Bonsai Love

Out of the innumerable things that we kill, slaughter, pluck and decorate, it is obvious that nature still continues to provide us with bountiful of love! Flowers of all kinds and colours continue to bloom in the sun and the rain, while the blanket of the lush green trees get us just more than oxygen! Plucking flowers and burying them in plastic sheets (we call bouquet) or using them as offering never made sense to me. Flowers look their best where they belong.  

House gardens are a big yayyyie and tending to them is a totally gratifying experience. On one such lengthy, deep conversation with my mil (very unlike a monster-in-law), I learnt of tiny plants called the bonsai!

“Of course” I said, “I know… they are tiny and belong to Japanese culture and require high maintenance.”

“They are these stunted little plants, dwarfs of the original ones and patience testing quiet vegetation,” I blabbered like the most ignorant over-excited little girl on the planet.

Doubtful of her son’s love for this crazy wife, my mil took a deep breath and asked me to quickly fetch a paper and a pen and what she said further were some stunning realities of these pretty little plants called the bonsai.

So, Bonsai although are believed to be from Japan, were originally grown by the Chinese almost 1000 years ago, then known as Punsai. The idea was adopted by the Japanese in 1195 when someone noticed these unique plants in an exhibition held at Paris in 1900s and said, "Hey! Aren't those pretty?" The word Bonsai literally means ‘plants in shallow containers’, which tells us about the globally accepted name. In fact, it is even believed that ancient Indians in the Vedic times too grew Bonsai and utilised them to make ayurvedic medicines.

If anyone tells you that, the plant is a dwarf, know that, it isn’t. Also, planting bonsai in small pots, does not restrict growth at all and neither do bonsai plants bring bad luck as is widely misunderstood.

If you are considering growing a bonsai, here are some tips and tricks from my mother-in-law’s journal:

(1)  Roots have to be spread wide in a pot when planting at home.

(2) Keep the plant in water after cutting the roots to fit in the pot.

(3) It is recommended to use a plastic net for potting the plant since it does not rust.

(4)  Use a foot long wire to tie the small plant.

(5) Always always plant not in the centre, but at any side of the pot.

(6)Use a copper wire to tie the plant from both ends. It prevents the plant or soil from falling.

(7) Initially use pieces of bricks as the first layer in the pot.

(8)  Get thick soil from a plant nursery, carefully sieve out the soil and then sprinkle it to make the upper layer look even.

A jade plant would be the best choice if you are a total beginner like me. It’s low maintenance and attractive enough for the guests to take notice!

Also, the best time to water these plants is between 6.30 to 7.00 am or the same time in the evening.

I got my first bonsai immediately after these guidelines which is happily growing every day. Hope to see it bloom into a magnificent miniature self!

Meanwhile, happy that someone’s tinier than I am!