How To Make Fringe flower in to Bonsai

 Fringe flower is also called as chemise fringe flower, Its scientific name is Loropetalum. it is also called as purple Dimond plant because of its purple leaves. it can be made in to Beautiful Bonsai. 

Main characters of the plant

Chinese fringe flower is a ornamental shrub grows up to  5to 6 feet. It can be pruned and can be given a shape. During the sunlight  a  chemical called anthocyanin is produced that gives a pleasant purple color to the leaves. The flowers of this plant will be hanging beautifully with pleasant pinkish purple color which highlights the plant when its in full bloom.

Sunlight

This plant grows well in full sunlight ,but the afternoon sunlight burns the leaves if the temperatures high and more than 35 degree centigrade, it prefers afternoon shade. Other wise plant grows well in full sunlight. Some of Bonsai artists  prefers as a indoor Bonsai by placing the plant on western direction window where you get full proper sunlight. If there no proper sunlight color of the leaves of the plant changes they wont be having that stunning bright purple colour, 

Soil

Loropetalum need good drainage ,organic soil for its proper growth. Fringe flowers likes acidic soil. To make soil acidic at least one third quantity peat moss to be added to your Bonsai soil. This plant needs lots of moisture in the soil , so peat moss helps to keep the moisture level constant.  here i will share my Bonsai soil ingredients .My Bonsai soil consist of three parts manure one part of garden soil, one part pumice stones of 1 to 2 mm . This is normally used for all my medium size Bonsai plants. 

Then for the plants like acidic soil loving plants I will add two parts of peat moss to Bonsai soil and mix them well. This is a good soil for loropetalum. 

Watering

The main and important point is while growing Fringe flowers the soil should be moist all the time. During summer months water the plant morning and evening, If the temperature is high keep the plant in shady place and give a shower to the plant. 

Care, Cutting and Pruning 

This plant responds well to cutting and pruning. perfect time for cutting is early spring. It starts flowering during spring. Usually the plants flowers two to three times a year , before winter, spring and during summer season. 

once the flowering season is over  cut and prune the branches and give a shape to the plant and make it ready for next flowering season by providing it with organic fertilizers and slow releasing fertilizes. This plant can be grown from branches also . that is the advantage we can make a branch cutting to rooting during late summer before rainy season.

The main important thing to keep Loropetalum healthy is give proper sunlight. too much afternoon sunlight or too much shade makes the plant to loose its bright purple color of leaves.

Then the plant  looses its vigor  and becomes weak , then there are chances of dyeing back of the plant. Too much sunlight burns leaves and there wont be proper flowering.

Take care of these then your Loropetalum will be a beautiful Bonsai of your collection.

Demonstration of  Loropetallum plant in to a Bonsai tree at Sinhgad College Students Council 

Bonsai And Bonsai photoshoot . How to get best photo of your Bonsai. Part 2

In last post we learnt every thing about the Back drop and its colors and how to use that.

Tripod setting for Photo shoot:

Tripod is an important instrument.in photography, if you place your camera on a tripod, , you can easily adjust shutter speed and time with out any jerks. Small jerk also makes your photo shaky without any clear, sharp picture. With Tripod we can adjust of the height the  camera with the same level of the plant with its position and angle. Fix  camera or mobile in tripod and adjust the height of tripod.

camera focus point and should match with pot level. The plant trunk base should and the camera eye will be in the same level. So plant will be visible as it is. we can get true image with out any Parallax error.

If you are looking at plant from an angle the picture you are getting wont be perfect , In out come photo the plant's image will be at an angle  and trunk line can be covered with branches. so its not proper way of getting a good picture.

In the above photograph the focus of camera is going above canopy of the plant. So in out come image of the plant the trunk line looks thin and  young.

camera Angle focus is from the Above the plant

    

Focus of camera in first photo it is on left side, and in second photo it is on right side  

The placement of tripod with camera and plant should be in 180 degrees line. If tripod is on right side or left side the image we are getting is not a actual image.

Tripod helps to take good photos when there is minimum light in the room, that time we need more shutter speed.  When  using camera with hand slight movement also reduces shutter speed, resulting in blur or grainy images.If camera is placed on tripod there wont be any  movement of the hand, On tripod minimum amount of movement resulting  best photos of Bonsai plants. If you dont have tripod there many home made tripod videos are there online, you can check them. you can make your own. The main use of tripod is stability for camera with least motion and best photo shoot..

To be continued in next posts with other tips like tripod placement and exposure etc.....

How select a perfect gauge wire for Bonsai

Selection of proper wires for wiring  gives Bonsai plant a perfect look. Bonsai is an art of making Plants look like natural trees in shallow pots. To make it possible as natural as it is growing in Mother Nature we will some shaping and cutting, pruning and wiring. By Wiring we are giving a shape to the plant. The plant collected or brought from nursery or growing from seed will have primary branch,secondary branches. 

Bonsai masters use two types of wires. 

1) Anodized Aluminium wire

2) Anneal copper wire 

Both the wires good for shaping Bonsai plants

Anodized Aluminium wire is Aluminium is heated up to some temperature, by heating wire becomes movable , soft to make moves around the branch. 

Anneal copper wire heated to certain temperature and they cool it down to release stress inside the wire , otherwise copper wire will be brittle.

Now we will see how to select a wire.

Below link shows you before buying a aluminium or copper wire, how to text the wire is shown in detailed. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tnF_dCAnNA 

Take one end of the wire  in to your hand and move around your finger , when you are doing it it should move freely around your finger just like a ring . it should not bend in 90 degrees angle. The smooth movement of wire around the branch makes the branch move any direction you want to give a style to the plant.

usually copper wire is used for wiring coniferous plants because, in coniferous plants the branch and leaf development is different from deciduous tropical plants. There in coniferous plants there are demonstrative and delicate bends for which copper wire is needed and also color matches with the trunk line of the coniferous plants. dont use any time naked copper wire , because when copper comes in contact with water oxide formation takes place and it there will be rusting on wire which can damage the trunk or branch of the plant.

One more wire is aluminium wire coated with copper or brown color is also available . it is inside aluminium and outer coating is brown color. 

For most of the tropical plants like ficus we are using aluminium wire. Aluminium gives a nice bend to the ficus plants.

we can use any wire depending on availability in your area. 

Below one more link of wiring will show in detail about wires and gauges. usually we use 1mm to 6 millimetre gauge wire for Bonsai. 1 to 2 mm is for thin young branches. for thick branches heavier gauge wire is used for drastic bending. it is difficult to measure at home the gauge of wire , So our great Bonsai masters given a the thumb rule is that when we are wiring one branch usually we take one third thickness of wire compared with that branch thickness, take the wire near the branch and see the thickness ,if wire thickness is one third we can use for bending the branch, 

One more easy method is just take the wire near the branch which you want to wire it and push the branch with wire, if wire is bending its not a proper gauge, if the branch is moving away with wire that is perfect gauge for wiring that branch. Some times we have only thin wire , we need not worry, take double strands of that wire and wire around the branch it gives strength and we can bent the branch.

wiring should be always in 45 degrees angle. how wire a plant we see it in next blog . 

now I will give one more link , it gives explains everything about wires.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x65XPdml990&t=57s

How and when to defoliate a Bonsai tree to reduce leaf size of Bonsai plant

Ficus Retusa Or Ficus Green Island Defoliation and Care

Spring and Autumn are  best Seasons  for plants growth, During this season plants will be active because of its favorable conditions of the weather lots of growth will be there. The movement  water, nutrients and food inside the plant will be vigorous,the plant will be  in active stage of developing new branches, leaves. Food preparation in the leaves that is photosynthesis  will be adding energy to the plant in thickening of trunk line. During this period if we defoliate plant by removing all the leaves at nodal point  there will be speedy new growth  because of this weather. 

In tropical countries defoliation can be done two times a year to reduce  size of the leaves. Mostly deciduous plants sheds  its leaves once in year. Defoliating means removing or cutting down the leaves of Bonsai plant. It is a regular practice of  Bonsai artists on their deciduous trees during the autumn season before spring. First we will see what are deciduous trees. Deciduous trees are usually Maple,oak mostly giant flowering trees around the region of equator. Most of these tropical plants they shed their leaves during Autumn season after their flowering season is over.  Leaves of  these plants are broad and the canopy of tree is round or umbrella shape. Ficus is tropical ever green tree with broad leaves. Ficus tree sheds their leaves to reduce the leaf foliage and evaporation of water during dry season to control water storage in the plant. As soon as monsoon returns new leaves starts developing.  Defoliation is a natural process  in nature. 

How to do Defoliation manually.

Always Leaf is attached to trunk with petiole. when leaf matures it changes its color to yellow because the leaf no more can prepare food for the plant. it can't do any photosynthesis activity. then slowly  leaf detaches from trunk or stem and falls down. but when manually doing cutting a leaf  from the stem we have to follow one procedure. Removing the leaf with a sharp  scissors leaving petiole on the stem. below it is explained with photos.                                            

 

                                                    

There are different ways of doing defoliation depending on the Plant growth and health.

1) Complete Defoliating of the plant  

2) Partial outer canopy Defoliation POCD

3) One third leaf Defoliation

4) Removing only Big leaves Defoliation.

1) Complete Defoliating of the plant : Complete defoliation is removing all the leaves on the plant. Complete defoliation some times we will also do it before wiring the plant, so we can see the branches of the plant clearly before pruning and ramification of the plant,

Below link shows how to do . 

https://www.facebook.com/kapilaas/videos/10223129683055672/

Photos One is before defoliation, second is after Defoliation 

            2) Partial outer canopy Defoliation POCD 

In partial outer Canopy Defoliation means  removing only limited outer canopy by keeping inside leaves intact.

                    

                                                                                        Partial Outer Canopy Defoliation                        

                 3) One third leaf Defoliation

One third defoliation is shown below . Cut  one third of leaf leaving behind one fourth of leaf.  Cut all the leaves of the plant in same manner. One third defoliation we will to be done on a plant when the plant is young and the plant is not strong enough to take stress of complete defoliation.

                        4)  Removing only Big leaves Defoliation.                                                                              

Here we are not  touching young small leaves of the plant, we are removing only big leaves of the plant and allowing small leaves to to stay on plant, this type of  defoliation we will do on a planet when plant is not fully ready for complete defoliation and if it is effected with any pests.

Before removing  Big leaves                       

                                

 After removing Big leaves 

                                                                                           

Defoliation on deciduous plants encourages the plant to get more energy with new leaves and ready for it thickening the trunk line by giving more branches. Defoliation is a natural phenomenon on deciduous plants. When we are doing defoliation on Bonsai plants we have to remember some points. Ficus plants responds well for defoliation. Some ficus plant produce fruits. During fruiting stage don't defoliate Bonsai. it may harm the plant. check the health of the plant and do it.

Complete Defoliating of the plant should not

1) Be done on freshly re potted  plants.

2) When plant is infected with pests.

3) If the plant is weak without proper growth.

4) In hot summer months when temperature is above 35 degrees centigrade.

5) when the plant is young.

Care to be after Defoliation

1) Don't keep plant in full sunlight, keep it in semi shade.

2) Reduce watering after defoliation. Just keep the soil moist not wet.

https://www.youtube.com/user/kapilaas

How to make a Shohin Bonsai of Buxus

Shohin Bonsai are the small Bonsais of small in size means , Height of these Bonsais are below 8 inches. Usually Miniature Bonsais are classified in to three sections depending on their heights.

Shohin Bonsai is of below 8 inches

Mame Bonsai is of below  6 inches

Shito Bonsai is of below  3 inches

Keishi Bonsai is of below  1 inch

Developing styling a miniature Bonsai is a difficult job of creating a style. Plant will having less no of branches and the size of the plant is also small. selection of a will be a ramification is very selective job.

Here in this post Buxus microphylla is selected and made into shohin bin of below 8 inches. Now we will go  in to detail transformation of nursery plant in to shohin  Bonsai is explained . Then after studying this we will go to other small Bonsais. 

Buxus plant was bought from a nursery long back may be 8 to 9 years back. I will share photo of the plant that time.

In nature we will see many different styles of Plants . One of it is Multitrunked plants. Multi trunk Trees are having the habit of developing more sprouts from the base of the tree, but only some will survive and become multi trunk style.

                 

First photo is the plant bought from nursery. it was kept like that for two years. then started working on the plant. By studying the plant I thought of this plant has a good potential to be a multi trunk or Raft style and to become a shohin Bonsai. then work was started on keeping the future style of the Bonsai by removing  the branches which were not fitting in to Bonsai design. I stared working in spring . 

Second photo i exposed the main trunk line by eliminating branches and keeping some selected one and did ramification by clip and grow method . then I kept the plant at a sunny place and did regular fertilizing. My Buxus Shohin Bonsai became strong and ready for next ramification.

Then slowly Plant is started getting new leaves.

Below is videolink to see how plant is transformed to shohin Bonsai

Multitrunk style shohin bonsai video

The above link will clearly will show you how the Boxwood plant made in to a  Shohin Bonsai..i will share recent photo of the plant

Defoliating a Bonsai plant

Defoliating a Ficus Bonsai plant

Defoliating means removing or cutting down the leaves of Bonsai plant. It is a regular practice all Bonsai masters do it their deciduous trees during the autumn season before spring. First we will see what are deciduous trees. Deciduous trees are usually Maple,oak mostly giant flowering trees around the region of equator , between tropic of cancer and tropic of Capricorn. Deciduous means  fall off or shedding the leaves. Most of these tropical plants they shed their leaves during Autumn season after their flowering season is over.  Leaves of  these plants are broad and the canopy of tree is round are umbrella shape. Ficus is Pan tropical ever green tree with broad leaves. Ficus tree sheds their leaves to reduce the leaf foliage and evaporation of water during dry season to control water storage in the plant. As soon as monsoon returns new leaves starts developing.
In Bonsai We do regular defoliation to reduce the size of the leaves. Bonsai is a miniature tree , so if the plant is having Big leaves as it in nature the proportion of the leaves and size of the plant won't match. To have Balance and Harmony of the plant and to get a pleasing look of the tree Most of the Bonsai masters reduce the size of the leaves by cutting them. Usually it can be done twice a year to keep the Bonsai tree in a perfect shape. Some artists do defoliation before wiring the plant to have a clear look tree and the branches.
Before starting defoliation two points are very important.
First overall Health of the tree
Second don't do defoliation on a freshly re potted plant
To defoliate we need a tool like sharp leaf cutter
To Defoliate first select a plant which is healthy, energetic with full leaves without any infection . Start removing leaves leaving the stalks of the leaf . Remove only the leaf . stalks will fall down on its own.  see the picture below .

Below video gives How to reduce the size of a leaf. For More Information Click on below Link

To Reduce the Size of a Bonsai Tree

This Ficus Plant Leaves are already in size when compared to the natural leaf growing in the Nature.