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1. çevrildi (ibuprofen)

What and when do I feed my bonsai?
To keep your bonsai in good shape and to maintain healthy growth requires regular feeding at the right time of year with the correct fertilizer. Fertilizer must be continually replenished due to a certain amount being washed out each time the plant is watered.

You can get many different types of fertilizers, in a variety of forms. The most common is pellet-form (such as 'Osmocote'). This is a slow-release fertilizer which will take care of feeding requirements for several weeks at a time and is probably the type of fertilizer most used by bonsai enthusiasts. Soluble powder and liquid feeds are also used for rapid effect over short-term periods. These are applied to the soil with a watering can and are used up relatively quickly.

To understand exactly how your bonsai should be fertilized, you must be able to understand the basic make-up of fertilizers. Most fertilizers contain three basic elements: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K).

Nitrogen is an essential ingredient for leaf and stem growth. Too much nitrogen however will make the tree produce long, stringy growth. Phosphorus encourages healthy root growth and helps the growth of new buds, whilst also protecting against disease and unfavorable winter conditions. Potassium (potash) encourages the formation of flowers and fruit, and is vital in the fight against disease.

As a general rule, feed your bonsai from early spring to late summer. Use a balanced fertilizer with a fairly low nitrogen content year round, and one with as little (or no) nitrogen as possible in autumn to aid the tree (so the tree can retain its energy) through the winter.

Most commercial fertilizers contain all three main nutrients plus some trace elements. One type of fertilizer usually only obtainable from bonsai nurseries has an NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium) ratio of 0:10:10. This is an autumn feed (containing no nitrogen) which will harden off the current season's growth in readiness for the winter.

2. çevrildi (ibuprofen)

When, how and why should I repot my bonsai?
Regular repotting of your bonsai to replace important nutrients, 'stale soil' and allow for new root growth is vital to your bonsai's health and growth. Generally, the trees should be repotted at a time when they are most dormant - such as late autumn to early spring, so that they are subjected to the least amount of stress possible. Young or small bonsai require repotting every two or three years, and older and larger specimens less often.

You can tell that a bonsai needs repotting if water takes a long time to drain through the soil or if the roots are crowding around the sides.

To repot, carefully lift the tree out of its current pot by tilting it to one side and trying to move it by the base of the trunk. You can not pull too hard on the trunk - so if this does not work, try tapping the pot with the side of your hand to loosen the rootball or poke a stick through the drainage holes and 'push' the rootball out. Next, using a chopstick, knitting needle, metal hook or similar, remove any moss or accent plants and carefully try to brush and untangle the roots. Start at the edge and gradually work around. Try to 'comb' and 'tug' rather than to 'pull' at the roots - for risk of damaging or tearing some very important main roots.

After this has been done - continue to shake and brush off the soil until about one third to half of the original soil has been removed from the edge and base of the rootball. It would now be a good idea to spray the roots with water to ensure that they do not dry out and so that they will not have too much soil on them when it comes time to pruning the roots.

To prune the roots, use very sharp cutters. There are bonsai root pruning scissors commercially available, however you could just use a normal pair of bonsai clippers or secateurs. If you have washed away most loose soil the scissors will stay sharp, but if they have to cut through soil as well as the roots - they will become blunt very quickly and require sharpening. Start by cutting the thick, old brown roots that have come close to the edge of the pot and are restricting the growth of the young 'feeder roots'. Remove a third to a half of these - being careful that you do not remove too many feeder roots in the process. Next, prune the thinner roots which hang below the depth of the pot by trimming them all into a suitable shape that the pot will accommodate. This should be a shape that fits comfortably into the pot with a 1-2 cm (1/2 to 3/4 in) space between the edges.

The demanding part of the repotting is now over - if you think that you've cut too many feeder roots off, the tree will be disadvantaged but you probably will get away with it - as new roots will grow from the cuts.

Clean the original pot thoroughly or select a new pot that is more suited to the tree and cover the drainage holes with simple wire mesh. As the plant will now be unstable in the new pot as it has nothing to anchor it - we have to make some anchors to prevent the tree from falling over from winds or from being moved. Thread some wire (doesn't need to be very thick) through the drainage holes or specially designed holes for anchoring and leave for later use. Add a thin layer of gravel to aid drainage and then a layer of soil. Moving the tree around, decide a basic position for it (usually off-center and slightly to the back of the pot) and make a small mound that it will sit on.

Now you can place your bonsai on the mound by gently nestling it in and spreading its roots out evenly throughout on top of the soil. Once you are happy with the height and position of your tree (it is going to stay like that for 1-2 years), take the wires that you threaded and twist them together (usually with the aid of pliers) over the main rootball of the tree until it is held firmly (but not too tight) and will not rock. Because these wires are quite unsightly, you can remove them in a few months time once the tree has settled in.

Add more soil up to the base of the trunk - which should be just below the base of the pot. Tap the side of the pot with your hand to ensure that the soil becomes settled and that there are no gaps around the roots. Use your chopstick to incorporate the roots into the soil and to make sure that they are placed correctly.

Once the soil has been applied, you now have the option to add supplementary features such as rocks, moss, accent plants or gravel to enhance the design. When applying moss - be careful that most of the original soil is cut off from the bottom before you plant it and that the moss (or any other plant for that matter) is not too big or vigourous for the pot or tree.

Now you can thoroughly water the tree - being aware that the soil level may settle further and that more soil may have to be added. Place the tree in a position where it will not receive extremes in temperature (i.e. not direct sun) and where it will be able to recuperate. Don't fertilize at this time - as this can burn or cause stress to the plant. You can feed in around a month though, when the roots have recovered.

Note that to balance out the extensive pruning you have just done on the roots, you should prune the branches of the bonsai as well so that it can recover quicker and not be disadvantaged further. Root growth usually does equal branch growth.

3. çevrildi (ibuprofen)

What techniques can I use to wire my bonsai? Is it really necessary?
Not all plants need wiring to achieve their desired shape or to achieve official 'bonsai' status. The Fukien Tea plant for example, can be trained quite easily without the use of wire. Contrary to what many novices may think, wiring of a bonsai is not done to keep the plant small, but rather is a temporary measure used to hold branches in a desired position in order to enhance the shape of a tree. Wire should not be left permanently on a tree and should be checked regularly.

When wiring, try to imitate the natural curves of trees in nature. Make sure that you only attempt to wire branches that are unlikely to break when pressure used to twist the wire around the branch is applied. There are two types of bonsai wire available - copper wire and aluminium wire. Although easy to obtain, less expensive and naturally a better colour than uncoloured aluminium wire (silver) - it is much harder to apply to branches, especially for beginners, and if applied incorrectly - which is easy to do, could ruin your most prized bonsai. Undoubtedly, the better wire is aluminium wire which is usually coloured to look just like copper wire and is available at any bonsai nursery. It is much more maleable than copper wire and generally has the same effect. The size of wire used depends on the size of branch you want to train and in most part should be chosen yourself - also dependent on how significantly you want to change the shape of a branch and how stubborn the species of plant is. You should purchase wire in a variety of different lengths and test it out on pruned branches from around the garden. You can always remove the wire (very carefully if on a bonsai), flatten it out and use it again. For pencil-thick sized branches I recommend a gauge 3.5mm aluminium wire. The lowest gauge I recommend you use is 2.0mm.

The safest method to use when wiring is by clenching the branch with both hands (not dissimilar to the look of a clamp) and applying the wire by slowly following it around the branch - making sure it does not damage the trunk. Wire the branch first, and then worry about bending the branch (which is made possible by the wire and using the clamp method) to achieve your desired shape. Be careful of leaves or if in autumn, leaf buds. It is always best to anchor the wire so it does actually re-train the branch. This can be done by digging it into the soil and training the wire up the trunk until it reaches the desired branch, or by anchoring it to another branch. Sometimes, when it is too hard to use large gauge wire in order to train a large branch or trunk, or you don't have the right gauge of wire, you can 'double up' the wiring and wire the branch twice.

It is best to not water a day before wiring, and to keep the tree in shade for two weeks after wiring. Check every few weeks for wire cutting into the bark of the bonsai - particularly during spring and summer, or risk the danger of irrepairible scars. It can take many, many years for wire damage to grow out - depending on how serious it is. Deciduous trees are particularly susceptible to wire damage due to large growth spurts in the growing season.

4. çevrildi (ibuprofen)

Bonsai Tree Repotting and Root Pruning

It is necessary to repot bonsai trees to ensure that they remain healthy and continue to grow well. Well developed fibrous roots are essential for balanced, even growth and these are produced by root pruning. With a compact root system, full of fine, fibrous roots, the bonsai will be able to take up the nutrients which are essential for its well being. It is a misconception that root pruning is responsible for the dwarfing of bonsai trees, as this is achieved by branch pruning techniques.

The frequency that a bonsai needs to be repotted depends on species, age, size and how well the tree has been growing. Trees that are either young, vigorous or very small are normally repotted every year. Older, established bonsai may only need to be repotted once in five years, or longer. Also, deciduous trees require repotting more frequently than conifers. If you are unsure whether your bonsai requires root pruning, carefully remove the tree from its the pot (when dormant) and examine the roots to see if it is pot bound. The ideal time of the year for root pruning and repotting is late winter and early spring, just before or as soon as buds start to swell.

1. First, if necessary, take time to trim the tree, tidying up any long and unwanted growth. Before repotting, it is wise to have kept the tree under cover for several weeks so that the soil is fairly dry. It is much easier and more pleasant for both you and the bonsai to repot when the soil is not soggy!

Bonsai trees are normally secured in the pot by wire, and if this is the case, the wire should be cut from underneath the pot. With a pot that curves inwards it may be necessary to use a sharp knife to cut around the edge of the root ball. This will enable the tree to be easily removed from the pot.

2. If the tree has started to become pot bound, with long roots growing around the edges of the pot, then it is time for repotting. Try to avoid allowing trees to remain pot bound for several years. This can severely weaken the tree, as its capability to obtain nutrients will be reduced and water will find it difficult to penetrate the soil.

If there is still space for the roots to grow, carefully return the tree to its pot and examine again next year.

3. Remove the surface of the soil with a scrubbing brush - nylon bristled brushes are ideal for this. Brush firmly, radiating outwards from the trunk, but take care not to damage the roots. This simple action can improve the arrangement of the surface roots and excellent results can be achieved over a period of a few years. Convincing and interesting surface roots are highly desirable as they make the bonsai look more stable, realistic and natural.

4. Use an old toothbrush to remove soil and moss from areas close to the trunk. Spend time carefully exposing surface roots. You may notice a root that is ugly and unnecessary and this should be removed, providing that there are sufficient roots nearby to support that area of the tree. Reposition roots where necessary, using wire pegs to hold them in place. When carrying out the repotting procedure a large tray is useful to prevent the surrounding area becoming untidy.

5. To prepare the roots for pruning, use a bonsai fork to comb all soil and grit from the outermost roots. Standing the tree on a box or an upturned pot can make this process easier.

Comb out roots from underneath the mass, after first removing any old mesh or wire. The result should be that the roots will now hang freely, ready for pruning.

6. Sharp scissors are essential so that the roots are cut cleanly and not squashed. Prune about one third of the roots and certainly no more than one half.

7. Cut several small wedges around the root base where possible. This enables fresh soil to be introduced into the heart of the root ball, helping to keep it healthy.

8. After first cleaning the pot, cover the drainage holes with plastic mesh and secure with wire loops. Prepare long wires for securing the tree and thread these through suitable holes in the bottom of the pot. Add a layer of grit for drainage at the bottom of the pot - the amount to use will vary depending on the depth of the pot.

9. The standard bonsai mix that I prefer consists of equal parts grit, Japanese Akadama clay and a peat based compost. A large sieve should be used to remove any lumps in the peat and a finer sieve is used for the Akadama, which contains a certain amount of undesirable dust. If the tree is growing well and in good health, add a small amount of slow release fertiliser granules to the mix. These will gradually release nutrients into the soil for about six months, as the temperature begins to rise and should be used in addition to other feeds applied during the growing season.

10. Take time positioning the tree in the pot - any mistake at this stage will have to wait until next year to be rectified! Secure with the wire ties so that the tree sits firmly in the pot. Movement whilst the new roots develop can be very damaging and strong winds can blow a bonsai tree out of its pot when it is newly repotted.

11. Use a chopstick to push the soil into awkward places, ensuring that no air pockets are present. Tapping the pot also helps.

Top dress with Japanese Akadama clay. This has the advantage of being both attractive and also a useful dryness indicator, changing to a much lighter colour as the soil begins to dry out.

12. Finally thoroughly water the tree and position out of the wind. Protect from hard frosts and wait for the buds to open!