1. Hearing someone repeatedly pronounce "bonsai" as "Banzai" (as in a Japanes suicide bomber's scream when diving on an American carrier) makes you wince like you're chewing on tin foil.
2. Someone who knows nothing about the art of bonsai pronounces it "cruel and unnatural barbaric torturing of poor little trees" and you immediately picture yourself poking them in the eyes like the Three Stooges bit.
3. You debate so long and vocally about whether or not to prune a branch on one of your trees that your husband or wife finally yells "Just shut up and cut the damn thing off!".
4. A tornado warning is issued for damaging winds and baseball size hail and you run to get your trees under cover and leave your new SUV in the driveway to be bombarded.
5. You develop abnormally large biceps and some ruptured discs from hauling trees back and forth between inside and outside when the weather starts getting chilly and unpredictable.
6. Someone calls you to hear what's new and you spend twenty minutes on sucessfully repotting your willow leaf ficus before you discuss anyone's health or your grandchildren.
7. One of your favorite trees dies and you preserve its pathetic little corpse in a place of honor in your living room.
8.You lie awake at night diabolically plotting against spider mites,scale, and those cursed Japanese beetles.
9. An expensive tree dies and you get rid of the body before your husband or wife sees it and comments on what a waste it was.
10. Upon death of said trees in #7 and #9 above you briefly consider turning yourself in to the sheriff as a tree abuser.
AND, lastly and most importantly:
11. YOU HAVE NO TROUBLE WHATSOEVER IN CREATING A LIST LIKE THIS!!!!!!!
Thinking of a vacation? Don’t forget the basics!
Summer is here, and the beautiful weather insures that vacations are on the minds of many! While our gardens are in top form it’s important to remember that not only do our pets need care while one is away soaking up the sun in abundance, but our plants, and especially our beloved bonsai’s need attention from a trusted caregiver. Whether it’s a reliable family member, a steadfast friend, or a contracted house-sitter you will want to be sure that the person in charge of caring for your bonsai while your away understands completely the importance of proper bonsai care.
Not everyone understands that neglect with a bonsai isn’t the same as neglecting to care for a traditional houseplant. While some houseplants can withstand some neglect, a bonsai’s fate can be death when attended to with an absent minded attitude. You don’t want your relaxing vacation to end with disappointment, so ensure that your bonsai attendant is armed with the following understandings:
- In general, bonsai prefer to be moist but not soggy. When the top half of the soil becomes dry, it is time to water thoroughly for most bonsai species being sure to water gently until water flows out the bottom; be sure to instruct about specific alterations of this rule as needed. Misting daily in the dryer months is appreciated as it provides humidity and washes away dust.
- Check the moisture requirement for an individual species because it may vary from the general rule. A few species need to be kept at a dryer water level and others need more frequent watering.
- Check daily for water needs. Don’t rely on a rigid watering schedule, but water when the tree requires it. Teach your caregiver what to look for. The smaller the pot, the more often it must be watered.
- Instruct your caregiver how to use a humidity tray, and be sure they understand that a bonsai should never sit in a wet dish—bonsai don’t like having wet feet.
With a little guidance and a simple to understand “to do” list for your bonsai caregiver, you can leave on vacation armed with the peace of mind that comes from knowing your bonsai will be well cared for while you take some time to rejuvenate your body, mind, and spirit under the golden rays of the summer sun! Have fun!
Bonsai is…..
... A friend that grows old with you
... Something to nurture when you feel alone
... A breath of fresh air
... An expression of uniqueness
... An experience of growth
... A reason to smile
... A reminder to breathe
... An opportunity to celebrate meaning
... A conversation piece
... A companion to meditate with
... A living work of art
... A source of joy
... A symbol of perseverance and strength
... An awareness of simplicity
... The presence of nature
... A baby’s laugh
... A rainbow after the storm
... The whispering wind
... A heartbeat
... Bonsai…is a way of life.
Spring has sprung, and the birds are singing melodic reminders to inspire the awareness that a very important person is about to be honored on a special day selected just for the celebration of her many accomplishments in life.
That’s right…mother’s day is just ahead, and what better way to honor her devoted lifetime of unconditional love, irreplaceable generosity, and one of a kind smiles, than with the beauty of a carefully selected bonsai plant for her to care for. Not only does the gift of bonsai tell mom that you feel her beauty stands the test of time, but that her ability to nurture lives on even after her children are grown.
Unlike a bouquet of flowers, bonsai is the gift that lives on, offering a reminder of love that gives mom a daily dose of your thankfulness for all she is, and all she has done for you over the years. Bonsai Outlet has a particularly wonderful collection of bonsai trees and supplies that offer you the chance to pick the perfect one for your mom’s personality! So, don’t delay…you only get one mom, and she’s worth the best.
Great Mother's Day Bonsai Include:
-
- Dwarf Crepe Myrtle
- Camellia "Hot Flash"
- Gardenia
- Satsuki Azalea
Happy Mother's Day!
The first day of spring has come and gone, but what does this mean for bonsai lovers? It means that it’s time to get crackin’!
Already buds are swelling and getting ready to burst with photo-energy hungry leaves and blooms! Before this happens, you will want to gather up your trusty bonsai gear, add to your collection if needed, stock up on fresh, nutrient rich composted soil, and get busy with the pruning and re-potting that is vital for healthy growth.
Be sure not to miss this brief window of prime bonsai gardening festivity! It’s time to hurry up…and slow down!
Draw up a pot of jasmine tea, put on some soothing music, and get your hands into that soil where they belong. Once your fingers are in the depths of creation, the soothing energy that is within the nature of all plants permeates your being and gives you breathing room in a world that seldom slows to notice the finer moments that are available to us all. In creating space for your bonsai to become the tree it is meant to be, you will find the person you are meant to be as well.
This is bonsai.
This….is life.
Hello everyone!
I’ve been feeling it in the air, and I know you have too…spring is about to peek its head out of the ground to delight us all! Now is the time to start planning your spring time bonsai gardening to do list! For most bonsai’s, early spring is the best time to re pot, root trim, and shape for the upcoming gardening extravaganzas of beauty.
Do you have everything you need? New sharp shears? Concave cutters? Root Rakes? Plenty of high quality bonsai soil?
You will want to be sure to get everything together so that when the awakenings of spring begin to stir, you are ready and waiting…because with Bonsai, timing is everything. You can easily locate everything you need and want at our sister site, Bonsai Outlet.com; And while the excitement is building for an incredible bonsai season, let me request that you share your stories with us…we want to hear about what you are doing with Bonsai! Tell us your secrets, share your adventures, and ask us your questions! If we all pool together, we can provide each other with a wealth of experience that will enhance our gardens, and the gardens of our neighbors which not only equates to bountiful karma…it’s also just plain fun!
Happy Spring everyone!
As January comes to a close, another holiday is on the horizon!
Valentine’s Day marks a moment in our busy lives that is purely designated to honor the loved ones that make our world a more joyful place to live in. Shops are filled with decorations and giant chocolate hearts meant to sweeten the occasion and flower sales spike at an all time high. In this pink and red swirl of color and lace enhanced emotion, I was reflecting upon the traditional gifts of Valentine’s Day and started to wonder why it is that we often give “disposable” items like roses and chocolate to the ones we love most. I smiled as I began to think about Bonsai trees…because unlike roses that simply wilt, and chocolate that is quickly eaten, a lovingly tended Bonsai tree can last a lifetime…or more.
At Bonsai Outlet, we have a wonderful assortment of Bonsai that are perfect symbols of love everlasting; the perfect gift for someone you love to express that your relationship is something beautiful, unique and special that will never cease growing and never stop offering joy. This Valentine’s Day, offer your loved ones something that will last…inspire stability and nurturance…give the gift that keeps on giving. Bonsai…it’s an inspiration!
Another year has come and gone and everyone is reflecting upon what they might like to incorporate into 2010. For some of us, resolutions of ending old habits are high on the list…for others, bringing new things into our lives is the priority.
Whether you are getting rid of something or adding on to your life, one thing that experts agree about is that everyone can benefit from adding activities that ensure stress relief. Studies show that doing activities that are stress relieving can add years of healthy living to your life, and that stress reduction is a vital component to improving an individual’s quality of life as well.
For those of us that enjoy the meditative quality of bonsai, this comes as no surprise. We already take time in quiet introspection communing with the soothing, healing energy of plants, and are well aware of the peace it instills within. Understanding this kind of healing is a gift in and of itself and gives a semblance of serenity and balance that is more than “talk”, providing stability as we move forward into an abundant 2010 with confidence, enthusiasm and a renewed sense of wellbeing.
It is with this outlook that I’d like to wish you a Happy New Year! May 2010 inspire each and every one of us to be the best we can be… inside and out!
Ashley
For many of us, winter is a season of chilly toes and longingly looking out into the piles of snow that are all that is left of our beautiful gardens for the time being. The tradition of indoor bonsai allows ample opportunity to enjoy working with our hands in the therapeutic and soul satisfying occupation of gardening that is usually cut off in the winter.
For thousands of years, human beings have enjoyed indoor plantings that provided them with medicinal and food based needs. Royalty enjoyed more elegant decorative plants, formed into topiaries or the miniature tree forms of bonsai.
Like these traditions of old, a Christmas or solstice tree during the holiday season is an attempt to bring nature into our homes, providing a space where nature and man meet and celebrate the darkest time of the year.
Yesterday, when I was out enjoying the winter weather, arms full of packages for my loved ones, I noticed a small store with a decorated interior that exclaimed the holiday spirit that was bustling about in warm winter coats and mittens; Its warm environment beckoning us all in from the cold outdoors with its cheerful window decorations. In the center of the window, on a beautiful stool, stood a perfect Rosemary bonsai bedecked with tiny glittering lights and lovely ornaments no bigger than my thumbnail. I stood in that window in admiration for the tiny bonsai tree, which unlike a traditional Christmas tree whose life ends with the season, would live on to see Christmas after Christmas after Christmas. A perfect miniature replica of the trees that stand tall in the forests of our world. Instead of ending life, instead of having been chopped to the ground…this bonsai Christmas tree was a message of life enduring.
A true Christmas tree.
Written by a guest blogger.
The beauty of Bonsai is found not only in the balance that comes from an aesthetically formed trunk, but also in its proportions of size in comparison to their natural, unbound ancestors.
To truly achieve the proper look of bonsai, leaf size is important to consider. While some trees have naturally small leaves, others need to be trained to reduce their leaf size. Because the growth of plants is directly dependent upon the size of their environment, the manifestation of what is above the soil mirrors what goes on below.
Restricting the growth and development of the bonsai by keeping it in a small pot allows nature to do the hard part. Trimming roots annually allows for new, healthy growth at a pace contained within the same sized pot, and the trimming of branches of leaves during the growth season ensures that the leaves will grow in smaller with an abundance of buds.
It is important to remember that top pruning a tree while dormant removes buds that receive food in the spring which over stimulates the plant, and leads to large leaves. Pruning a tree while dormant without top pruning removes part of the food supply for stimulating new growth and buds, which results in smaller leaves.
Top pruning a tree that has already leafed out removes the energy that has been put forth by the roots of the tree and puts a great deal of strain on the plant, though the new leaves will be smaller, as such, this technique should only be practiced on a strong, healthy plant and no more than three times a year. With careful pruning and attention to light, fertilizer and water needs, you will enjoy years with your lovely bonsai, complete with the dainty leaves that make this art so appealing.
Guest Writer
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