Bonsai: The Japanese Miniature Plantation

Beautiful bonsai trees --- Buy now

Bonsai is a thousand years old Japanese culture of growing plants which has one of the unique aesthetics of its own. The word Bon means a small tray or a low sided pot and sai refers to planting. So the term bonsai if translated in English means planting in tray. It is the miniature form of a fully grown tree grown in a small pot.

Unlike other gardening practices, Bonsai is not for growing foods, medicines or park sized landscaping rather it is a pleasant exercise for effort and ingenuity. It is the delight gained from recreating the plants as seen in the nature in miniature form.

Though some particular species of plant became very popular because of smaller leaves and other attractive features, you can create bonsai with literally any perennial trees or shrubs that produces true branches and can sustain crown and root pruning.

The time and cost of raising a particular bonsai varies from species to species. There are many ways to start a bonsai. Let me mention few of them to you.

If you are not a very patient person you can buy a previously trained bonsai. It will definitely reduce your time and effort and particularly ideal for the beginners.

You can also find wild plant in its natural surroundings which has been shaped by mother nature. You can start from cutting of the heridetically identical trees. these have better success rates when comparing with the process of starting from the seeds. One of the plus points of staring a bonsai from seeds is you can create rare varieties of bonsai with very small price and huge production. Grafting methods are also in use for creating your favorite bonsai. 

An aesthetically superior bonsai needs to be healthy. The proper combination of soil, water, air and sunlight is very critical for the growth of a bonsai. There are no fixed formula for this it varies species to species, climate to climate. You need to do some trial and error before fixing the optimum combination. I have written two blog earlier on watering techniques and the role of sunlight in plantation you can check these two for your reference also.

Trunk is the most appealing part of the bonsai. You can work on making the trunk well-formed and with smooth curves. Also you can adjust branch locations, foliage distribution etc to give your bonsai much more attractive look. Along with the trunk roots also create a natural beauty for the bonsai. A surface root structure called nebari is always a defining point in bonsai.

The bending of trunks and branches is called wiring. You have to do wiring at the very young stages of the plant to give it a shape of a tree. These have to be done until you reach your final shape of the bonsai. To keep the size of the plant to a miniature form you need to continuously do pruning. Pruning had to be done on the branches, leaves, buds etc. Pruning of the roots have to be done with proper care and at the time of re-potting. A detailed article on different types of pruning is here

Bonsai basically is an outdoor activity. Though it can be grown indoor it is quite difficult and its success is limited to the tropical countries. But if you are determined to place it indoor it will advisable to start with a plant like Ficus. They can withstand a lot of abuse and not very sensitive to the surroundings compared to the other plants. It is also cheap and easy to find.

If you got your motivation level rising to do a bonsai after reading this article, I would suggest you to do a through research on the same before jumping in. Here is one great resource you can refer to for more detailed stuffs which will give you a step by step guide to bonsai. 

All the best.

Aquaponics System: Know the basics of Aquaponics Design

In this edition of Gardening ABC we will discuss one new concept in gardening. We have already discussed the basics of vertical gardening and container gardening and their benefits In our earlier articles. Today we will discuss Aquaponics system.

Most of us have heard about hydroponics, it is a system where plants are grown without using soil and cultured in water only. Here they generally use chemical fertilizers for the nutrition of the plants. Aquaponics system goes one step further. It uses fishes in the water to provide the nutrition to the plants. Thus it makes the total system organic. Like hydroponics, it also does not uses soil. Roots of plants are generally kept directly in the water. In some cases roots are supported by some rocks inside the water.

The Aquaponics System:

 

The three main parts of this system are:

Fish tank

Grow bed

Pump to move the water from the fish tank to grow bed.

The water from the Aquaponics fish tank goes to the grow bed. There it provides the much needed nutrition to the plant. The plants in the system act as the cleanser. It clears the water and then drains the water back into the fish tank. The secret of success in this system is maintaining proper balance.

In this culture choices of fish and plant is very important. It is better to use fresh water fishes which we generally found in landlocked lakes or rivers. On the contrary if you choose sea water fish you will limit the option of plants severely.

Try to avoid ornamental fishes such as Goldfish if you have any plans for eating fishes.They are commonly treated with chemicals and some times can cause cancer in human. The best options which we can use are common fishes like cat fish, Tilapia, trout, etc. You have to adjust the size and temperature of the water inside, once you decide on the type of fish. For example fish like catfish grow long so you need enough space for them.

Also concentrate on your gardening goals, like if your plan is to grow cool weather plans like spinachor peas avoid fishes which loves warm water.

If you are really serious about starting an Aquaponic system for your own I will suggest you check out this amazing source of information.

Benefits of following Aquaponics system:

Aquaponics system works most of the time independently. The fish and plants work together and the water gets recycled. You just need to replace the water which has be evaporated from the system. Once you created the system you don’t need to add fertilizers regularly or weed it.

It gives you the chance to reduce carbon footprint as you don’t need to travel to get your food.

It reduces the water consumption in gardening.

What do you think about the article. Do you have some other information on Aquaponics Gardening? Share it with us here.

Related articles about Aquaponics:

Top Five Aquaponics Fish for The Fish Tank

Advantages of Aquaponics System
Aquaponics System: 5 Steps To Success

Indoor Gardening: Part I

All most all of the topics we have discussed earlier is on Outdoor gardening. This is our first initiative towards indoor gardening.  We are hopeful that you will like this as well. If you have any suggestions please put them in the comment box.

Now a day’s most of us live in apartments where there is no extra space or even balconies to practice gardening outdoor. So the only choice we are left with to do it indoor. Even if you have outdoor gardens, adding some plants indoor will definitely add a sense of life to your house. Though it is true you can not grow all the plants indoor, but there are so many of them which you can try your hands on.

But before planting indoors, you really need to understand the light condition in your room. Most of the plants requires direct sunlight (check out our earlier article about sunlight and its impact on plantation: SUN OR NO SUN) but the amount of can vary tremendously from plant to plant. Some plants even can thrive in absence of direct sunlight. But how much light is the least requirement for growing a plant? There is a saying that if you cannot read a book due to darkness the place is also not suitable for growing a plant.

So before start planting indoors, you need to first understand about some geography. If your room is south facing; you will receive the maximum amount of direct sunlight. Whereas if your room is north facing you will receive bright light but the chances are that there will be lack of direct sunlight. East and west facing rooms receives morning and evening sunlight respectively. Now according to your room position choose the plant which is best for the location.

You also need to select the variety of the plant carefully, unlike outdoor gardening; the growing space inside a house can be limited. Some plants can be toxic if ingested. So in case you have pets or toddlers it is sensible to avoid those plants. Some plants have sharp edged leaves which can hurt so if you have already decide to plant those pick a spot where there will be very less traffic.

Use the soil mix which can drain easily. Watering your indoor plants can be very tricky. As there are lack of direct sunlight in most of the cases the last thing you can do is to drown them in water. There is no hard and fast rule for this. But the plants which stay in direct sunlight will require frequent watering than those which are not. You have to experiment a bit to find a proper watering schedule.

Some indoor plants require much more humidity than others; these plants are a good choice to place in the bathrooms.

One of the important parts of practicing good indoor gardening is to prune regularly to keep it in proper shape. We have discussed a bit of pruning in our article about Bonsai. If you want to know more click hereto check the article.

We will discuss more in our following articles about indoor gardening and other gardening related activities. Please let us know what you think about this article. Your constant feedback keeps us going.

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Plants Ideal for Vertical Gardening

We have discussed about vertical gardening in our earlier article. Here we will mention some plants which make the perfect choice for vertical gardening. These plants are some of the best which grows pretty well in vertical gardening. If you have any other plants which you think can grow well in vertical gardening please mention here. As per our choice these plants are:

Beans: 

The bush form of beans does not grow well in vertical gardening. So if you are planning to do a vertical gardening with beans, choose the pole variety. Its harvest can go for several months.  You can also provide horizontal support for them. If used properly you can prepare visually attractive structures by using bean plants.   

 

Tomatoes:

Tomatoes are a very good option for practising vertical gardening. As discussed in tomato growing tips, tomatoes require   

support such as wire cages, for growing. Cherry tomatoes are also good for growing in vertical garden. These creepers use vines which makes them ideal for growing against a wall. Just choose a place where you receive full sunlight at least for six hours.

Here are some tomato cages. You can buy them from amazon.

Cucumbers:

There are several varieties of cucumbers available in the market. Most of the varieties grow well in vertical garden. You need a strong trellis for holding the plant, as when the fruit grows larger, the pressure on the trellis will be much more than some other plants like peas or beans. Most of the time, they grow upright. Providing net or fencing material can be good choice for providing support to the plant.

 

Peas:

Choose the variety that grows vertically well. Peas are generally cool weather crop. As the fruit size is not heavy and plant tendrils are shorter in length, you can provide nets as trellis. Some varieties grow very high (such as 6 ft), so provide the trellis accordingly.

Squash:  

Generally in gardens, squash are grown along the ground. This is not a problem if you have a lot of space for gardening, but in case like most of the urban gardeners you lack space, vertical gardening can be a good choice for growing squash. It will save a lot of space and will allow the light to reach every part of the fruit. It helps to prevent the fruit from rotting and also prevent diseases which cause due to lack of proper flow of air (like mildew). Just keep in mind these fruits become very large in size so provide proper strong trellis of fencing structure for support.

Strawberry:

Strawberries do not have deep root system. So they need additional support and hold on to vertical spaces for growth. This makes them ideal for vertical gardening. You can even grow them in side a PVC pipe.

Check out this interesting article Why you should always grow strawberries in coconut coir?

There are several other option plants which you can grow in vertical gardens. Which plant do you prefer to grow share it with us.  


Don't forget to read: 
Different soilless media for growing plants
Top Five Plants for Indoor Gardening 

Tomato Pruning

Earlier we have discussed about general Tomato growing tips, today we will go little deeper and discuss the pruning of the plant. You can find the earlier article here.

Pruning can be a very simple process. You just need to find the suckers and snap them off with your two fingers (thumb and index finger). Tomato suckers are easy to find. They grow in between the main stem and the branches. Though we call these “SUCKERS”, these are actually the branches of the plant in initial stage. If you leave them to grow they will soon become fully grown branches and grow fruits on them. So you might be thinking if those are the branches and also give fruit why are we talking about removing them? The fact is the branches of the plant though will grow fruits; the number is far less compared to the main stem and main branches. Most of the energy which the suckers or these branches receive will go into making foliage and more branches. It will ultimately make the plant outgrow its space in the garden.

Why Prune:

The pruning is done so that the plant directs its energy towards producing larger fruit than to develop foliage. Though the foliage will also develop fruit also, but the overall size of the fruit through out the plant will be much smaller. Lesser foliage also reduces the pest problem and is easier to take care.

Pruning also helps the plant in receiving much more sunlight and better air circulation though out their body. Better sunlight and airflow also means more energy and lesser diseases for the plant.

Having said that, it is not compulsory that you need to prune each tomato plant. Let us understand why:

There are basically two types of tomato plants: determinate type and indeterminate type. The first type will grow to a certain height and produce fruit at one go. So in that case if you remove the suckers, the fruit bearing capacity of the plant is greatly reduced. As it will not grow vertically the total fruit yield will be pretty low. In case your plant is of indeterminate type, pruning will actually help increasing the fruit quality. It will also help the plant not to get out of control and the supporting nets will be able to hold the plant.

It is best to pluck the suckers when they are very young. The younger they are, easier it is to prune. In case they got a little thicker and it becomes harder to prune with the fingers, you can use a sharp knife to cut them off. Sometimes the suckers grow so thick that it can be detrimental for the plant to remove those; in this condition it is wise to leave them as it is.

Please bear in mind that pruning of the plant is not absolutely necessary. You can definitely choose not to prune and still enjoy an acceptable amount of yield. Pruning is a method of enhancing the production, resulting bigger and tastier tomatoes. it also increases the number of fruits.

What do you think about the article? Share it with your friends using the following sharing tools: 

Read more about tomatoes: 
Tomato Growing Tips
Top 8 pests of Tomatoes
Simple steps to save tomato seeds

Solarization: Know the Basics

Today we will discuss a very interesting but simple way for controlling weed problems in your garden. It is called Solarization process. We have used the term in our earlier article Weed controlling in organic ways. Here we will give some details so that you can try out in your garden.

In a very simple terms, solarization means using the heat from the sun to kill the weed in your garden. In this method the gardening area is covered with clear polythene then it is exposed to the full hot sun so that the light and heat can reach to the ground and cook the weed seeds which remained hidden inside the soil.
 

Why do I need soil Solarization?

Most people are unaware of this method and normally prefer other techniques in weed controlling. But there are some definite benefits which you get once you have decided to go for solarization.

There are so many weed seeds that are beneath the soil surface and are very hard to find. Though people put a thick layer of mulch to kill them, if the weed seeds are very vigorous, they can come on top of the mulch back to the light. Some time landscape fabrics are spread over the garden and then in some places holes are punched to plant new plants. This process in not full proof and can be infected by weeds. Though there is little bit hard work involved, it is by far the best way to kill the entire weeds in a given area. And once completed, your garden will be the best place for your new plants to live.

This method is entirely organic. There is no herbicide or other pesticides involved. You are using nature’s energy to a better use.

Although it is primarily meant to kill weeds, it will also reduce the nematodes, soil insects and many other soil borne diseases.

How to do Solarization:

The best time for practicing this is when the sun is at its full power i.e. in the summers. First choose the area which you want to solarize. Try to choose the area where there is very little shade available, the main purpose of the solarization will be hampered if the sun is blocked. Now once the area is fixed remove the existing weeds by tilling the land with a tiller. Till up to 6 inches depth. Please remove any sharp object which can poke holes in the polythene from this tilled area.

Next thing you need to do is to put some water in that area and make the soil moist. Don’t add too much water so that the soil becomes waterlogged. Water is a very important element in this process. It helps in heat conduction. Avoiding water in solarization, may not give you your desired result.

Cover the area with a clear polythene sheet. Don’t use any colored sheet as it will stop the sunlight to reach the soil. Stretch the polythene tightly and seal it completely. Sealing will help the heat to remain within the desired area and cook the weed seeds, insects, nematodes that can harm your plants. Keep the land in this way for at least 2 months.

After that, remove the polythene. Now the area has been solarized and the weeds, pests, nematodes all have been killed. This will remain weed free for 3 to 4 months. You can plant your desired plant now and enjoy it weed free. Don’t plant before removing the entire polythene because the heat can kill the plant.




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Gardening in Shade: Some useful information

Gardening does not always means that you need to grow plants in full sun. Shade in the garden is like a nightmare for many gardeners. Though most of the vegetables like Tomatoes, or cucumbers require full sun for their development, many plants can grow wonderfully well in shade. Here in this article we will try to give you some idea on how you can do gardening in shady condition.

When people talk about shade they can mean a variety of condition. So at times it can be confusing to what actually a shade gardening refers to. First of all let us make a distinction between different types of shades.

Gardening in partial shade

1.    Partial shade: This kind of shading refers to a condition where the place receives direct sunlight for less than 4 hours.
2.    Full shade: This is a condition where there is no direct sunlight through out the whole year. There are some plants (like Euphorbia) which can grow well in areas like this.
3.    Dry shade: If you are planting under some big tree the chances are that apart from being shaded, the place will be very dry. As the water content of the soil is mostly sucked in by the big trees. There are few plants which can survive in these conditions also.
4.    Moist shade: In case the planting is near any big water source such as ponds or rivers the soil remains very wet through the season. In this condition plants are never short of water.

It is the partial shade that we will discuss in this article. As we have already discussed in out earlier article Sun or no Sun, if you want to grow fully grown fruits in a plant, you need to provide them more than 6 hours of sunlight. Having said that, crops such as Spinach and other leafy vegetables, Peas, Cauliflower can grow pretty on partial shade.

Some tips on growing vegetables in shade:
Most of the plants which grow in the shade generally have larger leaves to absorb more light. Do not crowd shade tolerant plants. It will help to absorb most of the light available. Less crowding will also increase the air flow through the plant and will reduce many diseases.
Paint the walls of your buildings surrounding the shady area with lighter paint. It will increase the light reflection and provide light support to the dark shady areas. You can also use mirror tiles or metallic surfaces for this purpose.

Benefits of Shade gardening:
There are some benefits also if you are doing gardening in shade. If you remember, while discussing growing tips about Cauliflower and several others we have informed you about the effect of heat on bolting. In case your gardening is in the shade the impact of bolting can be reduced. The leafy vegetables such as Spinach lettuce grown in partial shade will look much fresher and you can enjoy them for a longer period of time. This is due to the fact that the more they are in the sun the larger will be the amount of water loss.

Talking about water, you also need to water the plants less regularly than when in the direct sun. By knowing ideal plants for shade, you can very easily optimize your total garden space. Plant the plants which prefer the direct sunlight in the sunny place whereas as in rest of the partial shaded spaces you can easily cultivated rest of the plants. It will help you to double your total vegetable output.

You can get some vivid idea about sun and its impact on vegetables growing in this article.



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