See a large image of this tree
Since my demonstration was based on creating a clump style mame (super miniature bonsai less than 6²) indoor bonsai, it was suggested that I first present a short discussion on growing indoor bonsai.
INDOOR BONSAI:
I previously wrote an article for TBS on keeping indoor bonsai, which was published in the January 2003 issue. In this article I mentioned ³Bonsai for Indoors², a handbook that is readily available and lists 100 tropical plants suitable for indoor bonsai. The TBS issue of May 2000 also has an excellent article on indoor bonsai. The TBS recently published a care sheet on Eugenia, a plant that is suitable for indoors.
The TBS December 2000 issue includes an article on providing humidity for indoor bonsai, and in that same issue Grace Wicht talks about maintaining her Ficus Benjamina.
One of the best articles written on indoor bonsai appeared in the 2000/No.4 issue of International Bonsai. Also, the October 2003 TBA Journal featured an excellent article.
You can successfully keep your indoor bonsai in a south or west window during the winter months, as Grace Wicht does. However, I have 15+ indoor trees which necessitates my keeping them under fluorescent lights. A word of caution here: Do not use the cheap 34-watt fluorescent bulbs as (a) they do not give sufficient light output, and (b) they have the wrong colour rendition. Do however, use the 40-watt bulbs with at least a warm white or deluxe warm white designation.
I usually move my plants outside in mid-May and bring them indoors in mid-September.
CLUMP STYLE IVY BONSAI DEMONSTRATION:
The clump/broom style I originally created was from small leaf English Ivy The Latin name is Hedera Helix.
There is an article which I wrote and appeared in the TBS Journal of October 1999 which describes in pretty good detail how I constructed this mame broom style bonsai.
What I will cover now are the important points:
1. To create a fat trunk you will require 8 or 9 plants. If you cannot afford to purchase that many, or if you are unable to locate that many, then buy two or three plants and cut the trunks into the required number of pieces. Plant them in any kind of growing medium and in 6 months or so you will have rooted cuttings.
2. Make sure you have a pot prepared ahead, complete with wire to secure the plant.
3. Have soil prepared.
4. Have a mister to spray the roots periodically.
5. Remove plants from pots and check rootage, as roots should grow away from the plant.
6. If any of the trunks are larger than others, use them in the centre of the clump.
7. Start grouping the plants in a clump, and don¹t worry about where your back and front will be at this time. Just make sure the roots radiate away from the plant and the main stalks are not intertwined with others.
8. Once you have grouped the clump to your satisfaction, then take some ³twiggy ties² (say about 10²) and wrap around bottom of clump just above the soil line, and secure.
9. Take another piece of ³twiggy tie² and secure 1² above the first.
10. Now insert a Marrette electrical connector, or something similar, from under the roots and up into the centre of the clump of plants. Do this to splay out the roots and create taper further up the trunk.
11. Keep spraying the roots so they do not dry out.
12. Now, establish some idea of front and back by twigging back your roots to get them flowing outwards and to the sides.
13. Do a preliminary clipping of all the branches, and separate the branches as much as possible.
14. Take a look at a clump style or broom style picture in one of your bonsai books so you have a general idea of the shape.
15. Now, plant the tree in your prepared pot, add soil, secure with wire and top up with more soil.
16. Do a final review to be sure of your front, and then do a final clipping of branches.
POST DEVELOPMENT OF CLUMP:
1. Let the clump rest for 2 or 3 weeks to allow it to get over the initial shock.
2. Then, start training the branches using fine wire as I showed in the demo.
3. In a year or so, once the roots are firmly established, you can also use a plastic netting bag from cheese or onions to maintain the compact clump style.
Good luck, and have fun!
