How to make an aged looking bonsai early?

Aged look adds to the beauty and value of a bonsai. Many believe that bonsai preparation should start with a very young seedling. Not exactly! Even though you get the freedom to shape it to your idea from very young age, it would take several years to get a bonsai look. Instead, if you could start with a little grown up bush, much time and efforts can be saved before it gets an attractive look. The picture above demonstrates my point. It is Ficus bengalensis, a slow growing wild tree, and it was 4-5 years old when I collected it 2 years back. It was about 3 feet tall with many branches at irregular intervals along its height. I chopped the trunk at 2 feet, and clipped off all the branches, except a pair towards the tip. Those two branches were pulled down and were made horizontal by wiring. More branches sprouted from the trunk towards its tip, but only those developed at proper direction, ideal for developing a symmetric crown were retained, and other buds were nipped off. All the branches were made horizontal, and maintained at proper lengths.

Exposed roots give added attraction for a bonsai. At the bottom of the trunk, about 4 inches from pot level, layering was done to induce roots (1 cm broad ring of bark was removed, and the exposed area was covered with soil mixed with organic manure). A lot of roots developed from the layer in 2 months. A few thick roots were retained and the remaining roots were cut off. Those thick roots were pulled down to the soil. The plant was transferred to a shallow pot. Thus I got a 6-7 year old bonsai, with just 2 years’ efforts. Of course, all the above said manipulations may not be possible with many plant species.

Bonsai culture, an exciting hobby indeed!

Hobby is a must for one who has leisure - to spend his/her time creatively. But it is more required for a person who is always busy with his profession - to sooth his/her mind. I had, and have many hobbies. But of the late, I realized the immense joy one can derive from a wonderful hobby like making bonsai. Despite being a scientist in plant science, I too earlier had a wrong notion that bonsai making is a very tough and a professional job, and that I may not be able make or maintain one. But about 5 years back, when I happened to a see a beautiful bonsai exhibition in my city, I was so excited, and wanted to try some. I gathered some basic information from books, and started my experiment with locally available hardy and wild plants. The results were so thrilling, and it exploded all my earliler misconceptions about this art. Now I understand that bonsai making is not that tough a job, and it can be done by anybody with a wish. And it does not take so many years to get the results. Now I have a collection of over 80 plants, mostly of locally available species. All my plants are less than 5 years old in my collection, but look much older... like the one shown above (Ficus virens) which is just 3 years old. Yes, I am an amature artist in this field, but I am successful, and I wish more and more people come forward to experience the joy of bonsai making. Bonsai culture is an amlagam of science, art, imagination and philosophy. A tree is made to grow in a small, shallow pot; it grows slowly and slowly as per your imagination, and as per your training. It is like growing your own baby. The pleasure of watching a beautiful bonsai shaped by yourself, is inexplicable. I beleive, no other hobby can give you that much pleasure and satisfaction. Try, you too can do it. And enjoy the pleasure of seeing your own baby bonsai!