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BONSAI
AS A HOBBY |
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Bonsai
means a tree in a tray, although shrubs are also frequently
used. Taking an interest in Bonsai can become an absorbing
and lifetime hobby. It is never too late to start, easier
than you think, and doesn't need a vast capital outlay,
although if you wish to acquire mature and aged specimens
these will be expensive. Bonsai is not a hobby that you
can ignore for days or weeks on end. |
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A
few minutes attention to your trees will be needed every
day from spring to autumn. Bonsai are basically for outdoors
and should only be brought inside for displaying a few days
at a time, but some indoor specimens are available. These
should never be subjected to large fluctuations in temperature
and humidity. Mature Bonsai need feeding, but not too much.
Any general purpose-liquid fertilizer used at reduced strength
is suitable. Their shape is maintained by wiring and pinching
out new growth. |
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Finally when the roots fill the pot, they should be repotted,
having trimmed back the root mass by about a third. John
Innes No. 2, with extra sand or grit is ideal in most cases,
although Acadama is now more widely used. |
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Above
all Bonsai must never be allowed to completely dry out even
if this means watering twice a day in mid summer. |
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A
mature Bonsai can be purchased from one of the many specialist
Bonsai nurseries, but these can be expensive for beginners.
There are a number of cheaper alternatives: 1. Seeds collected
by yourself or purchased from a local garden centre. Normal
tree seeds are used, as there is no such thing as Bonsai
seed. 2. Seedlings taken from your garden 3. Cuttings
taken from trees or shrubs in your own garden. Garden
centres also contain a host of suitable material that
in a few years can yield acceptable Bonsai.The way to
really learn about Bonsai is by joining
a club, which apart from lectures and discussions,
normally run a few outings each year to Bonsai nurseries
located in various parts of the country.
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It
can take a very long time to produce a mature pine from
seed, but fortunately other species of trees take much less.
Using mature trees or shrubs purchased from a Garden Centre,
it is possible to produce an acceptable Bonsai within 3
to 4 years. Miniature Bonsai (mame), just a few inches high,
can be developed in two or three years e.g. Cotoneaster
from seed; Cypress from cuttings. |
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