There are five basic bonsai styles that one can follow while growing a bonsai. Formal Upright, Informal Upright, Slanting Style, Cascade, and Semi-Cascade are the five bonsai styles. Some styles are suited for beginners, while others are best for experienced enthusiasts. Before you learn about the various bonsai styles, it is best to familiarize yourself how different trees grow in nature. Beginners should learn to train their bonsai to grow in their natural growth patterns.

Formal Upright

It is also known as the Chokkan style. For beginners this is not the best style to follow. a bonsai grown according to the Formal Upright style has a trunk that is perfectly straight and is tapering naturally and evenly from the base to the apex. Its branches are symmetrically spaced. Larches, Junipers, and Pines are best suited for this style.

Informal Upright

The trunk of a bonsai grown according to the Informal Upright style is always bent slightly to the right or left. The trunk or the branches should never be pointing towards the viewer. Japanese Maple, Trident Maple, and Beech are some of the species that are suited for this style.

Slanting Style

In this style the trunk leans at a definite angle, irrespective of whether it is curved or straight. Strong roots are allowed to grow on the side which is away from the angle of the trunk lean. This is done to provide support for the lean. Conifers are extremely suited for this style.

Cascade Style

In this style the tip of the bonsai tapers below the bottom of the base of the pot. Cascade style bonsai gives the impression of branches seeking light. Species that are not strongly upright are best suited for this style.

Semi-Cascade

In this style the tip of the bonsai will project over the rim of the pot but will not drop below its base. In natural surroundings you will find this style in trees that grow on cliffs or overhang water. Exposed roots should help in balancing the tree. Species that are suitable for this style include Cedars, Junipers, and flowering Cherries.

If you want to master the art of styling in bonsai, you should study trees in their natural surroundings. Observe their natural growth patterns. When you start with a plant you should observe its natural characteristics. By doing so, you will come up with a suitable style for that plant. When you have got enough experience you can start giving your bonsai more than one style. You can give your own interpretation of a particular style. No wonder bonsai is an artistic pursuit. It is a hobby which will provide you an outlet for your creative energy and bring you immense satisfaction.

Bonsai is the art of planting and growing trees and plants in a small and confined space. A tree is planted in a pot and then pruned and shaped over a period of time until it becomes a miniature version of the original tree. The art of Bonsai originated in China some 2000 years back. The Japanese adopted it from China and refined the art to its present level. Chinese Bonsai is different from its Japanese counterpart. Chinese Bonsai is pruned lightly and is much more freestyle. The Japanese Bonsai on the other hand is heavily pruned so that it resembles a miniature version of the original tree.

Myths

Bonsai is an artistic pursuit that unfortunately has been surrounded by many myths. To begin with, a bonsai is not a genetically dwarfed plant. Bonsai can be grown from seeds, cuttings, or young trees. Bonsai are kept small by pruning the branches, roots, wiring the trunk and branches, and by continuously repotting them. Another myth surrounding bonsai is that it is a cruel art. This is absolutely untrue because bonsai are given appropriate amount of water, sunlight, air, and nutrients. A properly maintained bonsai often lives longer than the full size tree of that species.

For Starters

If you are a beginner, it is very important for you to understand the three most important factors in bonsai. First bonsai is all about proper placing. You have to make sure that your bonsai gets the right mix of indoor and outdoor environment. It has to get proper amount of sunlight, but at the same time it cannot be permanently left outdoor.

The second key element in bonsai art is watering. Bonsai require regular watering, but you cannot overdo it as it might kill your bonsai tree. Therefore, you need to first find out how much water your bonsai tree requires and water it accordingly.

The third most important factor in caring for your bonsai is its maintenance. You need to continuously prune, shape, and style your bonsai tree so that it becomes a miniature replica of the original species. You would need to continuously repot the tree and trim its roots. You have to make sure that it gets all the nutrients in appropriate amount.

Bonsai is a very personalized hobby, one that requires a lot of commitment and patience. You have to pay attention to every minute detail. Sometimes your efforts might not bear fruit, but you should not give up. Once you see your bonsai grow and take shape, it will give you a lot of satisfaction. Bonsai are often passed on from one generation to the next and you can do the same with yours.

Bonsai is an art that needs total commitment and lots of care. Before you start out on your first bonsai you need to be aware about the basic rules of horticulture. When you are growing a bonsai, you have to keep in mind that you are dealing with a living tree that would grow and thus needs proper caring. The first thing that you need to do is get a tree. Plant it in a pot and for a year your focus should be on keeping the tree alive and healthy.

The Art Of Bonsai

One might ask what the big deal is in growing a bonsai- all one needs to do is water it and give it enough sunlight. If you are approaching the art of creating bonsai with this view it is better if you do not take up bonsai cultivation. A healthy bonsai requires proper temperature, light, water, fertilizers, and repotting. Overdoing or under doing any of it will eventually kill your bonsai.

Learning the basics about bonsai consists of the following guidelines-
1. If you are growing a tropical or subtropical plant as bonsai, you need to protect it from cold weather during the winters. You can bring it indoors. If your bonsai is grown outside, make sure it is protected from wintry conditions. You also need to protect your bonsai from humidity, which can cause dehydration. So when the weather is a little warm you can put your bonsai outdoors.
2. Watering depends on the type of plant you are growing. Water the plant thoroughly to ensure that the roots get an adequate amount. Also make sure that you have proper drainage as there should be no accumulation of excess water.
3. You should make sure that your bonsai gets enough light. It is best to keep your bonsai away from direct sunlight between 11 Am to 2 PM, when the sun is at its brightest. Indoor tropical bonsai need at least 12-16 hours of light a day.
4. You need to provide appropriate nutrients to your bonsai. For this purpose you can use mild fertilizers that contain trace elements. Feed your bonsai during the growing season and not during the dormant period.
5. In the beginning you should not fiddle with your bonsai. Avoid pruning it unnecessarily. Just look after watering and make sure that all sides get enough light.
6. Repotting is important as bonsais that are not repotted will eventually lose their health and might die out. Repotting needs to be done annually and maybe bi-annually in Spring.

Once you have mastered the basics about bonsai you will see your confidence grow. With each passing year, your bonsai will take a beautiful shape in its container and give you immense pride and satisfaction.

Bonsai is a horticulture art that originated in China and was refined by the Japanese. The art has finally become popular in the West and there are many Bonsai societies and groups that one can become a member of. As we all know bonsai can be a shrub, vine, or a tree. Bonsai can be grown both outdoors and also indoors.  The art of growing bonsai indoor requires special skills and knowledge and lots of commitment.

Indoor bonsai can be described as plants grown inside the house, in a greenhouse, or grown outdoors but kept indoors during winter months. Many experts argue that there is no true indoor bonsai. Plants need to be exposed to natural sunlight, rain, wind, and seasonal changes. Replicating the exact outdoor environment is really, really hard. Furthermore, keeping plants indoors for a long period of time is bound to have a negative impact on their health.

Indoor Bonsai Tips

But this does not mean that bonsai cannot be grown and maintained indoors. With the help of these helpful tips you will see your indoor bonsai thrive.
? Indoor bonsais need adequate amount of light so place them near windows where there is ample natural light.
? If you do not have any natural light in your house, you can use artificial lighting. However, you must make sure that you use the appropriate bulb or lamp. Inappropriate lighting translates into a pale and unhealthy bonsai.
? If your indoor bonsai is kept near a window, you should rotate it frequently to make sure that all sides of the plant get the required light.
? If you are growing a fruit tree as a bonsai, you need to take special care of it for it to flower and bear fruits. For example, fig trees can be grown as indoor bonsai, but they do need lot of sunlight.

Tropical plants do well as indoor bonsai. Some of the plants that can be grown indoors are Buddhist Pine, Boxwood, Atlas Cedar, Camellia, Chinese Pepper Tree, etc.

As with everything else in this world, there are a few misconceptions about indoor bonsai. Many people are of the opinion that an indoor bonsai has to be kept inside the house or under a shade during the early stage of growth till the time the bonsai has reached its potential growth. This is absolutely wrong. Your bonsai needs natural light from the very beginning. Another misconception is that indoor bonsai should not be exposed to direct sunlight. All plants need sunlight, water, and nutrients- how much of each a plant needs depends on that particular species. It is thus very important that you are aware of the specific needs of your indoor bonsai for you to have success in your efforts.

You must have come across bonsai with beautiful moss covers. Moss covers add a startling visual effect to bonsai. Besides making the bonsai look spectacular, they help in water retention and in holding soil in the pot. If you are buying a bonsai from a nursery, look for moss growth. If you are new to bonsai and are thinking about applying moss to your bonsai, you should understand that there is a certain method of adding moss to your bonsai. Improper technique can lead to lumpy growth, which will not have the desired visual impact.

Applying Moss

Begin by slicing the moss from its growing place with the help of a sharp knife. Take as little soil as possible. Now place this moss in a container that has been lined with paper. Moisten it slightly and then remove the remaining soil from the moss. You can do this with the help of a sharp scissor.

Next you should roughen up the soil surface of your bonsai. Insert tuft of moss in the soil with the help of a long handed tweezer. Do not place moss against the trunk. After you have planted the moss sprinkle dry soil over it and then press it gently.

After a certain period of time you will see an even growing moss cover in your bonsai. You will be glad to know that in bonsai your choice is not just limited to moss. There are other types of ground covers that you can use for your bonsai.

Other Ground Covers

Baby Tears is a very hardy ground cover. It provides instant and bright coverage for your bonsai. The cover can be quite invasive so you do need to control it. Another ground cover that you can use is the ?Kyoto Dwarf' Mondo Grass. It is a fine-leafed cover. It is native to Japan and Korea and is quite popular amongst bonsai enthusiasts in these two countries. If you are using this cover, you should make sure that it does not cover more than one sixth of the area of the pot. Since it propagates easily you need to trim it often.

If you do not want live ground covers, then you can opt for ?iron stones'. These are very small stones and are very cheap to buy. The stones provide a very professional look and need no controlling or pruning.

With all kinds of ground covers, except for the ?iron stones', you need to make sure that they do not completely take over your bonsai. For this, you would have to continuously trim and control them. The technique of applying ground cover to your bonsai is not hard to master. All you need is proper knowledge and determination from your side and you will have a beautiful looking bonsai in no time.

Repotting is a very essential part of bonsai. Repotting in bonsai involves pruning the roots and then repotting them. You can repot your bonsai in a new pot or in the same pot after you have pruned the roots. Repotting is essential in bonsai because after a certain period of time a bonsai becomes pot bound. When a bonsai has become pot bound, it will not be able to grow new feeder roots. This means that the bonsai will not be able to get its nutrients.

For a bonsai enthusiast it is important to know when to repot, how often to repot, and how to repot. Here we will discuss the how part. Repotting is simple if you follow the instructions.

First Step

Before you repot your bonsai make sure that you have everything ready. Have the soil ready and if you are going to use a new pot make sure you have prepared it for planting. For this you need to cover the drainage hole with a plastic mesh and secure the mesh with bonsai wire. You would want to ensure that your bonsai soil has all the nutrients and is free draining. Do not use ordinary garden soil or regular potting compost for your bonsai. Once your bonsai soil and container is ready you are ready for the next step.

Second Step

The second step involves cleaning up your bonsai. This involves pruning any unwanted leaves and branches. If you are repotting an outdoor plant, make sure that it is placed undercover for several weeks prior to repotting. This way the soil will be relatively dry at the time of repotting and it will be easier for you to remove the plant from the pot.

Third Step

Once you have the root ball out, you need to remove the soil from it. This can be done by hand or you can use a nylon scrubbing brush. You should brush away the soil from the trunk and take every precaution not to damage the roots. Use a fine bristled paintbrush to remove soil stuck to the roots.

Fourth Step

The next step involves combing the roots to straighten them out. Use a pointed stick or a chopstick for the purpose. Prune the excess circling roots. The aim is to remove 1/3 of the overall root mass. Carefully examine the roots and if you find any diseased or dead roots, you should remove them.

Final Step

Lay a layer of grit at the bottom of the container and then add the bonsai soil. Position your bonsai into the container and then add soil where needed. Your bonsai will need extra care after it has been repotted. After some time you will see new foliage on your bonsai and you now know that you have done a good job at repotting your bonsai.

Repotting is a very important part of bonsai maintenance. All pot grown plants become pot-bound after a certain period of time. Repotting a bonsai means pruning the root systems to allow new fine feeder roots to grow. Root pruning does not stunt the bonsai, though you will witness your bonsai lose vigor for atleast 6 weeks.

How Often

You might ask- how often should I repot ma bonsai? The answer depends on the type of tree you are growing. Some trees take five years to become pot bound, while others become pot bound in a year. For example, Figs and Larch are fast growing species that need repotting and root-pruning every year.

You will know your bonsai has become pot bound when you see that the roots have filled up the pot entirely and there are long roots circling the root ball. Also, when you see roots growing out of the drainage hole at the base of the pot you know that it is time to repot and prune the roots. Check the root ball every year in the beginning of Spring. Gently take out the plant from the pot. if you see that the roots are still contained inside the soil, you do not need to repot.

The Right Time To Repot

You cannot repot at any time of the year. The best time to repot is when the tree is dormant. This helps reduce the stress on the tree as there is minimal supply of water and nutrients to the leaves. When you prune the roots when the tree is growing you are actually cutting off the supply of water and nutrients to the leaves. This often kills the tree.

Some people make the mistake of repotting and pruning the roots at the beginning of the dormant season. This means that the roots will remain injured and exposed for a long time as root repairing will only start in the beginning of Spring. Leaving roots exposed and injured for so long often leads to infection and root rot. So never repot a bonsai and prune the roots in the beginning of winter.

The best time to repot and prune the roots of your bonsai is at the end of the dormant season. This way the roots will remain pruned and exposed for a very short period of time. With the growth of new roots, your bonsai will jump back to shape in no time. The exact timing for repotting and root pruning obviously varies according to species and climatic conditions.

So now you are aware about the right time to repot. The next thing for you to learn is how to repot and prune the roots of your bonsai. Once you have mastered that you will have a long and lasting relationship with your bonsai.

Bonsai plants need a lot of care and looking after. Your bonsai needs fertilizing, repotting, pruning, shelter, root-pruning, watering, etc.  Caring and maintenance of your bonsai depends on seasons. For example, you should carry out repotting and root-pruning only at the beginning of spring or just at the end of winter. In this article we are going to discuss various maintenance requirements during different seasons.

Winter

During winter, your bonsais need protection from cold winds and freezing temperature. Before sunset place your bonsais close to the house or under the porch. Place them in a spot where they are protected from wind. If you have a room without a heater, you can place them there. Place the pots on concrete blocks or tables and place a newspaper directly under the pot. This will provide insulation for the bonsai. You can also shield your bonsai from the wind by covering it with a newspaper.

If your bonsai has been damaged by frost, you should wait for the appearance of new buds before you do any trimming or pruning. You should not add fertilizer in winter. Pay close attention to the watering needs of all your bonsai.

Spring

Spring is the time when your bonsai will show growth. This is also the time for repotting and styling. Repotting and root-pruning is done just when the dormant season is about to be over. This is also the time when you fertilize your bonsai. Cut off flowers that have finished blooming. Cut and limit active buds. Junipers and Elms require weekly trimming during this season.

Summer

Protect your bonsai from the sun during summer. It helps to place your bonsais on low tables, which are placed on a lawn. Water the lawn thoroughly in the morning. In springtime you can place your bonsai in big pots. This gives them room to grow in summer. Place your bonsai in a group. Leave enough space for good air circulation. Vigorous top growth should be pruned regularly. Use high phosphate fertilizer during summer for your flowering plants.

Autumn

Prune your bonsai according to requirement. You can add a high phosphate fertilizer for your flowering bonsais plants. Some plants, like Junipers and Pines, should be wired in autumn.

The amount of dedication and hard work that you put into your bonsai is going to be reflected in healthy and beautiful bonsai. As time goes by your bonsai will begin to take the shape as envisioned by you. After some years you can proudly show off your piece of art to your family and friends. You can even exhibit your bonsai at an exhibition. The immense satisfaction that you will get from this cannot be expressed in words.