of the area of the pot. Not the entire area of pot as i see some gardeners do. You will ruin the microbial count of the soil.
I recommend you dont expose the plant to moisture during evenings & in any case it should be morning if you want to be strict.
But pest control measures can be sprayed in evening once the suns rays dont hit the plant or grass.

PS - That fertilizer you used is an essential part of all plant nutrition(Phosphorous). In 150 years we wont have that as its non replenish-able like oil. Mankind will suffer then!
 
Last edited:

Top Bottom