by Jack Schwartz on January 25, 2010
Ok, so you have your bonsai tree all ready, and you want to go about planting it. In addition to this, you have also found a nice pretty pot that goes well with said tree. Try to find a shallow tray if you want to go for an authentic Chinese bonsai landscape. The next step is to prepare this landscape container so that the tree can be planted in it.
Firstly, take the container and soak it in lukewarm water overnight. After this, leave the pot to dry for several hours. The reason we do this is to add a tiny bit of moisture to the container, if it is bone dry it may absorb moisture from the soil and adversley impact the growth of the bonsai.
Secondly, get some heavy guage wire and bend it at either end to create two loops. These loops hould be bigger than the diameter of the drainage holes so that the wire can run through but not pass through. Test this by running the wire through the first hole, tugging on it so that it is nice and snug. Next get some plastic mesh and place it over the holes. Secure the mesh by weaving the wire through from the bottom, and then weave it back down again through the mesh sitting above the hole and out through the bottom. Make sure the mesh does not have any movement and is held tight by the wire, then make another small loop. Repeat this process with the second drainage hole if one exists.
The mesh will stop the well draining soil that will later fill the tray from eroding away through the drainage holes. Finally take a third piece of wire (or second if there is only one hole) and thread it up through the first hole , along the length of the container and back down through the second. This wire will be used to hold the root ball of the bonsai tree, adding stability, which is essential especially if your container is very shallow.
Phew! Congratulations, you have just prepared your bonsai landscape tray for re-potting. An upcoming article will focus on moving the bonsai tree itself to this new one.
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by Jack Schwartz on January 16, 2010
Let me start by saying that having specialist tools for Bonsai is not essential, though it can save a lot of time and effort. As my father used to always say “Always have the correct tools for the job” – he was right! It can be difficult to sculpt bonsai to match your imagination without the correct equipment.
There are a wide variety of bonsai tools available that will aid in the growth and training of your Bonsai tree, here are a few that every budding bonsai artist should have in their possession.
Concave Cutter – These come in two sizes, one is for cutting small branches, the other for cutting the larger ones. If you are a beginner you will most likely only require the smaller version, unless you have started off with a big tree! The concave cutter is the single most vital tool in the budding bonsai gardener’s arsenal, as it allows a branch to be removed in a way that promotes fast healing on the branch. If you don’t have one of these, cuts made to the branches are likely to heal leaving an ugly bump over the cut area. The tool is named after the concave shape of the cut.
Butterfly Shears -This will probably be the most frequently used tool for pruning tasks. Used for a wide variety of bonsai duties, butterfly shears are the tool to use when one needs to cut through strong, thick branches and other tools won’t cut the mustard (or tree). In addition to this they are also capable of trimming overgrown areas of foliage, as well as more delicate cuts to smaller branches and leaves. Even though delicate cuts can be made to the branches can with this tool, remember that using your fingers can sometimes be an easier and simpler method. In short, butterfly shears are the tool most suited to performing most of the cutting, trimming and pruning chores on a chinese bonsai tree.
Root Hook – This tool makes re-potting and the de-tangling of the tangled roots under the tree an absolute doddle. Used every 6 to 12 months when re-potting a bonsai tree, a root hook allows the old soil to be removed from the roots. Without this tool it is possible to cause unintended damage to the roots. Although essential, a root hook is not required for young or very small bonsai, in which case using chopsticks is a preferred alternative option. Tip: there are multiple variations of a root hook, go for the simple models that have only hook at the end instead of the models with multiple hooks, as the more advanced models are more likely to damage the roots if one is not careful.
I don’t recommend as a beginner that you buy top quality goods when starting out.The black high carbon steel cutters are cheaper than expensive top end stainless steel, and unless you have multiple trees to manage at once these will be more than adequate for the job at hand.
Have fun!
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