My Bonsai New Year Resolution

My New Year Bonsai Resolution:

# 1 - Don't cut & and than style the Tree. First Style the tree - design it on paper, sleep over it - and than cut is required the next day. The more day you can spend thinking about it, better.

# 2 - Style you plant in Big Pot, and only when the same is ready to be exhibited, repot & shift it to a smaller Tray. Remember, Bigger the pot, better the result.

# 3 - Nourish, Fertilize, Feed & Pesticide the plant on regular basis. Remember the plant can survive on nothing, but than what you will get in return is nothing.

# 4 - Have patience, the rome was not built in a Day. When you cut/wire the plant, pledge not to disturb the plant for next 3 months minimum after operation. Don't expect miracle.

# 5 - Take opinion of others, it matter for they are going to judge the plant, as you judge other plants.

# 6 - Go Local. Try all Local varieties of plant for Bonsai. No more Jade, Ficus varieties. Pledge.

# 7 - Do not invest in Pot before the plant is 3 years old. Invest in a Good plant instead. Remember, the value of plant will grow manifolds year after year, the value of pot will only diminish.

Join me on Indian Bonsai Group - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=134040618089

Join today, it's free.

The black book of Bonsai

# http://bonsaitonight.com/ - I found this website quite interesting & simple. Check it out.

# Here is an website, that has collection of good articles on Bonsai by world best masters. Have a look at it & comment. http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/articles.htm. I am yet to go through them but I am told that they are really really good bonsai articles.

Ramesh

US National Bonsai Museum

Dear Friends

I came across this links which shows in details United States, National Bonsai Museum. Check it out. Here is where you will find GOSHIN, a master piece created by Sir John Naka.

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Gardens/collections/VirtualTours/BonsaiVirtualTour_01.html#Slide

Click here to see museum's the Japanese Collection

http://www.bonsai-nbf.org/site/japanese.html

To view museum's the Japanese Bonsai Collection click below

http://www.bonsai-nbf.org/site/chinese.html

To view museum's North America's collection click below

http://www.bonsai-nbf.org/site/north_american.html

Some of the museum's beautiful suiseki - stones can be seen on this link (My favorite)

http://www.bonsai-nbf.org/site/viewing_stones.html

Here is something I liked. This is a must see. (Chinese Rock Penjing)

http://www.absbonsai.org/gallery/ABS2008/rock/rock-1.html

Let us come together to come up with something similar in India. To start with I expect someone from Delhi Bonsai Club to take pic of National Bonsai Museum located at Lodhi Garden, Delhi & upload, if the same is allowed.

Ramesh Sinha

Ahmedabad Bonsai Club, India.

World Bonsai Friendship Federation - 2009 Bonsai Photo Contest

Here are some Bonsai worth dieing for. I am totally amazed. Truly inspirational. I am sure all of you will love it. It took probably decades to make them, and hence it takes some time to load because of high quality of Bonsai pics, but be patient, it worth it.

Click below to see world's best - top 20 Bonsai ( 2009 photo contest).

http://www.bonsai-wbff.org/octoberbonsai/honorable_pics.html

To view top 5 collection click

http://www.bonsai-wbff.org/octoberbonsai/runners.html

To view the 2009 Grand Winner click

http://www.bonsai-wbff.org/octoberbonsai/firstplace.html

Ramesh Sinha

Ahmedabad Bonsai Club

Styling Cherry Bonsai

A friend of mine recently shared his couple of years old cherry bonsai & requested me to style it for me. Find below the original tree & the 3 options i have suggested him. Pl. share with me your styles or opinion if possible. Please add your email id when you add a comment.

Original Plant:

Option 1: Wind Swept Style suggested by me for his cherry Bonsai

Option 2: Jinning suggested for his cherry Bonsai

Style suggested by Kapilas creation.

Ramesh Sinha

Ahmedabad Bonsai Club, India

Please add your email id, if you leave a comment below.

Ryan Photoseries

Rayan, as on July 2010
Under training for last 2 years. Originally i wanted to style it in umbrellas style, which is visible in last year photo below, but than later I changed my mind & made it informal upright. Rayan is also know as Khirni & is a very slow growing tree that can leaves for couple of decades.

Rayan, as of August 2009

Nebari close up,

Post pruning in Dec 2008, a year back

Pic as on March 2008.

Jade Twin Trunk Style Bonsai

When I bought this plant, I was sort of confused as how to style it. It had two trunks, one that was leaning extremely left & other one was informally straight. I sort of liked it unique style and didn't wanted to disturb it so wired the plant without disbursing its original style. Later, after 2 months, i moved it to a blue tray, post which I required it again. Progression series spread over period of 6 months is shown below. Hope you like it.

Jade Twin Trunk as on August 2009 post rewiring: (LATEST IMAGE)

The picture angle is not correct & hence true beauty of this plant is not revelled. Guess I need to pick up basic photography crash course.

Jade Twin Trunk Front Side as on August 2009, before wiring.

This is how the plant looked before wiring. The branches were allowed to grow wild, when I had shifted it to this blue-brown tray. Only one wire was retained that ran through the left trunk.

Jade Twin Trunk Back Side as on August 09

Seen above is the back side of the tree. As you can see, there are no branches which Post rewiring, 3 branches have been moved to back side to fill the vacuum.

Jade Wiring post wiring, as on March 2009

This is how I first wired it. I initially thought of developing one crown on the left branch, which now has 3 crowns under training. The branch on the left trunk that was moving backward has been moved to front side.

The first branch on left trunk that was going back, has been bought to the right side. Another branch has been positioned on the left side of left trunk to balance the first right branch. To branches has been pushed back & crown slightly trimmed.

Dead Wood Stock 1.5 Feet

Dead Wood Stock gifted by Bhaveshbhai.

The height is less than 1.5 Feet but has amazing characteristics. Few elements have been added to show Jungle Fire. In 2nd & 3rd Image the groove for the plant to fit in is shown by Red colour. In all either 3 plants can stick to this Dead Wood or 2 plant (One with 1 trunk & second with 2 truck can be used.)

Front Side View:

Back Side View:

Side View:

Jade Bonsai on the Rock Style / Jade Mame Bonsai on the Rock

Jade Bonsai on Mountain / Rock (Progression Series 2 Years)

Update January 10

I took feedback from 2 Bonsai masters and their comments were

- The Trunk & Branches needs to be clearly visible

- The Pot is too big.

Acting upon their proposal in late December, I defoliated the plant, shifted it to a Shallow 1/2 inch deep oval shaped tray and plans to wire it to make the branch & trunk more visible. I am sure the plant will survive, let's hope.

Here's my 2 Year old Jade Bonsai on Red Mountain. Height is approx 4 Inches so can be also called Mame Bonsai on the Rock.

Jade as on December 2009 - Back Side

Jade as on December 2009 - Back Side

Jade Bonsai As on August 2009:

The plant has now good number of branches and an exposed root that allows it to stand tall on mountain on its own. This is how it looked after 2 Years of training. Click on image to view the larger picture of Jade Mame Bonsai on the rock style

Future Plans:

I plan to shape the above jade bonsai on rock in following manner, as shown below. This can take 1-2 years to achieve the desired shape.

Jade Bonsai as on August 2008

For ramification purpose the tree was allowed to grow wild as a result of which long branches are seen below as on August 2008. Click on image to view the larger picture of Jade Mame Bonsai on the rock style

Jade Bonsai as on Feb 2008:

In few months time, few branches had developed and it looked similar to a mame bonsai on the rock. Click on image to view the larger picture of Jade Mame Bonsai on the rock style

Jade Bonsai as on August 2007:

The plant was planted in a pepsi bottle to develop long roots such that it can be planted on a red sand stone mountain that I had found on the road. This is how is looked in 2007, post repotting & few showers. Click on image to view the larger picture of Jade Mame Bonsai on the rock style

Formal Upright Jade Bonsai

Formal Upright Jade Bonsai.

Specifications:

Under Training - August, 2007, 2+ Years

Style - Formal Upright

Height - Less than 1 Feet

Pot - Yellow, Oval Ceramic Pot from Pandit Ceramics, Mumbai.

Latest Pic, post pruning - May 10

Pic taken as on Jan 10

Pic taken as on November 09

The reason I love to work with Jade Plant, is they make great Bonsai in less than a years time. Just compared the below two images, taken at a gap of 1 year. Just Little wiring made all the difference.

Jade as on 15th September, 2009, after re-potting.

Jade as on 15th September, 2009 before repotting.

Front Image taken on Aug 09. To see the bigger image, click the picture below

Image of Jade as on August 2008

Pic of Jade Bonsai few month before it was wired in August 2007.

Bonsai is like a Sunset, with every passing moment the colour changes. It grow form good to better to best. I think making bonsai is like painting a portrait of a beautiful girl, right through her childhood to youth, and right through here transition from a Lover to wife, from Mother, Grandmother. The essence of Bonsai lies in understanding that bonsai is perfect, and yet it needs pruning, wiring every month.

Back Side of Formal Upright Bonsai as on August 09.To see the bigger image, click the picture below

Side View as take on Aug 09. To see the bigger image, click the picture below

Current Status

I have shifted this plant to a Oval Pot on 19th Sep. With a wire, anchored to the base of the pot, I have wired the main trunk to give uprigth shape. The plant was not watered for last one week, and I don't plant ot water it again for next 1 week, to prevent rot.

Jade Twin Trunk Style Bonsai

Jade Twin Trunk Style Bonsai

Specifications

Height - 1.5 - 2 Feet

Style - Twin Trunk

Under Training - 1 Year

Twin Trunk Jade Tree under development. Seen one is an image taken on August 09. Check the progression serices (Latest to first) as shown below.

Front Sideview of the Jade Twin Trunk bonsai. Click to enlarge picture

See Below is image of plant taken in Feb/March 09. To make the plant stand 3 anchor wire was used as the trunk was very weak.

Back Side of Jade Twin Trunk Bonsai: Click to enlarge picture

Top View of Jade Twin Trunk Bonsai.Click to enlarge picture

To abvoe plant was cascading at pot rim level. To see the original picure of this jade plant, click here http://rameshsinhabonsai.blogspot.com/2009/04/jade-twin-trunk-style.html

Jade Forest Style Bonsai Under Development

Last monsoon i started working on Jade forest. This is how the plant looked, when I first planted the Jade last year in August 2008.

Click to blow up the Jade Forest Bonsai Image taken on August 08

One year down the line this is how the plants looks as on August 2009. In between I have wired the jade, pruned & added some more plants. Seen below is the front side of the Jade Forest - click to blow up the image taken on August 09

Seen below is the back side of the Jade Forest Style Bonsai. Click to blow up the image taken on August 09

Seen below is picture take from top to show the forest floor visible which can be used to create a gravelled pathway eventually. Still more empty spaces needs to be filled up. Click to blow up the image taken on 2009 August.

Eventually on of the jade tree will be allowed to Grow taller than the mountain peal and rest all plant will be of height equal to rock or lesser than complete the design. My main focus is not to fill the empty spaces with more plants & to have a solidly rooted plant.

I am more worried as how to shift the plant into a shallow oval shaped tray. I have one 1/4th Inch deep Oval tray, which i think will be ideal for this plant. The repotting will be done this year or next year, depending on my patience level.

Ramesh Sinha, For bonsai club of ahmedabad

Dead Wood Stock

Isn't it just wow! A dear student of mine gifted me this dead wood she had picked up some 5 years back from a village. It was lying ideal as a show piece & had started to rot. I convinced her to share the same with me and this is how it looks post drying, cleaning.

Height: The height of the trees is approx 3.5 -4 Ft.

The Beautify Front Side.

I can only imagine the tree's beauty when was alive. I don't think i can give this kind of shape to any tree on my own, which nature has perfected.

The Groovy Back Side.

A channel has been dug out in back side to attach a tree. I plan to work on Ficus or Juniper depending on the stock i get. I still need to carve out more, such that the plant can be set in easily. Further carving will be done once i get the plant.

Update as on 13th Sep, 2009

I have shifted this dead wood to a large Tray along, and have planted Kachnar tree alongside to make a beautifu Kachnar Bonsai. To project the base, i firsted applied favicol & than covered it with a plastic sheet. The Kashnar I had was slender but 5 Feet tall plant. I have set the plant in the grooves with the help of wire.

I plan to unwire the tree and rewire again such that the treee is set in proper position. By month time, it should take the rough shape as per the movement of the tree. As of now because the branches & leaves have been chopped, what one gets to see is just a Dead wook in a pot and hence the pic is not available.

Jade Formal upright

Specification:

Age - Approx 7-9 Years

Trunk Width - 8 Inches+

Height - 1.2 Ft

Span - 1. 5 Ft

Style - Formal Upright

Ownership Since - April 09

Last Wiring - April 09

This plant was kept on a lentil & forgotten by the owner. It took a lot to convince him to share the same with me. As you can see top 3 Inches of Pot has been removed to show the Beautiful trunk, which obviously the original owner had no idea of.

The original Pot size was roughly 1.2 Ft. In phase 1 the Bottom 3 Inches of the pot was chopped along with top 3 Inches of the Pot. The remaining pot - roughly 8 inches in height was put in a shallow tray as seen in the picture.

The plant has sustained the operation & has started to bloom again. This monsoon, it has not enjoyed a single shower, for I fear trunk rot. I lost a similar Jade when the same was re potted because of moisture.

In preparation of phase 2, I have further separated the bottom 3/4 Inches of the pot (seen as a circular mark above the tray) such that the final height of the pot will be roughly 5 inches. I am yet to slice the Mud to remove the bottom 3/4 inches of the mud.

Post Wiring as on August 09 this is how the plant looks. To view the picture click on the image below.

I am looking for a good oval tray to re pot the same. Suggestions are invited.

Jade Full Cascade

Key Demensions:

Pot Size - 8 Inch, rectangular ceramic cascade pot from Pandit Ceramics

Fall - 24 Inches from Apex to Bottom. The Trunk lengths is almost 32 Inches.

Age - 3 Years Approx, Under training for last 6 months

I bought this Jade Bonsai in Feb 09 from a nursery in Ahmedabad for just Rs. 100. Initially this Jade was very lean, semi twisted & was placed against the wall. It was first wired in March 09 to its present shape while conducting Training at Ahmedabad Bonsai Club.

This jade was than shifted to present pot in Late July 09. I had to literally beg Preetiben to give me this pot, which i think is ideal match. However, I am open to pot suggestions.

To develop the crown, a branch from the backside of the trunk is used. Now the focus is on ramification of branches & to develop crown for which re wiring was done in July 09. This Jade was allowed to enjoy 2/3 showers of monsoon and than it inside the house. It can now enjoy next monsoon.

To support the fall, a wire pedestal is kept, which you can notice if you view the larger image. To view the larger image, click on the image below.

Jade Semi Cascade

Jade Bonsai - Semi Cascade Style

Pics as on January, 2009 post re-potting

Front View

Top View:

for earlier picture to view the progression, click here

Pic as on October 2009:

The branches on the left side, which are falling below the rim has been straightened. The crown has been pruned & now 5 alternate branches are more clearly visible. (Will be visible in next pic I upload in March 2010). 2 branches have been developed in back side to balance the tree.

I bought this Jade plant a year back in Aug 08 from Ahmedabad Nursery. This used to be a tree that was horizantally spread as seen in original image at the bottom of this page. Initially I had planned to be develop it into a informal upright style, for which for few months i had even wired & made it upright. My bonsai teacher wanted it to be developed into a slanting style, but on my insistence he shaped it into an semi cascade. That was six month back. With couple of rounds of pruning & rewiring, this is how it looks as of now August 09.

Top View: Click on the picture to view large image in new window

View from Bottom: Click on the picture to view large image in new window

I think in next one year, it will be a ready bonsai. The last branch on the cascading branch will be lifted up gradually so as to arrest the fall. The crown is being developed from a branch which is lifted from one behind the trunk.

A stone is kept under the cascading branch to support the weight. It need to be rewired now, will do it post monsoon. To anchor the tree, I have wired it to the base of the mud pot. Initially it was planted in a full size 1.5 feet tall mud pot.

I am open to suggestion as to which shape of ceramic pot I should shift this bonsai into.

Ramesh Sinha, Ahmedabad Bonsai Club, 9924332267 ramesh.jsinha@gmail.com

Original Jade Plant as on August 2008