Page 18 - Ebook cây cảnh Art of Bonsai

18 Bonsai basics

How bonsai works

Creating the correct soil conditions and managing the roots and

foliage effectively are the key to success with bonsai. It helps to
know the natural habitat of your current tree since that gives you
an idea of the conditions in which the foliage and roots will thrive.

Creating the right conditions soil is correctly aerated. It is not so much about
Some high mountainous trees have evolved to work pushing water out of the soil as letting oxygen in.
most effectively in full intense sunlight; others are
at their most efficient growing in the filtered sunlight Roots and branches
beneath the forest canopy. If these two types of trees In a bonsai pot, the function of the root system
were placed in the opposing situations, they would is the same as it is for a tree in the open ground.
struggle to survive. To a large extent this is true of However, the structure of the roots is also very
all aspects of the tree: the soil type, the amount of important from both an efficiency and an aesthetic
water, and fertilizer. However, just because a tree is perspective. The root system can be considered to
found growing in very harsh conditions in nature be a mirror image of the branching system above
does not mean that those conditions must be the soil: a well-ramified branch system will be
replicated in a bonsai environment. A juniper can supported by a similarly well-ramified root system,
survive in a very harsh environment, but it will also and a tree that has two very strong roots growing
thrive in one that is fertile and more agreeable. around and around in the pot will also have two
very strong branches.
Soil matters
It is essential to achieve the correct balance between It follows that the root system should be set up to
water and oxygen in the soil. Constantly support the branching system and growth that you
wet soil will cause a buildup of stale desire in the top of the tree. Removing the taproot
air and waste gases that will affect at an early age is necessary to promote the growth
both the level of mycorrhizae and of lateral roots, but these must then be regulated to
the soil pH, and ultimately your ensure that they grow evenly across the tree without
tree will suffer. Too much or any single root becoming dominant. The well-
too little water also soon balanced nebari seen on many mature deciduous
affect the tree, so take care. specimens has been achieved through regular work
Bonsai pots are equipped on the root system with the objective of creating
with generous drainage balanced growth. It is therefore no surprise that the
holes in the base and branching is very fine, well ramified, and balanced
these, coupled with as well. Pruning the tree’s roots is just as important
a fast-draining as pruning its branches—however, prune too much
soil mixture, or and the tree will suffer; prune too little and the tree
a layer of large- will not develop in the way in which you hope. One
particle soil at the of the best reasons for working with material from
bottom of the pot, not a bonsai nursery is the fact that the root systems
only improve drainage will have had some work done on them in order for
Wire is used to steady trees
and manipulate branches. but also ensure that the them to grow successfully as bonsai.