Growing Bonsai from seed
Growing a Bonsai Tree from a seed is a very rewarding experience. Almost all Trees can be grown from seeds. You can get the seeds for Bonsai at all hobby or gardening stores. “Bonsai Seeds” are seeds of normal trees. There are no special seeds for Bonsai.
Bonsai Seeds take time to germinate. In nature, seeds of trees germinate at a particular season. Many seeds remain dormant during winter. Seeds require the correct temperature, humidity and time of the year to germinate. Before your buy the seed, learn about the tree and its natural environment.
Seeds can be germinated naturally outside or they can be germinated artificially in a special tray or a glass house. Place the seeds to be germinated in a tray. The soil can be a mixture of soil and organic soil. Keep the soil moisture. Do not overwater.
The Seeds usually germinate in the spring if they are allowed to germinate naturally. The seedlings can be allowed to grow in the tray for one year. When they are one year old, they will be ready for transplantation.
When the seedlings are one year old, they can be placed in their individual pots or containers. From now one, you can style and prune them till they reach the required shape and size.
Related Links
http://www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/cultivation/from-seeds
http://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basics_Seeds.html
Flowering Bonsai
Bonsai trees which flower make a delightful sight. They can brighten an indoor space and light up their surroundings.Thus, not all trees which flower will become flowering bonsai.
Ensure that your flowering Bonsai gets adequate sunlight and water. Many flowering trees flower at a particular time of the year. If they are pruned at the wrong time, they will not flower. Make sure that the Bonsai plant gets adequate water. Excess fertilizer will also affect flowering.
Common flowering Bonsai trees
- The Fukien tea tree (Carmonella microphylla)
- Pea Tree (Caragana Arborescens)
- Japanese Quince (Chaenomeles japonica)
- Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
- Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
Fruits in Bonsai Trees
Bonsai Trees produce Fruits like normal Trees. All fruit growing trees in their “bonsai” form will produce fruits. The fruits will be smaller in size. In many tree species, the male and female flowers are in the same plant. These trees are called dioecious. In other trees, the gender is separate. That is, there will be male trees and female trees. These trees are called monoclinous. In these species, while both the male and the female trees will flower, only the female will bear fruit.
Flowering and Fruiting absorb a lot of energy and nutrition from the plant. Plants which flower and fruit heavily will soon become weak. In nature, not all the flowers and fruits mature. Wind can knock away many of the flowers and fruits. Squirrels and Birds take their toll on the flowers. This limits the resources the plant has to allocate for fruit production.
While choosing fruit trees, you must select trees which suit your climate. Fruiting in trees depends on the time of the year, the season and the weather.
In your Bonsai, sometimes it is necessary to prevent flowering. Flowering can be prevented by limiting the lighting. You can also remove a few flowers and permit only a few flowers to mature and bear fruit.
This ensures that your Bonsai is healthy.
Fruit trees require adequate nutrition. Ensure that your tree is fertilized adequately
Can we eat the fruit from Bonsai ?
The fruits produced by the Bonsai trees are small and similar to normal fruits. They can be eaten. However, the prime reason for having fruits is to admire their appearance. The sight of a tree laden with bright fruits is a sight to behold. Apple Trees, Pomegranate trees can all be made into Bonsai. These plants will produce miniature apples and pomegranates.Growing Bamboo Bonsai
Bamboo Bonsai is a Bonsai made using Bamboo. Bamboo can be made into a Bonsai using the same techniques and processes for the regular bonsai.The Bamboo plant is planted in a shallow pot or a tray with holes for drainage. It is placed in a place with plenty of moisture. Bamboo bonsai can be placed both indoors and outdoors. The Bamboo plant should be repotted and the roots pruned regularly.
Bamboo Plants reproduce by means of rhizomes. These rhizomes will give rise to shoots which can develop into other bamboo plants. These shoots which originate from the base of the plant should be periodically removed.
The soil can be made of clay, sand and compost.