My bonsai pine

I'm pretty much a fan of anything that comes from Japan, including bonsai, althought according to what I've read bonsai probably originates from China.

I think my love for Japan has started from a movie called Spirited Away, wonderful anime film, you should really watch it if you haven't seen it yet. Ever since I saw that movie many years ago I've been wanting to know more about the Japanise culture and the way they live and the stuff they live with. I've searched inspiration from Japanise gardens and interior design.

Last summer I was in a friend's summer cabin, I had been talking about how fun it would be to have a bonsai tree, like a pine or something. My friend took my idea very seriously and suddenly just pulled a pine out from the ground and gave it to me. I was so supprised by me suddenly having a pine that I did not know what I should do with it. I read a bonsai discussion group from the internet and was very discouraged. The people in the discussion group had written that pine is a very difficult plant to raise as a bonsai and it will die in any minute. I had no idea what I should do so I just stuck it in a plastic pot and waited. The pine seemed to be ok, and then winter came and I put the plastic pot to the ground so the roots wouldn't freeze. On spring I dug it up again.

Few weeks back in the local library I bumbed into a book 'The complete book of bonsai' by Harry Tomlinson. I loaned it and found it to be very good and practical. It encourages people to grow bonsai, it does not warn you about anything it just gives tips and inspiration. After I read the book I knew I could try raising the pine as bonsai.

With the book as a reference I bought wire to form the tree and then replanted the tree. I had bought a bonsai pot from a drift store a long time ago. I did all the steps according to the book. Firts I prepared the pot. I removed the pine from the plastic pot and removed a lot of the soil.

I cut off long roots and placed it in the new pot. Then I added soil and made sure the tree was sitting firmly in the pot.

I wired the tree. It seemed suprisingly easy.

Once I was happy with the form I added some moss to the surface of the soil. I had some moss growing in the herb bed and was able to remove it from there.

I'm very satisfied with my little bonsai. I hope it stays alive and well, if not I have to get another tree to practice with.

I also bought a special watering can for the bonsai. Isn't it cute?