Posted by admin on Jul 5, 2010 in
Uncategorized bonsai trees
Where it All Begins
Bonsai trees make great gifts, there’s no doubt about that. But where did these small trees come from? It’s tempting to think they come from Japan, and you’d be partially right, but it doesn’t begin there. Read on to discover a bit about the interesting history of these potted trees.
In ancient China between the period of 500 and 1,000 B.C., monks had the idea of taking trees into their temples to bring a sense of serenity and nature indoors. Thus began the art of “Pen T’sai,” which flourished among monks and high society. These traveling monks eventually brought the art of Pen T’sai and their religions eastward to Korea and Japan.
Eastward to Japan
Japan is better known for their skill in the art of bonsai, because they took it to a new aesthetic level and introduced it to Europe and the United States as well. Most bonsai plants since World War II come from Japan to the West.
The art continues to be practiced in Japan today, but it has become available more commonly to Westerners and other cultures. Some still believe that the art is mystical or magical, but it’s only esoteric because it isn’t well understood by many. The same gardening principles in horticulture apply to caring for bonsai.
Bonsai can be studied and designed to satisfy an aesthetic mind, or simply as gifts that bring a sense of peace or prosperity to any environment.
Bonsai trees come in many types, visit http://www.BonsaiTreeForSale.org to view more images of these fascinating plants.
The bonsai tree is very interesting to me for numerous reasons. It used to be regarded as having mystical or magical energy in ancient China, where the art originated and was known as “Pen T’sai.” When the art moved eastward to Korea and Japan it changed, and became known as bonsai (pronounced “bone-sigh”).
It’s an art form primarily focused on aesthetics, but can be used by masters as a form of personal or political expression. The limits are of the imagination. Americans can now easily attain bonsai trees online and practice the art or simply enjoy the serenity of nature indoors with these small potted trees.
Visit my site BonsaiPlant.net for more in-depth information on the art of bonsai.
Tags: Bonsai, Come, from, They, Trees
Posted by admin on Jun 9, 2010 in
Uncategorized bonsai trees
When you are taking care of bonsai trees, don’t forget that just like you, they like to be fed. Despite what some people think, you do not starve a bonsai in order to stunt its growth. In fact, you can control how your tree grows by correct feeding.
As bonsai have a relatively small amount of soil, their small pots can quickly be drained of nutrients which means that it is easy for a bonsai tree to become deficient if not fertilized adequately. To take care of bonsai trees, we need to add fertilizer to help ‘feed’ them. Feeding will help keep your bonsai healthy so we need to know about how often it should be done, what nutrients it supplies and what form it comes in.
Fertilizing is most important in the growing seasons of mid-spring to early-summer and again from late- summer to early fall. These are times when the tree is active and needs extra nourishment to help it carry out the extra energy converting, growth activity at this time but the temperatures are moderate and not too extreme.
When you purchase fertilizer for the care of bonsai trees, it will be a form of liquid fish or seaweed mixtures or as pellets/granules. Check the label to see what the composition is and watch how your tree responds to that particular brand. You may want to change brands from time to time to expose the tree to different amounts. By watching the progress of your tree, you will be able to assess if you’re adding the correct amount at the appropriate time.
These chemical and mineral elements nutrients are required to keep your tree healthy and help it to grow.
Nitrogen: It helps determine the size and amount of new growth through cell division and protein manufacturing.
Phosphorus: It is necessary for cell division and assists with good root growth and flowering.
Potassium: Also known as potash. This activates cell enzymes and helps to regulate the water balance in and outside of cells.
The manufacturer’s will have recommendations as to how much and how often to use the fertilizer for the care of bonsai trees. These are often over generous, so until you see how your tree responds, it’s a good idea to use only half their recommended amount and then you can amend as required.
The pellet/granule forms of fertilizers are usually in this form to provide a slow release of the fertilizer into the soil each time the plant is watered. Some bonsai owners like to use granules as they can be worked into the soil and left to gradually release their nutrients over a period of time. Others prefer adding the soluble powder a couple of times a month as the liquid is a quick acting nutrient that you use to water the tree.
An important thing to consider in the care of bonsai trees is that fertilizer provides nutrition to a bonsai tree but it is not medicine. The role of fertilizing is to enhance the soil to help the tree to grow in the active season. If your tree does not look well, you should see if there are other ways to take care of your tree to restore its health. For example, if the leaves are dry and brittle or it is losing its leaves, it may need a change in the watering rather than a dose of fertilizer which may only stress the tree even further, making it work harder and suffer more.
When it comes to the type and frequency of fertilization another item to take into account for the successful care of bonsai trees is the amount of growth that is required. A young tree may need heavy feeding so that it grows vigorously, while a well developed bonsai should be fed sparingly so that it does not become thick and woody.
As with the other elements in the care of bonsai trees, you need to work with the requirements of your individual tree, taking into consideration its variety, stage of development, growth and health.
One tip that I must pass on is:
Always make sure that the soil is wet before you add the fertilizer. It must not be dry.
Your bonsai will like the additional nutrients that you provide through fertilization – just don’t over do it and kill it with kindness. Start feeding your tree slowly and see how it responds and then amend it accordingly. Your tree will thank you for it and thrive, allowing you to experience the joy of being a success with the care of bonsai trees.
Make sure that you don’t kill your tree with kindness. To learn how to care of bonsai trees bonsai trees care”
Tags: Bonsai, care, Enjoy, Good, They, Trees