Retire in Paradise

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The Eastern countries of the world are the primary experts when it comes to bonsai trees. But as the Western countries become more informed of the wonders in art and horticulture, the wrong idea is also obtained. Instead of the notion that bonsai trees come from poor care, Westerners find that the opposite is true.

Around 4,000 years ago the bonsai begun to “take roots” in eastern cultures. The bonsai become more important as the years passed, often signifying a sense of prestige for those who owned and cared for them. Today they stand as a cultural phenomenon to the western hemisphere, where the outlandish trees are curious as much as they are peculiar.

One of the key aspects of keeping a bonsai tree to stay small is to pot it in a specific area. While there are many ways to keep the roots from spreading, the common way is to simply use a pot that has restricted room for growth. It is also common to grow bonsai trees between rocks or other hard surfaces- which shows the “will to survive” in a symbolic manner.

Bonsai trees can still outgrow their pot should they be left to their own designs. A bonsai tree will have to be pruned to keep its size rather small, but pruning also keeps dead parts of the plant out of the way so that the tree can continue to grow otherwise. Pruning takes special tools for optimum results, and should only be done if the grower knows what should be pruned and what shouldn’t.

Watering the bonsai plant is very important, since they have less roots to intake moisture. Heat and wind exposure can dry the plant up and kill it with haste- so it’s important to keep the soil damp at all times. This means that constant watering is needed in addition to the careful pruning and other care factors. Keep in mind that watering too frequently will allow fungus to grow- so do so in moderation.

Finally, more choice is given to bonsai growing consumers with malleable wiring. A flexible type of wire, such as copper, can be wrapped around the tree in order to shape it to one’s own liking. This is how intricate shapes and designs of bonsai trees are obtained. The wiring process can easily kill the bonsai plant if care isn’t taken- so be sure to get help from a professional if enough experience isn’t obtained in one’s own endeavors.

Closing Comments

A bonsai tree is a wonderful thing to create- but it is something that is regarded as an art form since they are indeed so hard to maintain. But if the proper time and skills are maintained, one can learn how to create these marvels in history and even gain the respect of other planters and friends or family. The best course of action would be to simply buy a book or take a class for more information.