Lately I have had
a lot of interest in bonsai from people who are new to the art. Often times
they visit websites or nurseries and are overwhelmed by the prices of some of
the materials, tools and accessories and are often times turned off by this. In
part it is often due to the push that all of this is necessary to get into the
art. Truth be told, they help, but it’s best to start with the basics.
Yes, bonsai can be expensive if you allow it
to become that, otherwise the cost can be managed that makes it very affordable
if you take the time to find the right plants, the tools that could be
considered necessity, combined with
imagination and creativity the possibilities can be endless.
For the novice
there are a few tools I recommend. First is a set of 7-8” concave cutters.
These allow the material being removed to be flush to the branch or trunk with
very minimal scaring. A dab of cut paste to aid in healing and soon the natural
bark will grow over while the paste aids in healing and masks the cut as well
as protecting against insects and fungus.
The second tool would be a knob cutter. This is a dual
purpose tool for me. It allows stumped branch knobs to be cut back into the
trunk which heal over and often times keep unwanted re growth in the area. Like
the above a little cut paste the wound may soon vanish. This tool is also very
useful for cutting roots while pruning for repotting. Yes, there is a root
pruning tool but in 20+ years I have never owned one. An 11” large knob cutter
has been all I need alongside a 8” pair I have.
Shears in either
short or long neck round out the pruning tools I keep on hand. Both styles have
allowed me to nip buds or unwanted side chutes that are undesirable. When you
get a new flush of spring growth it allows for a “Hair cut” as well as some new
growth when being root trimmed and repotted.
As for a root
take/root pick I use a rather long, dual prong rake with a flat spade on the
opposite end. It had a round handle with a wrapped checkered grip for ease of
use in almost all situations. It is sturdy enough for working with mature roots
and compacted soils to a bit more delicate material and looser soils. A large
tool but simple, rugged, versatile and very cost friendly.
To close this
post I suggest the minimalist approach. There is no substitute for the need of
some of the tools, however, if a simple set of garden shears will do vs. a high
grade set of bonsai shears you maybe told are “necessary” to work bonsai, I am
pretty sure the answer is clear. Until next time, enjoy the art!
No comments:
Post a Comment