Bonsai - tree in a pot

Bonsai is an ancient art form of dwarfing trees. The word 'bonsai' literally means 'tree in pot' in Japanese. Although it's a Japanese art form, today bonsai has become a world-wide hobby.

A bonsai can be created from any plant that has a woody stem, like a tree, shrub, or vine. You could use cherry, oak, pine, maple, birch, azalea, hibiscus, etc. Making a bonsai is very easy. All you need is a shallow bonsai pot, a small tree, soil and pruners. With only two minutes per day you can have a perfectly healthy tree.

Pruning a few overgrown branches, watering and spray misting once a day is all what is needed to maintain a bonsai.

Ten easy steps to making a Bonsai:

• Select a tree or plant.
• Prune the plant and remove enough growth until you see the structure.
• Place the roots in a bucket of water to reduce the soil around the roots easier. Remove enough so it fits into a shallow container.
• Trim the roots. Remove the same proportion of foliage to roots to keep the plant in balance.
• Place plastic over the container's drain holes so soil doesn't wash out when you water.
• Put a 1-inch layer of soil in the bottom of the container.
• Place the plant in the container, spread the roots, and cover with more soil. Leave space below the rim for watering.
• Prune remaining foliage in a way that it has the branch structure of a tree.
• Water the soil thoroughly.
• Cover the soil with gravel for a finished appearance.

Tips:

• Prune branches often;
• Display your bonsai outdoors where there's morning sun;
• Water often because it dries quickly;
• Turn the pot's direction every few days so it gets enough light on every side.

— The writer is a freelancer based in India