Bonsai Basics

G VENKATA SUBBA REDDY

SCIENTIST-HORTICULTURE
BCT-KRISHI VIGYAN KENDRA
What is a Bonsai?
• Bonsai
Bon – Tree
Sai - Pot
Rules for Bonsai making For trunk
Height can be 6 times the caliper of the trunk.
Should lean towards the viewer.
It should anchor the plant.
Roots should radiate.
No eye poking roots.
Should taper  as it ascends
Should not move back
 For Branches
Should not cross the trunk
No eye poking branches
First branch should be at one third height of the tree
No belly branches
Should be opposite
Should diminish in size as it ascends
Secondary branches are to be alternate
Principles of Bonsai
Look for Small leaves or needles
Shorter internodes
Attractive bark or roots
Branching characteristics
To enhance the age, expose the one third of the
roots
Before potting, the twisted and tangled roots are to be
straightened.
Upper branches should not overshadow the lower
branches.
Plants suitable for Bonsai making

1. Ficus benjamina
2. Ficus Carmona microphylla
3. Ficus nerifolia
4. Ficus retusa
5. Ficus virens
6. Ficus pelkan
7. Ficus parasitica
8. Ficus krishna
9. Ficus elastica
10. Ficus trangularis variegated
11. Ficus mysorensis
12. Ficus nooda Variegated
13. Ficus tomentosa
14. Ficus saliscifolia
15. Ficus jaquinifolia
16. Ficus long Island
17. Ficus marginata
18. Ficus lipstick
19. Bougainvillea
20. Bottle Brush - Red / White /
Lavender
21. Black Olive
22. Brazilian Raintree
23. Cashew
24. Casuarinas
25. Chinese Banyan
26. Chinese Mini Orange
27. Duranta Gold
28. Duranta Variegated
29. Golden Cypress
30. Hamelia patens
31. Hibiscus rosea sinensis
32. Inga Dulse Variegated
33. Jackaranda
34. Jasmine Kamini
35. Juniper chinensis
36. Karonda
37. Lavender Brown
38. Lavender Green
39. Badam
40. Mango
41. Murraya exotica
42. Murraya paniculata
43. Neem
44. Pine                                    
45. Pomegranate Mini      
46. Powder Puff - White / Pink / Red   (Calliandra)
47. Poinsettia Mini
48. Kumquat
49. Sapota
50. Scheffleura Variegated
51. Silver Oak
52. Surinam Cherry
53. Tamarind
54.  Wood apple
55. West Indian Cherry
56. Wrightia religiosa
 Topics
• Styles • Potting

• Types • Soil
– Tropical
– Evergreen • Wiring
– Deciduous
• Watering
• Choosing a pot
• Fertilizer
Bonsai Styles
• Formal Upright
• Informal Upright
• Broom
• Slanting
• Semi Cascade
• Cascade
• Clump
• Forest
• Literati
• Root over rock
Formal Upright
• The trunk is ramrod straight and evenly tapered.
Informal Upright
• Gently curving trunk.
 Broom
• The most tree like style.
• Branches fanning out from the top of a straight
trunk.
 Slanting
• The whole trunk leans at a definite angle.
Semi Cascade
• The lowest branch dips below the rim of the pot.
 Cascade
• Tree foliage must fall below the base of the pot.
 Clump
• All the trunks are connected at the soil level
Forest
Literati / Bunjin
Root over rock
• A style of river bank or rocky slope origin.
 Windswept
• One of the hardest styles to create successfully.
Root on rock
• The rock becomes the pot.
Types - Tropical
• Should be brought indoors when nighttime
temperatures fall below 50 degrees F.
• Place under good lighting.
Types – Evergreen, Deciduous
• Need to be protected in the winter.
• Keep in a greenhouse or garage.
• Never bring them indoors for the winter.
 Soil
• Should hold
water but have
good
drainage
– Haydite
– Silica Sand
– Charcoal
– Orchid Bark
• Never allow the
soil to become
compacted
 Planting Media
Media consists of
                        Loam soil                 2 parts
                        Leaf mould               1 parts
                        Coarse sand             little
Preparing the tree
• Remove the tree from
it’s nursery container
or other pot
• Untangle the roots
• Loosen the roots
• Remove any long
roots
• The goal is fine feeder
roots, these do all the
work.
Preparing the pot
• Secure screen over
the drainage holes
using wire
• Put wire through the
pot, to be used to
secure the tree
• Add soil, making a
small mound in
the center of the
pot
Potting the tree
• Twist the tree and
move it around to get
all air pockets from
under the tree out
• Wire the tree to the
pot
• Fill up with soil
• Use chopsticks to seat
the soil around the
roots
Containers
Mostly terracotta or ceramic
Small in size
Square/round/rectangle/oval in shape
Preferred is oval / rectangle
In round / square the plant is to be in the centre
In others placed in the sides of the containers.
Types of Pots
Potting and repotting
1/3 of the roots can be trimmed
Long tap roots are to trimmed
Excessive branches are to thinned out
Balanced nutrition and adequate watering is must
Potting is not advisable during winter or hot months
Repotting is done after 2-3 years 
Propagation
Through seeds, cuttings, layering or grafting
Seeds: Pines and Junifers
Cuttings: Ficus, Pomegranate, Mulberry and Bougainvilleas
Layers: Jasmine, Ixora, Bougainvilleas and Pome granate
Grafts: Mango, Sapota, Citrus
Some pot guidelines
• Slender trunks and group plantings look best in
shallow pots. Thick trunks need deeper
pots.
• Graceful trees look best in oval or soft cornered
• pots
Trees with gnarled trunks look best in rectangle
pots
• Wide spreading trees go good with pots that have a
lip
• Tall slender trees, use a simple round pot
• The pot should be slightly narrower than the tree
spread.
• Trees with delicate foliage look good in pastel
glazes.
• Dark leaved trees can use a darker color pot.
Tools and Techniques for styling

• Wiring
• Pinching
• Trimming
• Bud removal
• Clip and grow
Wiring Techniques
• Wiring should be applied at a 45 degree angle.
• Make sure the wire is anchored properly.
• Use one wire to do two branches.
• Remove wire before it starts to bite into the bark of
the tree.
 Lighting
• To much shade and the leaves will grow large and
internodes will increase.
• Too much sun and the leaf tips will turn brown and die
off.
• Every plant has different lighting requirements.
• See bonsai tree care @www.thebonsaiden.com for more
info.
 Watering

• Use a very fine spray, don’t blast the tree with the end of
the garden hose.
• If the soil is damp about an inch down, then it’s time to
water.
• The soil should never be allowed to dry out completely
• Rainwater is best
 Fertilizer
• Fertilizer cakes are the best way to fertilize your
bonsai.
• Use a good balanced fertilizer at half strength
every other week.
Pest and disease control
• Use neem oil or sevin at half strength
• Common pests and diseases
– Beetles
– Scale
– Aphids
Contact Info
• East Canton Ohio
• Phone: 330 445-9206
• Internet: http://www.thebonsaiden.com
 Thank
You
Questions