|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Expert Advice
|
| Welcome to Our House online's Expert Advice. We have brought together a number of independent experts* in a variety of fields, who are available to answer your individual queries on a wide range of home improvement topics. Read through previously asked questions, or submit your own. *Please note that these experts are completely independent of the Our House television show, and any segments that have been shown on the TV programme. If you are looking for information on a TV segment, search our archives. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bonsai balcony (Submitted on 25/04/2001)
Question :
I live in a small apartment with a small balcony. I have been thinking of starting a Japanese style bonsai garden - what would you recommend as the best way to begin?
Answer :
It sounds like your balcony is the ideal spot for your bonsai garden. Bonsai require tender care so I have done a little bit of research to help you.
POSITIONING: A bonsai prefers morning sun with protection from afternoon sun in summer. Filtered sun in the afternoon is okay. If your bonsai is placed against a wall make sure you turn it around every two weeks. If the tree is not turned every two weeks it may grow out of shape as it grows towards the light. Do not place a bonsai pot directly on the floor of your balcony if the floor will be subjected to direct sunlight for long periods of time. The heat generated off the floor, together with the small amount of soil in a bonsai pot can bake the roots of the tree and kill it. Avoid sea breezes with some species as the salty air can kill the tree. Protect some varieties, especially figs, from winter frosts. Talk to the nursery about this please.
WATERING: Correct watering is the most important thing to learn about caring for bonsai. Most trees need more water in summer than they do in winter. The more leaves on a tree and the larger the leaves will determine the amount of water a tree requires. When watering, you need to be very gentle - don't use a garden hose as this can wash out the soil in the pot. Place the bonsai pot in a tub of water making sure that the water is deep enough so it covers all the soil and is at least one inch deep up the trunk. Leave the pot to soak until all the air bubbles have escaped, usually only 2 or 3 minutes, and remove from the water. Be careful not to overwater in winter; especially deciduous trees, as a tree with no winter foliage uses very little water.
FERTILISING: Every 2 weeks during spring and early summer. With deciduous trees do not fertilise in spring until 2 weeks after the leaves have opened. Fertilize twice again in Autumn, two weeks apart. With deciduous trees, fertilise when leaves start to change colour in autumn . Make up a mixture of half the recommended strength of fish emulsion fertiliser and soak the pot in this mixture as you would for watering.
PRUNING: Bonsais need to be pruned to maintain their style and shape. The idea of cutting back is to maintain horizontal branching with 'pads' of leaves to imitate mature trees with heavy solid branches being pulled down by the weight of the leaves. Regular and correct branch cutting also reduces the size of the leaf. There will be times between these cuttings that your tree will have that "shaggy dog" appearance. Don't panic and cut the branches too early or at the wrong time. A little patience is all that is required to have a beautiful plant that should last a lifetime. When the new shoots have 'set' it's time to cut them back. When the shoots first grow they are green, as they get older they appear more woody, it is when they look woody that they are 'set'. Some trees can be cut back twice a year and others only once. See the individual instructions for your tree to establish branch cutting times. The shoot should be cut above the leaf from where you want the new shoot to grow. Remember that you want outward growing horizontal branches. Cut this shoot back to the first, second or third leaf of the new growth depending on which direction you want the new branch to grow. Don't worry if you make a mistake, the tree will continually grow, and most mistakes will grow better.
RE-POTTING: Bonsai require special soil and should never be potted in 'potting mix' or soil from the garden. I suggest that should you wish to re-pot, contact the Bonsai nursery where you bought it to arrange re-potting.
GENERAL MAINTENANCE: Pots should be kept weeded making sure to remove dead leaves from the surface. Allow moss to grow on the soil surface. From re-potting time to fully mossed is about 10 months. As most trees can go for two years between re-potting the moss is by then really lush. This moss helps the soil to retain moisture and helps provide protection from severe drying out in hot or windy weather. During times of heatwaves or times of hot drying winds, you can spray the moss twice daily with a mist sprayer, don't overdo the mist spraying or you may waterlog the tree.
Also, please remember - don't forget your bonsai when you go on holidays. Leave it with a neighbor and give them good watering instructions. A tree abandoned for even 3 days in very hot weather may die.
From your postcode it looks as if you live in Sydney. Visit Imperial Gardens - a nursery and display area at Terrey Hills for ideas. They have a good selection of bonsai. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
