Japanese decorative tree. How to grow bonsai: a miniature garden on a windowsill. Choosing a pot and soil for bonsai

Bonsai is an art that came from Japan. An indoor bonsai is a miniature tree growing in a small bowl. This exact copy of a real tree, usually at a scale of 1:100. In this article you will be able to understand what bonsai is and how to form it at home.

Fruiting bonsai

Bonsai is not just a miniature tree. It has characteristic features: a thickened trunk, a correctly formed crown, a height from 20 cm to 2 m. This is a full-fledged tree, but in miniature. Translated from Chinese, "poong sai" means "tree in a bowl" - miniature copies have been grown for decades. And the older the tree, the more beautiful pot it is transplanted in Eastern countries.

As an art, bonsai originated in China as early as 200 BC. e. The Japanese brought it to perfection several centuries later. The hobby became widespread primarily among the common people. The lack of opportunity to plant a garden near the house was compensated by growing mini-trees.

Creating a bonsai at home is not difficult if you take proper care of it. The growth rate must be constantly regulated by pruning the root system. There are several styles of bonsai in art. Before growing a tree, you need to decide what kind of tree you would like to see on your windowsill.

Bonsai styles

The choice of container for the tree will depend on the style. Cascading or sloping styles require choosing a heavier, more stable bowl to support the weight of the sloping crown. There are many styles, of which the most commonly used are:

For beginners, it's best to start with the tekkan style. And if you manage to master the technique of growing bonsai, you can experiment with others.

Choosing a Bonsai Plant

Suitable for bonsai are trees and shrubs that acquire a lignified trunk and branches as they grow. It is necessary to choose a plant that is suitable for the surrounding climatic conditions. It is better not to choose plants with large flowers, fruits, or leaves for creating miniatures.

From coniferous trees For bonsai, cypress, thuja, pine, juniper, and larch are often chosen. Deciduous trees - birch, maple, hornbeam, willow, oak. Flowering plants for bonsai look impressive: acacia, pomegranate, citrus fruits, peach, plum, magnolia.

Suitable for bonsai different types trees.

For indoor growing, it is better to choose non-deciduous plants that are able to develop all year round. From indoor flowers Ficus, gardenia, dracaena, and cordyline are often used as a basis. For beginners, portulacaria africanica and ficus benjamina are ideal.

What you need for growing

To care for a bonsai you will need a set of certain tools. For a beginner, two or three main ones will be enough to form a crown.

1. Concave pliers are necessary for cutting wire and cutting branches right down to the trunk - so that there are no stumps or burrs left.
2. Convex nippers. With their help, unnecessary convex areas, parts of the trunk, and roots are removed from the trunk. The instrument, which has a spherical head, creates a cut that heals quickly.
3. Special scissors for cutting roots. Necessary when pruning thin roots. You can also use special nippers. They differ from convex ones by having a head that follows the contour of a sphere, but has a straight cutting edge.
4. Tweezers with a curved tip are necessary for removing excess buds, dead leaves, and plucking out pine needles.

When indoor bonsai become a permanent hobby, and not a short-term hobby, you can purchase a professional set of tools.

Growing Bonsai

Creating a bonsai begins with choosing a plant and preparing the container and soil for planting. Next, you will need to make efforts to achieve growth not of the crown, but of the trunk. Caring for bonsai involves not only planting the plant and forming the crown, but also observing other nuances.

Choosing a pot

Sloping styles require stable pots, such as clay or ceramic. The container should not violate the integrity of the composition. For bonsai with a dense, spreading crown or several trunks, choose wide, shallow bowls. For plants with bare roots, tall, narrow pots are suitable. Narrow and deep containers that resemble vases are suitable for cascading styles.

The pot should ensure the stability of the composition.

The height of the walls should be no less than the diameter of the trunk, the width should be 2/3 of the length of the plant. Bonsai pots must have drainage holes. If clay or ceramic containers do not have them, drill them yourself. The tree must be rooted in a standard deep container. Process initial formation takes about 2 years, after which the plant can be transplanted into a permanent bowl.

Bonsai soil

Growing bonsai requires poor soil. It slows down the growth of the plant. The optimal mixture consists of 1/3 clay, and half from peat or rotted leaves, the rest is filled with coarse sand or small stones.

For deciduous trees, it is better to take 7 parts of clay soil and 3 parts of sand. For flowering ones - 6 parts clay, 3 parts sand, 1 part leaf humus. For coniferous trees, a mixture of clay and sand is made in a ratio of 6:4. Before use, the sand must be washed and calcined in the oven. It can be partially replaced with vermiculite.

It is better to collect the soil yourself in April, when the snow has melted and the soil has almost thawed. Store-bought mixtures usually include peat and garden fertilizers, so the bonsai will grow intensively in them, but this is not necessary. Before use, the soil is disinfected by boiling it in a sieve and water for about 30 minutes or calcining it in the oven.

First planting

When planting, the tree must be buried in the soil to thicken the trunk. At the same time, trim the root system, leaving only the roots growing to the sides. This must be done in the future with each transplant. The formation of a horizontal root system is required to slow growth.

Rooting should take place in a shaded place - bonsai does not like direct sunlight. After planting, the soil needs to be watered and compacted, then the plant must be quarantined for 10 days. Bonsai is isolated from other plants, to open air if necessary, accustom gradually.

Accommodation

The required light intensity depends on the type of plant chosen. However, most trees do well in a well-lit location without direct sunlight. During the day from 11.00 to 16.00 it is better to shade the plant and rotate it periodically different sides to the light. This is necessary for uniform formation.

If the plant does not have enough light, the shoots will be thin, the petioles will be elongated, and the leaves will stretch towards the light. In this case, additional illumination with a fluorescent lamp or phytolamp will be required. Bonsai must be protected from drafts.

Watering

In a shallow container, the soil dries out faster than in standard pots. When planting, the soil is compacted, so it may not absorb moisture well. To ensure that the earthen ball is well saturated, the bonsai is usually watered using the immersion method.

To do this, dip the bowl completely into a container filled with water for a few seconds. If you water at the root, then until water begins to seep through the drainage holes into the pan. The excess is drained after half an hour.

In between waterings upper layer the soil must dry out. In summer, it is necessary to water the bonsai often, sometimes daily, in winter - once a week, sparingly, to avoid overcooling of the soil. The frequency also depends on the needs of the plant - some species easily tolerate drought, while others instantly lose their turgor.

Blooming bonsai tree.

Water the bonsai in the morning or evening, avoiding water getting on the leaves in bright light. sunlight. Deciduous varieties require additional spraying. The water should be soft, filtered, rain and melted water are suitable. Its temperature should be several degrees higher than the air temperature in the room.

Top dressing

Bonsai should be fertilized throughout the year. In summer and autumn, fertilizing is applied once a week, in winter and autumn - once a month. A specialized fertilizer for bonsai or a regular one for indoor plants is suitable. It must be diluted in proportions that are 2-3 times weaker than those recommended by the manufacturer.

Bonsai should not be fed if the plant is weakened, has just been transplanted, or has been pruned. There is also no need to fertilize before or during flowering. Conifers trees need to be fed 2 times less than other plants. Fertilizer is applied to the soil after watering.

Creating a wireframe

You need to start forming a style immediately after planting the tree in the primary pot. To give the plant the desired shape, use copper or aluminum wire. One end of the wire needs to be buried and strengthened in the soil, and then wrapped around the trunk and branches, forcing it to grow in a given direction. Its thickness should be the same as the branches.

Select 3 main branches on the tree. To form the required frame You will need additional pieces attached to the main wire. It should fit snugly to the trunk and branches, but not damage the bark. Its length should be at least 1.5 times the area to be wrapped.

For tender branches use more thin wire in the winding. The frame is removed from the branches after 6-8 months, but the wire from the trunk is removed no earlier than after 1.5-2 years. After this, the bonsai is transplanted into a permanent bowl.

Bonsai transplant

The first transplant of a young tree is done in the second year of growth, in early spring. The plant is transplanted into a permanent bowl, again cutting off all the roots going down. Transfer time different varieties plants may vary, but usually the appearance of buds indicates the need. Flowering trees are replanted after the end of the flowering period - in the fall.

Pruning the root system during transplantation.

Transplantation and pruning of roots should be done when they have filled the entire pot. This can be understood by their germination into drainage holes. Before removing, the lump of earth must be moistened generously with water. If you remove the plant from the pot and realize that there is still room for roots to develop, do not cut them, just replace the soil.

When replanting, the taproot and thick roots are removed with pruning shears if the lateral roots are well developed. If the lateral roots are weak, then only part of the taproot is removed, and those growing to the sides are formed using wire. Thickened roots are left above the ground, which adds naturalness to the composition. The soil can be covered with a layer of green moss.

Bonsai formation

In order for an ordinary plant to acquire the characteristics of a bonsai, it is necessary to begin its formation after transplanting it into a permanent bowl. You can achieve a thicker trunk by slowing down the growth of the tree. To do this, resort to the following tricks:

• They make cuts on the trunk, reducing the flow of juices. The tree releases sap to heal wounds and this slows down its growth.
• The trunk is tied with wire at a short distance from the ground. Due to this, the trunk becomes thicker and the tree grows slower. The wire should only compress the upper tissues and interfere with the circulation of juice. When the trunk above it thickens, it is removed and transferred to another place.
• To form the crown, branches are pruned. Pinching and pruning are done in the spring or throughout the year, depending on the plant.

Trimming and pinching

In the spring, after new buds appear, all overlapping branches of the tree are cut off and young shoots are pinched at the level of 1-2 pairs of leaves. Flowering plants are not pruned until the end of this period. The pruning tool is disinfected, and the cut areas are sprinkled with crushed coal.

Formation of a bonsai crown.

With intensive shoot growth, periodic pruning may be necessary throughout the year. The more often you do this, the thicker and smaller the crown will be. Use scissors to remove branches that are too long and interfere with the overall composition.

Bonsai is a fascinating art that can be learned at home. When the tree acquires the required shape and is planted in a permanent bowl, all that remains is to annually prune the branches and periodically replant.

You can plant a bonsai yourself. The main thing is to choose the right plant so that it feels comfortable in environment. The cultivation technology is not at all complicated, but it requires regular monitoring of formation, a lot of time and effort. Bonsai needs to be cared for correctly. It is important to create favorable conditions, affecting appearance and growth - illumination, humidity and air temperature, watering, soil.

The bonsai growing kit includes:

• Instructions;
• Pot;
• Priming;
• Plant seeds;
• Fertilizer.

Some kits include wire and a special tray. In principle - “any whim for your money.”

You can purchase a ready-made set in a store or order it online. In this case, you can at the same time choose any seeds at your discretion.

How long does a bonsai tree grow from seeds?

The growth period of a bonsai is determined according to the type of tree. Growing such a miniature tree from seed at home will require a lot of effort and patience.

Bonsai growth periods:

• Caring for a seed. This process, on average, takes several years.
• Caring for a sprout. From this point on the process becomes more interesting.

All subsequent time, the bonsai grows and pleases its creator. In Japan, such plants have been grown for centuries and millennia, passing the tree down by inheritance. Some bonsai trees live up to 4 thousand years.

The most durable are coniferous bonsai.

Today it is possible to purchase a ready-made sprout and plant it immediately. In this case, you can save several years. But you will not get a guarantee that this is actually the same tree and not a dwarf fake. The cost of a bonsai tree directly depends on the type of plant and how old it is. Seeds are inexpensive - from a few rubles apiece. And for comparison, a maple bonsai 30 cm high costs approximately 1,900 rubles, and the same plant 65 cm costs 11,900 rubles.

How to replant a bonsai yourself: a step-by-step guide

Simultaneously with replanting the tree, the soil and the bowl are replaced. Bonsai should be replanted approximately every 1–2 years, this is evidenced by its appearance and growth process.

Steps to replant a bonsai, a guide for beginners:

• Drainage holes should be reinforced;
• Carefully clear the roots of the tree from the soil;
• Bonsai placed in new environment and straighten the roots;
• Using scissors, trim the roots by about 1/3 or move 2 cm from the edge of the bowl;
• Place the plant tightly, pressing the soil with your fingers.

Plants up to 5 years old need to be replanted every year in the spring. The soil is changed to a new one every time. First formative tree pruning after approximately 5 years. Bonsai that are over 10 years old should be replanted once every 10–15 years.

Bonsai in new soil should not be exposed to strong sunlight for the first two weeks.

How to grow bonsai (video)

Bonsai has gained wide popularity in countries all over the world. Fans of handicrafts could not help but notice such art. Miniature trees are made from various gemstones or beads. The process of making bonsai and stones is quite creative and difficult, requiring care and imagination. Recreating the original in this way hides a mystery and special energy.

Literally translated, the word “bonsai” means grown on a tray. Essentially, bonsai is an art that involves growing a miniature copy of a tree. It originated at the end of the 8th century, in China, and was the main decoration of the imperial court. Since that time, many styles have emerged that differ in the structure of the trunk and crown. Bonsai trees are outdoor trees, their size varies from two centimeters to one and a half meters. Even if you do not know how to grow bonsai at home, this art becomes accessible thanks to the article.

Trees for bonsai - types and features

Some people mistakenly believe that bonsai is some kind of crop characterized by dwarf size and bizarre shape. Actually this is not true. You can grow bonsai from almost any tree. The main condition is to know which culture is suitable for creating a harmonious miniature copy.

1. Juniper, serviceberry, spruce and rhododendron 8-20 cm.
2. Barberry, field and rock maple, privet, mountain pine 20-30 cm.
3. Scots pine, American maple, birch, hazel, elm 30-70 cm.
4. Linden, larch, ash, ash-leaved or sycamore maple, oak, beech, black pine 60-100 cm.
5. Wisteria, chestnut, black pine, plane tree, elderberry, acacia 100-130 cm.

Seeds of the tree you like can be purchased at a botanical garden, a specialty store, or collected in a city park. A good option for beginners - buy seed in China. The seeds of trees such as spruce, pine, fir, oak or euonymus are ready for planting after collection.

Seeds of other plants must remain dormant for some time and undergo stratification.

Seed stratification as a measure of preparation for sowing

There are seeds that are specially prepared before planting - these are sakura seeds. In fact, the Japanese cherry tree (sakura) is an ideal material for creating bonsai. From seeds Japanese cherry blossom, you can create real masterpieces that will amaze with their amazing shapes. In order for the plant to germinate properly, the seeds of this tree are stratified.

In essence, stratification is a process that imitates winter conditions for better seed germination. There are several ways to stratify plants:

1. Cold stratification. Necessary for seeds that need ripening: pine, thuja or blue spruce. The seeds of such plants are first soaked in lightly warm water and then placed in the refrigerator. In this way it is produced artificial imitation temperature changes in nature.
2. Warm stratification. Used to “awaken” seeds. Planting material placed in warm water for several hours or days. You can also place the seeds not in liquid, but in a medium with high humidity: Wrap in damp cloth or place in damp coconut substrate.
3. Combined stratification. Applies to maple, cedar, and sakura seeds, which take a long time to germinate. Its essence lies in the change of cold and warm stratification. Initially, the seeds are placed in a cold room, and immediately before planting they are soaked in warm water. Combined stratification is common when growing bonsai.

In addition to stratification, seeds should be disinfected so that plants are not afraid of fungal formations. To do this, you can use a manganese solution.

This product perfectly disinfects seeds before planting. The seed is soaked in pinkish water. Disinfection of seeds lasts from 5 days to 2 weeks. After the seeds have been stratified and disinfected, they can be planted.

Soil and container for growing bonsai

The best soil for seeds is considered to be coarse sand, which is steamed before use. This is a kind of disinfection that will prevent the plant from dying. It is recommended to use a wide container with a depth of 5 cm and drainage holes. Before planting, the sand must be well moistened and special grooves must be made in which the seeds will be placed.

To grow bonsai at home, you should take care of preparing the soil and choosing the right container. The container in which the miniature tree is grown can be different shapes and depth. Rectangle, oval, circle or polyhedron, deep or flat - the choice is really wide. Remember, if the bonsai trunk has a slope, then the container for it should be more stable. In this case, give preference to deep containers or those made of heavy material.

The color of the container should be calm and discreet; this will only emphasize the elegance of the plant. Moreover, the bowl must match the bonsai style. If the miniature copy will have a dense crown, then it is better to choose a flat and wide container. For cascading bonsai style will suit a narrow and tall pot, and the tall crowns of the plant will better emphasize containers that are deep, but not wide.

Before planting, scald the bowl with boiling water to destroy possible sources of fungus and bacteria.

Traditionally, bonsai are grown in a special substrate called akadama. It is a heavy soil, in which there is a lot nutrients, high level moisture and good air circulation. However, such land is rarely used in its pure form. Firstly, it is available in its pure form only in one of the prefectures of Japan, and secondly, a high concentrate of useful substances does not always have a beneficial effect on bonsai, especially during the period when the tree is being shaped.

The substrate for bonsai must meet several criteria: retain moisture well, contain useful material and provide oxygen access to prevent souring or rotting of the roots. A good substrate is mixed from granular clay, humus and sand, in a ratio that is suitable for each type of plant.

1. Type of tree and soil used.
2. Deciduous trees. Turf soil and sand, in a ratio of 7 to 3 (3 parts sand and 7 parts turf).
3. Blooming bonsai. The mixture is prepared from turf soil, sand and humus in a ratio of 7:3:1.
   Coniferous bonsai. Four parts sand and 6 parts turf soil.

You can prepare the soil yourself at home. Turf soil can be dug up in a meadow. All you have to do is remove the top plant layer, and the top 20 centimeters of soil can be used for growing bonsai.

Before use, the soil must be cleaned by sifting through coarse sieve. Sand should be taken from river, coarse grain. It will make the soil looser, which will improve air circulation, and it will retain moisture better. Before use, all these components should be disinfected by heating in the oven. Humus should be purchased in a specialized store or ordered online.

Features of sowing seeds and plant care

Planting is carried out in spring, summer or early autumn V peat pots, which are filled with a mixture of sand and peat in a one to one ratio. If you have nowhere to buy peat, you can buy soil for cacti and mix it with coarse sand. Such a substance will be a complete replacement. Follow the following sequence of actions.

1. Pour the mixture into the pot so that there is still 3 cm left to the edge.
2. Add 1 centimeter of cleared turf soil and press down with a wooden circle.
3. Place the seeds on the prepared surface and cover them with a layer of sand. The layer thickness is no more than twice the diameter of the seeds.
4. Press down again with a wooden circle, remove it and pour water over the sand (no more than 80 ml).
5. Cover with plastic wrap.

Place the pot with seeds in dark place with a temperature of no more than 15 0 C. Periodically remove the film for ventilation and check if the soil is dry. It should always be moist, but not wet.

When the first shoots emerge, pierce the polyethylene to provide air access. After the first shoots appear, remove the film from the pots and move them to a lighted room. Make sure that the plants are not exposed to direct sunlight. After 2-3 months it is worth cutting taproot by 2/3, this process is called the formation of seedlings.

Fertilizers are added to the soil where the seedlings ripen. Transplant seedlings into separate form necessary after the sprout grows 10 centimeters. During this period, the sprout can be accustomed to the sun's rays and at the same time continue to form the desired shape.

Using this scheme you can grow sakura bonsai or Japanese pine . But some types of trees require a special approach.

Features of agricultural technology of Japanese and red maple

This tree begins to drop seeds in the fall. To grow bonsai from maple seeds, they need to be stratified for 120 days. Optimal time April or May for planting. To make sprouts appear faster, the seeds are soaked in hydrogen peroxide for 1-2 days. This measure will speed up the germination process and protect the plant from diseases.

Bonsai from seeds of all types of maple, especially red, must be grown in partial shade - direct sunlight is contraindicated for it. The land for growing this species should be fertilized once a month to achieve the desired acidity level. IN winter period feeding is excluded.

Features of lemon bonsai agricultural technology

Growing a plant from lemon seeds is not difficult. Stratification in this case is not needed. Seeds for planting are extracted directly from the fruit. It should be ripe, but without external damage. You can plant several seeds at once.

1. Prepare the pot and soil as described above.
2. Make 1-2 cm of drainage at the bottom of the container.
3. Fill to the top with prepared soil.
4. Place the lemon seeds at a depth of 1.5 cm.
5. Wrap the pot with film.

In the room where the container with seeds will be stored, the temperature must be at least 18 0 C. Every 2-3 days, remove the film and lightly moisten the surface with water. Do not over-moisten so that the resulting roots do not rot.

Features of cedar agricultural technology

The easiest way to grow bonsai is from cedar seeds; they are suitable for beginner gardeners. Stratification of seed material has two stages.

1. Lasts 6 days. The seeds are placed in water at a temperature of 25-30 0 C and changed every two days.
2. The stratification period is 60 days. The seeds are taken out of the water and mixed with disinfected river sand and peat. This substance with the seeds is moistened and stirred periodically until the first shoots hatch.

Once the sprouts have hatched, the seeds can be planted or placed in a container. In this form, cedar seeds can be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of 2 0 C until planted in a pot. Cedar loves a lighted place, but does not tolerate direct sunlight.

The exception is a young bonsai made from Japanese cedar seed. It will grow better in a shaded area.

Features of Japanese pine agricultural technology

There are 2 types of Japanese pine: black (less demanding on lighting) and ordinary. Before planting, the seeds undergo a mandatory 3-month cold stratification. Seeds should be planted in deep container to a depth of 2 centimeters. Sowing time is the end of winter.

The grooves are cut at a distance of 3 cm from each other to facilitate the care of sprouted but not yet mature bonsai seedlings. When the first leaves appear, you can take the container out to bright room. With the accelerated process of photosynthesis, the sprouts will grow stronger faster. You can begin to form the crown as soon as the plant reaches 5 cm in height.

Watering, fertilizing, wintering

The main problem in caring for a bonsai is watering it. Due to the small size of the pots, the roots of the tree are deformed and the efficiency of watering is reduced. There are two main methods of watering: irrigation and submersion.

1. The plant is watered with water from a special kettle.
2. The tree pot is placed in a bowl of water and taken out after a few minutes.

It is better to water with rainwater, but if there is none, let it sit for two days with tap water.

Remember, bonsai die without water. Even if its leaves are green, if there has been no watering for a long time, the roots are most likely dead.

In summer, watering should be done more often and more water should be poured.

Feeding is important when growing bonsai, especially at the time of crown formation. The tree is fertilized once every 2-3 weeks, and algae-based fertilizer must be applied once a month. The most important components of fertilizer are potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus.

Nitrogen is responsible for the growth and development of tree leaves and stems. It is the main component that promotes cell division and protein production.

Phosphorus stimulates cell division, is responsible for budding and has a positive effect on root growth and development. Protects against diseases.

Potassium helps fight microorganisms that cause disease, promotes fruiting and flower development.

Bonsai food must contain these substances. IN flower shops hard to find suitable option, which contains all substances in the required proportions. Therefore, we recommend mixing fertilizers yourself in the following proportions:

• In the spring, when the growth period is more intense, add more nitrogen. The optimal ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is 12:6:6, respectively;
• in summer, nutrition should be more balanced, so components are added in equal proportions - 10:10:10
• In autumn, less nitrogen is required, the optimal ratio of components is 3 parts nitrogen and 9 parts each of phosphorus and potassium.

If the bonsai is grown from flowering tree– focus on adding potassium in a proportional ratio of 12:6:6

Indoor bonsai plants are fertilized all year round, while outdoor bonsai plants are fertilized from early spring and until mid-autumn. Young trees are fertilized once every 2 weeks, older bonsai can be fed once every 4-6 weeks. Flowering bonsai should not be fed during the flowering period or immediately after it. When feeding, remember that it is better to apply less fertilizer than to “overfeed” the plant.

When winter comes, inexperienced gardeners who have miniature trees outside make a huge mistake - they bring them into a warm room. This behavior causes the tree to constantly grow, which takes too much energy and depletes resources. By depriving the plant of its natural “rest”, all efforts can be wasted. A tree that grows outside needs to be properly prepared for wintering:

1. Clean branches from dirt and pests.
2. Move the trees to an elevated, lighted, draft-free location in the garden.
3. At temperatures below -10 0 C, move the plant to an unheated room.
4. Make sure the soil is not too wet.

Bonsai is an amazing art and painstaking work that begins with the selection and search of seeds and never ends. Like all living things, bonsai requires care and thanks its owner for his kindness with green leaves, bizarre shapes and a unique sophistication of the image.

To reinforce the material, watch a good video on growing bonsai from seeds. There is a lot to learn from the author!

Growing bonsai from seeds - features of agricultural technology

One day, the Chinese emperor ordered the creation of a miniature empire for his palace, with mountains, plains, meadows, forests and rivers, the sight of which would delight his heart and eyes. To fulfill the ruler's command, gardeners created tiny living trees, miniature analogues of the growing giants.

The art of bonsai (translated from Japanese as “a plant grown in a tray”) is the process of growing in a small shallow container an exact replica of a tall tree grown in natural conditions, but reduced to miniature size.

The birthplace of this fascinating art form is China, where it originated about two thousand years ago, and six centuries later, together with the Buddhists, it ended up in Japan, where it received its development: the Japanese not only improved the methods of growing graceful trees, but also systematized them (Japanese bonsai from Chinese is distinguished by great grace).

If we talk about Japanese art, it is necessary to take into account that it is not just a process of growing a dwarf tree, but represents a whole philosophy, since the person doing this must have the appropriate attitude: to be wise, benevolent, delicate and have a sense of justice.

As the art of bonsai became extremely popular in the twentieth century, this approach to growing miniature trees It was somewhat simplified by Europeans: for those who want to have such a miracle, it is enough to take the work seriously, with love and show maximum attention to the plant. In this case, miniature trees are quite capable of living for more than a hundred years, uniting several generations of a family with their presence.

Appearance

Bonsai of pine and other plants should completely resemble a tree grown in natural conditions and even through the leaves have clearly visible branches and a strong trunk with clearly visible roots. Home bonsai should be planted in a shallow vessel of a simple shape with a discreet color.

Trees grown using this method are usually small: the most large plant has a height of 120 centimeters, the small one does not exceed five. In this regard, the following classification of plants is distinguished:

• Large – height from 60 to 120 cm;
• Medium – from 30 to 60 cm;
• Small – from 15 to 30 cm;
• Miniature – from 5 to 15 cm;
• Tiny - up to 5 cm.

The most popular are indoor bonsai from five to thirty centimeters: they are so beautiful, fragile and graceful that causing involuntary awe, they create the impression that they belong to an amazing magical land of miniature things.

Dwarf trees in the house

Before creating a bonsai at home, you need to keep in mind that experts do not recommend forcibly turning large and medium-sized plants into dwarf ones.

In order to grow a bonsai at home, it is advisable to either buy an adult tree the right size, or grow using seeds.

Experts recommend that people interested in how to grow bonsai purchase seeds of plants with small foliage or needles. For example, bonsai of pine, dwarf bamboo, cypress, buckthorn. Ficus bonsai Benjamin is also good - evergreen shrub(despite the fact that this plant does not belong to traditional Japanese art, it is very popular in the world due to its ease of care and rapid growth).

Before you grow a bonsai with your own hands, you need to take into account that this is not an easy task and you will have to constantly look after the tree: in order to get a full-fledged plant, it will take at least four years(this is exactly how long it will take for the seeds to germinate and a strong trunk to form).

You should also keep in mind that indoor bonsai are trees, therefore, like other plants of this species, they need fresh air and sufficient light. For example, pine bonsai can grow both indoors and outdoors, but Japanese black pine prefers to grow only outdoors, so in winter you need to place the plant in the most cold room and monitor the lighting.

Features of cultivation

Create dwarf trees from tropical and local plants. Before making a bonsai, you need to consider the following points:

• What kind of soil does the tree grow on?
• How light-loving it is;
• Where it prefers to grow - in the shade or in the light, in wet or dry areas.

Having picked up suitable soil Having looked at the place where the bonsai you created with your own hands will be located, you need to decide which method to grow the tree: by cuttings or using seeds.

A person interested in how to grow bonsai should take into account that growing bonsai from seed is the longest process. It is impossible to create a bonsai of pine, cherry, oak and other trees that take cuttings poorly in any other way: only with the help of seeds.

Seeds of plants that grow in temperate latitudes must be cold processed. To do this, they must first be placed in a container with moistened sand and placed in the refrigerator. At the same time, there is no such hassle with the seeds of plants from subtropical and tropical latitudes, but the day before sowing they need to be soaked in slightly warm water.

The soil in which the seeds should be planted must be loose and well-permeable to air (an excellent soil for germinating seeds is obtained by mixing peat with sand). In order for the seeds to germinate, the soil must be moist and the air temperature must not be lower than 25 degrees.

But after the sprouts appear, the situation changes dramatically: the air temperature should be no higher than eighteen degrees. At the same time, young shoots need moderate moisture and large quantities light, otherwise they will become weak and susceptible to disease. After three to four weeks they are placed in separate vessels (it should be taken into account that in the dishes large sizes the plant may die because its small root system will not cope with an abundance of moisture).

As for propagation by cuttings, this is more quick way. It must be borne in mind that cuttings of many trees do not take root well, and therefore, in order for everything to work out, optimal conditions must be constantly maintained: combine high air humidity with low soil moisture.

The age of the trees from which cuttings will be taken should be from 5 to 10 years, and if the plant is considered difficult to root, then younger (from 2 to 3 years). What time of year to take cuttings largely depends on the latitude where the tree grows: for deciduous plants in temperate latitudes this is May and July, but for coniferous trees this period begins either in early spring before the buds begin to swell, or in late summer, when active growth ends.

To get a cutting, you need to take the middle or upper part of a shoot up to 20 cm long, which has at least two nodes. A cut is made two centimeters from the lower shoot, after which the cutting is inserted into the ground so that its lower node is completely immersed in the ground: this is where the root system will be located.

As with seeds, the substrate must be porous to allow air and water to pass through well. The sprout needs to be sprayed periodically or placed in a fairly humid place (the planted cuttings can be placed under a glass jar or covered with polyethylene). The air temperature should not be lower than twenty-four degrees, and the place where the cutting will be located should be well lit and ventilated.

Tree shape

When forming a composition, you need to remember that everything should look natural, and all components should be combined with each other. For example, you cannot plant flowering and fruit trees, grass and shrubs, or shrubs and trees. Also, the composition should not contain a lot of greenery or color.

One of the most complex tasks is to create a tree of the intended shape, for which methods such as pruning, tying, trimming branches and other methods are used (the plant should not have more than two or three branches). Among the variety of forms, the main types of bonsai are distinguished:

• Straight - the tree has a straight, slightly thickened trunk at the bottom;
• Sloping - grows at an angle;
• Multi-trunked - a tree lies on the ground, and several trunks grow from it;
• Cascading - the top of the tree is inclined below the soil boundary.

Necessary care

While the plant is just forming, it should be taken into account that it needs to be watered very often, but not flooded, give fertilizers in limited quantities, and replant once a year, in the spring, removing excess roots. As for the soil in which the tree will be planted, it is advisable to make it yourself by mixing humus, clay and fine-grained gravel or coarse sand (soil sold in stores is not very suitable).

When caring for miniature trees, you need to take into account that it is easier to grow them in the fresh air, since room air is too dry for them. If you keep the plant on the balcony or in the garden, it is quite easy to care for it (the only thing is that in the summer you need to protect it from direct hit sunlight, and in winter hide from precipitation and wind). But indoor bonsai require careful care, so they are usually short-lived.

There are trees created specifically for apartments, and therefore, having greater endurance, they require less care. But they still need to be kept away from heating devices: they need high humidity air. Also, when caring for these plants, it is necessary to take into account that they are afraid of drafts.

In any case, both miniature trees created for the street and for the room are among the most demanding indoor plants, and therefore they are not easy to care for: improper care either kill the tree or turn it into an ordinary plant that does not attract attention.

Considering that bonsai is mainly a plant of tropical and subtropical latitudes, the temperate climate is not suitable for it, therefore, it must be created independently.

When growing a tropical tree, you must remember that since the days are shorter in temperate latitudes, additional lighting needs to be created for the plant (this issue is especially relevant in winter). Considering that each tree needs a different amount of light, it is advisable to check with specialists or on the Internet on special thematic forums about how to care for your plant (exactly how much light it needs and where exactly to place it).

Subtropical trees, such as rosemary, pomegranate, olive, are kept in a room in winter, the temperature in which ranges from 5 to 15 ° C, and in summer they are taken out into the fresh air. But for tropical trees it is more difficult to care for: they do not like the cold, so they are kept in enclosed spaces, the temperature of which ranges from 18 to 25 ° C, and even in summer they are not recommended to be placed on window sills made of stone. It should be remembered that the higher the atmospheric temperature, the more the tree needs light, water and nutrients.

Since the small tree is in extreme need of moisture, it needs to be provided with it. To do this, you need to place the pot with the plant in a flat vessel filled with water, at the bottom of which there are pre-laid pebbles or a lattice. The water should be at the same level all the time, and the tree itself should be regularly sprayed with water.

As for watering, you need to take into account that the soil should be constantly moist (subtropical plants are watered less often). As for tropical plants, they do not tolerate cold water, therefore it is advisable to use either melted or settled water.

Bonsai cannot be called just indoor or garden plants. These are objects of art, living sculptures, the embodiment of an entire philosophy, which are not measured by the same standards as ordinary plants and even the rarest collectible crops. The approach to growing bonsai should also be special. After all, these plants require completely non-standard handling. They not only embody philosophy, but also require dedication and peace from their owners. Caring for bonsai is not easy, but it is a very special pleasure.

Bonsai. © Claire Vannette

Bonsai plants are not for everyone. They open up a new philosophy to their owners and reveal the essence of Eastern worldviews, and most importantly, they force them to take a fresh look at communication with living nature and the relationship between man and plants. You don’t just need to decide to purchase a bonsai, but weigh all the pros and cons. After all, they are not suitable for those gardeners who often travel or like simple care. Bonsai needs to be practiced constantly, sometimes for proper care have to look creativity, and some procedures are very specific. With such an indoor pet you will have to give up haste and fuss. And when they say that for bonsai you need to grow spiritually yourself, they are not exaggerating at all. But if you were given even a small bonsai or you, succumbing to a temporary impulse, became its owner almost by accident, most likely the plants will open up a completely new world for you and make you love yourself with all your heart and forever.

Bonsai is the art of not only creating a small copy of nature, but also applying age-old traditions special formation trees and bushes, but also the special art of caring for plants. It is simply impossible to treat bonsai the same way as any other indoor plant. You will not only not achieve success, but you will also nullify many years of work with your traditional approach to it. Bonsai differ from each other in the complexity of the care required and actually need individual approach no less than any other indoor culture. But personalization of care is the only thing that growing bonsai has in common with ordinary indoor floriculture.

The most unpretentious and easiest to grow are bonsai from olive trees and testudinary. Difficult care when it is possible to grow plants in ordinary living rooms required tea tree and elms. The remaining plants - carmona, euonymus, podocarp, ficus, ligustrum, etc. - require an obligatory place in the fresh air in the warm season.

When purchasing a bonsai, be prepared for the fact that you will have a lot to learn. Most care procedures require special skills, training, and listening to your inner voice. With bonsai you need to trust your intuition - and constantly study the world of this amazing art. If you want to succeed, educate yourself more often, attend master classes, and don’t hesitate to ask experts.

Comfortable conditions and the need for fresh air

We can only speak conditionally about certain conditions that are comfortable for all bonsai. After all, each type of tree and shrub used to create bonsai partially retains its individual preferences. The most comfortable temperature for these living works of art is considered to be an average, restrained temperature of 18 to 25 degrees Celsius during the active growth phase. Almost all bonsai require cooler conditions in winter. If you maintain the usual room temperatures and do not lower their value by at least 2-3 degrees, reducing light will lead to problems with their health. The minimum temperature is limited to 10 degrees for conifers and 12-14 degrees for other types of bonsai.

Lighting for these plants is selected purely individually. Most bonsai thrive in indirect, bright light, but the ability to grow in full sun or partial shade is worth checking for each plant individually. In winter, bonsai of any kind will not refuse bright lighting, and if you compensate for seasonal conditions, you can achieve amazing results.

Among bonsai there are many varieties that are sold mainly as purely indoor plants. But still, most of these living pieces of art prefer fresh air and are much less comfortable indoors. In the warm season, noble and expensive plants will only respond with gratitude to being placed on a balcony, terrace or in a recreation area - where they can “breathe” to their heart’s content. When buying a bonsai, be sure to check whether the plant is accustomed to such a summer regime and how it relates to ventilation and drafts. But for most bonsai, you still need to select protected places and more stable conditions.

Watering and air humidity

The vast majority of trees used to produce bonsai are sensitive to air humidity. It will be very difficult to maintain the attractiveness of the shapes and greenery of these plants without measures to increase air humidity. Installation of special humidifier devices - perfect option, but you can increase air humidity by placing bowls with water and spraying (tolerance to the latter should be checked for each type of plant separately).

Watering for bonsai requires much more effort than for ordinary plants. Flat shape containers determines the schedule of more frequent procedures. There are no general requirements for watering and their frequency for bonsai plants, but it is important to never forget one rule: bonsai roots should never be allowed to dry out. Drought is detrimental to these valuable plants. But acidification of the soil is also unacceptable. Consistent light to medium humidity is the condition in which most bonsai will thrive. During the cold season, watering is reduced (for deciduous bonsai it is minimal, and for evergreen bonsai the humidity of the substrate is halved), still preventing the substrate from completely drying out.

Bonsai is most often watered using the classic “top” method. But there is one “but”: such plants prefer watering with a sprinkler attachment. It is necessary to resort to water dispersion so that the water is distributed more evenly over a wide container. Alternative way watering - immersing a container with a larger container of water to saturate the substrate, followed by complete drainage of “free” water.

Top dressing for bonsai

The feeding regime must be clarified when purchasing a plant. The classic scheme is the application of fertilizers only during the active growing season with a frequency of 1 time every 2 weeks. In mid-summer, you can make a “pass” to stop the growth of shoots and improve lignification. Fertilizing is not stopped in winter (only for evergreen bonsai), but fertilizers are applied once every 6 weeks and the usual dosage is halved.

Special fertilizers are selected for bonsai (they are produced both by companies specialized in this art and by the best famous manufacturers fertilizers with a wide range of preparations).

Bonsai pruning and shaping

While for most houseplants regular pruning and shaping is rarely considered a necessary condition cultivation, then for bonsai pruning is vital to maintaining attractiveness. In order for a living work of art to remain as such, it is necessary to periodically shorten the branches, remove unnecessary shoots, and carry out pinching and other shaping. Each type of bonsai has different pruning requirements, but in general, pruning strategy is directly related to growth rate. Slow-growing plants are carefully cleaned once or twice a year to keep them in shape. Fast-growing ones need to be controlled and shaped much more often, every few weeks, from spring to autumn.

The rules for pruning bonsai are very simple. In such plants, as a rule, they try to leave only up to 6 pairs of leaves on each shoot, mercilessly removing all excess. The upper part of a bonsai is always pruned more strongly, not forgetting, like any other indoor plant, remove all damaged, dry, growing downward or inward, excessively elongated branches. For bonsai, it is important to promptly thin out leaves that are growing too densely. But simply doing pruning works only in words. Miniature plants require such a special approach and are so difficult to trim that they require considerable skill and imagination. And it’s much easier to make mistakes than to achieve success. For the first time, it is better to contact a specialist and attend a master class, find out all the necessary information in specialized centers. Only after gaining skills and mastering the technique, decide to start pruning.

Forming shoots and trunks, giving them “artificial” curvatures and directions is a complex and extraordinary task. For bonsai, formation is carried out using wire (use anodized copper or aluminum, always thick wire). With its help, they fix the turns of the trunk or branches, give them shape, direction and angles. Formation is carried out by winding the wire from bottom to top, literally rewinding the trunk and branches with it, and then directing their growth. But finding the balance between sufficient compression and non-injury is very difficult. And the wire must be removed in a timely manner: after the plant “goes” in the given direction, but not before the film begins to grow into the bark.

When working with bonsai, you need to use disinfected sharp tools. To treat wounds, it is advisable to purchase special wound balm. Kit special tools, suitable for each type of pruning and specific work with bonsai, can now be found in flower shops and on specialized resources. Miniature loppers and scissors of various shapes, brushes and miniature tweezers, forks and tweezers help to perform almost jewelry work. If special tools are not available, try using new and disinfected manicure tools.

On sale you can also find special means for artificial aging, decoration, changing the color of bark, etc. With their help, they enhance the attractiveness of the plant and achieve greater expressiveness.

Bonsai feeding. © Jonas Dupuich

Transplantation, containers and substrate

Bonsai are grown in special flat bowls, the depth of which is many times less than the width. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the fact that the volume of the container must exceed the volume of the roots, and most often there must be at least one hole for water drainage. There is not very much soil in such a bowl, especially since a large percentage free space the container is occupied by drainage and mulch. And accordingly, bonsai have to be replanted much more often than we would like - once every 2-3 years.

Bonsai, like all indoor trees and shrubs, are best replanted at the beginning of the active growth stage - in the spring. But there is individual species plants, for example, large-leaved podocarp, which prefers to be replanted not in spring, but in autumn. Please check all information carefully before purchasing.

The correct choice of substrate is critical for these plants. For bonsai, a special purchased substrate with a permeable structure and a high content of clay and sand is used. It is difficult to independently check the water permeability and air conductivity of the soil, so we recommend using special soil for bonsai.

Just as the above-ground part of the plant was formed in a special way, its rhizome is also formed in an absolutely amazing way, which is restrained and cut off. When transplanting, the roots are usually shortened to prevent overgrowth and free up space in a small container. Rhizome pruning optimizes nutrient absorption and thickens the canopy. A layer of coarse drainage must be placed at the bottom of the container. The substrate is completely replaced with new and fresh, and the plant is carefully strengthened by lightly pressing into the soil and using stones or pebbles for stabilization if necessary.

Bonsai is almost never grown with bare soil. For these plants, the method of decorative mulching is actively used: the substrate is covered with pebbles, stone chips, sphagnum or other decorative materials. This coating is selected to achieve the greatest decorative effect and expressiveness.

Prevention is indispensable

healthy, with perfect shape, capable of blooming or delighting with luxurious bonsai leaves, as we see it in stores and bring it home, needs constant prevention. Preventing both diseases and the spread of pests is much easier than fighting them on these special plants. Reduces the risk of bonsai damage by using only disinfected tools, maintaining comfortable temperatures and lighting and air humidity control. Watering and fertilizing should be neither excessive nor scanty, and plants that prefer fresh air should receive it as much as possible. But the main key to success is constant inspections. You need to monitor leaves and branches, check them for signs of unwanted problems, promptly remove damaged or diseased leaves and shoots, and check the condition of the roots.