sample - Dallas Bonsai

Contents
Chapter 1 - History
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Chapter 2 - General / Beginner
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Chapter 3 - Species
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Chapter 4 - Indoor
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Chapter 5 - Purchase / Selection
28
Chapter 6 - Propagation / Collecting
30
Chapter 7 - Tools
33
Chapter 8 - Pots
39
Chapter 9 - Decorations
42
Chapter 10 - Potting
44
Chapter 11 - Styling / Design / Wiring
47
Chapter 12 - Pruning
55
Chapter 13 - Jin / Shari
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Chapter 14 - Watering / Fertilizing
60
Chapter 15 - Pests / Diseases
63
Chapter 16 - Winterizing
64
Chapter 17 - Secrets
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On behalf of everyone at Dallas Bonsai Garden,
I would like to thank you for purchasing Bonsai
Beginner to Advanced - Conversations with a
Master. Your purchase supports our local club,
The Bonsai Society of Dallas. This has been an
exciting project for us and we know that it will
be one of your most prized learning tools.
We have designed this program to give you a
solid foundation in the bonsai hobby and give
you all the information you’ll need to take your
bonsai creating abilities to new heights. The
information in this program not only gives you
all the information that Fred Meyer has collected
over his 42 years as a bonsai hobbyist and
commercial bonsai grower, this program offers
you all the bonsai information you will ever need
to create and maintain beautiful bonsai.
While this training does not teach you how to create every style of Jin or Shari, including
specific ways to tear the wood or chisel the wood away, it does give you a foundation in all the
techniques that bonsai hobbyists and Masters use to create and maintain some of the most
beautiful, award-winning, and oldest bonsai’s in the world. With this information you are limited
only by your imagination.
This guide is not intended to be a tome of bonsai knowledge. It is a resource, a guidebook, that
when combined with the conversations with Fred Meyer and myself (Michael) will give you all
the information that Fred has obtained over his 40 + years growing bonsai as a commercial
grower and a bonsai hobbyist. I know you will find this information invaluable and will return to
it again and again.
Chapter 1: What is Bonsai?
While the word bonsai essentially means tree in a pot, bonsai has become synonymous with
style, elegance, and beauty. When you see a bonsai, and you are instantly transported to some
faraway place in your mind where this tree stands out, and is an icon in the landscape, you
know the power that bonsai holds over us. Bonsai are not mere plants that have been stuffed
into a pot, bonsai are works of art that have been lovingly created in cooperation with the
bonsai artists and Mother Nature.
All hobbies are an artistic pursuit. The aim of all hobbies is to create something beautiful to
share with the world. Not only is the joy of the hobby in the act of creation, it is also in the
appreciation of the finished piece. Bonsai is the ultimate hobby because the piece is never
completed, yet it is continuously appreciated for the beauty it holds. Additionally, bonsai brings
joy through the regular care and attention that each plant requires.
Life is challenging sometimes. It seems that we are on a constant quest to control ourselves
and our environment. The art of bonsai shows us not only that we can control ourselves, but
we can work with forces beyond our comprehension to create works of art that can be appreciated by others, treasured and stand the test of time. The art of bonsai is not just a metaphor
for our own training and maintenance in order to create our lives as works of art. Through
the act of working with a living, breathing organism, and transforming it into a thing of beauty,
we are learning all the steps necessary to not only transform this tree in a pot, we are learning
how to transform ourselves in the process. The end result is that not only have we touched
our bonsai our bonsai has touched us.
When we are faced with challenging situations in day to day life, we need an escape to clear
our minds of the mental garbage that we have collected. That is when we need bonsai more
than ever. Caring for your bonsai is one of the best ways to release tension, stress and anxiety.
Bonsai truly is the apple a day that will keep the doctor away.
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Chapter 2: General / Beginner
Bonsai can be any size, from a tiny 3 inches high to a gigantic six-foot high tree or larger. While
bonsai can be any size, commonly Westerners prefer bonsai that are 16 inches to 24 inches
above the soil line. Bonsai are not constantly repotted as their roots grow, instead, the roots
are pruned in order to create room in the pot and rejuvenate the roots and the plant. Above
ground, the bonsai should maintain the same height indefinitely.
The best way to create a bonsai is to acquire your plant stock from your local nursery. This
way, you will be able to choose from many different types of species that grow well in your
area. When looking for a plant to make a bonsai of, look for small leafed varieties in order to
maintain the right perspective with your finished bonsai. Also look for one trunk. For instance,
when looking for material for a bonsai, you will find many one or three gallon pots that have
multiple plants in the pot. Take boxwood for instance, there could be three plants in a three
gallon container. Ideally you would find a 3 gallon container with just one boxwood plant and
it, but this isn’t likely. You will need to look at each plant in the pot as well as you can in order
to identify the plant you want to keep. This may mean you’ll have to look at many different 3
gallon containers to find just the right plant to create a bonsai from.
Some of the varieties you will find in your nursery that are particularly good bonsai are: Juniper,
boxwood, azaleas (satsuki Azalea), Japanese maple, black pine, and ficus (rubber tree plant). You
will be able to find other varieties that you can make bonsai from depending upon where you
live and be climate zone you live in. For instance, you may be able to grow ornamental orange
trees if you live in Florida, or you may be able to grow redwoods if you live in Northern California on up to Vancouver, Canada. There are many different species and varieties that you can
grow: from cherry trees and pomegranates to Wisteria and more.
If you like to travel there is a Mecca for bonsai in Japan. It is called Omiya bonsai village and it
is just north of Tokyo. Every May there is a bonsai festival in Omiya and bonsai is celebrated as
an art form. You will be able to see thousands upon thousands of incredible bonsai including
bonsai that are two, three and 400 years old. I have included two links below if you’d like to
find more information:
http://www.stib.jp/e/tourism/omiyabonsai.html
http://members.iinet.net.au/~jold/bonsai-in-asia/japanomiya.html
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Chapter 3: Species
Inspiration
One of the best things to do when starting a new bonsai is to look at examples of other trees
for inspiration. By copying what others have done you can increase the speed at which you attain mastery over the bonsai techniques used to create these beautiful plants.
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Common Bonsai Species
Japanese Maple
Deciduous
Propagate by seed, grafting and air layering.
There are hundreds of varieties of Japanese
Maples. The zones these grow in vary
depending upon the species you have. But
typically, the Acer Palmatum – Japanese
Maple can withstand the winters in zones 5
and higher. Your local nursery will have the
species that are well suited to your area.
Grows best in full sun, but will tolerate light
shade. Outdoor.
Leaf size and color vary depending upon
species. The common varieties are the green
and red.
Beautiful spring growth and fall colors. Grows best where there is a distinct change in the
seasons. Leaves will turn crispy during the summer in southern climates and are not very
attractive at that time.
A favorite among bonsai hobbyists.
*The above information is also true for Trident Maples.
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