"Cultivating" bonsai, nurturing the soul.

Having been in the business of selling handmade ornamental pots for decades, Mr. Nguyen Minh Tien, residing in Group 17, Pom Han Ward ( Lao Cai City), has added bonsai cultivation to his family's potted plant business. Mr. Tien explained: "I buy small ornamental plants or those already shaped into bonsai, then care for them and shape them. Depending on the plant's form, I plant them in suitable pots, using them as samples for customers to easily choose from. I like flowering bonsai, so I choose frangipani trees because they are easy to grow and care for. Frangipani trees are very prolific in flowering, come in many colors, and rarely lose their shape."

Although the number of plants isn't large, Mr. Tien's garden of ornamental plants, with about a dozen small bonsai trees displayed right by the roadside, attracts the attention of many passersby. According to Mr. Tien, although growing ornamental plants, especially bonsai, is mainly to support his family's potted plant business, every day, admiring the bonsai trees he has cared for and nurtured, showcasing their shapes and blooming brightly, makes his life more interesting and beautiful.

Plant enthusiasts will explore, research, and understand the living characteristics of plants on their own. For example, the frangipani bonsai tree I've been "nurturing" for many years is very easy to care for. It doesn't need excessive watering but requires plenty of sunlight and regular fertilization before each flowering period. Frangipani flowers bloom from January to July each year, so those who cultivate this type of tree can enjoy continuous blooms, one after another.

Mr. Tien added

In the professional bonsai community in Lao Cai, few are unfamiliar with Mr. Tran Van Kiem, Chairman of the Lao Cai City Ornamental Plants Association. With nearly 15 years of experience specializing in growing and caring for bonsai, Mr. Kiem owns a valuable rooftop garden with more than 10 species and nearly 100 trees.

Although he was originally a construction engineer, Kiem was born in Nam Dinh , a region with a long tradition of ornamental plant cultivation. Therefore, he developed a passion for bonsai from a young age. Initially, his hobby was simply admiring, pruning, and shaping his plants after a stressful and tiring day at work. However, his passion grew, and he dedicated more time to researching and learning how to better care for his garden.

At first, I only grew a few potted plants to admire in my free time, but later I became so passionate that whenever I heard about a rare, beautiful plant or happened to see one, I would try to buy it. Gradually, I quit my construction job and switched entirely to professional bonsai cultivation. Caring for bonsai isn't actually too difficult, but it requires meticulous observation and appropriate adjustments to ensure the plant receives just the right amount of light, water, and nutrients.

Mr. Tran Van Kiem shared:

Kiem's ​​bonsai garden has trees that are nearly a hundred years old, some that have been with him for over a decade, some that were already beautifully shaped when he bought them, but others that arrived at his home were still just the core. He had to dedicate time and effort to shaping them: stimulating new shoots and branches, pruning, trimming, bending... for many years before they were perfected.

According to Kiem's ​​experience in growing bonsai, once a tree has taken shape and is stable in its pot, it doesn't need to be repotted. Instead, regular care, pest and disease control, and especially protection against sunburn are essential. Bonsai trees are all old and have a lower tolerance for harsh weather than ordinary trees, so prolonged exposure to intense sunlight can easily cause sunburn. Once sunburned, a tree needs a long time to recover, possibly 2-3 years, or even 5-7 years, so bonsai enthusiasts need to pay special attention.

"My bonsai garden always has a black shade net on hand when needed. This profession can't be rushed or shortcuts taken; it requires patience, carefulness, meticulousness, and creativity," Kiem further shared.

To create a desired tree shape, you need to wait for each small branch to grow until it's suitable for the desired form. It's not possible to shape the tree at just any time of year or day; typically, shaping is only done twice a year, around April-May and July-September. Shaping should be done in sunny, dry weather, usually at midday, so the branches have plenty of sap, making them soft, pliable, and easy to bend.

Bonsai trees come in many styles: upright, slanted, cascading, hanging, and drooping… each style possesses its own unique beauty, depending on the perception and eye of each individual, and also reflecting the personality of the grower. Loving and dedicating much effort to his trees, it seems the trees also reciprocate. In Mr. Kiem's ​​bonsai garden, some trees, when first purchased, were worth only a few million to a few tens of millions of dong, but after a few years, their value has increased 5-7 times. Therefore, now, his garden is not only his "spiritual children" that help him relieve the fatigue and worries of life, but also a precious asset that he cherishes and preserves every day.

The Lao Cai City Ornamental Plants Association has over 80 members, including more than a dozen who are passionate about professional bonsai cultivation. Nothing is more wonderful than having a passion that both nourishes the soul and contributes to a stable life.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/nuoi-bonsai-duong-tam-hon-post384830.html