There are many directives for Bonsai, some are whilst others are questionable.  Therefore I have been requested to outline on the net - some statements from my Facts & Fallacies Brochure.

Many Fallacies have developed about Bonsai i.e. being able to care for them horticulturally and shaping them artistically so one can see in these miniatures, the replicas of the large ancient trees of the countryside.

Bonsai are NOT stunted! They should not be left in a pot to become root-bound.  One misconception besides watering is, there is nothing else to do as they have finished growing. 

Do you realize - The only finished bonsai – is a dead one? If one stops or limits the growing – a main attraction i.e. a trunk thickness in  relation to its height of the, will never eventuate, at least not in your lifetime unless the plant is given room to continue growing.

A common fallacy that many people associate with bonsai is that root-pruning keeps a bonsai small.  Even many experienced growers are amazed when told that in fact root-pruning keeps it healthy.   Plants need to be able to keep growing in order to remain vigorous & vibrant. The more stationary or the more slowly a plant grows: the weaker it becomes. 

Cutting the roots at the correct time for the species can keep an aged trunk perpetually young.  This of course will depend on continuing maintenance. 

So how does it remain small?  Continue reading...

Size is controlled by pruning & trimming. The periodic reduction of the height & width will keep the bonsai ‘small’ & this is achieved by pruning the trunk, branches & trimming the twigs. A healthy bonsai will be allowed to extend a little before trimming back the new growth, so it either returns to its original size or enlarges slowly. If you wish to increase the height of your bonsai, the container will, at some stage, need to be larger.

When the bonsai becomes top heavy, unstable & easy to topple over, a choice has to be made as to reducing its size or potting it in to a larger container.   The constant growth that thickens the trunk & branches, plus the art of pruning the top & the technique of pruning the roots is how a bonsai develops.

GROWING BONSAI INDOORS is a wishful fallacy, an essential piece of knowledge that is often omitted to inform the naïve. Unfortunately, the public often see them displayed indoors, which gives credibility to this false impression.

1. Adequately watered with an air supply penetrating the root system, especially at night
2. The more sunlight the smaller the foliage having shorter internodal spaces, the results being a more compact foliage.

To explain the term I used in the previous tip - wishful eg. Confusion of wishes & expectations. fallacy eg. misleading notion in relation to the growing of bonsai indoors last month was to refer to their dictionary description. If there were a downside to our chosen hobby it would have to be the fact that despite our desire, in most cases, they should not be indoors for any extended time.

In the tropics where the light intensity is such that before air conditioning, large windows opened to extended verandas where the moist breeze mingled with the fan induced air movement from inside. The combination of humidity & bright light; plus the required temperatures & the light requirements are met, will allow indigenous flora to grow & survive. With the advent of air conditioning everything has changed.

Conversely, in the cold northern hemispheres, apartment dwellers will go to great trouble to create artificially, so-called perfect conditions in order to either keep the more tropical plants under warm conditions enabling an uninterrupted yearly growing cycle, or provide a safe over wintering dormancy for the more temperate plants. In the early days of bonsai a series in an overseas magazine called ‘Notes of an Apartment Dweller’ dealt with the techniques required when endeavouring to keep bonsai indoors. When I met the Author she confided that the bonsai lasted for about 5 years.

Some years ago in Toronto, the club informed me that in winter, Figs were sent up from Florida for the members to have a Ficus workshop, afterwards they were allowed to become dormant. The word HOWEVER applies to both horticulture & artistic works, where nothing absolute applies or can-be assumed. It is difficult in cases such as this where condensing statements eg. (tips) may have varying situations requiring different directions.

This ‘Fact & Fallacy’ tip deals with the drainage material of the potting mixture. It is not about the ingredient used but about the quality.

A term often used for drainage is river sand, but as the surface has been smoothed & rounded by constant tumbling; limits its moisture retention capacity.

It may puzzle many knowing that ‘sand’ is included as a means of avoiding waterlogging. A superior potting mix allows water to drain freely away. It is in fact an added means of providing a reservoir of absorbable moisture held by its rough surface.