We cannot use every kind of tree as bonsai. Normally use dicot trees with hard xylem. When selecting a plant, stem should be at least 1cm in diameter. The selected plant can be trained to the style of bonsai. Monocot plants are not used in bonsai. Plants grown on stones, buildings, naturally dwarfed plants are very easier to use in bonsai art. When using plants which propagated from stems or seeds has high value in bonsai art, because the age is exactly known. Following types of plants are suitable for bonsai.
Plants with value of wood : Teak, Ebony, Satin wood, Tamarind
Plants used for medicine : margosa, beli fruit, Indian gooseberry
Fruit plants : mango, guava, orange, wood apple
Preparing of the selected plant for bonsai
We have to prepare a good, well established, well spread root system of the planted tree for bonsai in a tray. This is some time consuming job. And this is special need because it plants in a flat tray. A plant is absorbing nutritional compounds and water by it's root system. If the plant is on the ground, first dress the plant to suit for the bonsai and move the plant to the tray pot using rat ball system. A plant in a pot also can be dressed for bonsai and then trim the root system. Dressing before arrange on bonsai pot is more suitable. Cutting tap room for 1.5 - 2 inches of a 1 inch diameter stem can create a good distributed root system. If you have good knowledge about, you can also get a good spread root system by bending the tap root. However root system has to trim some amount. Except 5 inches diameter stems, others have to trim to about 2 inches in vertical. Horizontal length of root system has to trip just below the radius of planted pot. This length can be vary according to the size of the stem. Maximum size is 5 inches (for arts with height about 1m). Some present artists totally remove the tap root, but if just a simple mistake occurred tree can be damaged permanently. After trimming roots plant must be replanted at a suitable soil till the root system becomes more stable.
Preparing a pot for bonsai
Bonsai does not plant in ordinary pots. You have to choose a flat pot. You can use cement, clay, porcelain or stone pot. Selecting of pot depend on the type of the plant. Pot should help to emphasize the outlook of the plant. Select a simple pot. For cascade style bonsai, we use 1 feet height pot but for all of others we only use 1, 2, 3, ... 5, 6 inches depend on the size of the art. Width of the pot should limited to 2/3 of the height of the plant. Pots should be square, rectangular, round, oval or hexagonal in shape. Do not use various types.
Maintaining pot after planted
Clean outside of the pot well. If any moss formation, remove the pot and change plant to a new pot. Concern well if the pot has got wet, otherwise fungi invasion can occur.
Bonsai soil media
Soil media is very important. Growing and maturity is depend on the soil. There's no special soil and we have to create the bonsai soil. Soil should be with good water drain and able to keep wetness between two adjacent water supplies. In the first stages mix 1 sand, 1 soil and 1 compost as per the requirement of the plant. When potting as bonsai you have to make a special build-up soil. All could not find the materials in the order of Japanese technology. Therefore you can use brick pieces (absorb water but not dissolve), sand (river), red soil, charcoal, compost.
Standard method of making the soil
To do this you need sieves of 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32 wire nets. Except soil and sand, crush other to small pieces. Sift one by one with 1/2 net sieve and crush the remain and re-sift. Remove stone pieces. Sift the rest using 1/4 net. This is the first group and keep it separate. Sift previously sifted with 1/8, 1/16, 1/32 and keep the remains. Finally sift with 1/32 and abandon the sifted. (this fine soil is suitable for planting ferns)
... to be continued.