Tags
Bonsai, fundamentals, ground, Japanese maple, pot, stay small
There are many common questions and misconceptions about bonsai. For many, after they learn that bonsai is not a special species of tree (rather nearly any kind of tree or shrub trained in a certain way) the next question is, “How do they stay so small?”
Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.
Even better, let me show you!
In the fall of 2015, I got two Japanese maples from a club raffle. They were the same variety, the same thickness, and the same height. I kept them both in pots for the 2016 growing season, and they stayed on par with one another. But in the spring 2017, I decided to plant one in the ground and keep the other in a pot. Just 14 months later, let me show you the difference.
This is the one in the pot.
Yes, it is quite tall for a potted tree, but I need the branches down low to fill out more before I reduce the height through pruning. Nevertheless, this is about the height of the tree when I first got it, and about the height of the other maple as well. Notice how compact the growth is.
Now, this is the other tree just 14 months in the ground.
Can you say, “Wow”? It is still about the same height, but the way the branches are extending, it will quickly become a much bigger tree.
This is, in my opinion, a fantastic illustration of one of the fundamental concepts in bonsai. A tree in a pot will not grow as fast as a tree in the ground. This, and the techniques used to grow and train bonsai, are how they stay so small.
Any questions?