The Secret Art of Growing Bonsai Elm
Saturday, September 5th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
There is a special bonsai I would like to introduce to you. It is one that stands out as a favourite in my mind. Japanese have been cultivating it for years. The gray-barked elm (Japanese zelkova) can be trained to form miniatures of the naturally grown forest trees, and will make beautiful bonsai. These bonsai elm are much sought after.
They do have unwanted sprouts flourish if they are not manicured reguarly. At budding time in the spring and after leaf thinning, sprouts appear at unexpected places on the trunk and branches, and these should be rubbed off or cut off. During Autumn, after the leaves have fallen, any disproportionate and undesirable twigs and shoots are removed, so as to enhance the symmetrical and delicate beauty of fine twigs and shoots which produce the atmosphere and image of a great tree throughout the winter.
Branches in a circle and a branch parallel to trunk should both be avoided. Then the renewing and rewarding beauty of the young leaves is awaited.
Basics Of Caring For Your Bonsai Elm
Soil for growing bonsai should be selected to match the variety of plant. For potting soil for zelkova bonsai I use loamy soil from cultivated land or sandy loam from the mountains. The soil is sifted through a sieve, and used only after it has been well and thoroughly dried. The tree should be planted in the dry soil in the pan, and the pan shaken several times after planting. The surface of the soil is then leveled and immediately watered gently and thoroughly with a watering can. The soil should never be pressed.
Surface roots become noticeable over time and become thick and appear at the surface of the soil. Such a “root-surfaced-on-the-soil” tree is much sought after and very ornamental. However, if the roots are surfaced when the tree is young, they never thicken; only roots in the soil will do so. After learning by bitter experience, I cover surfaced roots slightly with soil, and on this place moss.
As the roots develop, the moss becomes scanty and the roots gradually appear on the surface. I have several trees of the same age that do show surfaced roots. Bonsai merchants often show surface-root formations in young trees for commercial reasons, but this is not good for nice root formation on the soil later on.
Take care to provide shading during summer. In the hottest weather the trees are shaded; I use marsh-reed screens.
Too much water is not good for the trees so take care to water a small amount regularly rather than a large amount less frequent.
Learning how to grow bonsai and watching them evolve over time is a beautiful way to appreciate plants and gain hours of enjoyment. If you can start with these basics then, your appreciation for bonsai will grow along with your lovely bonsai forest.
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