Bonsai: Using the Right Tools, Getting the Job Done!
Bonsai gardening is the art and process of growing miniature trees. It is grown in tiny pots and meticulously shaped and pruned to resemble a full size and ancient tree. Contrary to what it looks like, bonsai gardening is not dwarfing. It is the sculpturing of a magnificent plant, which requires lots of skill like precision and wiring. It can be trained to shape and grow in a particular direction using a variety of special tools, namely small scissors, modeling knife, pruners and wire cutters. One thing to take note is that bonsai are less likely to survive indoors. These are plants meant to grow outside.
Of course, the key to a successful bonsai gardening is to have the right tools for maintaining it. Using a household tool will not be an issue depending on the number of bonsai you plan to create. If you have less than five trees then improvised devices will help you grow a bonsai. But if sooner or later, you decide to become a bonsai hobbyist, then you would desire to build your own bonsai tool kit. As far as these special tools are concerned, purchasing the least expensive ones is a false economy. Traditionally, bonsai tools cost so much that if you find a cheaper one it will most likely frustrate you due to its poor quality. However, if you have really found something at a low price, make sure to evaluate its authenticity. Known to its above standard quality, Japanese-made bonsai tools are often the best. Kept safely, they’ll last a lifetime.
The initial objective in a bonsai gardening is shaping. This is the process which would help materialize your intended look of the tiny plant. Therefore, a shaping tool is the most significant tool. One example of a shaping tool is shears. As the main tool, it is recommended that you spend some time to find a genuine bonsai shear, as it will be worth your investment. Together with cutters, it is used for pruning and trimming. Pruning is the process of removing unwanted parts or portions of a plant. As a bonsai artist’s skill develops, the sizes of shears multiply. On the other hand, there are several different types of cutters used for bonsai. The most popular of which is the Concave cutter. It is most commonly used for trimming branches and is designed to help prevent traces of hollow-out areas that protrude.
Tiny tweezers (tools used for picking up small objects) and secateurs (a tiny shear with a spring that holds the handles open and a single blade that closes against a flat surface) are also used for shaping.
Wiring the bonsai tree is also another way of shaping. A few more examples of common tools are root rakes, which help to remove roots of excess soil which may harm the bonsai. To hold branches in the right position, branch clamps should not be left out.
Just like any job, in bonsai gardening, an effective tool can always save time, effort and could preserve the man-made art which is worth the investment.
