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.

How do I learn to grow a new bonsai banyan tree? A Question by a kid.

This was a question by a small kid . I got this email from school boy . then I thought of making a simple video of making Bonsai, just it shows the child how make bonsai. here the there is no drastic pruning of roots  or branches, survival rate of the plant is good. with this he gets confidence . and be ready to make many Bonsai s  at early age. My main aim to develop and  get confidence of what they are doing.

Bonsai basics made easy for children in this video, by seeing this video can child make a bonsai for himself, Bonsai is like meditation with this art children get confidence, concentration, patience. Their imagination and creativeness develops with Bonsai art.

I send him little notes about Banyan tree Bonsai. Here it is,

Banyan tree can be grown as a Bonsai tree. Banyan bonsai can be grown from branch cuttings or from nursery stock. If you are Beginner the best way to start is to buy a Banyan plant from a nursery. If the plant is small of one or two years old it will have a trunk of one feet and one or two branches, and less no of leaves. so there will less wiring or no wiring at all. the best method is clip and grow method that is remove the top buds , then the plant starts giving new side branches. This is for beginners who are doing on line, By this method the survival of plant chances are high, one will get confidence of doing a Bonsai on their own. 

Bonsai learning for kids made simple

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG20m5BZd20

Happy Bonsai