.png)
It has been almost three years since I last posted a blog. I almost feel guilty not posting anything for so long, but the dust has settled, and I have more time to focus on things that give me joy.
So without any further delay, let's kick this new season off with a bang; I would like to share the five things you need to understand before starting with bonsai. Firstly, I will not be covering each point in detail. Second, I will introduce each topic, and at a later stage, I will do a blog on each of the five bullet points.
- Watering
- Soil Mixture
- Design
- Routine
- Environmental conditions
Watering
Watering your bonsai trees regularly is vital to a healthy bonsai. The soil mixture's temperature and water retention capacity determine the watering frequency. With watering, you will have to incorporate a fertilising component. These go hand in hand. For example, you could add liquid fertiliser to the water once a week or place a solid block of hardened fertiliser in the growing container that breaks down over time as you water. Here is a link to a blog I did a few years ago on watering.
Soil Mixture
The soil mixture used for bonsai varies from person to person and per region. A good bonsai soil mixture should have enough organic matter to feed the tree, hold the tree moist in between watering, and allow fresh oxygen to reach the roots. Here is a link to a blog where I mention the soil mixture I use.
Design
Design is one of the elements in bonsai that is open-ended, as each design is unique. However, there are five main bonsai styles (Formal Upright, Informal Upright, Slanting, Semi-Cascade and Full Cascade) and design elements (movement, rhythm, proportion, unity, contrast, balance) that bonsai enthusiasts use.
Routine
One of the things that can deliver fantastic results is establishing a seasonal routine broken down into daily, weekly and monthly segments. A routine will ensure you get to all aspects of caring for bonsai.
Environmental conditions
When planning to start with bonsai, look at the growing space available and consider the amount of sun throughout the day, the yearly rainfall, average daily temperature (highs and lows), humidity and wind. All these play a role in considering the tree species that will flourish in a region. Knowing your environment will also assist in caring for your bonsai.
The above topics are to get your thoughts going before diving into the art of bonsai. If you have already started your bonsai journey, you can use these as a guide for your next steps.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I hope you enjoyed it. Please feel free to leave your questions and comments in the section provided below.