How to Create a “Seed-showing” Mini Bonsai
Creating a “Seed-showing” Super-mini Bonsai I’ve called these examples “seed-showing” super-mini bonsai as they are grown from seeds and acorns which lie above the soil and form part of the composition. These uniquely-shaped plants showcase the possibilities of super-mini bonsai
You will need
• A seedling with the seed still attached (see page 24)
• Pot
• Soil
• Sphagnum moss
• Moss
Tools
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Wire (aluminum wire 1.0 mm thick)
• Wire cutting pliers
• Small spoon (to fill pot with soil)
• Bucket (large enough to hold plenty of water)
exposed root bonsai—a hit in the bonsai world The super-mini bonsai being made in this example shows the seed from which it grew and is also a ne-agari or exposed root bonsai, meaning that the tree’s roots are exposed above the ground. Ne-agari bonsai resemble trees that grow in coastal areas or the sides of cliffs and have been tossed about by wind and rain. Exposing the twisted roots above the level of the soil to look like the trunk allows the tree’s various transformations to be enjoyed. e
1. Look carefully at the seedling to decide where to make the starting point for the exposed root (the point between the above-ground and below-ground section of the root).
2. Wrap wire around the starting point.
3. Wrap wire around the root.
4. Wrap wire around root, twisting the wire and root as you go to create shape.
5. As for the root, wind wire around the section of trunk above the seed.
6. Finish winding a little below the leaf.
7. Secure wire to finish winding and trim off excess wire with pliers.
8. The root and trunk wrapped in wire
9. Bend the wire-bound root and trunk to create shape.
10. The shaped seedling. Plant into the pot, starting by inserting the piece of wire left over from the start of the wrapping
11. Pass wire through the hole in the base of the pot.
12. After passing wire through the hole, position plant to check whether it balances well with the pot.
13. Wind wire protruding from the base around the pot.
14. Secure the shaped seedling into the pot so it can’t move around.
15. Trim off excess wire with pliers and bend the end over the rim of the pot
16. Add soil and press in with tweezers until the soil is packed in to just below the rim of the pot.
18. Use tweezers to plant moss in three places in the sphagnum moss.
19. Water. Then, in order for the plant to take to the soil and stabilize, place in a semi-shaded spot for about a week to 10 days after planting, monitoring the condition
20. As the root is originally
meant to be in the ground, it dries out more easily than the trunk and care must be taken with watering. At times when it is prone to drying out, it’s a good idea to enclose it in a plastic bag. Don’t allow the root to dry out Water the super-mini bonsai and seal it in a plastic bag placed in a cool spot. Open the bag after 2–3 days and leave for a while to release humidity.
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