Page 26 - Tài liệu Ebook cây cảnh Bonsai Basics

28 OBTAINING YOUR BONSAI

Where to look
Even if there is no legal restriction to
collecting, the location still needs to be
suitable for producing potential bonsai
subjects.
Stunted growth in trees can only result
from conditions unfavourable to normal
development. This could be caused by
the area's climate (high altitude, for
example), poor light (such as dense
undergrowth or permanent shade from a
cliff), or even poor soil (in sandy
moorland or stony ground, perhaps).

Before transplanting a tree collected from the wild,
When to lift its roots should be trimmed.
In principle, all transplanting should be
carried out during the plant's dormant
period before the year's growth How to move
commences. The considerable climatic The essential function of roots is to allow
variations in areas where there is a good the tree to 'drink' and this is why it is vital
chance of finding suitable bonsai ma- to keep them moist during transport.
terial make it difficult to pinpoint the The most natural way is to take a little
correct months for transplanting. But as moss, moisten it and wrap it around the
a rule of thumb, deciduous trees should roots. If you cannot find any moss, use
be transplanted in autumn and conifers cotton wool. The wrapped root ball
in early spring (through to mid-spring in should then be covered in plastic or
temperate zones). In either case, plants aluminium foil. If transport is to take
should not be lifted while frost persists: several days, the rootball must be moist-
the ideal time is after rain, when the earth ened again. For trees with only a few fine
is well soaked. roots, and especially outside the dor-
mant season, spray the tree with a trans-
planting spray. This should be allowed
How to lift to dry before the tree is lifted. Before
The roots of a tree form a complex wrapping, the roots should also be
network often searching far into the sprayed. This spray acts as a sealant and
earth for the water and nutrients it needs. helps to stop the tree losing moisture by
To give the lifted tree the best chance to transpiration, thus giving it a greater
become established, roots and rootlets chance of surviving the shock of trans-
should suffer as little damage as possible. planting. Some recommend trimming
The plant should never be wrenched up: the roots and foliage before transport,
take the utmost care to dig a trench deep just after lifting. This consists of pruning
enough to ensure that all the roots can be some of the leaves and the ends of the
lifted, with as much of the surrounding roots to limit evaporation through the
earth as possible. Also take some soil leaves and to make absorbing water at
from around the tree to ease the transi- root level easier. It also provides an
tion from nature to tray. It is more opportunity to re-establish the balance
important to lift deciduous trees with as between the branches and roots.
much of the surrounding soil as possible, Cut only a little foliage from a tree
than it is for conifers, which can be which has many roots and cut only a few
transplanted with almost bare roots and roots from a tree which has sparse
still have a chance of establishment. branches and leaves.