Bonsai; Grow Your Own Bonsai from Cuttings, Seeds, and Saplings

by Werner M. Busch

• ISBN13: 9781585744411
• ISBN10: 1585744417
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2002-01-01
• Publisher: The Lyons Press

Summary

Using native plants as the foundation of a bonsai planting in the focus of Mr. Busch's book.

Table of Contents

What is bonsai?	p. 8
Why bonsai?	p. 8
Bonsai as an art form	p. 10
Creating bonsai	p. 10
The first attempts	p. 11
Cultivating Bonsai	p. 14
Situation	p. 14
Overwintering	p. 14
Watering	p. 15
Soil	p. 15
Features of different soil types	p. 16
Repotting	p. 16
Pruning	p. 18
Removing large branches	p. 19
Feeding	p. 20
Chemical fertilisers	p. 20
Organic fertilisers	p. 20
The properties and effects of plant nutrients	p. 20
Trace elements	p. 23
The natural rhythm of growth	p. 24
Bonsai styles	p. 26
Japanese styles	p. 26
Broom	p. 26
Upright	p. 26
Informal upright	p. 26
Formal upright	p. 26
Twin-trunk	p. 26
Multiple-trunk	p. 28
Forest planting	p. 28
Raft	p. 28
Cascade	p. 28
Windswept	p. 28
Literati	p. 28
What makes a good bonsai?	p. 30
Containers	p. 30
Soil surface	p. 30
Root systems	p. 31
Grafting roots	p. 31
Encouraging root growth	p. 31
Air-layering a new root spread	p. 32
Selective root pruning	p. 32
Trunk	p. 32
Branches	p. 34
Leaves	p. 35
Flowers and fruit	p. 36
Shaping techniques	p. 38
Pruning	p. 38
Wiring	p. 38
Anchoring	p. 38
Working with dead wood	p. 38
Selective fertilising	p. 39
Month-by-month care guide	p. 40
Starting a bonsai	p. 44
From seed	p. 44
From nursery stock	p. 46
From a wild sapling	p. 47
Which trees are suitable for bonsai?	p. 49
Deciduous Trees	p. 50
Field maple (Acer campestre)	p. 50
Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) and Norway maple (Acer platanoides)	p. 52
Montpelier maple (Acer monspessulanum)	p. 56
Common alder (Alnus glutinosa) and Grey alder (Alnus incana)	p. 58
Silver birch (Betula pendula) and Downy birch (Betula pubescens)	p. 62
Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)	p. 66
Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa)	p. 70
Walnut (Juglans regia)	p. 72
Common beech (Fagus sylvatica)	p. 74
Common ash (Fraxinus excelsior)	p. 78
Common crab apple (Malus sylvestris)	p. 82
Wild pear (Pyrus pyraster)	p. 86
Common oak (Quercus robur) and Durmast oak (Quercus petraea)	p. 88
Rowan or Mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia)	p. 92
Small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata)	p. 94
Smooth-leaved elm (Ulmus carpinifolia)	p. 98
Conifers	p. 102
Common juniper (Juniperus communis)	p. 102
European larch (Larix decidua)	p. 104
Norway spruce (Picea abies)	p. 108
Arolla pine or Swiss stone pine (Pinus cembra)	p. 112
Mountain pine (Pinus mugo)	p. 114
Austrian pine (Pinus nigra)	p. 116
Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)	p. 118
Yew (Taxus baccata)	p. 120
Shrubs	p. 124
Arctic birch (Betula nana)	p. 124
Hazel (Coryllus avellana)	p. 126
Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna and Crataegus laevigata)	p. 128
Spindle (Euonymus europaeus)	p. 132
Blackthorn/Sloe (Prunus spinosa)	p. 136
Willow (Salix spp.)	p. 138
Index	p. 142
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