What is Tropical Bonsai ?

Bonsai trees have been documented to exist up to 4000 years ago everywhere from parts of Asia to Africa. The trees were originally grown in China but then caravans started to export the trees elsewhere such as Egypt where healers would use them to produce medicines. Some were even buried in tombs with royalty. Discoveries have been made in Egyptian tombs of sketches showing miniature trees in pots. These are thought to have been kept for decorative purposes and the pictures date back to 4000 years ago! After this time there is evidence to suggest that trees were transported in the caravans of Asia as they travelled around as they were used for their medicinal properties should someone have fallen ill. The period term for dwarf potted trees was hachi-no-ki , "a tree in a pot".

Tropical Bonsai Potting Tips

Every bonsai pot is equipped with drainage holes to enable the excess water to drain out.

The nitrogen in the fertilizer gives the Bonsai Plant its beautiful green color as well as the elongation of the leaves. It helps in the growth of the Bonsai Plant. Nitrogen also affects internodes growth and is required for protein manufacturing. Phosphorous is also used for cell division but in addition this element is needed for RNA, DNA, and fatty substances making the leaves a dark green color. However, phosphorous is an important element for flowering bonsai and development of the root growth. For the development of cell enzymes and healthy cell activity in the Bonsai Plants Potassium comes into play.

The type of pot you should buy is indicated by the kind of tree you are growing as well as the style you want. Conifers lend themselves brilliantly to naturally colored unglazed pots whereas deciduous trees look good in glazed or unglazed and in just about any colors. Experiment a little to find the right pot for you and especially consider pastel colors for your deciduous trees or a bright colored pot for a flowering tree.

Tropical Bonsai Pruning Tips

The pruning (cutting the leaves) can be done when we see that the old leaves have turned yellow or look a little bit dull. We can do it in two ways: shearing or pulling out. The best way is the second one... that is gradually pull out the old leaves. To prevent pulling out the whole group of leaves use your left hand to hold the lower end of the leaves group and use your right hand to pull out the old leaves one by one and leave the young ones. If you prefer the first way... shear the old leaves at about 1 cm higher from the leaf stalk. This is to provoke the new bud from the rest of those old leaves. Unfortunately shearing will leave brown traces and these unsightly traces will stay there for months before they disappear.

Leaves must also be in proportion of the tree. Leaves can be reduced in size depending on the species of tree you have decided to make in bonsai. The possibility of reducing the leaves size will dictate the size the bonsai will have. For example the Norway maple produce very big leaves so if you want to make it in a bonsai you would need to make it a big bonsai since a 15 centimeter bonsai would have leaves half it size.

Only remove branches that are affecting the way your Bonsai is growing. If a branch is causing the tree to drastically differ from your design it may be appropriate to heavily prune that branch.

Tropical Bonsai Soil Tips

In using fertilizer for your growing bonsai you need to exercise proper balance and lots of attention to detail. Your determination to make your bonsai grow lies in many factors but it ultimately boils down to your determination and consistency.

In Japan, volcanic soils based on clay ( akadama , or "red ball" soil, and kanuma, a type of yellow pumice) are preferred.

The soil used for bonsai plants vary, but the soil mixture used should always be capable of holding moisture and food. However, it should also be able to provide good drainage and aeration. The soil is usually arranged in layers with the coarse soil mixture at the bottom and the finer soil toward the top. The soil is then topped with a moss fine pebbles or a small ground-cover plant.

Tropical Bonsai Techniques

It is very important that you as the plant owner should be very careful in the miniaturizing process of your bonsai plant. The leaves of the bonsai are very delicate so the pruning should be done with intricate care. Pruning this top part of the plant is actually the aesthetic part of the miniaturizing process of the bonsai so you really have to be creative when pruning the foliage. Creativity in pruning means you must have a specific shape or form in mind for your bonsai plant and be able to realize it by transforming your plant into the desired shape and presentation. It is also a must that the dead part of the foliage is also removed in order to keep the plant really green and healthy-looking.

The bonsai with a slanting style has a trunk bent on an angle. The lowest branch of the bonsai positions itself to the direction that is opposite to where the tree is slanting. The other lower plant branches are bunched into threes while the top part of the tree is leaning to the front. Slanting bonsais should be planted in the center of the container with a box-type or circular shape.

Some "mallsai" can be resuscitated with proper care and immediate repotting, although this is reportedly rare.

Tropical Bonsai Tidbits

Make sure you look after your mini bonsai as it will help you develop your pruning skills further than you can with a regular sized bonsai. China had traditionally a great influence on the cultural development of Japan. Thus the Buddhism could gain a foothold beside the state religion of the Shinto rather early in Japan. Walking monks of the Zen Buddhism brought therefore the first Pensai to Japan. In the culturally very open imperial city Kyoto noble ladies and gentlemen soon dealt beside the art of the ikebana and the tea ceremony with the small bonsai trees. Other tools include branch bending jacks, wire pliers, and shears of different proportions for performing detail and rough shaping.

Their style is inspired by the Chinese brush paintings, like those found in the ancient text,The Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting, depicting pine trees that grew in harsh climates, struggling to reach sunlight. Making Bonsai gardening a hobby needs some preparation which includes reading literature about Bonsai gardening, learning the tools and materials needed, finding the different Bonsai trees that can be grown and cultivated, and searching for stores and establishments which sell Bonsai trees. Traditionally all these tools and materials can be found in different nurseries and gardening stores. The plant can be trimmed using bypass pruners.

Watering too frequently, or allowing the soil to remain soggy can promote fungal infections and "root rot". A concave cutter will allow you to make pruning cuts that leave no stubs on a branch. There is a great variety of plants that could be used in a japanese garden.

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