- ELEMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL
- BONSAI TRAINING!
Success in training is in direct proportion to your ability to create optimum grown. It's easiest if you select common, proven, adaptable, durable plants and create optimum growth by proving care within the wide range of the needs of those plants! Some people want to be the only one growing a specific plant so they can brag that it's rare. But rare plants are rare because they require very specific conditions and most people can't keep them alive.
Tropical zoos don't try to exhibit polar bears unless they have the highest expertise, unlimited funds, lack common sense, and proudly enjoy flaunting their expertise while explaining why their polar bears died. For these same reasons, we recommend against expecting that through some miracle that you will be successful in growing outdoor temperate climate plants indoors. Outdoor trees don't magically become houseplants because they are bonsai.
There are many kinds of plants trained as bonsai and it's really not possible to honestly recommend one specific environment or care that will be successful. Each plant requires a different specific environment and care. Much has been written about bonsai and often the sheer preponderance of information creates confusion. But if you know where a plant originated or was grown, you'll have a general idea of the type of care required.
The eastern part of the Big Island of Hawaii features the city of Hilo and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park which is 30 miles apart and connected by Volcano Highway 11. The general rule of thumb is that it's 7°F cooler for every additional 1,000' of elevation. So there's about a 20°F temperature range in that short distance. The trees are different.
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We can enjoy this scene for only for a few days each year and if you skied in the fresh
powder snow, you could be snorkeling and enjoying colorful tropical fish or sunbathing on
warm white sand beaches two hours later. The Big Island of Hawaii has a huge number and
range of micro-environments with the city of Hilo at sea level to the 13,500'
elevation of sometimes snow-capped Mauna Kea. Different plants grow in different
micro-environments.
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Hilo, at sea-level gets over 100" of rain and you'll see lush tropical trees including rainforest banyans with well developed aerial roots. Go to Hilo, the beautiful Hawaiian city by the bay, and Rainforest Banyans.
In contrast Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Volcano Village is cooler and homes have fireplaces. Straight formal Japanese Sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) trees are famous and grow beautifully in Nikko in northern Japan. Yet they and other temperate climate trees thrive in the Volcano area and it's much too cold for Ficus! Go to Volcano, land of fire and the home of Pele, HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK WEBSITE, and KILAUEA UPDATE - HAWAII VOLCANO OBSERVATORY.
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Fuku-Bonsai's True Indoor Bonsai are the most successful gift bonsai for anyone who can grow houseplants. Here's why.
Fuku-Bonsai is located in Kurtistown, 10 miles above the city of Hilo. We're off Volcano Highway 11 and 20 miles below Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We're at the 600' elevation with a 72°F mean soil temperature. This is a common temperature setting for air-conditioning and heating. Our location was selected for this optimum 65°F to 85°F temperature range that is ideal for both people and houseplants.
Besides the long "crop-life" and the large amount of labor needed to produce bonsai, temperature and rainfall are major factors. Our temperature range allows us to grow the ideal houseplants for True Indoor Bonsai. These stay on benches year around without the need for any winter or summer protection or heating or cooling costs.
Skies may be completely overcast for weeks. It can also be sunny with not a single cloud for weeks. We get 175" of rain per year and known to get 30" in a single day or rain day and night for weeks. We have drought periods where we don't have any rain for months and it's usually only in these periods that we water the plants. Because of this, our plants develop with a range of adaptability and our growing costs are low. We use low-labor, long-crop training strategies that produce the highest quality at lowest costs. We can obtain optimum growth with our ideal environment and expertise.
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"NATURAL" & "EXOTIC" BONSAI
"NATURAL BONSAI" grow within a climatic area or have adaptability qualities and no special seasonal care is required. The bonsai may stay outdoors throughout the year and they survive as long as the temperature, light, and moisture needs are met. Because they are bonsai and not growing in the ground, they grow better when fertilized and repotted as necessary. THERE ARE VERY FEW "NATURAL BONSAI!
The largest group of natural bonsai are tropical plants that grow in the tropics. But as shown above, there are climatic zones in the tropics just as in the temperate zones. Even if a specific tree can withstand the weather year around, that same tree in a pot may need special care.
Most bonsai are "EXOTIC BONSAI" that must be given varying levels of care. Some plants are harder to grow than others. Some simply will not adapt to life in a container. Others need winter protection. Bonsai available from commercial sources are almost never grown in the area where the purchaser will grow it. Each "exotic bonsai" should have minimum specific care information as to temperature range, light and moisture requirements. Very few do.
It should be obvious that care requirements may be different for the same plant depending upon where it's grown. An azalea bonsai will require very different care in the hot dry Nevada compared to cooler more humid Washington state. Apples or White Pines won't grow in Hawaii.
ALTHOUGH FUKU-BONSAI'S TRUE INDOOR BONSAI ARE ALSO "EXOTIC BONSAI," THEY ARE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL GIFT BONSAI FOR ANYONE WHO CAN GROW HOUSEPLANTS!
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This series of articles will attempt to explain the various factors affecting plants. This will continually be amended to include recommendations or suggestions of how to improve your environment to get the best possible growth.
- * Temperature
- * Light
- * Water, Humidity & Moisture
- * Fertilizing
- * Problems, symptoms, & first aid
- * Bugs, Insects, & Other Critters
- *** Return to Fuku-Bonsai home page
- *** Go to Mail-order introduction *** Go to Gift List & Prices April 2002
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- URL: www.fukubonsai.com Email: sales@fukubonsai.com