People wandering through the ancient woods in China often found little trees growing naturally and believed they held special magical powers. The Taoists believed that when they used tools and techniques to recreate these miniature trees, they could elicit these same magical powers within their homes. As Chinese monks traveled to Japan to evangelize these people, they took the tools and techniques with them. Soon, the Japanese were growing their own magical trees using techniques they called bonsai. Today, the art of creating bonsai trees has grown to new heights, but it is easy to create your own magic when you grow one of these trees.
Choose Your Bonsai Tree
The first step is to choose a tree that will stay little. Yet, it needs to look old and gnarly. The most popular choice is the Japanese juniper but there are other choices including fichus, Chinese elm, dwarf schefflera and the jade bonsai tree. Before making a final decision, think about where your tree will live as some like full sun while others prefer total shade. You can choose to grow your tree indoors or out.
Pick the Right Container
If you choose to grow your tree in a pot, the second step is to choose a container for your tree. You can choose ceramic, stone or rock. Therefore, you need to consider the appearance that you want to create before you make a final choice. Whichever you choose, make sure that it has at least two drainage holes in the bottom. Additionally, choosing a smaller pot will help to keep the tree small.
Prune the Root Structure
The third step is to decide what you would like the tree to look like when it is fully grown. Use string or sturdy wire to shape the tree the way that you would like it to grow. Now, remove the tree from its original pot being careful to keep the root structure attached. Remove the dirt from the roots and trim them so that you have long slender roots that will sit near the soil’s top. Fill your pot with a layer of coarse-grain soil and then add a layer of rich growing medium. Leave a little room at the top so that you can cover the tree’s roots. Place the tree in the pot and carefully cover the roots.
Place in Ideal Conditions
The fourth step is to put the potted tree in its ideal growing condition. If you choose to grow it outside, then you can move it there now. If you are going to grow it inside, then position it so that it gets the right amount of light. Remember that the tree will probably grow toward the light.
Water and Prune the Tree
Make sure that the tree gets watered as required for its type. If the tree has leaves, then prune the tree with pruning shears. Alternatively, if you have chosen an evergreen prune the tree by pinching off undesirable pieces. Remove branches growing vertically that are too tough to bend. Also, remove branches that conceal the front of the tree’s trunk. Finally, remove branches that are too thick near the top of the tree.
If you need help choosing the right tree or other tree services in Newmarket, our friendly staff at Great Northern ReGreenery would love to talk to you. Call us at (905) 775-7444 or stop by and see us today.