Plants and Flowers

The two main styles of Bonsai are the classic (which is also known as “kotenâ€?) and the informal or ‘comic’ (called “bunjinâ€?). In first one the trunk of the dwarf tree is wider at the base and converges towards the top; it is just the opposite of the ‘bunjin’, which is more difficult to master.
Over the years, Bonsai growers have often tried to change the classification of the styles, and their many sub-divisions. But once you understand the principles of division into these styles, you will have a benchmark to compare potential for Bonsai and to decide what style suits it.
If you study very attentively the way trees grow in nature, you may design a realistic Bonsai without knowing the names of these various styles.
When you start growing Bonsai, do not forget that you are working with a living tree and look carefully at its natural characteristics and requirements. All coniferous trees are unsuitable to the ‘broom’ style, for example, but are very suitable for all other styles, in particular to formal and informal upright. Often you can grow a plant into several styles, and even if one style only really suits a particular plant, you all the same can interpret this in many different ways.
Azaleas, which are shrubs and do not grow like trees in nature have fewer restrictions in the style, but as a rule, it would be better to choose any design on the way the plant grows in nature.

The five basic Bonsai styles are formal upright, informal upright, slanting, semi-cascade and cascade, though there are many other styles. All of them have their own individual beauty.

Formal Upright
The formal upright style is a very common form of Bonsai. This style very often can be met in nature, especially when the tree has lots of light and doesn’t have problems from competing trees. The trunk must be thicker at the bottom and must grow thinner with the height. The top of the tree should be formed by a single branch.
Informal Upright
This style is common as in nature, so in the art of Bonsai. The trunk grows upright in the shape of a letter ‘S’ and at every turn there is branching. Tapering of the trunk should be clearly visible, and the base of the trunk is thicker than the higher part.
Slanting or Leaning
When the wind is blowing in one dominant direction or when a tree is in the shadow and must curve toward the sun, the tree will also lean in one direction. In case with Bonsai, the tree must grow at an angle of 60 - 80 degrees to the ground. Because of the growing conditions, the roots are well developed on one side to hold the tree standing. The first branch grows in the other direction to that the tree is leaning to balance the tree. The trunk can be bent a little bit or completely straight, but should be thicker at the bottom.
Cascade
In the nature a tree can tend to grow downward on a steep cliff as a result of such factors, as snow or falling rocks, for example. This style can be difficult to maintain as the direction of growth opposes the tree’s natural way of growing upright.
Cascade Bonsai are planted in tall containers. The tree should grow upright a little bit but then bend downward. The crown of the tree grows as a rule above the rim of the pot, but the next branches alternate left and right. These fronds should grow horizontally to be able to maintain the balance of the plant.
Semi-Cascade
The semi-cascade style is similar to the cascade. The trunk grows upright at first and then turns downward. Unlike the previous style, the semi-cascade trunk will never grow below the bottom of the container.

Broom style
This style is good for deciduous trees which have broad branching. The trunk is straight and upright, but does not grow to the top of the tree; branches grow out in all directions. This style helps to create a ball-shaped crown.

Literati
This very style is the sample of trees that have to struggle to survive. In nature this style of tree can be met in areas densely planted by many other plants and competition is so violent that the tree can survive only by growing taller then all other trees around it. The bare trunk of the tree grows awry upward because the sun is enough only for the top of the tree. Such trees are generally grown in small, round containers.

Double Trunk
The double trunk growing is frequently met in nature, but is not actually that usual in the Bonsai growing. As a rule, both trunks originate from one root system, but there is also possibility that the smaller trunk grows out of the larger one just above the ground. Both trunks differ in their thickness and length, the thicker and stronger trunk grows almost upright, while the smaller one will grow out a little bit frequent.

Roots over the rock
In nature trees grown in mountains and rocky areas have to search for good soil with their roots - and good soil is often found in clefts and holes. The roots are naked and unprotected, so this promotes to appearance of a special thick bark. The tree over the rock can also be grown in another style, although some styles may look unnatural.

Many gardening and culinary tradition in the United States are based on pumpkin. Steaming pumpkin pie makes the Thanksgiving day complete. And everybody knows that when pumpkins start to ripen, it is a sign that the fall is just to come.
Unfortunately, as most of commercially grown vegetables, most pumpkins in our shops have been grown with chemicals and pesticides. But every gardener knows that the best way to enjoy pumpkins and its dishes is only with your own, home-grown and chemically-free pumpkins.
These vegetables are the wonderful addition to any garden, and they are a joy to grow. You can find a lot of information on growing fantastic organic pumpkins with lots of expert gardening tips and information. You can start from brief history of the pumpkin and some botanical information.

A wise gardener should know that watering should be infrequent but generous, about an inch once a week. You should avoid frequent shallow waterings, which only provoke roots to stay near the surface of the soil. When the plants are deeply rooted, they are persistent in a dry period.
And remember that the soil must dry between waterings.
The best time for watering the garden is early in the morning or in the evening. In the heat of the day, which is between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., the sun and wind quickly evaporate significant quantity of water and prevent it from penetrating deep in the soil.
Sprinkling is best done also early in the morning so that leaves can dry off in the morning. Wet leaves during the night create the perfect environment for fungal diseases.
To improve soil’s ability to retain moisture, add organic substance, which will also benefits all soils.
When planting any plants - whether annuals, perennials, trees or shrubs - dig a hole, fill it with water so that moisture can be absorbed into the soil. Then place the plant into the moistened hole, cover the roots with soil and water again.
Once they’re in the ground, keep new plants watered once a week, unless they are rained adequately.

If you are going to use sprayer nozzle for this purpose you should know that it is good for washing the car, but will be ineffective for watering because it flows with a high-pressure that will damage the plants. You won’t be able to stay in one place for a long time, and sprayer nozzle just won’t give enough water to the soil and roots.
Correct watering is especially important during the first few weeks of the growth, when plants are building their root systems and trying to get established.
Try to water plants in a soft shower rather than a high-pressure stream.
You should not water plants if you don’t have to, as excessive water is can cause problems. Measure and monitor rainfall on a calendar. The ideal for most gardens is an inch every week, but many established plants can easily tolerate short periods of dryness. If heat and drought are prolonged, water your most valuable plants.