The best guides with tips and tricks

What is a bonsai - Overview for beginners

In the translation, the Chinese characters for bonsai are "tree that is planted in a shallow bowl". In Japan, bonsai lovers prefer the short version “tree in bowl”.

The art of bonsai design has been celebrated in China and Japan for more than a thousand years. In Europe, the Asian art form is attracting more and more private gardeners. The aim of bonsai art is realistic, lifelike image of a tree in mini format. In fact, bonsais are not genetically dwarfed trees. Rather, almost any type of tree can be designed as a bonsai. The range of bonsai sizes is correspondingly large. A uniform classification according to size is still not available today. After all, the following list provides an overview of the wide range of recognized size classifications:

• Keshitsubo: 3 to 8 cm
• Shito: 5 to 10 cm
• Mame: 5 to 15 cm
• Shohin: 13 to 20 cm
• Komono: 15 to 25 cm
• Katade-mochi: 25 to 45 cm
• Chumono / Chiu: 45 to 90 cm
• Omono / Dai: 91 to 130 cm
• Hachi-uye: 102 to 152 cm
• Imperial: 152 to 203 cm

The size information is fluid for good reason. According to traditional classification, a bonsai size is rated according to how many men are necessary to carry the tree.

Trimming bonsai properly - with these types of pruning it works

The wide range of bonsai sizes signals that Asian garden art focuses on diverse aspects that go far beyond the growth in height. One is decisive for an authentic design harmonious balance made of shell, roots, trunk, twigs and leaves. The perfect bonsai presents itself with a balanced relationship between the planter bowl and the crown circumference. The narrow shell is primarily aimed at promoting the squat growth of the tree. Proper pruning makes a valuable contribution to ensuring that the crown is not too voluminous, the trunk is not too thick and the leaves are not too big. which Types of cuts Keeping the pot and bonsai in balance is summarized in the following table:

For the correct time to cut the garden bonsai, please refer to the local one Weather conditions with a. Do not cut an outdoor bonsai in frost, intense heat or direct sunlight. Ideally, choose a day with mild temperatures and overcast skies.

Prune flowering bonsai in coordination with the flowering time. Spring-blooming species should only be pruned after they have bloomed. On the other hand, the shears are used on trees in bloom in summer in late winter or early spring. Evergreen indoor bonsais make it easy for the gardener to choose an appointment, because the mini-trees tolerate easy care and maintenance cuts at all times. More extensive design cuts, on the other hand, should be planned for February or March.

background

Understanding how a tree grows paves the way for the perfect bonsai cut

Instructions for maintenance and conservation pruning

With a regular care cut, you can maintain and refine the representative appearance of your bonsai. As explained in our background information, the top growth naturally dominates in every tree. The main task of the care and maintenance cut consists in the targeted Removal of tip budsto stimulate growth inside the crown. How to proceed professionally:

• Deciduous trees: cut off shoots that protrude from the shape and grow into the interior of the crown
• Cutting technique: Bonsai scissors just above an outward-facing one bud apply
• Conifers: poorly positioned twigs and coniferous bushes do not cutbut pluck
• Plucking technique: grasp the tip of the shoot to be shortened between index finger and thumb and break it off
• Alternatively, remove unwanted shoots and needles with tweezers

On conifers such as pine, yew or stone yew, only leave the outer tufts of needles on selected side branches. All excess secondary branches are removed. The care and maintenance pruning on conifers is also dedicated to this year's shoot candles, which are also broken out with the fingers. The reason for the special procedure is to avoid brown needle tips after a cut with the bonsai scissors.

Design pattern instructions - on the way to the perfect shape

With the design cut, you give your bonsai its own basic shape. As part of the cutting design, large knots may have to be removed at the beginning. Undoubtedly, beginners find the radical approach difficult because final decisions have to be made as to which shoots to cut away and which to keep. The following instructions cannot make this decision for you, but only explain the correct procedure:

• The best time is in spring, in good time before the start of the growing season
• Position the tree at eye level and put tools (bonsai scissors and concave pliers) close at hand
• First remove all dead and dry shoots, including dried leaves
• Take a few steps back and each other Plan a cut
• Thinning out the weaker one of two competing branches
• Remove vertical branches, branches that are bent into the crown and unnaturally twisted branches
• Cut off all shoots that cross the front of the trunk

One of the basic rules in the exemplary design cut is the removal of thick knots in the upper crown area. For a natural appearance, the branches in the lower area should have a larger diameter than branches near the top of the tree.

Digression

Wiring and bending complete the skilful bonsai cut

Instructions sheet cutting

A leaf cut is a special type of cut aimed at a reduced sheet size and increased branching. To do this, cut off all the leaves in summer. The technique is only practiced healthy, vital Deciduous trees that tolerate such exhausting intervention. Alternatively, you can use leaf pruning to slow down growth in selected tree areas. To do this, for example, defoliate the upper half of the crown and leave the leaves in the lower part. How to do it right:

• The best time is from June to mid-July
• Cut off leaves with sharp scissors (all or certain parts of the tree)
• Important: let the petiole stand
• The pruned bonsai for 4 weeks in the Penumbra place

Please use the leaf pruning only on a healthy tree that is suitable for the type of pruning. If in doubt, please ask your trusted bonsai nursery.

Balance between root ball and crown - instructions for root pruning

An important component of your bonsai is its nebari, in English root approach. In the tightly dimensioned volume of a bonsai pot, the surface roots are responsible for optical and factual stabilization. Regular pruning of large, vertical roots shifts growth to the lateral root strands. As a result, these roots get thicker over the years and form a natural looking nebari. How to do it correctly:

• The best time to repot is in early spring
• Repot the bonsai and remove the old substrate
• Use scissors or root forceps to cut off long roots that are pointing vertically downwards

The thicker the root, the stronger the pruning. Thin roots just prune the sharpen. In this way you promote the formation of a dense system of fine roots so that your bonsai is adequately supplied with nutrients despite the small amount of substrate. Plant the tree in fresh substrate and water it. For the next 3 to 4 weeks he can recover from the strain in the partially shaded location.

Five basic bonsai shapes for beginners - inspiration for cutting design

In the course of almost two thousand years of development, diverse bonsai design forms have emerged that are predestined for entry into Asian gardening art. Let yourself be inspired by the following five basic shapes:

Broom-shaped bonsai (Hokidachi)

Deciduous trees with filigree branches come into their own as bonsai bonsai. The straight, upright trunk does not go through to the top of the tree, but branches out in all directions to form a round crown.

Strictly upright bonsai shape (Chokkan)

The strictly upright bonsai shape is recommended for indoors and outdoors. Ideally, the trunk grows thicker at its base and tapers towards the crown. A single branch serves as the top because the trunk does not extend over the entire height of the tree.

Literati bonsai shape (Bunjingi)

The literary bonsai shape is a reflection of nature. Where trees are in fierce competition with one another, they grow as high as they can and only have a small crown at the top.

Forest bonsai shape (Yose-ue)

The advantage here is that the relatively young trees give the impression of a primeval forest. The thickest and tallest main tree is in the middle in the background, surrounded by smaller trees that form a common canopy of leaves. An uneven, moss-covered floor enhances the natural appearance.

Rock shape over stone (seki-joju)

In the mountains, trees are often forced to send out their roots in search of nutrient-rich soil. The roots run unprotected over rocks until they reach the ground. As a bonsai, the root strands grow over a stone into the substrate. Care does not differ significantly from other basic forms.

Recommended tree species for indoors or outdoors

Theoretically, all trees are suitable for creating a bonsai. With a view to a different degree of pruning tolerance, different tree species have emerged as particularly recommendable for bonsai design. In the following we present you the best deciduous and coniferous trees for beginners in the art of bonsai:

Fig trees (Ficus)

A good-natured cut tolerance has catapulted fig trees to one of the top places in the ranking of recommended bonsai species. There are more than 800 species to find the right ficus for every plant lover. Evergreen fig trees are native to tropical regions, making them ideal for indoor cultivation. The public favorite is the weeping fig (Ficus benjamina), which can grow to be 200 to 500 centimeters without pruning. The slightly wavy, shiny green decorative leaves, which naturally thrive in small stature, are decorative.

Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis)

A low level of toxicity does not prevent Chinese junipers from establishing themselves as a popular garden bonsai. Its most beautiful ornament is the scale-shaped foliage, which shimmers yellow-green, blue-green or gray-green. The pure species and all the varieties that emerge from it can linger in the garden all year round. As with all of them Conifers, the regular maintenance and design cuts should focus on the needled area.

Maple (acer)

Among manifold Maple species Bonsai gardeners can draw on a wealth of resources. The picturesque varieties of Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) are very popular for the stylish interpretation of Asian garden art. The trees are naturally small and inspire with furious leaf colors and spectacular autumn foliage. The trees are completely hardy and decorate the garden and balcony all year round.

Rhododendron, azalea (Rhododendron species)

Would you like a garden bonsai with picturesque flowers? Then the genus rhododendron comes into focus. Among more than 1000 species, Satsuki azaleas (Rhododendron indicum) and Kurume azaleas (Rhododendron kiusianum) stand out for cultivation as bonsai. In contrast to their big sisters, bonsai azaleas are easy to cut. It is important to note a cut date after the flowering period so that the flower buds that have been created do not fall victim to the scissors.

Pine

Many gardeners consider Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii), mountain pine (Pinus mugo) and white pine (Pinus parviflora) typical bonsai trees. The evergreen conifers boast a bizarre growth that has to be acquired laboriously on other trees by cutting, wire and bending. Pines recommend a pronounced frost resistance for the design of the majestic XXL garden bonsai in tier form.

This is a small excerpt from a colorful array of magnificent ornamental trees that can be trained and designed as bonsai. When making your selection, act on the principle that a tree is one of the suitable candidates if it can naturally cope with pruning measures well. Origin and sensitivity to frost indicate whether your favorite is a bonsai for indoors or outdoors. Tropical tree species have generally not learned to survive in freezing temperatures. Native, Asian and some Mediterranean trees can withstand temperatures down to - 20 degrees Celsius, so that they can boast of their shapely shape all year round in the garden and on the balcony can.

Tips for the right cutting tool

The right equipment is important for successful pruning of bonsai trees. Cutting tools must enable the gardener to make precise cuts on the trees that leave smooth wound edges. Japanese bonsai tools are the ultimate, but of course they have their price. Mostly are scissors and Saws the end black steel which is laborious to maintain. The material compensates for this shortcoming with unsurpassed sharpness and durability. Stainless steel is less maintenance-intensive, but has a higher acquisition cost and is more difficult to sharpen than black steel. Ultimately, the specific type of bonsai and the financial budget decide on the scope of the tools. We have put together the following tips for the recommended basic equipment for you:

scissors

Bonsai shears come in many sizes and shapes. The main task is to cut twigs, thinner branches, leaves and roots. You can skillfully prune the small indoor bonsai with pointed, sharp scissors. Thanks to the sharp cutting edges, you can make even the most demanding cuts. Furthermore, you can cut through short, thin shoots and narrow branches smoothly. The pruning of the mighty garden bonsai can be done effortlessly by beginners with the usual one-handedSecateurs. We recommend using scissors Bypass mechanismbecause here two sharp blades run against each other.

Concave pliers

If the plan is to cut stronger branches on the bonsai, concave pliers should be at hand. The tool leaves semicircular cuts on the branches that heal faster than straight cuts. A special variant are small and large bud tongs, which are useful for pruning blooming bonsai trees and make an extra deep cut.

Root forceps and root claw

When repotting a bonsai, small and large root strands usually need to be pruned. A special root cutter can also handle thick taproots. Sharp bonsai scissors are sufficient for thin roots or fine roots. So that dried or inorganic substrate components do not damage root tongs or bonsai scissors, the root claw removes such residues before cutting.

Folding saw

If scissors and pliers are overwhelmed with cutting thick branches, one will do the job Folding saw(€ 17.68 at Amazon *) the challenge. Folding saws have the advantage that they work on pull and can cut even thick branches with little effort. In addition, you can maneuver better with the retractable hand saws than with a large hacksaw.

In addition to cutting tools, the basic equipment should contain other components. These include watering can and ball shower for watering as well as a small hand shovel for filling substrate into the bonsai pot. Tools for cutting and bending wire are not part of the basic equipment. Numerous trees take on an attractive bonsai shape without wireing the shoots.

frequently asked Questions

Are there succulents that are suitable as beginner bonsai?

Money trees (Crassula ovata) and jade trees (Portulacaria afra) thrive as woody, evergreen succulents and are extremely pruning. The popular indoor plants are ideal for paving the way to Asian bonsai art for a beginner. In the sunny, warm location, regular shape and design cuts cover the requirements. Cumbersome wiring and bending is not absolutely necessary to get one Money tree or to give a decorative silhouette to the jade tree.

I was given a bonsai birch that was already wired. Now I'm not sure if I should remove the wire. What to do?

Carefully check to see if the wire is already cutting into the bark. If so, please do not try to unwind the bonsai wire. You could irreversibly damage the tree. Instead, cut the wire at each turn so you can remove it piece by piece.

My indoor bonsai sheds all of its leaves. It is an evergreen weeping fig, around 5 years old. What causes leaf shedding?

Many carpenters struggle with leaf shedding on evergreen bonsai trees. The main cause is waterlogging in the shell. Inferior substrate and too frequent watering leave the Tree roots permanently wet. Root rot spreads, after which the stressed tree sheds its leaves. Repot your bonsai in high-quality, well-drained substrate. In future, do not water until the soil has dried noticeably.

Should I move my outdoor bonsai indoors during the winter?

One of the most common mistakes in bonsai care is to keep the plants indoors. In fact, indoor bonsai should also experience the seasons under the open sky from spring to autumn. Hardy bonsai species belong outside all year round. In cozy, warmly heated living rooms, the trees die within a short time. The only concession to the cold season is a protective cover for the bonsai pot so that the root ball does not freeze through. Planted, domestic garden bonsais, on the other hand, can do without any protective measures.

Tips

The oldest bonsai in the world is a ficus. The gem is an impressive 1000 years old and can be admired in the Bonsai Museum of Crespi in Italy. The pine bonsai in the Japanese Mansei-en garden can look back on an equally biblical age. The pine was collected in the wild and is still referred to as raw material because the design is ongoing. The 400-year-old white pine of the Yamaki family exudes a magical charisma. This bonsai survived the Hiroshima atomic bomb and is now in the National Bonsai Penjing Museum in Washington.