A dear friend sent us a video of assorted bonsai— they were simply beautiful, evoking an atmosphere of tranquility and restful beauty. We all have seen pictures of bonsai, but what is the gardening story behind them?
Bonsai is gardening, but it is also a form of art. In Japanese, “bonsai” means “to cultivate in a tray”. And isn’t it amazing: when we see a lovely example of bonsai in a shallow dish, that bonsai may be decades old, requiring specific and disciplined care.
Bonsai is a disciplined art that focuses on pruning. Stems must be pruned, but so do the roots. They must be maintained at a certain size to be healthy, and for that reason are regularly taken out of their trays, stems and roots pruned, and planted again.
Watering bonsai is a challenge. With shallow trays, and not much soil, they must be very carefully tended so that they don’t dry out. For example, there are very delicate bonsai called “mame”, which is pronounced “mah may”. These petite bonsai are less than seven inches tall, and you can imagine how little soil would be in the diminutive planters that they call home. They would require regimented and regular watering for sure.
In Japan, bonsai are often made from junipers or pines that can live outside all year. In other locales, other types of plants are used. There are various types of bonsai styles, and if you and I were going to try bonsai, we would pick one style and then work towards that goal. There is the upright style, slanting, cascade, a clump, and a forest, which used several plants of one kind in a tray.
Those beautifully wind-swept bonsai shapes don’t just happen. The plant must be trained not only by pruning but often by wiring it to grow a certain way. We can try bonsai with familiar plants, but deciding on the style is more successful if the plant makes that decision for us. I read that we should look at the plant and see what traits and shape it has, helping us choose one style or the other. A rigid upright trunk won’t be easily coaxed into a cascade.
The container must have drainage, and while we could mix our own bonsai soil mix, we can purchase it pre-made. This soil gives nutrients, drainage, and stability. Our plant should be in a regular container the first year, then transplanted to the bonsai container in the second year. It’s truly more complicated than we think! There is a lot to the entire process; I suggest that if you are interested, make a cup of tea and do some homework first. If nothing else, it will give you a new appreciation for all the work involved in bonsai. They truly are labors of love that can take many, many years.
This spring, if you are working in the yard and come upon a small seedling tree coming up, don’t throw it away. Find a nice container and transplant it. Yes, it’s a simplified version of bonsai. Yes, it may only last the season. But when planted lovingly, with a few accents of mulch and interesting rocks, it will be a unique tabletop garden that will give a scene of serenity on your patio table. And who knows, if it does well, you may want to take the next step in bonsai next spring!
At this time, there are no Yorkton and District Horticultural Society meetings scheduled yet, but visit us at www.yorktonhort.ca to keep up with what’s happening! Thank you to our friends at Yorkton This Week for their ongoing amazing work! Let’s pray for good health to all and brighter days ahead—have a great week!
