The Importance of Nebari or Surface Roots in Bonsai

The Importance of Nebari or Surface Roots
The three elements comprising the roots (both visible and hidden under the soil), the trunk, the branch silhouette and the external element of the pot or container are integral components of a bonsai. In all these elements, the roots are of prime importance not only because of their bearing on the health and wellbeing of the bonsai (especially the hidden roots), but also because of the direct visual impact of visible sur face roots in the overall bonsai design. In fact the visible sur face roots or “nebari” are the foundation on which the entire superstructure of the bonsai is based. Nebari or Surface Roots Variations in nebari:
1. It is said that first impressions are more lasting than subsequent ones. In bonsai this first impression is created by the Nebari or Surface roots. Strong nebari gives the impression of a strong bonsai and vice versa. The relationship of surface roots with the trunk from the base up decides the impact of the bonsai and, in a manner of speaking sets the pace of the entire composition. Good surface roots which indicates stability and good anchorage (in the soil), although it is the first requirement of a good bonsai, also needs to compliment for the movement of the trunk and the supporting branch silhouette. This is comparable to the position of a batsmans’ feet while playing a particular cricketing shot; if the footwork is at fault, the shot is not executed correctly and lacking the requisite power behind it, does not achieve the desired results.
2. In general, good rootage implies roots which emanate from nearly the same level and which generally radiate in all directions from the base of the trunk, caliper vis-a-vis the trunk thickness, tapered disappearance into the soil without appearing to be hanging. Usually, there shouldn’t be any surface roots in the front of the trunk directly facing the viewer. However, because trunk movement and configuration of branches are distinctive in the different styles of bonsai, there are subtle differences in the movement of the roots in each style. For example, in the ca se of upright styles where a trunk is perpendicular to the soil level (Formal Upright and Broom styles), the visible surface roots also need to appear almost linear with an almost equal caliper and to radiate in all directions, tapering to disappear into the soil; but the roots on the left and right axes would, however, extend slightly more than those at the back, mimicking the later al spread of the branches. This will also be the case with the plants in a group planting, although their roots will tend to be shorter due to the tighter placement of the several trunks; roots of the peripheral trunks will, however, be seen to spread outwards towards the sides of the pot. (Fig. 1, 2 & 3 – Rootage of the Formal Upright, Broom and Forest styles)

3.   In the case of upright styles with slanted or twisted trunks (Slanting, Informal Upright, Windswept styles) although the surface roots would radiate in all directions they would be tortuous & snaky and with unequal thicknesses. Where the trunk leans in a particular direction, the major visible root/s on the side opposite the lean will appear to be stronger but expressing a tension as if counter – balancing the pull of the lean; the root/s on the side of the lean, on the other hand will appear sprung as if compressed to support the visual mass of the branches and foliage. The design of the bonsai, in the curves of the trunk and the springy sweep of the branches would be but a reflection of the tension and compression of the surface roots; only this will lend conviction and strength to the overall composition. Sometimes the effect is exaggerated by exposed roots which coil sinuously under the trunk like the legs of a prehistoric monster.

(Fig. 4 – Rootage of the Informal Upright and Slanting styles)

4.   In the case of Bunjin, Cascade and Semi-cascade styles, the roots will appear more compressed, given the narrower mouth of the pot, although the roots opposite the direction of the lean of the bunjin style or cascading trunk might just appear to be stronger to counteract the lean or fall of the trunk.

(Fig. 5 & 6 – Rootage of the Cascade, Semi-cascade and Bunjin styles)

 

 

5.      In both, the informal styles and the cascading styles, the twisting appearance of the roots is therefore both functional as well as artistic. A critical design balance is achieved through this impression of the nebari or surface roots. This aspect is succinctly expressed thus by Carl Bergstrom, USA, ” the logical explanation …. of the structure (of a bonsai) must be consistent in both a physical sense and in an artistic sense. Tension requires must be consistent in both a physical sense and in an artistic sense. Tension requires obedience (?) and compression requires release. How these dynamics are accounted for in the overall design is how we must measure the success or failure of the root configuration of a bonsai”.

6.     Encouraging good rootage:

It is difficult to obtain plants with ideally arranged roots. More often than not one gets plants with defective rootage only, especially if the plant is a collected one. Most times, if a bonsai is to be created out of nursery grown material, the chances are that the roots will be abundant but it will probably take years to develop good surface roots compatible to the style in which the bonsai is designed. This is usually done by exposing the surface roots a little more during each successive repotting.

7.     Corrections to defects in nebari: The defects in nebari are usually in the form of: a) lack of roots at certain points; b) poor or thin rootage; c) abnormal roots or too thick roots. In such cases, corrective measures need to be adopted in order to maintain the impression of a particular style.

For trunks lacking rootage from certain points – initially attempts should be made to encourage new roots by making cuts at the places de void of roots and dusting these places with rooting hormones or if that fails or if the variety is hard to root, root correction in the form of grafting the roots of a donor plant or grafting a donor plant at a place devoid of roots should be tried. If even then roots fail to emerge, then a rock or a tuft of decorative grass can be placed at the point lacking rootage. Poor rootage can also be corrected in the same way.

8.    Abnormal as also hanging roots should be removed entirely if substitute roots are already available at suitable places lower down. Alternatively, they can be stapled down or in extreme circumstances wired into the desired shape. Overly thick roots can be split along their lengths and the resultant wounds sealed with a suitable sealant.

9.     In some cases, lack of rootage can be corrected by changing the potting angle and modifying the branch structure and opening up the foliage wherever necessary to suit the new design.

10.     However, in a case where roots are misshapen beyond salvage or only a single heavy root exists, the trunk just above the soil surface can be gouged or scoured in selected placed, rooting hormones applied in these places and the trunk at ground level is enveloped in a wall or well of netting and the space is filled with coarse sand or well-drained soil and watered well; the well can be gradually removed when new roots emerge and are strong enough to replace the old roots.

11.     The caliper growth of thin or weak but ideally placed surface roots can be hastened by leading them into hollow plastic or bamboo pipes or tubes filled with gr owing media (soil and compost in equal proportions) which are in turn led into the ground. But this is an advanced technique that has to be tried on bonsai which are already in a mature stage.

12.    To sum up, since nebari or visible surface roots are the basis on which the other elements viz., the trunk, branches and foliage depends for the impression of a convincingly mature image in bonsai, it is important that particular attention needs to be paid to their development and artistic arrangement in the bonsai pot, failing which the bonsai, however developed it may be, will not make the intended visual impact and style statement. Following are some photos of the nebaris of some of my own bonsai. Each nebari pic is followed by the actual tree in order to show the relationship between the surface roots and the style of the tree. Admittedly, most of them still need a lot of refinement, but that is the beauty of cultivating bonsai: they are never finished and therefore of constant interest and joy in their changing imagery.

Nebari of Banyan (Ficus Benghalensis) and full view

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nebari (left) and full view (right) of the Wrightia (Wrightia Religiosa)

 

 

 

 

        

Exposed roots style nebari of Baobab (Adansonia Digitata) on left and full view

 

 

   On left – Nebari of Manilkara

(Manilkara Hexandra)                                                                                                       On right – full view of M. Hexandra

 

 

     Banyan (Ficus Benghalensis) Left photo showing nebari

and Right photo showing the huge bonsai in full

 

 

 

 

  Baobab (Adansonia Digitata) nebari photo on the left. Same tree full view on right.

 

 

 

 

Acknowledgements & References:

1 – “Superior Rootage- The starting point of your masterpiece” by Jerry Meislik in the BCI Magazine Vol. XXIX No.3, May/June 1990;

2 – “Artistic Composition and the Position of an Asymmetrical Nebari” by Carl Bergstrom, USA, in the Art of Bonsai website, 2012.

3 – Occasional Critiques by Robert Stevens on the Stone Lantern blog.

4 – My researches and my article entitled “Perceptions & Perspectives in Bonsai Design” on my own website “ruchabonsai.com “.

COMPILATION of TIPS & TRICKS for BONSAI

TIPS & TRICKS for BONSAI
Design:
1) Thick wrightia / ficus branches can be bent by notching them in a ‘V’ shape in the direction of the bend, matching the cambium along the edges on bending and by fixing the bend with a screw inserted at an angle. The wound should be covered with cut-paste to stop the drying of cut edges. (Tip by Yong Yap Chong at International Bonsai Art & Culture Biennale 2014, Yogyakarta, Indonesia in Oct 2014)
2) Live veins of junipers form ridging (raising of the live vein) and can be seen to continue along the branch or area which they feed. Shari can be formed once the live veins are found, by carving along the length adjacent to and parallel to the live veins as far as possible. (Tip by Mauro Stemberger at International Bonsai Art & Culture Biennale 2014, Yogyakarta, Indonesia in Oct 2014)

Growing Tips:
1) Bucida Spinosa (Bahama Black Olive) likes water & can be kept in pots w/o drainage (Drenching/wetting a pot before potting is also good for bucida (Tip by Robert Sevens at International Bonsai Art & Culture Biennale 2014, Yogyakarta, Indonesia in Oct 2014)
2) Bucida Spinosa also does not like root-pruning; in case root-pruning is necessitated in an emergency, the plant should be defoliated and its roots should be sub-merged in water for some days to aid recovery. It also likes alkaline water. (Tip by Pedro Morales of Puerto Rico)
3) Podocarpus do not like air-layers and will sulk if air-layered. (Tip by Ratna Dave, my teacher and eminent bonsai artist of Mumbai, India)
4) Bougainvillea should be defoliated to induce better branching during the growing period.
5) Ficus will be induced to put out aerial roots faster if their pots are placed in a bigger pot filled with humid material or gravel, etc. (from self-experience)
6) Some plants varieties, especially conifers do not bud on bare branches, but sometimes snapping a branch half-way will induce budding underneath the cut. This has been tried successfully on some ficus varieties which are prone to die-back. (from self-experience)
7) Jades & adeniums should be allowed one rain shower in the monsoons after which they should be sprayed with urea mixed in water (proportion: ½ tsp per 5 liters) and then kept under an overhang to avoid heavy rains. (from self-experience)
8) Banyans should be fertilized with nitrogen every 15 days to induce good branching. (Tip by Veer Choudhary, bonsai artist, India)
9) To develop the girth of the trunk, the roots of ficus can be lead into the ground; aerial roots can also be lead into the soil through tubes filled with moist growing material for faster thickening and also to ensure that they do not dry out before they reach the soil level. (observed in Indonesian Nurseries)

Flowering Tips:
1] For profuse flowering in Boganvillas (Recipe by Shrikrishna Gadgil, bonsai artist, Mumbai, India)
Step 1: Do not water subject plant for 2 days
Step 2: Feed with Vitamin B Complex on the 3rd day
Step 3: Feed liquid cow-dung slurry 1 week after 3rd day
Step 4: Feed with Urea (Nitrogen) 1 week after step 3
Step 5: Feed with Suffala (Super Phosphates) every week, 1 week after step 4 and continue till
flowers set
Once flowers are set in boganvillas, removal of leaves will lead to full flowering (from self-experience)
2] Wrightia can be defoliated completely which will induce profuse flowering one month after defoliation (from gardening experience)
3] Adeniums, in order to flower well, need weekly fertilizing. (Tip by Arun Ashar, Apoorva Nursery, Pune, India)
4] For most tropical flowering and fruiting plants, 2/3 weekly doses of Phosphorus dominant fertilizers about a month before the flowering /fruiting season of the species will induce better and sustained flowering.

Miscellaneous
1) To tie plants in shallow pots or on a rock – make a loop of the wire and place the bent end of the loop touching the surface of the pot or rock at the spot where the plant is to be located; put epoxy adhesive on the wire loop at the spot which touches the surface of the pot or rock and sprinkle some baking powder over it. Hold the wire in position for a couple of minutes; the tie-wire will be fixed permanently to the selected spot. (From: Bonsai Bark post, Stone Lantern and also Pedro Morales during a demo)
2] Possible method of correction of one-sided rootage (especially for tropicals): To induce rooting on sides bare of roots, first scar the side bare of roots and tie the base of the plant to the pot rather tightly in such a way that it will not move. Tie a guy wire at about 2/3rd the height of the trunk of the plant and exert a pull and tie the other end of the wire to the pot so that its base is stressed at the side without roots. Due to the stress at the base in the direction opposite the lean, the plant will be induced to send out roots at the point of stress. (From experience)
3] Branches which require back budding on lanky growth but which will not bud back on bare branches should not be pruned bare; the branch should be cut half way through just above the area which needs budding and then bent at the point of partial cut, snapping but not separating it. Care should be taken not to cut off the branch completely. Adventitious buds will eventually form between the trunk and the snapped point, as the flow of nutrition is disrupted but not completely stopped. (From experience)
4) While wiring branches, anchoring of the wire can be achieved as follows: Build a small spiral loop at the end of a sufficiently thick wire; hold the loop about two inches above the branch to be wired, bring the wire down to the branch to be wired and execute the first turn around the branch and complete the wiring around the branch in the normal way. Now, holding the looped end against the trunk with one hand, bend the wired branch downwards. If the wire is of sufficient strength, its tension against the trunk will hold the branch in place. (As shown by Pedro Morales of Puerto Rico, original technique by Sensei Mashahiko Kumura, Japan)
(My comments: the loop can be positioned even under the branch and held against the trunk in the same way)
5) The Brazilian Raintree will do really well if it is planted in soil containing 95% sand. It can take drastic pruning without any die-back provided there is no root disturbance while potting/repotting. (Tip by Nacho Marin of Venezuela as conveyed by Sanjay Dham, Delhi)
6) For bending thick branches: the branch should be wrapped with jute rope (close, continuous windings). This should be wrapped with electrical insulating tape. The bound portion can then be wound with thick wire and then bent as desired. (As demonstrated by Marc Neolanders in a workshop in Mumbai)
7) For Twin Trunk bonsai: Start shaping the smaller trunk first; change the potting angle if the trunks appear to go in opposite directions. (by Marc Neolanders in a workshop in Mumbai)
8) Simple tip to test suitable thickness of wire: hold the wire about 4/5 inches away from the loose end and press the loose end against the portion that is to be wired; if the wire bends then it is not of sufficient strength and a thicker wire is needed. (by Marc Neolanders in a workshop in Mumbai)
9) Bending a wired portion of the trunk/branch in the direction of the wire turns can tighten the wire; bending against the direction of the wire turns may loosen the wire. This has to be taken into account while wiring any portion of the bonsai (From various sources and self-experience)
10) Extreme bends can be achieved by turning three or more lengths of wire along the desired branch/trunk close together (almost to the extent that the bark is not visible and then bending the portion in the direction of the wire turns (by Neli Stoyanova during the Baroda Convention 2015)

THE CRAFT OF BONSAI :- COMPILATION OF TIPS & TRICKS

TIPS & TRICKS for BONSAI
Design:
1) Thick wrightia / ficus branches can be bent by notching them in a ‘V’ shape in the direction of the bend, matching the cambium along the edges on bending and by fixing the bend with a screw inserted at an angle. The wound should be covered with cut-paste to stop the drying of cut edges. (Tip by Yong Yap Chong at International Bonsai Art & Culture Biennale 2014, Yogyakarta, Indonesia in Oct 2014)
2) Live veins of junipers form ridging (raising of the live vein) and can be seen to continue along the branch or area which they feed. Shari can be formed once the live veins are found, by carving along the length adjacent to and parallel to the live veins as far as possible. (Tip by Mauro Stemberger at International Bonsai Art & Culture Biennale 2014, Yogyakarta, Indonesia in Oct 2014)

Growing Tips:
1) Bucida Spinosa (Bahama Black Olive) likes water & can be kept in pots w/o drainage (Drenching/wetting a pot before potting is also good for bucida (Tip by Robert Sevens at International Bonsai Art & Culture Biennale 2014, Yogyakarta, Indonesia in Oct 2014)
2) Bucida Spinosa also does not like root-pruning; in case root-pruning is necessitated in an emergency, the plant should be defoliated and its roots should be sub-merged in water for some days to aid recovery. It also likes alkaline water. (Tip by Pedro Morales of Puerto Rico)
3) Podocarpus do not like air-layers and will sulk if air-layered. (Tip by Ratna Dave, my teacher and eminent bonsai artist of Mumbai, India)
4) Bougainvillea should be defoliated to induce better branching during the growing period.
5) Ficus will be induced to put out aerial roots faster if their pots are placed in a bigger pot filled with humid material or gravel, etc. (from self-experience)
6) Some plants varieties, especially conifers do not bud on bare branches, but sometimes snapping a branch half-way will induce budding underneath the cut. This has been tried successfully on some ficus varieties which are prone to die-back. (from self-experience)
7) Jades & adeniums should be allowed one rain shower in the monsoons after which they should be sprayed with urea mixed in water (proportion: ½ tsp per 5 liters) and then kept under an overhang to avoid heavy rains. (from self-experience)
8) Banyans should be fertilized with nitrogen every 15 days to induce good branching. (Tip by Veer Choudhary, bonsai artist, India)
9) To develop the girth of the trunk, the roots of ficus can be lead into the ground; aerial roots can also be lead into the soil through tubes filled with moist growing material for faster thickening and also to ensure that they do not dry out before they reach the soil level. (observed in Indonesian Nurseries)

Flowering Tips:
1] For profuse flowering in Boganvillas (Recipe by Shrikrishna Gadgil, bonsai artist, Mumbai, India)
Step 1: Do not water subject plant for 2 days
Step 2: Feed with Vitamin B Complex on the 3rd day
Step 3: Feed liquid cow-dung slurry 1 week after 3rd day
Step 4: Feed with Urea (Nitrogen) 1 week after step 3
Step 5: Feed with Suffala (Super Phosphates) every week, 1 week after step 4 and continue till
flowers set
Once flowers are set in boganvillas, removal of leaves will lead to full flowering (from self-experience)
2] Wrightia can be defoliated completely which will induce profuse flowering one month after defoliation (from gardening experience)
3] Adeniums, in order to flower well, need weekly fertilizing. (Tip by Arun Ashar, Apoorva Nursery, Pune, India)
4] For most tropical flowering and fruiting plants, 2/3 weekly doses of Phosphorus dominant fertilizers about a month before the flowering /fruiting season of the species will induce better and sustained flowering.

Miscellaneous
1) To tie plants in shallow pots or on a rock – make a loop of the wire and place the bent end of the loop touching the surface of the pot or rock at the spot where the plant is to be located; put epoxy adhesive on the wire loop at the spot which touches the surface of the pot or rock and sprinkle some baking powder over it. Hold the wire in position for a couple of minutes; the tie-wire will be fixed permanently to the selected spot. (From: Bonsai Bark post, Stone Lantern and also Pedro Morales during a demo)
2] Possible method of correction of one-sided rootage (especially for tropicals): To induce rooting on sides bare of roots, first scar the side bare of roots and tie the base of the plant to the pot rather tightly in such a way that it will not move. Tie a guy wire at about 2/3rd the height of the trunk of the plant and exert a pull and tie the other end of the wire to the pot so that its base is stressed at the side without roots. Due to the stress at the base in the direction opposite the lean, the plant will be induced to send out roots at the point of stress. (From experience)
3] Branches which require back budding on lanky growth but which will not bud back on bare branches should not be pruned bare; the branch should be cut half way through just above the area which needs budding and then bent at the point of partial cut, snapping but not separating it. Care should be taken not to cut off the branch completely. Adventitious buds will eventually form between the trunk and the snapped point, as the flow of nutrition is disrupted but not completely stopped. (From experience)
4) While wiring branches, anchoring of the wire can be achieved as follows: Build a small spiral loop at the end of a sufficiently thick wire; hold the loop about two inches above the branch to be wired, bring the wire down to the branch to be wired and execute the first turn around the branch and complete the wiring around the branch in the normal way. Now, holding the looped end against the trunk with one hand, bend the wired branch downwards. If the wire is of sufficient strength, its tension against the trunk will hold the branch in place. (As shown by Pedro Morales of Puerto Rico, original technique by Sensei Mashahiko Kumura, Japan)
(My comments: the loop can be positioned even under the branch and held against the trunk in the same way)
5) The Brazilian Raintree will do really well if it is planted in soil containing 95% sand. It can take drastic pruning without any die-back provided there is no root disturbance while potting/repotting. (Tip by Nacho Marin of Venezuela as conveyed by Sanjay Dham, Delhi)
6) For bending thick branches: the branch should be wrapped with jute rope (close, continuous windings). This should be wrapped with electrical insulating tape. The bound portion can then be wound with thick wire and then bent as desired. (As demonstrated by Marc Neolanders in a workshop in Mumbai)
7) For Twin Trunk bonsai: Start shaping the smaller trunk first; change the potting angle if the trunks appear to go in opposite directions. (by Marc Neolanders in a workshop in Mumbai)
8) Simple tip to test suitable thickness of wire: hold the wire about 4/5 inches away from the loose end and press the loose end against the portion that is to be wired; if the wire bends then it is not of sufficient strength and a thicker wire is needed. (by Marc Neolanders in a workshop in Mumbai)
9) Bending a wired portion of the trunk/branch in the direction of the wire turns can tighten the wire; bending against the direction of the wire turns may loosen the wire. This has to be taken into account while wiring any portion of the bonsai (From various sources and self-experience)
10) Extreme bends can be achieved by turning three or more lengths of wire along the desired branch/trunk close together (almost to the extent that the bark is not visible and then bending the portion in the direction of the wire turns (by Neli Stoyanova during the Baroda Convention 2015)

Sunlight, temperature & humidity and their influence on bonsai in the tropics

Sunlight, temperature & humidity and their influence on bonsai in the tropics

It is generally known that almost all plant varieties need ambient light conditions and a certain amount of warmth & humidity for good growth. Climatic conditions are not the same throughout the world; they differ depending on the latitude in which the region is located. There are broadly two climatic zones in the world, viz., tropical (hot), temperate (very cold). Regions in the vicinity of the north or south poles are said to be in the temperate zone and experience extremely cold or near freezing climate almost throughout the year. Regions located around the Equator (tropical regions) have extremely hot climate throughout the year, hotter than all the other regions of the world due to the directness of the sun rays. Between these two extremes, are climatic conditions which vary from the cold to the hot to a greater or lesser extent, depending upon which latitude the region is located in. The nearer a region is to the north or south pole, i.e.,  between the Tropic of Cancer or Tropic of Capricorn and the respective pole and further away from the equator the more semi-temperate (more cold, less hot) the climate will be;   conversely, the nearer a region is to the Equator, further away from either of the poles but between the Tropic of Cancer or Tropic of Capricorn and the equator, the more semi-tropical (more hot, less cold) its climate will be.  Growing conditions are accordingly, significantly different in all these climatic zones, but sunlight, temperature and humidity play a very important role in the growth cycle of plants in general and bonsai in particular in the tropical belt and semi-tropical regions.

The scope of this article is confined to the consideration of the growing conditions in the tropical and semi-tropical belts, i.e., between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, as this is the region I am most familiar with.

The tropical regions, both the tropical belt around the equator and the semi-tropical regions between the Tropic of Cancer or Tropic of Capricorn have four seasons: winter (January–February), summer (March–May), a monsoon (rainy) season (June–September) and a post-monsoon period (October–December). 

In the tropical belt, i.e., between the Tropic of Cancer or Tropic of Capricorn, in the regions around the equator, the sun rays fall perpendicularly on the surface of the earth so that the intensity of sun-light is extremely high and average temperature varies from about 28 degrees Celsius to maximum 50 degrees Celsius. The length of the day is also very long, ranging from 9 hours a day in winter to around 12 hours a day in the height of summer. Rainfall in the tropical belt is perennial, i.e., it falls intermittently throughout the year due to accelerated evaporation caused by high temperatures,. This results in year-round growth of most of the plants due to higher humidity and consequently gives rise to some of the best tropical rain forests of the world. (there are temperate rain forests too). Bonsai too would have equally good growth due to the high humidity and temperature.

In semi-tropical (more hot, less cold) regions, the same conditions and seasons prevail except that the intensity of the sun is lesser than in the tropical belt due to the obliqueness of the sun rays falling on the surface of the earth. (The farther away from the equatorial region, the more oblique are the sun rays hitting the earth and consequently the lower the temperature). The length of daylight is also lessened comparatively. But otherwise the growing conditions for plants and bonsai are virtually the same. In most regions there is a prevalence of a season of heavy rainfall resulting in high atmospheric humidity followed by winter which is not very severe and summer in which it can get stiflingly dry & hot. The climatic conditions favor good growth of plants.

In both the cases there is a very short period of winter dormancy and also sun-light is available more-or less through-out the year. So, most of the varieties of plants which survive well in higher temperatures, tolerate higher sunlight conditions for long periods and do not require a dormant period can be grown easily and successfully as bonsai. Evergreen broad leaf varieties, deciduous broad leafs, succulents & arid region plants as also some coniferous evergreens which do not require a significant winter dormancy and require good sunlight & humidity do extremely well as bonsai in the tropics.

The second important factor is that root activity is faster in warmer soil temperatures compared to colder soil temperatures. It is for this reason that bonsai which are grown in temperate zones have only one annual growth cycle in spring due to its warmth, whereas there are three distinct warm periods in the tropics and consequently three definite periods for good root activity – the spring (about 2 months), the alternate showers & sunlight which provides humidity in monsoons (3 months) and the pre-winter heat (15 days-1 month); this means that the plants are also in high active growth during these three periods, apart from the regular growth due to the generally warm weather throughout the year.

Plant varieties which require high temperatures & humidity would naturally thrive very well in tropical climates. Due to the size of their leaves, broad leaf evergreen varieties are able to generate carbohydrates at a higher rate than the coniferous evergreens and therefore growth in broad leaf evergreens is observed throughout the year and regeneration is also speedier. Ficus especially are prone to form buttress roots and also profuse aerial roots. The availability of ambient sun light and humidity ensures that most of these varieties are successful as bonsai in tropical climates and can also be placed in full sun light throughout the year.

Nevertheless, others varieties which are basically temperate climate plants but require good sunlight also thrive as bonsai in these conditions due to the presence of high humidity. Conifers, especially many sub-varieties of junipers (e.g., L Juniperus Prostrata, Africans, etc.) which proverbially grow only once annually or at best in spurts in temperate zones and become dormant in the winter are observed to register noticeable growth even in the mild winters of the tropical climates due to good humidity and light conditions and will do well in the hot summers, provided those which are likely to scorch or get stressed in the severe mid-day sunlight in the height of summer  are given some over-head protection.  Some deciduous plant varieties (those which shed all their leaves almost at once in the autumn), basically of temperate origin (e.g., Chinese Elm, L Ulmus Parviflora) develop into evergreen / semi-evergreen plants if they are located for a long time or for a few generations in the tropical / semi-tropical  regions. This is apparently the result of the heat and humidity.

A representative selection of typically tropical plant species are given below:

Excellent results are evident in the case of most Figs (L. Ficus species), Adenium (L. Adenium Obesum), Jade (L. Portulacaria Afra), Wax (L. Carmona Microphylla), Wrightia (L. Wrightia Religiosa), Jasmine Orange (L. Murraya Exotica), Casuriana (L. Casuriana Equisetifolia)and some other tropical varieties, including foliage, flowering and fruiting plants.

Figs (L. Ficus species), at least some varieties, may tolerate slightly low light conditions, but most do better in good direct sunlight. Growth in direct sunlight is always healthy, more compact with lesser inter-nodal  distances and a denser and bushier growth.  Humidity will encourage aerial roots which are a main feature and attraction of ficus bonsai.

Adenium (L. Adenium Obesum), which is basically an arid region plant, needs  maximum sunlight but do not really need humidity. The hotter the climate, the better is the flowering on adeniums. They can survive less or infrequent watering also.

Jade (L. Portulacaria Afra) grows well is full sunlight but do not really need humidity. Requires well drained soil even if it is not placed in rainy conditions. Will tolerate less watering but leaves shrivel if starved of water for long periods. Thrives well in extreme sunlight provided it is given adequate watering

Wax (L. Carmona Microphylla) also needs good sunlight for tight compact foliage and good flowering but requires more watering and more frequently. Needs constant trimming.

Wrightia (L. Wrightia Religiosa) requires good sunlight for flowering, although in some climates, it tends to shed leaves if in cold weather. Leaves may turn a dull yellow en masse, in extreme sunlight.

Jasmine Orange (L. Murraya Exotica or Paniculata)also requires good sunlight for flowering. However extreme sunlight stresses the plant resulting in yellowing of leaves in summer.

Casuriana (L. Casuriana Equisetifolia) also thrives well in good sunlight but requires humidity. Occasional spraying with salty water has a beneficial effect on the plants as they are mainly seen to grow well along sea shores.

Due to year-round growth, almost all tropical plants & bonsai need to be fertilized accordingly. There is hardly any dormancy even in the case of deciduous trees so fertilization need not be stopped on that account as is the practice in temperate regions. Nitrogen is also needed in higher doses than is required for conifers and other temperate trees.

 

Possibility of growing tropical varieties indoors in temperate regions:

In the temperate zones, as natural temperatures are significantly lower than tropical regions, the hot and humid conditions of tropical zones will have to be simulated artificially, if tropical varieties of plants are to survive, let alone grow successfully. Hot house or green house with artificial indoor lighting and heat & humidity can be installed to re-create tropical conditions but they are expensive. But green houses are largely extensions of the main house and depending upon the number of trees and their sizes may need quite a bit of space and are worthwhile for growing medium to large size bonsai. Mame & shohin bonsai can also be grown indoors without the need for green houses if there is central heating in the house and will thrive well provided ambient light and temperature are maintained; if mame bonsai are grown more trees can be kept in lesser space. However, due to lesser intensity than natural light in the tropics, the duration of artificial lighting needs to be greater, approximately 12 – 16 hours if the trees are to remain healthy. Specialized halide lights are more suitable for green house conditions but they are expensive and may need periodic replacement with new lamps to maintain light intensity; halogen lamps are equally good for light intensity but heat up too much.  Small trees can be grown  indoors under florescent tube lights but the trees will have to be placed very near the light source. And the light fixtures may not look decorative too and have to be replaced periodically.

Frequency and potency of feeding fertilizers also needs to be on a reduced and lesser scale.

It is certainly possible to grow tropical subjects successfully under indoor light conditions in temperate zones, provided proper growing conditions are maintained and adequate precautions are taken.

Bonsai Soil – The Key to Successful & Healthy Bonsai Growing

BONSAI SOIL – THE KEY TO SUCCESSFUL & HEALTHY BONSAI

All plants, be they ordinary potted plants or bonsai, need a medium to grow. The growing medium has to primarily provide firm anchorage for the roots and also be able to provide moisture and nourishment, at the same time allowing the roots to grow and breathe and to provide good drainage over a long period of time.The success of any growing medium or soil depends on the following factors –

a)     Good draining capacity: The draining capacity of the bonsai soil is gauged by its capacity to allow excess water to escape as fast as possible from force of gravity so that, given an equable climate (not too hot nor freezing cold), the soil goes from a state of wetness or sogginess immediately after watering to a state of mildly moist between a given watering cycle, presumably of twenty four hours. Good drainage in turn depends directly on the particle size and its tensile strength. The bigger the particle size, the better the spaces available for aeration, lesser surface tension & better gravitational drainage; the smaller the particle size, the lesser the spaces available for aeration, the higher is the surface tension & consequently poorer gravitational drainage. In the event of poor drainage the roots cannot absorb enough oxygen and consequently due to anaerobic respiration they produce ethanol which causes root rot and cause poor growth of the plant and eventual death in the event of continuance of the water logging.

b)      Tensile strength and size of soil particles: The particles of the soil need to be of a tensile strength which will resist crumbling under pressure, friction or changes in temperature. The absence of granular ingredients of good tensile strength would result in gradual pulverisation & compaction of the soil particles and lessening of its draining capacity due to reduction in particle size over a period of time. This state is referred to as structural breakdown of the soil. Material such as river sand, stone crush, brick crush, calcined clay, etc., have good tensile strength and therefore good drainage capacity.

c)      Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC): CEC refers to the capacity of the growing medium to retain nutrition and fertilizers and make them available to the plant. Water and nutrition absorbing capacity is present in some components such as clay, humus, diatomaceous earth, pumice, etc. However, clay, unless calcined or roasted, tends to crumble rather easily and particles will eventually find their way to the bottom of the pot causing a build-up of sedimentation which will hamper drainage, mostly sooner than later. Humus, on the other hand, as it is composed to organic animal or fauna waste, will not crumble so much and due to natural adhesion will also not easily sedimantate at the bottom of the pot. For the reasons stated above, the use of clay is not advisable in the long run. As to sand, since it is generally inert, it will practically have nil CEC. Diatomite, pumice, crushed brick, calcined clay, etc, due to their semi-absorbent capacity have a good CEC and will be able to substitute clay as they are less prone to compaction.

d)      Ph factor: Refers to the acidity and alkalinity of soil and its ingredients. For most plants a soil with a neutral ph works well for optimal growth of the plants. Where specific species need a different ph level, additives will be required to be used periodically. All soils will gradually become progressively more acidic due to the use of chemicals. To reduce the acidity and to increase alkalinity,  lime (calcium) is added to the soil as required.

e)      Inertia or Chemical reactivity: The reaction of the ingredients of soil to changes in temperature extremes may not be significant in the tropics but in temperate climates where freezing temperatures are prevalent it may affect the drainage to the extent that in freezing temperatures the soil would solidify through contraction and hamper drainage and is also likely to damage fine feeder roots. Of course, in such climatic conditions, it is highly probable that the frequency of watering may be very low and hence the chances of freezing in the soil might be avoided. The chemical reactions of the various ingredients of soil viz., sand, clay, humus, diatomite, pumice, crushed bricks, etc.,to fertilisers/reagents, etc., is practically neutral and hence it is not harmful per se. However, due to the semi-absorbent nature of these ingredients (except sand which is inert), these ingredients may  have a build-up of acidity over a period of time and soils having a large proportion of these ingredients will have to be treated for acidity.

For most plants which are grown in ordinary garden pots (made of clay or plastic or composite materials) the growing medium or soil consists of a simple formula of equal proportions by volume of unsieved garden earth and compost or manure. Due to its vertical shape a garden pot holds a substantial amount of the growing medium, so this formula or slight variations thereof work well for a long period of time. Even if the structure of the particles break down, due to the height of the pot the sedimentation at the bottom of the pot is not a problem for drainage over a long period of time if broken shards of earthen pots are placed at the bottom of the pot.

However, the environment of a bonsai is limited to the soil holding capacity of a generally flat pot which is significantly smaller than garden pots, so the soil needs to be composed of lerge particles of ingredients that have an open structure of soil which allow good aeration for good root growth & good drainage and should be heavy enough to support the weight of the bonsai and should also be able to absorb and provide nutrition for optimum good health of the bonsai. Horizontal drainage in bonsai pots is also much slower than in garden pots.  If ingredients with fine particles of soil are used, water-logging or prolonged sogginess of the soil due to poor soil aeration and poor drainage will result in root –rot due to the production of ethanol through anaerobic bacteria which germinates quickly in compacted soils. In such small pots, corrective action such as emergency repotting is usually late, i.e., at a time when root damage is in its extreme stage and almost irreversible.

The importance of soil in bonsai therefore cannot be overemphasised. It is the singlemost crucial factor on which hinges the success or failure to grow healthy bonsai.

Composition of bonsai soil:

In order to find the perfect formula for bonsai soil, bonsai growers have experimented with all kinds of local material including pulverised pine bark, saw-dust, coco-peat, city-waste, wood-chips, plastic chips, earthen pot crush, etc., using these as additives and in some cases directly as soil – substitutes.  Based on experience, climatic conditions and watering practices, etc., each bonsai grower has formed his own recipe of  the soil mix and due to the success attending individual circumstances, claims to have found the perfect formula of bonsai soil. However, given the diverse climatic conditions, plant species, watering practices, etc., it is difficult to rely on a single or fail-proof formula for a rigid proportion of the ingredients or a fixed recipe thereof. Proportion of the soil components / ingredients will necessarily depend rather heavily on these factors and will  accordingly vary between individual bonsai growers and also region to region based on availability of local materials.

The components of the growing medium or soil for bonsai are therefore necessarily a selective mixture of different ingredients such as sand, clay, humus, diatomite, pumice, crushed bricks, etc., which provide drainage, anchorage and also water and nourishment to the plants. 

A good bonsai soil should include a large proportion of granular sand or something similar in nature & structure and well-rotted manure, humus and common garden earth in such a proportion that the soil will not only be able to provide moisture & nourishment to the plant and anchorage to the roots, but more importantly, it will also retain a very high draining capacity for a longer time or at least till the next repotting. In a well-drained soil, osmosis will take place (flow of water from the soil to the roots) if the soil particles are not too small and spaces between them have adequate medium-sized spores or spaces for water which allow good air movement. If roots are in good contact with the soil, surface tension and capillary action will work hand–in-hand to ensure good water absorption by the roots resulting in the transition of a soaking state of the soil immediately after watering to an almost dryish state upto & before the next watering. Reverse osmosis (flow of water from the roots to the soil)  may take place in well-drained soil only if it is allowed to become bone dry for a prolonged period.

The drainage capacity of the soil mix can be increased by the addition of sand or similar material having good tensile strength to suit plant species which need extremely good drainage; humus, compost, coco-peat, etc., can be added to the soil for plants which need that extra store of humidity & nourishment. A granular structure the size of small grams or sweet peas work will in a moderate size pot. For bigger pot sizes of over 2 ft. length and depth of over 5 inches, a bigger particle size is better. Generally speaking, the greater the tensile strength and higher the quantitative & qualitative granularity of the ingredients the lesser will be the chances of a structural break-down of the bonsai soil and consequent sedimentation at the bottom of the pot. A well-drained soil which will retain its granular structure for a longer time is of utmost importance in bonsai and is the primary target in the making of the bonsai soil. The presence of a high percentage of granular particles leads to better growth and general health of the bonsai. Bacterial activity will also be optimal in such a soil; symbiotic and beneficial bacteria, earthworms, mychorriza, etc., will be fostered and anaerobic bacteria will be discouraged if drainage is good and there is no water-logging. (Anaerobic bacteria will almost always mean toxicity build-up through the production of ethanol in the plants)

Bonsai soil for the Tropical climates

In the tropics in summer especially, hot weather can dehydrate the plants very fast due to the larger surface area of bonsai pots; on the other hand, in the monsoons, rains are frequent and heavy in most places and there is a strong possibility of water logging in the pots if drainage is not good. The bonsai soil therefore needs to be very well drained with particles of good tensile strength but at the same time it should be able to retain enough moisture during the summer months which is also the major growing season when plants use up an amazingly high amount of water. In Mumbai, India, the soil for bonsai is normally composed of a good proportion of even sized brick crush which is cheaper, locally available and is calcined to a large extent due to kiln firing. River sand is also used whenever available. Other ingredients that are used are cow manure (prone to weeds), vermi-compost (comparatively weed-free), garden earth and leaf mould (Humus). Sometimes coco-peat and vermiculite (expanded mica crush) for moisture retention, rice husk which provides some heat in the soil (in small quantities) and/or crushed coal for making the soil sweeter and other soil additives are used especially for species such as serissa (serissa foetida), wax malpighia (carmona microphylla), indian hawthorn (malpighia coccigera), sandpaper (strebulus asper), etc., which need a little bit of extra moisture in the soil.  Lime is added to soils for species like junipers which love alkalinity especially during the winter season to improve needle colour.

Generally speaking a good bonsai soil for the tropics will have around 50 percent river sand and/or brick crush, 20 percent manure, 20 percent humus and 10 percent common garden earth. The higher percentage of brick crush/ sand ensures good tensile granularity, good drainage in the rains but the soil does not compromise on moisture content due to the addition of manure and humus, which, after their nutritive store is exhausted, retard the breaking down of soil to a great extent. Best results are obtained when all the ingredients are sieved, discarding all powdery stuff and only the granular soil is used. Sieving of all the ingredients prevents break down of the soil to a great extent.

The practice of importing soils such as Akadama and Kanuma from Japan is not prevalent in most of the tropical countries where the species of plants suitable for bonsai are so different from the temperate climates in their requirements that it is not known whether these ingredients will be suitable. As the locally available material is better suited & have already been tested on local flora, are plentiful and are considerably cheaper than imported materials, the need for importing these material is non-existent. However, calcined clay (which is semi-absorbent and of good tensile strength), similar to ‘Turface’ which is available in US & Europe is now being manufactured and is very easily available in different grades and is a comparatively cheap material gaining popularity gradually in India.

To sum up, bonsai soil needs to be very well drained for the successful growing of bonsai. Its composition may need to be altered to suit local climatic conditions, plant species (i.e., whether the plant needs more moisture or less, better drainage or normal). Conifers need better drainage and less frequent repotting therefore the proportion of river sand/brick crush is increased. Flowering and fruiting trees need humus rich soil for which leaf mould and coco-peat are added. Some other species need higher moisture; for them vermiculite is added to the soil. In drier areas, a little more compost and   vermiculite are added for added moisture and nutrition; on the other hand, in areas of heavy rain-fall, compositions with a higher percentage of river sand or brick crush or both is advisable. For mame bonsai grown in small pots, vermiculite, coco-peat and leaf mould of about 50 percent is added to brick crush which is preferred over river sand due to the semi-absorbent properties of the former. The particle size also can be smaller than that for bigger bonsai pots.

In all sizes of bonsai, however, the key factor is only good drainage; all else is but supportive window dressing.

Drainage, drainage and drainage of the Soil! That is the key to successful bonsai growing.

Watering Tropical Bonsai in the tropics

Bonsai are grown in small and mostly flat pots which contain a limited amount of soil. Like all living things they need the three elements of water, oxygen and sunlight. This means that they have to be kept mostly outdoors (they can be brought indoors for display for a brief period only) their growing medium or soil should be so suited as to provide anchorage, nourishment and good drainage and they have to be provided regularly with water in order to survive. The actual process of watering bonsai essentially involves the use of a watering can with a fine rose or a pipe hose fitted with a sprinkler attachment with which water is sprinkled on the bonsai in such a way that dust is washed off the foliage and the entire soil is also drenched thoroughly so that eventually excess water flows out of the drainage holes. Most of the books on bonsai and the internet information emanating from Japan and the western countries where the climate is cold and temperate speak of a watering practice which is apparently quite complex. The reason, in the first place, seems to be that due to the cold climate evaporation of moisture from the soil in a bonsai pot would be at a much slower rate than in the tropics where the climate is much more hot. Secondly, coniferous species which are a mainstay of bonsai in colder regions, appear to prefer a state of semi-dryness between consecutive watering, for which reason a specific or fixed frequency of watering cannot be prescribed for them. As there is a major temperature difference in the climatic conditions of temperate and tropical regions as also in the species of plants used for bonsai, watering bonsai in the tropics or watering tropical bonsai in ambient conditions is a different but much simpler prospect. The aquatic needs of tropical region bonsai is much greater than the needs of bonsai from the temperate regions. The guiding principle of watering bonsai in a temperate region on a need-based schedule therefore does not apply to tropical bonsai where, even in winter they need to be watered daily. In the hot tropical summer where the mercury often crosses the 40 degree celsius mark, bonsai need to be watered at least twice daily. In fact, just as bonsai in the temperate regions sometimes need winter protection during freezing amp; frosty temperatures, so also some species with delicate foliage need to be given protection from extreme sunlight in the tropics. Most tropical broad-leaf evergreen species especially ficus and other tropical species thrive on the combination of sunlight, moisture and humidity. This being the case, although a state of semi-dryness between waterings is sometimes tolerated, it is not appreciated. Out and out bone dryness is of course not tolerated in any climate, whether temperate or tropical. Tropical plants also grow much faster than temperate region plants probably because they have three growing seasons per year- the spring, the tropical rainy season and the brief period of heat prior to the onset of winter – as compared to only the spring growing cycle in the temperate regions. Therefore the watering needs of tropical plants in tropical weather is comparatively higher especially during the three growing periods adequate watering in summer. Most species, therefore, need watering twice daily in the summer months in the tropics. Even in the rainy season, a look-out has to be kept on the rainfall and on days when the rains are scanty, watering has to be done manually. Especially, bonsai with a dense canopy of leaves have to be checked regularly to see that they are watered manually if necessary on days when the rains are not adequate enough. To conclude therefore, care has to be taken to water tropical bonsai on a daily basis throughout the year and twice daily during summere considering the high temperatures and the special need of the broad-leaf evergreens predominant in the tropical bonsai circle.

The 11th Asia Pacific Bonsai and Suiseki Convention 2011 at Takamatsu, Japan – A feature

The 11th Asia Pacific Bonsai and Suiseki Convention at Takamatsu, Japan 2011
(November 18-21, 2011)

When the ASPAC 2011 was announced to be held at Takamatsu, Japan, in the Kagawa prefecture of the Shikoku Island, I registered myself without any hesitation as it was an opportunity to visit Japan, the land where it all started. It was, however, with some trepidation that I left for the Convention for everyone advised me that getting vegetarian food would be a problem; but to offset the thought was the expectation of seeing something special by way of demos, exhibition, etc. So difficulties notwithstanding, I went thither and what a great experience it turned out to be !!!
The theme of the convention was “Friendship and Better Future”. The exhibition and bazaar were held at the Symbol Tower of the Sunport Hotel abutting the sea near the historic Tamamo Castle. The kick-off ceremony of the convention was with a spectacular traditional folk dance, opening speeches by the Chairman of the Convention and various dignitaries. The convention proper was officially started by the auspicious breaking of clay plaques in the traditional way (Kagamibiraki) by the eminent dignitaries and bonsai personages on the dais.
The pride of place demonstration on the first day post lunch was by none other than the Magician of the bonsai world, Master Masahiko Kimura. He worked on a huge collected Sargents Juniper which had a lot of dead wood and which was reputed to be more than a hundred & fifty years. The master said that as a bonsai artist he had a special way of expressing his innermost feelings through bonsai design. He then proceeded to work on the tree first explaining what he had in mind and proceeded to eliminate excess deadwood and branches not needed for the design. The apex was dead and was therefore shortened in view of the future design; the lowest left branch was lowered further and extended outwards as Master Kimura said that it was vital to the design; all major branches were also wired giving them a slightly downward slant. The master then said that further major work required for a radical design (for which he is so famous), such as power carving of the deadwood and refinement will be done at a later date so as not to stress the tree too much at one time. Even at that stage, i.e. only after initial work, the tree had a marked distinction which shone through. It was indeed a privilege to observe the master at work at close quarters.
During the next two days the participants were treated to double demos morning and evening by different artists and masters. On the morning session of the second day of the convention, we saw a maple forest being assembled by Master Hiroshi Takeyama who cut, trimmed and adjusted several pre-trained & defoliated Japanese maples; the forest looked so unified & natural that one could almost imagine the birds flying through the branches. The parallel demo was by Master Yukio Hirose where a prebonsai shohin shimpaku juniper plant was trimmed, jinned, carved with a power tool, wired and repotted in a new pot (after giving the viewers a choice of pots to choose from and then selecting a soft elongated flower style pot) which made it into an artistic statement. During his demo he also talked about soil components and particle sizes suitable for shohin size bonsai. In the afternoon session, Master Toru Suzuki refined a clump style Japanese black pine which was wired. One trunk was converted into a jinned stub, all branched were trimmed & wired into place and the whole planting was transplanted on a rock slab. At the same time Master Shigeo Isobe worked on a large overgrown Satsuki Azalea where he trimmed and extensively wired and meticulously adjusted even the smallest branches.
On the third day too parallel demos were carried out. In the morning session, Masters Takashi Iura and Isao Omachi worked on another collected and twisted shimpaku juniper where the tree was carved & wired a lot, as the master said that junipers tend to have very hard wood and could take to extensive jinning as well as wiring very easily At the same time Master Koji Hiramatsu worked on a mature bonsai of red pine where he too trimmed excess branches, refined a huge jin and extensively wired the tree. In the afternoon session, Master Masahiro Sasaki worked on an over grown shohin bonsai refining it to a showable condition and Master Mitsuo Matsuda created a group planting of several black pine saplings which when finished, had immense depth.
I was surprised to observe that none of the trees selected for the demonstrations were raw nursery stock / collected material but were trees which had undergone some training; some of them were in bonsai pots and some in wooden training containers. The demonstrators did not aim at miracles where an over-work like extensive wiring, pruning and potting at one go was likely to cause the death of the tree. Still, amazing transformations were made and great bonsai were created in the space of a few hours in front of a thrilled and spellbound audience on all the three days. The experience was really marvelous.

During all three days, spectators and participants could view at their leisure the specimen bonsai in the main exhibition hall and exhibit bonsai in the Tamamo Park which was nearby and where some of the outstanding and Kokufu Award winning bonsai as well as bonsai from the Imperial Collection were on display and also visit the Ritsurin Garden (for which a shuttle bus service was arranged) where the logo bonsai of black pine for the convention from the collection of the Late Mr.Daizo Iwasaki along with many other outstanding bonsai were on display in the tea-house. But, alas, photography of the exhibits was strictly not allowed. Photography was however allowed in both the garden where in the Tamamo Park I was able to also photograph several stands of chrysanthemum bonsai. The gardens themselves are very well-kept and are representatives of the traditional Japanese garden art.
The main bonsai bazaar was located in the ground floor in the Sunport Hotel and the secondary one in a large tent in the rear grounds. The main bazaar boasted of many stalls loaded with specimen quality bonsai, branded tools, stands, pots and other accessories, etc. The tent stalls also had a lot of pre-bonsai and other plants for sale apart from quality ready bonsai, pots, etc. Although the prices of most of the bonsai were astonishingly high – in fact one particular white pine in the main bazaar was tagged at a price of Yen 10,00,00,000/- or about one million US$ – the quality of bonsai was also outstandingly high and all were a sight to behold. However most varieties were suitable for temperate climates only.

On the last day, we were taken on a full day tour of Takasago-koen, the famous private bonsai and Japanese garden of the Late Mr. Daizo Iwasaki, who was the guiding spirit behind the convention but who, I was sad to learn, had expired only a few months before the convention. Takasago-en houses two sections of the potted tree garden which, between them contain over 20,000 bonsai of mainly black and white pines, some of them quite enormous and all of them great bonsai – if not masterpieces – in their own right, apart from the traditional Japanese garden. The major area of the garden is in the traditional Japanese garden style containing beautiful trees grown in the ground in the bonsai way (known as niwaki). The garden itself is very beautiful and all trees like pines, rhododendrons, podocarpus, junipers, etc., are very well kept and really a sight to behold and cherish, as indeed it will be because very possibly the garden will be sold and will not be open for public viewing hereafter.

The convention concluded with a farewell dinner (which incidentally I skipped because of the aforesaid food problem) and so came to an end. Throughout the convention I was struck by the excellent management, universal courtesy, politeness and cheerfulness of all the convention personnel. The managing committee had done so wonderful a job of organizing the things that there was never an occasion when they failed to help and serve. In fact whenever help was needed someone was always at hand. We were all of us made to feel at home by one and all. It was a most wonderful and exciting experience and I came away enriched in knowledge, enthralled by the experience and fascinated by the indelible impressions of the indomitable spirit a people who in the face of Tsunamis and earthquakes never failed in their courteous “ARIGATO (Thank you)” every time.

I think to a bonsai buff like me my visit to ASPAC Takamatsu was a dream come true for all time.

Rajeev Vaidya

Bonsai Artist
9820167647

Perceptions & Perspectives in Bonsai Design

PERCEPTIONS and PERSPECTIVES in BONSAI DESIGN

(part of my article entitled: The Living Art of Bonsai)

By definition a bonsai is a miniature tree planted in a tray or dish, evoking the majesty and beauty of a venerable old tree in nature with all its attributes such as tapering trunk, all round branch spread and a ground – gripping root flare. The whole concept of designing a bonsai revolves around the central idea of developing a plant into a tree which will display all the above attributes albeit on a miniature scale.

But all trees in nature are not impressive enough; many of them are young & immature and not so shapely. Trees which merit the adjectives old, majestic or beautiful are seen to have a bole which emerges from a root flare which appears to grip the soil firmly giving the first inkling of old age; there is a gradual transition from the powerfully impressive bole to a trunk breaking out into spreading branches which become smaller and thinner as the trunk tapers gradually to an apex of small branchlets. The tree appears balanced and graceful in its given setting. That is the aim in creating a bonsai-a balanced, graceful yet mature tree on a miniature scale, created through art, horticultural science and patience.

At the core of the art of bonsai therefore, are two interdependent factors: the perception of a potential tree form in the raw material and the conversion of this raw material into a recognizable tree form by means of horticultural skills.

INSPIRATIONS FROM NATURE

Since the design of bonsai depends on the designs of natural trees it is necessary, in order to design a bonsai, to know what key factors influence the shape and design of trees in nature. All trees have genetic characteristics peculiar to their species and are recognized by the distinctions in the following physiological factors:

Trunk Definition: The shape, inclination and movement of the trunk defines and distinguishes the style which is basically a classification of the different genetic tree forms seen in nature – thus a tree with a straight trunk is stated as having a Formal Upright style, a curved trunk denotes the Informal Upright style, a tree with a downward slanting trunk is called a Semi-cascade style, a trunk plunging way down indicates a Cascade style, a tree with a slanting trunk has a Slanting style, no fixed trunk direction for a Bunjin style, a tree with a trunk amp; branches sweeping in one direction is known as having the Windswept style and a straight trunk with branches emerging from one point is called the Broom style – all these styles have a trunk line with specific shapes and movement which gives the tree its special character.

Branch Silhouette and Root Flare: The silhouette of the tree also depends on the spread and arrangement of the branches and their periphery denotes a specific outline. Formal Upright, Informal Upright, Slanting, Cascade / Semi-cascade and the Windswept style will have an alternate left-right branch arrangement and a triangular outline whereas the Windswept and Broom styles will have a more rounded silhouette. A tree with a straight trunk (Formal Upright style) will have straighter branches with an alternate left-right arrangement although they may be slanted at a downward angle and its roots will disappear into the soil sloping down conspicuously on both the right and left sides. The silhouette will therefore be triangular and flow along the left-right axis. A tree with a curved trunk (Informal Upright style) is more convincing if the branches are also curved and sweeping and the roots are slightly up-curved before they disappear into the soil. Again, the branch arrangement is seen along the left-right axis and the roots too are conspicuous on both the right and left sides. If the trunk of a tree is slanting (Slanting style) the branches should appear to reach out away from the tree as if they are doing a balancing act and the roots should also reach out to the side opposite the lean. The trunk & branches in the Windswept tree design follow the wind direction although occasionally the trunk may lean into the wind. The silhouette is therefore almost triangular but somewhat softer, its outline defined by the extreme unidirectional sweep of even the branches growing from the opposite side. The roots grow more prominently in the direction opposite its lean as the tree counters the wind pull by growing stronger roots in that direction. The Broom style will have branches growing in all directions and a root flare to match. In other words, in any style, a critical design balance is achieved because the trunk direction & movement, the arrangement and sweep & sway of the branches and the positioning of the roots are in perfect co-relation with each other. It is this co-relation and the perspective between the three physiological factors which differentiates the impressive trees from the ordinary ones.

On the other hand, a lack of unity between these three physiological aspects will not make for a convincing & impressive tree image but will look more like a quirk of nature. For example, when the tree has a wavy, swaying trunk which projects femininity, then straight perpendicular branches emerging at almost right angles to this trunk and stiff & straight surface roots will look utterly out of place; a straight trunk which projects a masculine image will look incongruous if it is coupled with wavy, undulating branches and wavy amp; thin or puny surface roots. Similarly, a tree in a parkland setting which does not have to compete with other trees will look incongruous unless it is complimented by a virtually symmetrical spread of branches and a strong surface root flare radiating in all directions. A tree with branches sweeping to one side will look odd if it does not lean into or away from the wind direction and the surface roots do not grow strongly in the direction opposite its lean. A tree with peeled bark and branches will rarely show lush, luxuriant foliage; its foliage will normally show the ravages of the forces in their shorter branching & sparse foliage and its roots will be visibly strong enough to withstand the strong natural forces. In other words, exceptions to lack of unity in these physiological aspects are a rarity than a regular feature in nature.

The shapes of trees in nature are defined genetically but their designs are influenced by their environment and by natural forces. Thus a tree standing alone in a parkland setting and in a moderate climate will have a staid form irrespective of its genetic shape; a tree which has to compete with other nearby trees for sunlight and water may have a curving trunk or a dwarfed stature; grouped trees have to grow in a naturally upright habit as the crowding of trunks does not allow trunk deviation except for trees standing on the periphery of the group which are inclined to swing outwards & away from the main body of the group. A tree under the constant pressure of strong winds or stormy weather will show the effects of these natural forces in its dynamic design with a swirling trunk and wind-lashed branches or in the peeled & stripped bark and gnarled trunk showing a lot of deadwood. So, genetics dictate the trunk configuration but the environment influences their design distinctions.

The human brain has unlimited capacity to store impressions of things which we see, hear or feel. Dynamics such as culture, learning, information, other aesthetic qualities & values, experience, as also religion and philosophy, etc., influence our perceptions of things allowing the human brain to perceive and interpret things accordingly. Trees with impressive physiological features i.e., trunk movement, placement of branches & their silhouette and exposed root flare seen in nature portray the universal precepts of majesty, beauty and gracefulness and such exquisite characteristics positively impress the sub-conscious and the impressions formed thereby are indelibly incised in the human memory and stored for future reference. When the dynamics of perception and imagination are applied to these images from memory, the physiological aspects are enhanced and impressive real-life images are employed by human endeavor to create idealistic versions of the natural tree images. In other words, the beauty and majesty in the tree forms seen in nature inspire the concepts of bonsai design and these are replicated by the bonsai artist by simulating the natural factors and settings using known and sometimes inventive horticultural skills and imagination.

 

QUEST FOR PERFECTION

Every tree, be it from a tropical or temperate climate is basically molded by its species and the special characteristics of its family. Bonsai are no exception to this generality. Strictly speaking though, bonsai are not blind copies of natural trees; rather, they are the distillation of the best and most beautiful attributes of the trees we see in nature. The artist employs his artistic ability and horticultural skills to exploit the perceived potential in the plant material to create a bonsai of his vision with all the physiological aspects in a scaled down perspective. It is the artists’ memory and skill which serve as tools in creating the ideal form in the bonsai in a given setting.

Given the physiological factors, the setting and the artistic ability of the artist, every bonsai has a story to tell; its style and setting will depict a history of either staid good fortune (reflected in its all-round and even growth) or of competition with other trees (reflected in frequent deviations in the trunk and/or unequal branches) or of harsh or stormy weather and turbulent times (reflected in windswept and/or whipped trunk and branches or peeled bark on trunk & branches and sparse foliage). But this will happen only when the bonsai, its container and setting move as a unit.

However, there are several factors which may go wrong in the planning of the bonsai design and bring about imperfections and inadequacies in the design of a bonsai:

Many a times a bonsai although it is designed conventionally with perfect branch arrangement etc., may not look perfect and the composition may lack beauty; a bonsai may sometimes fail to evoke any special feeling when we look at it. This may be because of a number of reasons: the bonsai may lack a focal point, its visual mass or silhouette and /or the trunk line direction & movement may be contradicting each other or its position in and articulation with the container might not feel correct. Sometimes the bonsai may outgrow its original design and grow in a way not envisaged by the artist, because, after all, it is actually Nature which grows the tree. Many a times a bonsai as a tree individually may be good to look at but the overall composition may still feel wrong if any one of the physiological aspects mentioned above is at variance with the style, taken together with its container and its setting therein.

Whenever a bonsai fails to make the visual impact it would make if all the aspects were in accord, its impression as a replica of a tree in nature is lost and it will appear to be less beautiful and less than perfect; a re-thinking of the design becomes necessary therefore, if the bonsai is to look beautiful & impressive and reach its full potential as a tree evokative of grandeur, majesty and to a degree, refined mysticism.

The following are suggested as possible design considerations for creating a perfect & beautiful bonsai. Of course, these are subjective and just suggestive, but they will help initiate re-thinking for a more suitable and possibly a better design of the bonsai. All factors and each individual case, however, should be considered in their overall perspective:

a) Creation of a focal point which catches the eye of the viewer; The focal point holds the attention and displays to advantage the strong points in the physiognomy of the bonsai. It may be anything: pecularities in the trunk, specific branch placement and ramification or in the case of conifers, the deadwood features. If a focal point already exists, it may need to be enhanced or displayed to its best advantage and full potential. The bonsai will appear impressive visually when its strong points are raised from obscurity and highlighted to their full potential.

b) The visual weight of branches and foliage mass which gives the bonsai its periphery & silhouette has to be adjusted suitably. For example, if the bonsai has a stormy setting, its visual mass cannot appear to be evenly distributed; some branches are bound to be shorter and some more volatile & explosive than others. If it is placed on a rock, its roots are bound to either hug the counters of the rock or flow down the slope of the rock and its branches are more likely to articulate with the counters of the rock as if they are affected and shaped by the lift of the wind, a factor which is of relevance in all mountainous landscapes. The visual weight of the foliage should be greater than the pot size but not so great that the bonsai will look like it will topple over any moment; at the same time the counters of the foliage should complement the trunk movement, size and placement.

The overall volume and structure of the foliage mass also depends on the type of the plant material, i.e., whether it is a conifer or a semi-deciduous / broadleaf evergreen. Further, coniferous varieties, especially those which are amenable to deadwood carving will look better with just the right amount of deadwood and just the right amount of foliage. Sometimes the deadwood can be overwhelming, overpowering and purposeless, looking as if it has been carved merely because the artist wishes to show deadwood; it gives a confused look to the bonsai. Deadwood features need to be arranged and carved suitably so that the bonsai portrays the image of a tree which has faced harsh climatic conditions & trying times. The volume of foliage and its structure also needs to be finely tuned and arranged suitably by careful wiring wherever necessary, to portray the particular image conjured by the deadwood.

In the case of semi-deciduous / broadleaf evergreen trees, which incidentally also sport powerful & heavy trunk/s, abundance of foliage will speak of a lush, rich and sometimes tropical climate and therefore such trees should be having ample masses of foliage and branches to portray that climate and the ramification would need to be heavy enough to justify the powerfully growing trunk and abundance of branches.

c) Many bonsai are seen to have the entire foliage in a single contiguous mass or with markedly defined branches bare of foliage for a short distance from the junctions but with foliage at their ends clipped in the shape of pom-poms. Such bonsai look artificial and unnatural. The foliage masses of trees in nature, when seen from afar may look contiguous, but viewed up close the gaps and de-structured nature of the foliage counters can be seen clearly. The bonsai, since they emulate natural trees and since they are viewed from near, should also have a de-structured look of naturally growing branches and foliage and although they are pruned whenever necessary to keep the overgrowth in control, they should not have bunched up pom-pom like foliage. Artificiality can thus be avoided.

d) A bonsai design is primarily a composition of the tree and its container. Both the tree and the container need to compliment and co-relate to each other in the first place. The placement and the angle of articulation also are important and therefore particular attention needs to be paid to them when designing/redesigning a bonsai. The container also plays an important part in the aesthetics of bonsai design. A visually heavier or bigger pot in comparison to the foliage mass has the negative effect of making even perfectly beautiful trees appear insignificant. The largest dimension of the pot whether its length or height, when they are visually smaller than the branch spread will display & highlight the dimensions of the tree. In most cases, a flatter pot is visually more appropriate than a deeper pot simply because it has a horizontal surface representing earth and again because it’s visual weight is reduced to the thickness or height of the pot and would automatically appear visually smaller than the bonsai. The suitability of the geometric shape of the pot in relation to the style of the tree also needs to be considered carefully. The placement of the tree too should have a say in the bonsai design. The centrally off-center placement of the tree enhances the stability and balance of the tree. The positioning of the tree & the angle of the trunk as it emerges from the pot has a specific articulation with the horizontal surface of the soil and has a vital role to play in defining the style of the bonsai and in the overall visual impression of the bonsai.

The artist’s efforts are to be necessarily directed to using his skills and his imagination to simulate the impression of a venerable old tree irrespective of its actual age. It is the skill of the bonsai artist which, through the application of refined horticultural skills and imagination puts all the relevant factors of the bonsai design in their proper perspective and reveals in time the innermost beauty of the bonsai and breathes the spirit of a natural tree into it. But the skill and imagination of the artist are a variable factor, differing from person to person and one environmental setting to the other. The bonsai artist therefore needs to constantly seek ways to improve and hone his skills and upgrade his knowledge to be able to impart the natural grace, balance and feel to bonsai which makes them beautiful and perfect.

To sum up, there should be an agreement between the following three vital physiological factors: – 1) trunk definition; 2) branch silhouette; and 3) root flare. The shape of the trunk which determines the style, the branching pattern which describes the silhouette of the tree and rootage flare indicating the transition of the roots into the trunk – all these have a role to play.

The words of Master John Naka, doyen of bonsai, saying “Do not make your tree look like a bonsai, make your bonsai look like a tree” are pertinent in this respect and in a nutshell, they reflect the quintessence and philosophy of bonsai design.

Potting/Repotting Bonsai

POTTIING/REPOTTING

(Excerpt from my essay ” THE LIVING ART OF BONSAI”

Ficus Compacta

At one stage or the other, every bonsai which has been in the same pot for a long time will be required to be repotted just as any potential bonsai will be required to be potted into a shallow, flat ceramic bonsai container for aesthetic purpose. Flat containers represent earth and are therefore desirable if a plant is to look like a bonsai tree. The pot for bonsai is like a frame to a picture. The pot should complement the tree and not detract from its looks. It should therefore not be too ornate or shiny. It should also be in proportion to the bonsai – not too big otherwise the tree will look comparatively smaller and will not give the impression of a big tree no matter how good it is, nor should it be so small that it will look visually unbalanced when compared to the bonsai.

The process of potting is as follows:

a) A suitable bonsai pot is chosen for the tree which is to be potted. The pot should neither be too big nor too small but should be big enough to accommodate the root ball and look appropriately balanced considering the future growth of the tree.

b) The pot is prepared by fixing pieces of netting on the drainage holes with the help of wire. If the tree is to be transported to another place after potting or if it is very tall or heavy and is liable to be shaken by strong winds or if it is feared that the rootage is inadequate, the tree will need to be tied into the pot. For this, insert a length of aluminum wire through the drainage holes so that the ends of the wire stick out of the pot from above. A small quantity of bonsai soil is poured on to the base of the pot and mounded where the tree is likely to be placed.

c) The tree which is to be transplanted in the bonsai pot is first wired if necessary. It is then taken out of the nursery pot in which it is and the soil from the periphery of the root ball is loosened bit by bit. Tangled roots, heavy roots and dead or rotted roots are trimmed off leaving a healthy, fleshy and compact root ball intact. Depending on the species, not more than about one-third to one half of the roots are trimmed off. The base of the root ball is also reduced, if necessary and the root ball is tried for fit in the pre-chosen bonsai pot.

d) Set the root pruned tree in the pot spreading the roots over the mound of soil and rock the tree gently so that the tree settles comfortably. Put Cover the roots with more soil and using a blunt instrument like a chopstick or dibber, poke the soil working it gently into the nooks and crannies between the roots but not in the compact root ball. Stop poking when the tree stops rocking if gently pushed and it appears to be stable. Pour more soil so as to cover any hanging roots and tamp the sides of the pot with the hand to settle the soil. The soil level near the edges of the container should be slightly below the rim of the pot.

e) Set the pot in a basin full of water which reaches just below the rim of the pot. Water will rise by capillary action and moisten the soil. Also spray the foliage of the tree with clean water to wash off any dust and also to provide it with extra humidity.

f) Remove the pot from the basin of water after about 15 minutes and set it in a shady place where it will get partial sunlight, away from winds and direct sun. Gradually, after about a fortnight when new growth is evident, expose the tree to more sunlight in increasing stages.

g) The success of the survival of the newly potted bonsai is in not watering it after the first watering till the soil is just dryish damp. Instead spray the foliage at frequent intervals to conserve moisture. A good alternative would be to provide the tree with a misty micro-climate in a green house or under a closed plastic covering with just enough ventilation to prevent saturation.

 

Repotting is similar to potting except that in repotting a tree is transplanted from a smaller bonsai pot to a larger pot or sometimes into the same or similar sized pot.

(Tip: Conifers are difficult to transplant in the tropical climates so it is better not to disturb their root balls at all and transplant them in a cooler season or in the rains).