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Growing bonsai: step-by-step instructions with photos. How to grow a bonsai: a miniature garden on a windowsill How to replant a bonsai yourself: a step-by-step guide

Doing it yourself is a very time-consuming and difficult task. Not every gardener can do it. When growing you must find common language with your plant and understand how to properly care for it. All existing species Bonsai are individual and different from each other, so first of all you need to decide on the variety of the plant you are growing and its future style.

Existing types

Carmona

This plant has several names. Some call it carmona, others tea tree, and others call it heretia. Quite often, this interesting plant is grown at home as a bonsai, and tea is often brewed from its leaves. How to care for such an interesting plant in order to grow it beautiful and healthy?

Location

First of all, carmona begins with choice right place for its cultivation. This plant is heat-loving. IN summer period he needs to be kept under open air in a shaded place.

In winter, it is necessary to choose a warm room for it with maintenance high level air humidity. To do this, the container with the carmona tree must be placed on hydraulic balls, but only so that the soil and water do not come into contact. The water needs to be constantly changed or fresh added.

Priming

The lion's share of these tree species come from China, so all supplied specimens are transported in containers with a high clay content. This type of soil tends to become compacted with regular watering, which prevents ozonation of the root system.

After purchasing this plant, it is best to replant it in nutritious soil so that the carmona can receive all the necessary nutrients. Such soil can be purchased in specialized stores or prepared independently at home.

Watering

Carmona loves it when hydration is uniform. For this purpose, settled water is used. If you miss a watering session and the carmona begins to dry out, in this case it is very difficult to save the plant.

Fertilizer application

Carmona must constantly receive nutrients, especially during the period of active growth.

Fertilizer application starts early spring period and ends in autumn.

The soil needs to be fertilized every 14 days, in winter - monthly. Organic bonsai food is great for this process.

Formation

Carmona can be grown to create any style of bonsai. Young branches are easily amenable to any change in their shape and direction. To do this, you can use thick-braided wire or special supports.

If you purchased a dwarf tree in a store and the carmona already has a characteristic style direction, then you can change or improve it and grow it at your discretion.

Bonsai myrtle

This is a small copy of a huge tree from the tropics. Growing it at home is quite simple. The main thing is to provide spraying and watering. Bonsai made from the myrtle plant are highly valued by experts in this field. Therefore, purchasing its cuttings is not always easy, and not at all cheap.

Myrtle has a number of features:

1. The growing place should not be very humid, but sunny.
2. can grow no more than 90 centimeters.
3. When growing myrtle in garden conditions, during the wintering period it must be moved indoors.
4. Myrtle has a fairly fast and rapid development.
5. The leaves of this tree are leathery and small.
6. If you get closer to the plant, you can hear its soft and pleasant aroma.
7. Myrtle begins to bloom at the beginning of summer.
8. Allergy sufferers may not worry about volatile emissions. They pose no danger.
9. Myrtle has fruits that are incredibly healthy, but not very tasty.
10. Some housewives add dried berries and leaves to their dishes.

To provide the world with the right care and grow it strong, you need to follow several existing rules:

1. Flowering can occur only with sufficient lighting. And fruits will definitely appear on it; you just need to carry out pollination yourself or with the help of insects.
2. If the room is warm enough in winter and the tree does not freeze, then care must be taken to ensure uniform watering and spraying. The container in which the myrtle tree is located cannot be placed close to heating devices or batteries. Be sure to drain excess water from the pan, after watering.
3. Myrtle in natural conditions grows in subtropical climates. That is why he must survive the winter in a warm place that does not freeze. The optimal temperature is not lower than 5 degrees Celsius.
4. It is very important when growing myrtle bonsai to choose the right soil. It should not contain a lot of lime. The soil should be slightly acidic.
5. Throughout the summer, the myrtle tree must be regularly washed under warm shower or spray.

Remember! Bonsai from myrtle must be replanted once every few years, exclusively in the spring.

Bonsai pomegranate

Often at home, dwarf bonsai are used to create and grow bonsai. In order for the pomegranate, or rather its small copy, to grow healthy, it is necessary to provide it with quality care.

Humidity

Pomegranate can survive drought, but will not tolerate excessive moisture. Excess water can lead to rotting of the root system and death of the plant.

Temperature

Homemade pomegranate can grow in a room where the temperature does not drop below -10°C.

Wintering

Pomegranate is a deciduous tree, so with the onset of winter, its dormant period begins.

Watering should be significantly less frequent than in other seasons of the year. In summer you can feed the pomegranate tree mineral fertilizers, fertilizing is not carried out in winter. Such manipulations will help grow a healthy tree.

Lighting

It is very important when growing that the pomegranate bonsai should be in a well-lit place without direct sunlight. Lack of lighting can cause more harm than too much lighting. And then the pomegranate can get sick.

Trimming

Pomegranate must be pruned in a timely manner to form its crown. Spring period is perfect time to carry out this process.

Cedar bonsai

Quite often, gardeners choose cedar for growing bonsai, thanks to its hardiness and neat needles. Cedar is a large coniferous tree with gray bark.

To grow cedar, you can choose one of several types. It is imperative to ensure that this tree is well cared for.

Lighting

Cedar belongs to light-loving plants, so it is advisable to grow it outdoors.

Temperature

Cedar must be protected from hot temperatures and extreme cold.

Watering

In the summer, you need to water the cedar moderately; in the remaining annual seasons, watering is significantly reduced.

An interval must be maintained between watering procedures to allow the soil to dry out. If the cedar is over-watered, it will be covered with yellow needles.

Fertilizer application

Feeding in the spring will allow the cedar plant to activate the growth of young shoots, and in the fall it will increase the level of frost resistance.

Formation

This process must be carried out using thick braided wire. Be careful, if you tighten the wire too much - it can cause wounds and the cedar will be covered with scars. Typically, the wire is applied for 1 annual cycle, or even more.

New young shoots need to be pinched during the growing season, but pruning is best done in August and then your cedar will radiate a healthy appearance.

Azalea bonsai

The main advantage of this plant is its numerous flowering. Azaleas are grown at home in only two types. One of them is Indian azalea. Growing a flowering living bonsai at home is not so easy, so check out all the points to ensure that your azalea receives proper care.

Priming

The soil should be acidic and contain plenty nutrients. When replanting, you need to partially change the soil.

Lighting

Azalea is a light-loving plant. It is best to choose a well-lit place to grow it, without direct sunlight.

The temperature should vary from 6 to 8 degrees Celsius in winter and from 10 to 15 in summer. During the flowering period, it is necessary to spray the azalea with warm water.

Watering

The soil in the container must be constantly moist. Azaleas need regular and abundant watering. To do this, we need soft or melted water at room temperature.

Formation

Azaleas as bonsai should be pruned in late spring. Azalea, like all flowers, is quite fragile, so you need to be especially careful when using wire to shape its crown.

Bonsai wisteria

Many gardeners try their best to grow bonsai from the wisteria plant at home. You need to carefully study all the care rules so that wisteria will delight you with its beautiful flowering and beautiful forms.

Lighting

Wisteria is a light-loving plant, so the place for its cultivation must be chosen accordingly.

Temperature

If the temperature drops below -5, then the wisteria may freeze, so you need to take additional measures to insulate the plant. Do not forget to ventilate the room where wisteria develops.

Capacity

To make wisteria feel comfortable, ceramic containers are chosen for its cultivation.

Cleansing

After the flowering period ends, wisteria begins to bear fruit. It is necessary to rid the plant of these beans as early as possible so that they do not take up a lot of energy. You are allowed to leave only a few pieces.

Transfer

Wisteria should “move” to a new container every year after flowering has completed. In this case, you need to carefully examine root system and remove damaged parts. Otherwise, wisteria may get sick after transplantation.

In addition to all these presented types of bonsai, the following varieties are grown in apartment conditions: boxwood bonsai, birch bonsai, oak bonsai. Often gardeners who are keen on Feng Shui prefer to grow Crassula bonsai to attract money into their home.

How to make and grow bonsai from money tree at home?

You can plant a bonsai yourself. The main thing is to choose the right plant so that it feels comfortable in environment. The growing technology is not at all complicated, but it requires regular monitoring of the formation, a lot of time and effort. Bonsai needs to be cared for correctly. It is important to create favorable conditions factors 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;
• Place the bonsai in a 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 stones gems 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.

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 “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.

Since the art of bonsai became extremely popular in the twentieth century, this approach to growing miniature trees by Europeans was somewhat simplified: 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 a good choice - an evergreen shrub (despite the fact that this plant does not belong to traditional Japanese art, it is very popular in the world because of its ease of care and fast 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 coldest 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 do not take cuttings well 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 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 temperature indicators air not 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 a lot of 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 cannot cope with the abundance of moisture).

As for propagation by cuttings, this is more quick way. It must be borne in mind that the cuttings of many trees take root poorly, and therefore, for everything to work out, you should constantly maintain optimal conditions: 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). At what time of year to take cuttings depends largely on the latitude where the tree grows: for deciduous plants in temperate latitudes this is May and July, but for coniferous trees this period occurs 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 difficult 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 it 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 too dry for him. 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 contact sun rays, 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 air humidity. 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 one of the most demanding indoor plants, and therefore they are not easy to care for: improper care will 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 every tree needs different quantities 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 to fresh air. But it is more difficult to care for tropical trees: they do not like the cold, so they are kept indoors, 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.

Because small tree It needs moisture extremely badly, 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 water less often). Regarding tropical plants, then they do not tolerate cold water, therefore it is advisable to use either melted or settled water.

Bonsai is the art of growing small copies of nature's creations of plant origin, which first conquered Japan and then the whole world. A skillful likeness of a selected representative of the flora is formed with one’s own hand, so this requires a lot of patience, time and knowledge. In this article we will tell you how to grow a bonsai tree at home and what care it requires.

Choosing a tree for bonsai

In order to grow a beautiful bonsai tree at home without much hassle, it is best to choose one of the plants listed below, about which gardeners have extremely positive reviews. The photos will help you see what such a green pet will look like.

• Indoor types of citrus fruits: lemon, ;

• Decorative varieties of apple trees;
• Barberry;
• Hawthorn;
• Maple.

These are just some of the most popular options. Growing bonsai can be done from a variety of plants that are found everywhere: in parks, forests, gardens. You can also purchase seedlings in nurseries. The price will depend on the type of tree chosen and its height.

Growing Bonsai from Seeds

There are two types of shrub and tree seeds suitable for exotic bonsai. One type of crop can be immediately used for germination, while the other part undergoes a period of hibernation, during which the sprout must wait out the cold season. Stratification at home will serve as an imitation of winter.

• For a period of 3-5 months, the seeds of the bonsai tree are placed in sphagnum moss or wet sand, then the container is put in the refrigerator. Positive temperatures and a moist environment will help the seed prepare for growth. When it is placed in a warm place, the sprout will quickly awaken;
• You can grow bonsai from seeds from spring until the very beginning autumn season. For seedlings that grew at the end of summer, it is necessary to use lighting, which is indispensable in the autumn-winter period;
• To successfully germinate seedlings and make their first months of life easier, you need to take peat tablets, soaked and absorbed moisture, or a light sand-peat substrate. Until the sprouts appear, the container is kept under film in the dark. The air temperature depends on the type of tree being grown;
• The greenhouse must be ventilated to prevent rot and condensation. When the first shoots appear, fresh air must be present in the room, then the seedlings are transferred to light. If necessary, they are fertilized and watered using a complex composition.

The bonsai plant is replanted when it reaches 10-12 cm in height. In this case, the main root is shortened by 1/3 so that the green pet stops its vertical growth. The future trunk is immediately formed using copper wire.

Growing bonsai from cuttings

You can grow a bonsai with your own hands from cuttings. This method allows you to speed up the growth time compared to the previous option by almost a year. First you need to collect suitable cuttings. It is better to do this in the spring.

• Choose semi-woody or green shoots 5-10 cm in length and about 5 mm in diameter;
• Cuttings must be planted in sterile soil, additionally treated with hormonal powder (if possible).

A short master class on planting cuttings:

• Fill the bottom layer of a deep pot with a diameter of 15 cm about a quarter with a mixture of akadama and fine gravel in equal proportions;
• We fill the remaining space of the container soil mixture, suitable for the selected plant;
• We remove all the branches at the bottom of the cutting, cut thick branches obliquely;
• If desired, we treat the cuttings with a special hormonal powder, which can be bought in plant stores;

• We insert the seedlings into the soil, leaving a sufficient gap between them;
• Carefully water the soil;
• We remove the pot out of reach of direct sunlight so that young bonsai leaves do not get burned;
• Lightly moisten the soil, but do not flood it;
• It will take several weeks until germination occurs. It will be possible to plant the shoots in a year, and after another couple of years it will be possible to begin forming the bonsai crown.

How to choose soil and pot for a bonsai tree

It is advisable to plant home bonsai in a shallow and small container so that it does not grow to enormous sizes. At the same time, it is necessary to form and trim some of the roots.

The bonsai pot is chosen very carefully. It is taken into account that from year to year the plant will become heavier and may become unstable, especially if it has a cascading, inclined or irregular shape. Consequently, for the “green friend”, which ranges in size from a few centimeters to a meter, ceramic bowls, containers or pots are made, usually massive, of different shapes and styles. Their bottom should have several drainage holes used to release excess moisture and to secure the future tree.

Scalding with boiling water or a hot solution of potassium permanganate is very suitable for treating the pot. This will protect your Japanese bonsai from root fungus.

The soil helps the tree retain moisture and provides nutrition, and also thanks to the soil, the roots of the plant are anchored in a small pot. Therefore, in order to grow miniature copies of maples, oaks, lemons, lindens, etc., they resort to using a special substrate. This mixture, which is based on certain types of clay, is called akadama in Japan.

The granular substance is “flavored” with sand and fertile soil for good fluffiness and nutritional value:

• To grow flowering crops, take three parts of sand, seven parts of soil with turf and part of highly nutritious humus, which are mixed together;
• Deciduous bonsai trees grow well thanks to a substrate with three parts of washed coarse sand and seven parts of turf soil;
• Conifers love loose soil, consisting of two parts washed sand and three parts turf soil.

Before planting a bonsai, the soil must be sorted out and all excess that can damage the root system must be removed. The substrate is also sterilized and sifted, and drainage is made at the bottom of the container.

Bonsai crown formation

To give a miniature tree a beautiful weird shape, usually use copper wire.

• First, all the branches from the lower part of the trunk and all the “dry wood” are removed from the plant. Next, select three main branches on the crown, which visually form a triangle with equal sides, and remove all remaining branches between them. You can also leave 2 or 4 branches - it all depends on your desire;
• To bend the trunk, remove the top soil layer from the roots and carefully tilt the trunk to the required angle. One end of the soft wire is dug in and fixed in the ground at the base of the trunk from the inside of the bend. The trunk must be tightly but carefully wrapped with wire to the base of the remaining branches, so as not to damage or tear off the bark;

• You can also create bends in bonsai branches using thin braided wire so as not to touch delicate plant tissues;
• It is necessary to remove the wire from the trunk of a formed tree after a couple of years, otherwise it may return to its original state. The branches can be released after six months;
• To maintain the aesthetic appearance of your bonsai, do not forget to regularly trim long shoots that have grown beyond the crown perimeter and old foliage to allow new young leaves to grow.

Video: Bonsai pruning and crown formation

How to care for a tree at home

Your main goal is to successfully water the miniature crop. After all, a shallow pot filled with roots and a small volume of soil create certain difficulties. Best fit drip irrigation or irrigation, which will allow you to moisten the substrate under the plant in doses, without blurring.

Only settled, melted or soft water is suitable for irrigation. During the growing season, green pets require a lot of moisture, and in the fall, watering is reduced and becomes less frequent.

Miniature plants They respond well to mineral supplements based on algae, which are carried out every 2-3 weeks. You need to care for trees carefully, do not leave them without “food”, but most importantly, do not “overfeed”:

• In the spring season, with maximum growth, it is necessary to add 2 times more nitrogen to the fertilizer than phosphorus and potassium;
• In summer, the same proportions are used, but the concentration is reduced by 1/2;
• At the end of August, especially for deciduous crops, the content of phosphorus and potassium is increased by 2 times, and nitrogen is reduced;
• Fruiting and flowering shrubs, and trees require more potassium, which goes into the formation of ovaries and buds.

In winter, the tree requires the following care:

• In mild climates, plants are kept outdoors or on unheated terraces;
• In a small pot, the roots may be the first to suffer, so they are well covered and the substrate is dried a little;
• In spring, the bonsai flower awakens. Now it again needs to be watered, fed, and the crown and roots formed.

The video below will help you see the process of growing miniature plants more clearly. If you don’t want to wait a long time, you can buy an already formed tree. But its cost will be several thousand rubles. If you do not have the time and opportunity to carefully care for such a green pet, then make one, which, according to its aesthetic characteristics, will be no worse than a living one.

Video: How to care for a bonsai tree

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 for you completely new world and make you love yourself with all your heart and forever.

Bonsai is the art of not only creating a small copy of nature, applying age-old traditions of special formation of trees and bushes, but also a special art of caring for plants. It is simply impossible to treat bonsai the same 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, in fact, require an individual approach no less than any other indoor plant. But personalization of care is the only thing that growing bonsai has in common with ordinary indoor floriculture.

Olive tree bonsai and testudinaria are rightfully considered the most unpretentious and easiest to grow. Difficult care if possible, grow plants in ordinary living rooms tea tree and elms will need it. The remaining plants - carmona, euonymus, podocarp, ficus, ligustrum, etc. - need a mandatory place in the fresh air warm time year.

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.

Bonsai. © Cindy Black

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. active phase growth. Almost all bonsai require cooler conditions in winter. If you keep the usual room temperatures and do not lower their value by at least 2-3 degrees, reducing the 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 diffused 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 this summer mode 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 - ideal 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. The flat shape of the containers determines the schedule of more frequent procedures. General requirements Bonsai plants do not have to water and their frequency, but it is important to never forget about one rule: bonsai roots should not be allowed to dry out under any circumstances. Drought is detrimental to these valuable plants. But acidification of the soil is also unacceptable. Consistent light to medium humidity is the environment 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. An alternative method of watering is to immerse the container in a larger container of water to saturate the substrate, followed by complete drainage of the “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 pruning is vital for bonsai an important condition maintaining attractiveness. To living work art remained such, it is necessary to periodically shorten the branches, remove unnecessary shoots, perform 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. Upper part Bonsai is always pruned more strongly, not forgetting, like any other indoor plant, to 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 in specialized centers all necessary information. 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 of the free space in 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 are certain types of plants, for example, large-leaved podocarp, which prefers replanting 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

A healthy bonsai, with an ideal shape, capable of blooming or delighting with luxurious leaves, as we see it in stores and bring home, needs constant preventive maintenance. 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.