All plants require air, sunlight and water for healthy growth. The availability of these ingredients is, therefore, crucial for the health of bonsai too. Air is needed by the roots and leaves to breathe. lf the supply of air to the roots and leaves is restricted in any way, the plant will not grow well. Hence the importance of a well-aerated soil and free-flowing air for good, healthy growth. Water is another key ingredient. Given that more than 50 per cent of a plant’s physical structure is made up of water, the availability of water is the prime factor for a plant’s survival. Similarly, providing the right amount of water for your bonsai is key to keeping your bonsai alive. Finally, we must not forget the importance of light.Light is the source of food for plants, as it is the agent for photosynthesis.

 Different climate zones.

Climate and environment determine the type and species of plants that grow in different parts of the world. Temperature, rainfall, humidity, sunlight and diurnal variations of sunlight (that is, clay length) are other key factors. Soil type, altitude and protection from prevailing winds are also important. Local conditions sometimes creates unique climatic variations and this determine what will at not grow or buy in your area.

Geography.

An understanding of how plants are affect the geography is essential to growing bonsai successfully.   We are intended to help you understand the relationship between climate, geography and its influence on the cultivation of bonsai. Choosing the right type of plant for the climate zone in which you live is one of the key factors to successful healthy bonsai.

The plant hardiness zone system is another method used for classifying the ability of trees and plants to survive in different climate regions. This system is based on 12 zones, each with a specified minimum temperature in which certain plants thrive.Thus zone 1 is for plants that tolerate a minimum t temperature of -51 °C (-60°F), zone 2 has a minimum temperature of -40°C (-40°F), and so on. In zone 11 there is a minimum temperature of 10°C (5o°F). This clasification system is used quite widely in USA, Canada and Australia and has recently been introduced in the UK, but is hardly known in other countries. It is a very useful guide for checking a Plant’s ability to survive the hardest winter at the area intended to grow.nt.

Latitude, altitude and proximity to oceans largely determine a region’s climate. There are roughly six climatic zones on planet Earth: polar; temperate tundra. No zone is distinct, because zones merge as they transition from one to another. Except for the polar and tundra regions of the world, bonsai is grown in all the other climate zones. Even in the desert regions, such as the Californian and Nevada deserts, western Australia and southern Africa, some plants do thrive, and it is therefore not surprising that bonsai is practiced there. TEMPERATE zone: Plants that grow in the temperate zones of the northern and southern hemisphere are quite varied and include broad-leaved deciduous Mediterranean; tropical; desert; and coniferous trees. This climate zone covers some parts of the US and Canada, much of Europe, Argentina, parts of southern Africa, Australia and New Zealand, and mountainous parts of China and Japan. lt is characterized by mild temperatures and moderate rainfall. Trees that are typical of this region include the Acer (maple), Fagus (beech), Fraxinus (ash),Juniperus (juniper), Larix (larch) Picea (spruce), Pinu (pine), Quercus (oak) and U/mus (elm). The temperate zone merges into the Mediterranean and subtropical regions where a large number of broadly similar species of trees and plants cohabit. MEDITERRANEAN ZONE:This regions is characterized by dry summers and rainy winters. Summers are hot in the inland regions, but cooler near the seas. Many of the trees and plants that grow in this zone have small, compact leaves with a waxy coating, to reduce moisture loss. Eucalyptus (gum),Jug/ans (walnut), junipers, Mediterranean oaks, O/ea (olive) and pines are commonly found in Mediterranean areas, and many of them make excellent bonsai. Countries in this zones include ,Italy ,Israel ,California ,Chile, etc ….

Most indoor bonsai are broad-leaved tropical and subtropical trees. Like Ficus (fig), many are also grown as houseplants, so are fairly easy to recognize. A few indoor species, such as Podocarpus and Juniperus procumbcns, are coniferous and could be confused with hardy outdoor bonsai Outdoor bonsai, on the other hand, are hardy species that grow naturally outside. Broad-leaved species, such as Acer (maple) and Crataegus (hawthorn), and conifers, such as Pinus (pine) and Juniperus. (juniper), are not difficult to identify as outdoor plants.

Many bonsai growers now use the Japanese soil Akadama, which is a clay granule that is free draining but moisture retentive. It can be mixed with humus and sand to suit local growing conditions. A good compost consists of peat, sharp sand and loam. The proportions of the three basic ingredients vary, depending on the genera. Pinus (pine) and Juniperus (juniper) need two parts sharp sand, one part peat and one part loam. Fruiting and flowering trees usually prefer a , loamier soil, with up to 50 per cent loam. Include as much as 50-75 per Cent Peat (or peat substitute) for indoor bonsai.

Bonsai. Indoor & Outdoor 

Whats the difference?

Most indoor bonsai are broad-leaved tropical and subtropical trees. Like Ficus (fig), many are also grown as houseplants, so are fairly easy to recognize. A few indoor species, such as Podocarpus and Juniperus procumbcns, are coniferous and could be confused with hardy outdoor bonsai Outdoor bonsai, on the other hand, are hardy species that grow naturally outside. Broad-leaved species, such as Acer (maple) and Crataegus (hawthorn), and conifers, such as Pinus (pine) and Juniperus. (juniper), are not difficult to identify as outdoor plants.

What is a Bonsai ?

Most people are familiar with a bonsai’s appearance ,but what is a bonsai. Not every tree growing a pot will qualify as . For a tree to be regarded as a bonsai, it must have certain defining characteristics: it must be grown in a container; it must have a distinctive artistic shape; and it must be miniature in size, should be a small-scale replica in a pot of a fully grown tree that you might see in nature, its size and aesthetic appearance controlled by regular pruning, pinching and shaping, watering and feeding.

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