| What plants, other than ferns and cut-leaf maples, | | | | different sizes and shape and with varied soil |
| would you recommend to be included in a japanese | | | | compositions. |
| garden? There is a great variety of plants that could | | | | But not all jade bonsai are the same. Having good |
| be used in a japanese garden. It depends on what | | | | inforamtion on the type of bonsai and what is need |
| type of garden you have in mind. Japanese gardens | | | | for it is something you can ask where you go and |
| have evolved from primitive "Tei" gardens, to | | | | get your plants from, take inforamtion off the |
| gardens that were influenced by the Sung and Tang | | | | internet, look at books on bonsais, or you can talk to |
| Dinasties. | | | | another gardener about it. |
| These gardens were very sumptuous and depicted | | | | Azaleas Bonsai are tough to keep because Azaleas |
| dramatic landscape features. There were also | | | | do not tolerate dryness and Bonsais have little soil |
| Buddhist gardens that depicted paradise on earth. | | | | and small pots so they dry out quickly. That means |
| Influenced by the tea cerimony and its aesthetics, | | | | you may have to water your Azalea every day or |
| the military lords of feudal Japan, comissioned some | | | | two, although I cannot be sure of that without |
| very interesting gardens that still exist. My favorites | | | | knowing the size and other factors. The withering |
| are the Zen gardens and their simplicity. As you can | | | | that you mentioned is probably due to excessive soil |
| see, there are many different types of japanese | | | | dryness. |
| gardens, and they could use many different types of | | | | In addition, your Azalea needs at least a few hours |
| plants and materials. | | | | of direct sun every day and it prefers cool |
| Most all japanese gardens are use as a place of | | | | temperatures. It may do better outside in a cool |
| peace and quite. A way for the gardener to get out | | | | semi-shaded area during the warmer months. In any |
| of the world and just enjoy sometime to themselves | | | | case, this is not an easy plant as it is very unforgiving |
| and there family. A lot of gardeners take a lot of | | | | of any lapses in watering, light or temperature. |
| pride in there garden. There garden reflects the way | | | | The presence of fungus gnats is a good indication |
| the gardener sees or feels like when they go out | | | | that the soil is staying too moist and the roots are |
| into there garden. A lot of monks and buddhist spend | | | | rotting. The fungus gnat larvae feed on the decaying |
| a lot of time in there gardens cleaning and just | | | | roots. I cannot say just how often your Bonsai |
| enjoying the great gifts that they were given. They | | | | should be watered, but is is apparent that you are |
| even belive that if you listen hard enough you can | | | | watering too frequently. I suggest watering no more |
| hear the plants talking to you. | | | | than twice per week as long as there is no evidence |
| Bonsai refers to the miniaturizing of a plant, but it | | | | that the plant is wilting. This will help curb the root rot |
| does not identify the type of plant that it is. There | | | | which, unlike the gnats, will kill the plant. |
| are hundreds of different types of bonsai plants. All | | | | Adult fungus gnats fly around and are an annoyance, |
| of the bonsai plants out there never have the same | | | | but they are not harmful to people. Each gnat lives |
| name, but the only thing that they do have in | | | | for about 5 days. The trick is to get rid of the next |
| common is that they are from the bonsai family. A | | | | generation - the gnat larvae that live in the top layer |
| complete description of the plant - leaf dimensions, | | | | of the soil. Try to keep the soil as dry as possible. |
| leaf color, number of stems growing from the soil, | | | | Remove all loose soil and rocks from the surface and |
| does the stem branch or grow straight, does it have | | | | place 1/2 inch slices of raw potato on the surface of |
| bark, and any other distinguishing characteristics that | | | | the soil. These potato slices will attract the gnat |
| would ID your plant. | | | | larvae. |
| There are many types of bonsai trees out there for | | | | After a day or so, discard the slices along with the |
| example: Madagascar palm bonsai tree, jade bonsai, | | | | larvae inside. Repeat this until there are no more |
| and azalea bonsai. Bonsais are rarely easy and nearly | | | | larvae in the potato. You just need to be a little |
| always very expensive - and profitable! Unlike many | | | | more careful about how much water you give your |
| bonsais, a Jade can survive as a houseplant. Bonsais | | | | bonsai after all the larvae are gone. Make sure that |
| are potted in a variety of different containers of | | | | you do keep you bonsai tree in the sun. |