Page 56 - Demo

A Brief Introduction to The Nantou Bamboo & Stone Association
The Nantou County Bamboo & Stone Asso- ciation was founded in February 2011, just over three years ago. It is the first organization to be associ- ated with bamboo bonsai in Taiwan. In the beginning, the association was derived of a group of people who were enthusiastic about bamboo bonsai, plant bon- sai and ornamental stones. Currently, the number of members has increased from the initial 30 people
to more than 60 active affiliates. The members are from all different profes- sions and fields of work, however, most members are residents of Zhushan in Nantou County. Zhushan, literally translated to “bam- boo mountain” in Chinese, uses 80% of their land to grow bamboo. QingSan Bamboo Cultural Park in Zhushan, boasts more than 120 bamboo species, and provides local resident members an excellent environment for creating bamboo bonsai. About one third of our members have devoted themselves to bamboo bonsai creations. Every year, we hold an ex- hibition of bamboo bonsai works that our members have made throughout the entire year. The purpose
of this annual event is for our members to discover and recognize each other’s works, and to promote the culture of bamboo bonsai to the public. We hope that through the high-quality and high-level bamboo bonsai creations, we can enhance society’s living standards, thereby promot- ing social harmony.
Pots and Moss:
When choosing a pot for bamboo, long (about 20 to 30 cm in length) and deep pots are recom- mended for beginning cultivation of the plant. You might consider oval and shallow pots when repotting to display the bamboo. The presenta- tion pot size is usually 30 to 45 cm, plain in color and simple in design. For an indoor display, use shallow pots without drainage holes, that is covered with moss atop the soil for a neat presen- tation of the bamboo bonsai. When we water the plant, we not only keep the moss green, but we also add moisture and nutrients to the soil. The moss spores will germinate and grow again, if we nurse it well.
Presentation and Pruning:
In order to increase the overall aesthetic of the bamboo bonsai and to enhance the artistic goals, we may decorate the pot with some natural stones, small accessories and cover the soil later with moss. However, it is important to keep the entire arrangement simple and elegant, avoid over-decorating.
Bamboo plants are not originally produced as small plants. It takes a reasonable amount of time and technique to grow them into the size we want for bamboo bonsai. Also, pruning is necessary to maintain miniaturization, in order to keep the bamboo shoots from growing in different direc- tions or sizes during shooting season in long term cultivation. These shaping techniques are very important in the bonsai cultivation for an overall natural and elegant appearance.
Pests and Diseases:
Bamboo is often infected by pests and diseases. The most common pests are most likely biological and come in the form of insects such as scales, mites, aphids, etc. Once the pests are found, they need to be quickly controlled. We strongly suggest regularly monitoring the bamboos with vigilance for any pests, and spraying non-chemical treat- ments commonly used in horticulture.
54 | BCI | October/November/December 2014