Five tips for taking good care of your bonsai

Illustration of a bonsai -

• The art of bonsai is to grow a tree in a pot and give it an aesthetic shape.

• Several tips should be remembered before embarking on this activity which requires observation and patience.

While confinement has heightened the envy of nature for some, why not fall for a bonsai?

This weekend, at the oriental park of Maulévrier (Maine-et-Loire), several hundred amateurs are expected at the national bonsai fair, one of the biggest exhibitions in the field, with Olivier Barreau as guest of honor .

This 40-year-old enthusiast, who created Artisan Bonsai near Toulouse and owns more than 200 trees, gave his advice to

.

“You don't put it on a piece of furniture and you forget it.

It's like a kind of pet!

», He assures.

Know its history ...

"The word bonsai means" tree in a pot ", that's the translation!

Initially, it is an art that comes from China: the objective was to recreate a whole landscape to contemplate from home.

The Japanese then changed the practice as we know it today.

"

Often overlooked, bonsai is therefore not an essence but a way of cultivating the tree, by giving it an aesthetic form thanks to meticulous maintenance, in particular the size of its foliage.

"We are looking for an image of old age, of lived experience, in particular by lowering the branches or thanks to a rounded crown," explains Olivier Barreau.

This is what will create this special emotion.

"

Olivier Barreau is an expert in the art of bonsai - O. Barreau / Bonsai craftsman

... and how it works

At first glance, a tree is not really made to stay in a pot.

How does he survive?

“Thanks to its ability to adapt to its environment, answers Olivier Barreau.

Little by little, it will emit a quantity of smaller and more numerous shoots.

For the roots, it's the same: the soil is a little more compact, the roots colonize the whole pot, and will divide instead of growing strongly.

The tree somehow settles down.

He is able to live like this for a very long time, perhaps longer than in nature.

In Japan, they are passed down from generation to generation.

Some have reached several hundred years.

"

Take his time

Now that you've got acquainted, the key is to take your time.

You do not immediately take out your little scissors to make a square cut.

“First, we repot it with draining soil.

We water it regularly and let it acclimatize for a few months.

When it has grown well, is green and strong, it is because it is ready.

Between two sizes, you must be careful to wait for it to regain vigor!

Maintaining a dwarf tree therefore requires patience.

“It allows you to disconnect from current life, where everything must be finished before it has even started.

That's what I like about trees, they make us slow down a bit and take our time.

"

A bonsai from Olivier Barreau - O. Barreau / Bonsai craftsman

Don't leave him in his corner

The risk, by dint of waiting, is to forget it.

A bad idea for Olivier Barreau who also recommends placing the bonsai outdoors as soon as the weather permits.

Because we must not forget that the bonsai is a living being, and not a decorative object.

A phrase to remember when going to pruning (or tying branches for the more adventurous) “To prune, you have to watch the movement of the tree.

We can balance or on the contrary unbalance but the main thing is to respect the initial structure.

The trees should guide you.

But it is also advisable not to be alone if you do not know how to go about it.

There are clubs that allow you to progress.

"

Go there at heart

For those who would like to get started, are there any tips for choosing the right tree?

“First and foremost, a crush, because a tree you like will make you want to take care of it”.

However, two species are appropriate for novices, believes Olivier Barreau: ficus and Chinese elm.

“They are strong, vigorous and resist the mistakes you make when you are a beginner.

I don't recommend evergreens because when they show a sign it means it's been at least six months since bad.

These are trees that are more difficult to understand ”.

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