Not enough can be said about the collecting of the naturally dwarf trees that originated bonsai. Collected trees represent many of the finest bonsai in existence in the world today. For the most part these trees are obtained from mountainous areas. Collectors search far and wide for specimens that display the protection and care of nature, as well as the fury of the elements. Well-known examples include the magnificent juniper, the splendid pine.
Moreover, trees should not be gathered by those who have not perfected the techniques needed to keep them alive. The horticultural component of bonsai is the most important area of study for the obvious reason that horticultural knowledge maintains the life of trees. Besides collecting plants in the wild, you can obtain bonsai from seeds, cuttings, the air-layering technique, and nurseries. There are certain advantages and disadvantages to these methods.
Although obtaining bonsai from seeds may sound appealing, it takes a very long time to obtain specimens large enough to work on. Many early books recommended planting seeds to obtain bonsai samples. But it is like a waste of time for the novice. The time would have been much better spent working with hands in the soil, or working on trees that had enough development. However, planting seeds is a good way to obtain unusual trees.
CUTTINGS
Making cuttings of plant material is a convenient method of propagation. Almost everything can be easily rooted, except pines and some of the other conifers, which require a specific schedule for taking cuttings to be rooted.
With a clear plastic box (available in house wares departments) and two inches of moist sand in the bottom, a jar of rooting hormone containing a fungicide, and a sharp knife or scissors, you are ready to begin rooting. The box keeps cuttings moist and does not require you to think about daily watering and misting. Place the box in strong light, but not in the sun, as the sun will cook the contents. You will know when your cuttings are rooted, since the clear box will allow you to watch the root development.
A cutting should have four to six healthy leaves. No leaves should be on the stem inserted into the damp sand. Cuttings taken when new growth hardens, before it turns woody, root more easily. As you become more adept, you will want to take thicker cuttings and cuttings with interesting shapes.
This technique allows you to select a branch that looks like a tree and root it while it is still attached and being nourished by the parent tree.
In the spring, select the desired branch. With a knife, cut one-third of the way in to branch, just below a leaf node. Nature will want to start healing this wound as soon as the cut edges meet, so keep them separated by inserting a toothpick. Dust the cut area with rooting hormone containing a fungicide, then wrap it with damp, sphagnum moss. Next, wrap the moss with plastic, and close the top and bottom with twist-ties. When the plastic has filled with roots, cut the branch off just below the root system. Remove the plastic and moss and then pot the rooted branch.
The same process can be used with a branch that reaches ground. Make the cut on the bottom of the branch, insert a toothpick to keep the cut open, gently place the cut area in a hole in the ground, and cover it with soil. Roots should develop. If necessary, place a rock on the branch to keep it in place. Cut the branch from the parent and pot it when it has rooted.
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| Pinus Parviflora |
BONSAI SEEDS
Although obtaining bonsai from seeds may sound appealing, it takes a very long time to obtain specimens large enough to work on. Many early books recommended planting seeds to obtain bonsai samples. But it is like a waste of time for the novice. The time would have been much better spent working with hands in the soil, or working on trees that had enough development. However, planting seeds is a good way to obtain unusual trees.
CUTTINGS
Making cuttings of plant material is a convenient method of propagation. Almost everything can be easily rooted, except pines and some of the other conifers, which require a specific schedule for taking cuttings to be rooted.
With a clear plastic box (available in house wares departments) and two inches of moist sand in the bottom, a jar of rooting hormone containing a fungicide, and a sharp knife or scissors, you are ready to begin rooting. The box keeps cuttings moist and does not require you to think about daily watering and misting. Place the box in strong light, but not in the sun, as the sun will cook the contents. You will know when your cuttings are rooted, since the clear box will allow you to watch the root development.
A cutting should have four to six healthy leaves. No leaves should be on the stem inserted into the damp sand. Cuttings taken when new growth hardens, before it turns woody, root more easily. As you become more adept, you will want to take thicker cuttings and cuttings with interesting shapes.
AIR LAYERING
This technique allows you to select a branch that looks like a tree and root it while it is still attached and being nourished by the parent tree.
In the spring, select the desired branch. With a knife, cut one-third of the way in to branch, just below a leaf node. Nature will want to start healing this wound as soon as the cut edges meet, so keep them separated by inserting a toothpick. Dust the cut area with rooting hormone containing a fungicide, then wrap it with damp, sphagnum moss. Next, wrap the moss with plastic, and close the top and bottom with twist-ties. When the plastic has filled with roots, cut the branch off just below the root system. Remove the plastic and moss and then pot the rooted branch.
The same process can be used with a branch that reaches ground. Make the cut on the bottom of the branch, insert a toothpick to keep the cut open, gently place the cut area in a hole in the ground, and cover it with soil. Roots should develop. If necessary, place a rock on the branch to keep it in place. Cut the branch from the parent and pot it when it has rooted.
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