January 13, 2012 
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December 28, 2011 0 Comments
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December 24, 2011 0 Comments
Use the big one for big jobs, the small one for little jobs and the in-between one for everything else. Stainless steel. All are 6.75 long. Openings are 5 x 3, 4.5 x 2.5 and 4 x 2
December 24, 2011 0 Comments
To begin with, you can make do with ordinary household tools such as nail scissors, secateurs, modeling knife etc. If you only have one or two trees, you can manage with improvised tools for as long as you like. But if you become a true bonsai hobbyist, you’ll want to build your own set of bonsai tools. Where bonsai tools are concerned, buying the cheapest is certainly a false economy. Bonsai tools are expensive at the best of times, so cheap ones are rarely very cheap and the poor quality will disappoint you. Look for brand-marked Japanese tools nothing fancy, just plain black.
Looked after properly, they’ll last a lifetime.
Wire.
You can try salvaging some copper wire from electrical or telephone cables, then annealing it by heating it to red hot and allowing it to cool slowly – and then you’ll need to wash off the soot.
On the other hand, while you’re spending money on tools, you might as well pick up some wire at the same time.
Wire is used for shaping branches (see page 46), and for this ordinary garden wire – green-plastic-coated iron is far too rigid and is sure to damage the bark when you apply it. Traditionally, either annealed copper wire or brown anodized aluminum wire is used.
Copper hardens as it is bent, so it has greater holding power than aluminium – ideal for the springier branches of conifers. The gentler aluminum wire is kinder to the less supple branches of deciduous trees. Having said that, aluminum is usually cheaper and works as well as copper provided you use a thicker gauge.
There are nine gauges of aluminium wire, ranging from 1 mm to 6 mm. Copper wire gauges vary from supplier to supplier, but are roughly equivalent.
To begin with, you should buy small packs of the smaller sizes.
When you’ve worked out which sizes you need more of, go for larger coils.
Other equipment.
When re-potting time arrives, you’ll need sieves to remove the dust and coarse particles from your soil ingredients. A set of three with mesh sizes of 2 mm, 3 mm and 4 mm will be plenty for most small and medium-size bonsai. Larger bonsai in larger pots need larger soil particles, so an additional sieve with a 6-mm mesh would be useful. A bonsai soil scoop makes life easier at this time as well.
You’ll also need a bonsai root hook and some chopsticks (or a Western substitute such as knitting needles) for teasing out the roots. Japanese bonsai root hooks are a little too brutal for most trees, and the tiny rakes with tweezers at the other end are only useful for weeding the pot. My favorite root hook is one that I made from a piece of 4-mm steel m and an old chisel handle over 20 years ago.
A turntable is invaluable for trimming, wiring or just contemplating your bonsai. Then are several all-singing, all-dancing Japanese bonsai turntable:
available but they are very expensive. An old cake decorator’s turntable or a plastic TV turntable will do just as well.
There are many more useful little gadgets you can pick up along the way, but those discussed here are the ones that, if not essential, are hard to do without.
For loads of tips and advice on growing and keeping bonsai trees you must visit bonsai-pictures.com. Try reading this article about fertilising bonsai The author is the writer at http://www.bonsai-pictures.com
December 19, 2011 0 Comments
December 19, 2011 0 Comments
December 18, 2011 0 Comments
This article is all about how to water your Bonsai tree and what soil to use.
The Substrate
The substrate used for growing bonsai is generally composed of:
25% sand
25% of small rocks
25% black earth
25% clay.
Personally, I buy my substrate for bonsai. If you want to make your own substrate, just look in the books on bonsai, each author has his own recipe!
Tips
It is good to addMycorise to the substrate for bonsai. What’sMycorise?
TheMycorise (Mysillium mushroom) promotes the uptake of fertilizer per tree. It is generally bought in the form of granules. It can be found in stores specializing in horticulture.
Check expiry date before buying.
Watering
Excessive watering of a bonsai can kill as much as insufficient watering!
There are two main sources: tap water and rainwater.
Tap water
If you use tap water, it must have rested at least 24 hours prior to watering.
This time allows the evaporation of chlorine and fluorine present in water. It can also adjust the temperature of water at room temperature.
Rainwater
This is the ideal source. It does not contain chlorine or fluorine. Water should be at room temperature when spraying to avoid a shock.
How often to water
It depends on the ambient temperature, the humidity and the requirements of the tree.
The humidity of the substrate should be checked daily.
Some species require to be moist at all times, while others prefer the substrate to dry betweenwaterings.
Warning:
We must never let the substrate dry completely.
Look in a specialist book on bonsai to find out what is best for each species.
During the period of growth, a tree needs a larger quantity of water. As opposed to the rest period, when the tree is in less demand.
It is best to irrigate early in the morning. You can also do it in the evening. You should never water a bonsai in full sun, that may burn the foliage.
It is also suggested to spray the leaves betweenwaterings, especially in winter. Indeed, inside the houses, the moisture can be very low. Heat and low humidity are perfect for the proliferation of insects. That is why it is good to spray the leaves morning and evening in winter.
How to water
Submerge the pot into water or just with a watering can or hose. Ensure that the substrate is fully saturated with water at each watering. When watering is completed, it is advisable to tilt the pot slightly to get rid of the water remaining on the surface. The substrate should be moist but not soaked. I heard that 80% of the success of a bonsai is connected to the watering. So extreme care should not be taken.
There are lots more articles on all aspects of growing and maintaining your bonsai here at the authors site bonsai pictures
December 18, 2011 0 Comments
If you have heard the term Bonsai Trees and wondered what makes them so special, there are several things that tend to give these their unique properties. The first thing is that fact that these are usually smaller than your average tree and can range in size from a few inches, to a few feet. The other thing that makes these special is the fact that these need special care in order to survive. Many trees require the basic when it comes to the care of them. Bonsai Trees require a little more care and attention in order for them to survive and have a chance at becoming a strong healthy tree.
There are two main types that tend to be able to grow, indoor and outdoor. These are the main two and a large portion of these tends to be outdoor. There is however those that can be grown indoors and as a result thrive under these conditions.
One thing that is a huge enemy of these trees is the sun.
Too much sunlight will destroy and kill a tree quicker than anything. You need to make sure that you limit the amount of sun that these trees receive and are able to not become overexposed.
Give the tree some sun first thing in the morning, and then make sure that you place it in the shade in the evening. This will help in making sure that a tree is not over exposed and will tend to die quickly. One thing that will help is to make sure that the soil is moist most of the time. Over watering is again a bad thing to do.
If you decide to grow these from a seed, then make sure that you know that these tend to need a lot of tender loving care and will not survive if unattended to long. These are a difficult tree to rise, however, they are well worth it in the end if you are successful.
These trees are many times used in therapy for a person.
They need constant care ands as a result this gives a person something that they are able to take care of and feel like they have a purpose in life. They see their tree get bigger and bigger and this helps them in the issues that they may be having at a certain time.
You need to make sure that you have the right tools that are required in order to get the most effective results. Things like concave cutters are able to be purchased from a bonsai nursery and will go a long way in making sure a tree survives. These tools are unique and many times are used just for this type of tree in getting the best possible results.
The next time that you are looking for a tree to have in your home, make it a point that you consider Bonsai Trees as a choice, these are well worth the effort that you place into them.
If you’re interested in a bonsai tree, then visit Gabriel Meriwether’s site and find out all about the ficus.
