How to make bonsai from a regular tree. How to grow bonsai from oak. Choosing a tree blank for bonsai

IN last years it comes into vogue to have a kind of Japanese desktop kindergarten - bonsai tree , de still not one. And the highest aerobatics among amateur plant breeders is considered growing bonsai at home ... Only a few have the courage, strength and patience to grow one or more trees, but if it works out, then this is a hobby for life. After all, this japanese style provides constant care, pruning, replanting and improvement of plant design.

Bonsai came to us from Sunny Japan, and translated from Japanese means a tree grown in a pot (so-called bowl) or on a deep tray. Another translation is "pruning a tree" or "a tree that is sheared." For the Japanese, the art of bonsai has become a kind of lifestyle, replaced leisure, has become a special form of knowing the meaning of life.

The historical chronicles of Ancient China and Ancient Egypt, which are more than two thousand years old, convey information about the cultivation of plants in pots near houses. True, for the most part they were grown for culinary and medical purposes spicy or medicinal herbs and shrubs. A little later, the Japanese became interested in this method of cultivation and turned the cultivation of bonsai into a high art.

Before growing a bonsai at home, you need to prepare the entire tool. These are special concave cutters, with which it is easy to cut off stumps-cuts from a small part of the trunk to form a branch. The cut part (deepening) of the trunk will quickly fill with plant sap and overgrow. To cut thick branches, you need special nippers, which form an even cut. Also you will need a small file with a blade length of about 15 centimeters, some scissors with thin ends and one with blunt ends.

The next step would be plant selection for bonsai ... Its size should be at least 20 cm and no more than 50 cm. When choosing, be sure to examine the roots of the plant. It is necessary to take a tree with a healthy, well-developed and strong root system. Only such a tree will root well and quickly. And the root system will be used to shape the exotic, chosen shape.

The type of tree depends only on the preferences of the owner. Of conifers it is better to take Japanese cryptomeria, Chinese juniper, European or Japanese larch, Himalayan cedar, korean fir, black or ordinary pine, pea cypress or folded thuja.

Of leafy plants often prefer birch, hornbeam, oak, beech, maple, willow, ash, ficus.

Of fruit trees you can take apple, plum, hawthorn.

If you want to see flowersthen connoisseurs advise magnolia, chaenomelis, rose, narrow-leaved pyracantha and other flowering plants.

Now you need to choose bonsai style plants ... Tip: review the photos, and print the one you like. Since the photo is one to one - it will never work, because in nature there are no two identical trees. And grown indoor bonsai will also be different: each has its own growth rate, crown, pruning. And how it turns out depends only on the imagination and skillful hands of the grower.

You need to root a bonsai tree in a deep container and only then transplant it into a bowl or on a tray. Since the initial formation of bonsai takes about two to three years, there is a lot of time to choose the right pot. Pipes are bonsai pots with low bumpers made of natural materials. Most often they use clay, but porcelain, earthenware or ceramic are also possible. In terms of shape, size and design - a varied choice. But the main factor to consider is the desired style, look and shape of the bonsai tree. There should be harmony in everything. And advice will help to determine the size: the depth should be equal to the diameter of the trunk at the base, the length should be no more than two-thirds of the width or height of the tree, and the width should be literally a couple of centimeters less than the longest branches.

After planting a tree, the ground should be well watered, well compacted. The trunk needs to be dug in deeper for thickening. Then, when transplanting into a bowl, the lower part of the trunk, together with the top of the root system, must be left above ground level. After planting, watering for the first time, the bonsai tree is quarantined for ten days.

It is better to root on the balcony or in the house. But always in a shaded place, as bonsai do not like direct hits. sun rays... These trees are very whimsical and gentle, because of a ridiculous mistake when leaving after several years of life, they can die in just a couple of days. Therefore, a young, only planted tree after quarantine is gradually accustomed to open air, first taking it out for an hour or two into the garden, gradually increasing the time spent outside. And only after a month you can install it in a permanent place.

begin in the second or third year after planting in early spring. This requires slow down tree growth ... It is transplanted into a bowl, after cutting off the roots that go straight. Leave as many horizontal roots as possible, remove weak and diseased lashes. For subsequent transplants, the roots must be cut.

Slows down growth and transplant into lean soil ... Usually, the soil contains loam (about a third), peat or rotted leaves - 50 percent of the volume, small stones or coarse sand. With the minimum necessary top dressing, such soil does not promote plant growth.

At a low height from the ground, the trunk tied with wire for thickening and slowing growth. As soon as the wire begins to interfere with the normal development of the tree, it is removed and transferred to another place. Side branches can also be formed in this way. To give the desired shape, the branches and the trunk of the tree are twisted and fixed in position with a rope or wire. This is especially suitable for ficuses, as they cannot tolerate pulling the trunk to thicken.

Also for weakening growth reduce the flow of juices ... For this, cuts are periodically made on the trunk in different places. The tree for tightening the wounds will fill them with juice, and, at the same time, form interesting influxes on the trunk.

Weaken growth and pruning ... The first pruning is recommended in the spring after the first buds appear on the tree. Young shoots are cut at the level of 1-2 rosettes from the trunk. Branches that overlap each other are also cut. After pruning, the tree will be covered with young leaves that will be smaller than usual. Remember one rule: there should be no flowers on the plant when pruning. If the bonsai has buds or is already blooming, pruning can only be done after flowering.

Using these methods, the so-called miniature bonsai tree is achieved.

Few words about watering methods. The bonsai tree must not be watered from above. For the first method, you need to take a tray on which to put expanded clay, pour it heavily with water (so that the water "stands"), put a bowl with a bonsai tree on the tray. Water must be constantly added, as it quickly evaporates and is absorbed by the plant. The second way is to literally "drown" the plant together with a pot in a larger tau with water for a few seconds. Desirable rainwater.

Growing bonsai tempers fortitude, patience, attentiveness, promotes the appearance of inner peace and tranquility. But if the reader still does not have the patience and strength to grow bonsai at home, you can go to a flower shop and simply buy a bonsai tree. Of course, no one requires the grower to prune, water, or otherwise perform daily bonsai cultivation. But just sit down, sit next to the tabletop japanese garden and it is very pleasant to admire this work of art, especially when a blizzard is howling outside the window and frost crackling.

Bonsai is an art that originated in China in 200 BC. The Japanese liked the principle of growing trees, since the small territory of their country does not allow planting gardens with large trees. Later, this art spread throughout the world and even became a collectible. Every lover of green spaces wants to have at home a corner of wildlife that resembles a garden or forest.

Growing a miniature tree is a rather lengthy process that requires patience and some knowledge. Bonsai can be grown from a twig or branch of a tree after rooting them in water, or by planting seeds. When the seed rises and grows a little, you can start planting.

For this you will need:

1. Planter, not deep, like a plate or not deep bowl, on the bottom of which you need to put a plastic net.

2. Land - buy a special or mix garden soil with sand and peat in a ratio of -2: 1: 1

3. Seeds or seedlings of the selected tree

4. Wire and pliers for shaping the tree

Having made the decision to diversify your home flower garden with a tree in a pot, choose a tree species. It can be pine, maple, spruce, oak. The least common are birch, cherry, apple, viburnum. Bonsai can be grown from almost any tree.

Growing from seeds

We buy in the store or assemble ourselves. Not all seeds can be germinated at once. Some require some preparation. Seeds of juniper, hornbeam, maple, quince should be put in the sand and watered. Keep wet. This is called a dormant period, which can last up to six months. There are seeds that can be planted immediately after harvesting, these include tree seeds - fir, pine, euonymus, oak, beech.

To begin with, we soak the seeds, you can use vermiculite.

Vermiculite has the ability to absorb moisture, is not subject to decay and the influence of unfavorable factors. They can be diluted with soil to retain moisture.

After germination, we proceed to planting. To do this, we buy peat pots in the store

We fill them with a mixture of sand and peat, you can use the earth for cacti. Pouring the mixture, leave three centimeters on top. Fill one more centimeter with the same mixture, but sifted. We plant a seed, press down the soil with a piece of wood, moisten and cover with a film.

If you have chosen the seeds of a tropical plant for planting, leave them on the surface, do not sprinkle with soil.

We are looking for a place for a pot, where there will be no direct sunlight. After the emergence of the shoot, we make holes in the film for air intake. When the leaves appear, open our seedlings and put on sunny place... After reaching a height of 10 cm, we begin the pick, shorten the roots before planting.

Growing from seedlings

Cuttings for root germination can be cut from any tree. To do this, select younger branches that are not affected by diseases and are not damaged by various pests. Cut the stalk obliquely to increase the area of \u200b\u200bmoisture absorption. We put the cuttings in a non-transparent container filled with water. After germination of the roots, we proceed to planting

To form the desired shape, we wrap the trunk and branches with wire.

Before proceeding with the formation of the crown, choose a style:

Tekkan - the trunk is straight, the crown is wide at the bottom, narrowed at the top.

Moyogi Is the most common style. The barrel is curved. There can be several bends, the most important thing is that the top is always above the base.

Shakan - has an inclined shape. Symbolizes the desire for the sun.

Sokan - is characterized by the branching of the trunk, the effect is achieved by the formation of one branch, as a daughter trunk.

Kengai - a style that symbolizes a tree that, adapting to natural conditions, seems to hang from a cliff.

Bujingi - the style is complex, characterized by the absence of branches at the bottom of the tree.

Fukinagashi -resembles a tree standing on the seashore, on which the wind blows.

Yose-ue-forest composition, which consists of independent tree trunks of the same species.

Hokidachi -an upright tree, a feature of which is branching from one point.

Shokijou - a tree growing on rocks. Its roots are looking for any crevice where they can penetrate in search of water and nutrients.

Ishizuki — showy style, shows a tree growing in a stone crevice.

Kabudachi -several trunks grow from one root system.

Ikadabuki -symbolizes a tree that has fallen into a swamp, which has adapted to the environmental conditions.

Sharimiki - the tree is aged artificially, by removing the bark.

After our tree has been planted and established, we cut the branches annually.

Indoor bonsai, photo

Bonsai in the garden, photo

Video how to create a bonsai in the garden

DIY pine bonsai, a detailed guide with a photo

It is very convenient to grow bonsai from pine, as it is an unpretentious evergreen tree. Better time for planting it is autumn. If you decide to grow bonsai on your summer cottage, stock up with a shovel, a bag and go into the forest. We find a suitable small pine tree, dig it out, and collect the soil in which it grew in a bag.

Next steps:

1. We select a pot of small diameter, up to 15 cm.
2. We put it in a pot and put it in the garden, protected from the sun.
3. We mulch the roots for the winter.
4. At the end of March, we cut the seedling by 10 cm, due to which the trunk begins to thicken, and the lateral shoots begin to grow.
5. If necessary, thin out the needles.
6. Choosing the style you want to get
7. With the help of a wire, we create a slope of the trunk or branches.

DIY ficus bonsai, step-by-step guide with photo

Ficus is one of the most popular flowers that growers love to grow. Ficus has many varieties that allow you to diversify the interior.

Here is some of them:

• rusty red;
• caricature;
• microcarp;
• dull;
• variegated;
• ginseng

The most common variety is Benjamin's ficus.

Ficus is great for growing bonsai for the following reasons:

• well-developed root system;
• growing rapidly;
• the trunk is massive;
• leaves are small.

To grow a bonsai from ficus, you need to know the rules of planting and care, otherwise you risk losing the plant. If the leaves start to fall, then you are doing something wrong. Given the rapid growth, in two years you can get a beautiful miniature tree - bonsai. When forming a ficus, the following styles are usually used - tekkan, moyogi, shakan, sokan. The pot should have drainage holes. We prepare a drainage net, which we put on the bottom of the pot.

We take a young ficus and prune its roots.

To get a young shoot, you can cut the lower branch of the ficus tree and put it in the water. When the branch gives a good root system, you can start planting.

We pour the soil on top, which should not be very fertile. We put a suitable stone on top, coat it with clay.

We plant a ficus on top of the stone, distributing the roots over it, which we carefully wrap with a rope or soft wire to fix it, sprinkle with soil. The top of the roots should be exposed.

Further care consists in cutting the roots, forming the crown and timely watering.

Bengal ficus

Ficus Benjamin

Ficus microcarpa

Ficus retuza

Rusty red ficus

DIY beaded bonsai, photo

If there is no opportunity or desire to care for a live bonsai, you can weave it from beads. Such a tree will be a real decoration of the house. In addition, beaded bonsai will be a wonderful gift.

First of all, we choose the style we want to get.

Cooking material for weaving

You will need:

1. The beads themselves.
2. The wire is thinner for the branches and thicker for the trunk.
3. Clay Moment is colorless.
4. Alabaster.
5. Masking tape.
6. Nippers.
7. Acrylic paints.
8. Pot.
9. Decor.

We cut the wire, 45 cm long. We string the beads, in the amount of 8 pieces. We twist each wire, make a bundle of several received. The number of branches depends on the selected tree and style.

We connect the bundles of the resulting branches

We form the buds

There should be 150 buds

We take a thick wire and, using masking tape, fasten our branches to the thick wire.

We dilute gypsum with water to the consistency of thick sour cream.

After all the branches are screwed on, you should get a tree like this. We insert it into a pot, which we fill with plaster.

We also cover the trunk with plaster, let it dry and paint the trunk with paint.

Supplement with decor

How to make a bonsai pot with your own hands, step by step with a photo

You can make a planter from an ordinary ceramic salad bowl. To do this, you need a drill and a ceramic drill.

Choosing a salad bowl

We take a drill and drill

We make drainage holes

The planter is ready

How to make an artificial bonsai with your own hands, photo ideas

There are many options for creating artificial bonsai. There is no limit to imagination here. It can be created from natural materials and artificial ones. You can collect suitable driftwood in the forest to create a trunk and process it in a special way. You can use the dying flower on the windowsill. For branches, collect needles or leaves. To create from artificial materials, a three-core wire is suitable - this will be the base of the trunk, and the leaves are made from artificial flowers. Needles are suitable, which must be processed in a special way.

1. We go to the forest or park and find a suitable snag. Defects and curvature will add a sophisticated style.
2. We collect branches of pine or juniper.
3. We find the moss and collect it the same way.
4. We proceed to conservation, for this we need alcohol, acetone, glycerin in a ratio of 1: 1: 2.
5. We wash the branches and needles from dirt and dry them.
6. We place the branches in the solution so that it completely covers them.
7. We withstand a week and lay out to dry.
8. We paint the needles with oil paint in green color, since after the above described manipulations, the needles are bleached. Before painting, we dip the branches in paraffin.
9. We glue the twigs to the trunk and fix them with a wire. After the glue has dried, remove the wire.
10. We prepare the basis - we select suitable dishes and fill it with gypsum, which we dilute to the thickness of sour cream.
11. You can do without a pot, for this we take cellophane, put it in suitable shape and also fill in with plaster, in the middle we insert our artificial tree.
12. After drying, we take it out of the container, separate the cellophane and paint the resulting shape in the selected color.
13. We decorate the base with moss and pebbles.

To create deciduous trees, you can take artificial leaves.

In an aquarium, an artificial bonsai tree also looks impressive.

Artificial bonsai tree, master class

An artificial bonsai tree can be made from many materials: beads, fabric, paper, wool, plastic bottles, soft porcelain, natural materials and even metal. The base of the trunk is usually driftwood of various trees or a three-core wire. For leaves and flowers, choose fabric, paper, plasticine, parts of artificial flowers

To make a bonsai from wire, we will prepare PVA glue, scissors, nippers, electrical tape, masking tape, plaster, floristic tape, artificial flowers.

We dilute gypsum to the thickness of sour cream.

We bend the wire in accordance with the selected style. On the base we make a ring, which we put in a bowl and fill it with plaster.

We thicken the wire with plaster.

If you have chosen a snag as the basis for a trunk, choose one that corresponds to your idea of \u200b\u200bwhat the future tree will be like. Curvature and defects will add charm to the barrel.

After preservation, which is described above, put it in a mold and fill it with plaster.

We wrap the barrel with masking tape, thus making the barrel thicker. Coat the top with a thick layer of PVA glue, then apply diluted gypsum. Leave to dry for a day.

Thinking over what the crown will be. We form it from artificial leaves. We fasten them with glue and wire.

After drying, coat it again with glue, let it dry. Then we start painting the barrel. We take acrylic paints, dilute with PVA glue, in a 3: 1 ratio and paint.

Bonsai sakura artificial tree, step by step instructions with photo

Sakura bonsai can be made from beads or artificial flowers.

Sakura beaded flowers are made as follows:

1. A wire is taken, 45 cm long. Beads are strung on the wire
2. We make two loops, so that each one looks like a petal.
3. We string beads on one end of the wire.
4. Making another petal.
5. We continue to twist the wire with a loop until 6 petals are obtained.
6. The flower is ready.

The resulting flowers should have the ends of the wire, at least 10 cm, with the help of which we collect the bunches of flowers together and fasten them to the wire, which will serve as a branch. We wrap with masking tape.

Using a wire, we fix the branches on the trunk. We do the barrel in the same way as the above examples. If you want to use green leaves, cut them from fake flowers or purchase them from a craft store.

You can make any base, use a pots or a cast from plaster, where you first need to plant the trunk. We decorate the base at our discretion.

As we can see, growing a bonsai or making an artificial one is not so difficult; it takes a little effort and patience.

Have you been fond of the noble art of growing bonsai for a long time or decided to try your hand at this field for the first time and want to learn how to care for a miniature tree? In any case, you should pay attention to ficus - thanks to the pliability of this plant, it is much easier to form a bonsai from ficus than from many other flowers and trees, and the result is very effective.

The attention of people keen on growing bonsai has focused on ficuses relatively recently, but during this time they managed to gain great popularity. This plant lends itself well to forming with the help of twine or wire, the trunk quickly heals wounds, instead of cut branches, new ones quickly grow. At the same time, thanks to the smooth bark, miniature leaves and thin twigs, with the proper approach, the tree turns out to be very harmonious and attractive.

But one of the most important differences is that the plants willingly put down aerial roots, which over time can acquire the appearance of trunks.

How to grow and care

To grow bonsai from ficus, you need to use a flat pot: this will limit the growth of the root system and, accordingly, the aerial part of the plant. must be well drained (at least one hole). Bonsai respond well to pots with legs: this design provides air flow and does not allow excess water to stagnate.
For ficuses, a soil consisting of equal parts of sorted peat, dry (powdery) clay, humus and clean sand is excellent. Also good choice there will be soil for palm trees and, finally, special granules for growing bonsai. Transplants are usually needed every two years. Make them better in spring.
When growing a bonsai ficus, you can "plant" it on stones - the roots, entwining one or more stones, give the composition a special expressiveness. To do this, you need to process the roots of the bonsai with a clay mash and fix them on the stones with a wire in the desired position. It is important that they touch the soil and can receive nutrients from it. In the future, the root system itself will firmly braid the stones and the wire can be removed.
One of the important conditions for growing miniature trees is being careful. If this is your first time trying yourself in, it is better to use not a wire, but a twine or tape - this way there is less risk of injury to the plant. If the use of wire is necessary, it is better to braid it with a soft cloth, such as felt.

The braid to form the trunk is led from the base of the trunk upwards. It must be done very carefully so that the branches or trunk do not break. When working with ficuses, the sheath should remain on the tree for 45-60 days.

One of the easiest options for growing a miniature tree. It is better to use radial pruning for this variety, which removes all the green component. The base of the future tree will be a trunk with roots.
With this ficus, you can use the weaving technique: several shoots are planted in a pot, which are woven together with a rope or wire.
Formation of the root system for can begin about 4 months after the plant has taken root. The roots are freed from the soil with the help of special sticks and spatulas, starting from the root collar. When replanting this flower, you can either selectively remove excess roots or trim the entire bunch. Further, in order to obtain a particularly spectacular shape, the aerial roots of the microcarp should be straightened, directed to the ground and dug in.

Ficus Ginseng Bonsai

It is quite easy to grow bonsai from this ficus, it is unpretentious in care. at home, among other things, it consists in abundant watering (water must drain into the pan). A transplant for this variety is preferable in the summer, while a quarter of the root system must be removed. In winter, he will need additional lighting, on the shortest days - up to 6 additional hours.

One of the smallest varieties. These houseplants prefer well-lit rooms, but they should be protected from direct sunlight. The water in the sump should not stagnate, this can lead to root rot. It should be fed mainly in spring, when the plant wakes up. There are a number of video tutorials online on how to create a beautiful bonsai from a grown Kinki step by step. For this variety, as well as for Microcarp, the interlacing of the trunks is well suited, these flowers get along well in several pieces in one pot.

Ficus Benjamin is one of the most popular varieties for those who love growing bonsai. Since it is relatively easy to make Benjamin Ficus Bonsai, the ease of maintenance has made this a popular choice among beginners.

For this flower, it is permissible to grow bonsai in many canonical forms: moyogi (vertical, slightly curved position of the trunk, branches "look" in different directions), shakan (curved trunk, branches only from above and directed in one direction), hokidachi (tree in the shape of a broom with a wide crown), etc. In addition, Benjamin's ficus is excellent for composition on stone.

How to grow bonsai from Benjamin ficus with your own hands? It is best to grow a plant from an apical cutting of 8-12 cm. Such a cutting must be dried in the places of the cuts, disinfected with powder activated carbon and put in a growth stimulant. For better rooting, it is better to keep it in a mini-greenhouse at temperatures up to 22-17 ° C.
The lighting should be plentiful and the humidity high. When the root system is sufficiently developed, the sprout can be transplanted into the ground, and, if necessary, directly onto the stones. When the plant reaches its maximum planned height, the first is produced. In the future, it should be pruned at least once every six months.

Of course, looking after such flowers is more difficult than usual, but take care of them carefully and carefully, while showing your imagination, and after a while you will be in your hands yourself, like a miniature piece of wildlife.

Video "Benjamin Ficus Bonsai"

In this video you will learn how to make your own ficus bonsai.

The ancient art of growing bonsai in pots has spread around the world, turning from the fun of the Japanese aristocracy into a mass hobby. Over the centuries, the Japanese have learned to form miniature copies of trees growing in natural conditions. In Japan, this art has reached tremendous development and today represents a whole science with numerous schools and shaping techniques that allow you to get plants of various configurations: straight, asymmetrical, inclined, "bent by the wind", "weeping", cascading and others. These forms are inspired by the very nature of Japan, where plants acquire harmonious, perfect silhouettes in a special climate.

Recently, Russian gardeners are increasingly using oriental style in design, and the creation of bonsai in the open field is undoubtedly a fashionable and promising direction. The formation of a garden bonsai is not much different from the traditional one, however, the familiar methods of working with woody plants are used: pruning, pinching and grafting.

The sizes of the garden bonsai, in contrast to the canonical Japanese, are arbitrary. Source material can serve as an old fruit tree, an unsightly twisted shrub in the corner of the garden, an unusual specimen found in nature and, of course, a young plant. Take a closer look at the plants in your garden, maybe one of them is already ready to make a bonsai out of it?

It happens that within just a few years of purposeful pruning from a nondescript tree with bare trunks and sticks sticking out in all directions, you can create attractive unusual trees in oriental style.

Many have old apple or cherry trees in their orchards, which have not been pleasing with harvests for a long time and look sloppy. Try to remove all the small branches on the bottom of the crown so that the main trunk is clearly visible, and in the spring, trim the top of the crown parallel to the ground. Repeating these steps annually, you will form dense foliage caps at the top of the crown on a graceful curving trunk. You will soon see the silhouette of the tree change and enjoy this effortless gardening job.

With conifers, the result may be more spectacular, but the formation process takes longer. For example, the dense and dense crown of a mountain pine, which has delighted you for many years, begins to become rare and loose. A great reason to start shaping!

Formation conifers takes time but gives impressive results. Photo by the author

Look inside the crown and select several branches that form a beautiful silhouette. Cut the remaining branches without regret, and at the beginning of summer, when the buds start to grow, pinch them, leaving 1–2 cm. By the next season, many new buds will be laid in the upper part of the crown, and they will give rise to a new beautiful crown in the form of a cloud.

The same can be done with Scots pine. The only thing - along with pinching the shoots and thinning the crown, the Scots pine branches will have to be fixed in a horizontal position. Usually they use thick wire, tie up weights or pull ropes. This is necessary to preserve the tiered shape of the crown, otherwise - without fixing - the branches begin to "bulge", the space between the tiers closes.

I note that of all conifers, Scots pine and mountain pine are the most suitable material for garden bonsai in middle lane... Do not be afraid to cut out unnecessary branches, because pines are very plastic trees, thanks to their abilities they were able to adapt to the harsh conditions of nature - the drying winds of the highlands and the bitter frosts of the north.

Pine trees take the desired shape with great pleasure, the main thing is to help them. At the same time, the gardener himself will comprehend harmony and develop taste, bringing the form to perfection. In addition, working with the form is a hobby for many years, and the result is an exclusive and unusual plant that delights the owners and surprises guests.

In addition to pine trees, other conifers are also suitable for creating a garden bonsai. European larch is very resistant and tolerant of pruning, varieties of Chinese juniper and medium, pea cypress are well formed. You can try to work with common spruce varieties.

Remember that pines do not know how to lay buds on lignified shoots of the last year, so you can only pinch young candle-shoots at the beginning of summer, and junipers, larch trees, spruce and cypress trees can be cut at any time, even with the help of scissors.

From deciduous trees, hawthorns, maples, oak are suitable for our climate, as well as fruit trees - apple trees, cherries. Despite the small assortment, these trees are stable in our climate and tolerate formation well.

Recently, ready-made bonsai grown in a nursery and suitable for planting in open ground... Usually these are multi-stemmed versions of Scotch pine or mountain pine, on which green thick caps of needles are formed. Such plants, as a rule, are very expensive and do not always look harmonious, so they can be considered as a material for creating a more perfect tree, from the point of view of the owner. In any case, after planting, you will have to take care of them, continuing the work begun in the nursery - annually pinch the shoots and cut out the extra branches, otherwise your bonsai will turn into an ordinary tree.

If you own the grafting technique, then the process of creating a bonsai can be somewhat accelerated: graft several cuttings of a dwarf variety at once on a tall stock (for example, pine), thus creating a multi-tiered plant at once. The advantage of this method is that in the future it will not be necessary to pinch the shoots, since the grafted variety is dwarf.

When creating a bonsai, do not forget that it is not only a formed tree, but also its harmonious combination with the surrounding space. Bonsai is a self-contained work of art, closely related to the rest of the composition, as it imitates a piece of nature in miniature.

Agree that your masterpiece will look a little ridiculous if nettles or strawberry beds grow around. Therefore, to give an oriental flavor and support the overall style in the garden, cut everything! Favorite shrubs - spireas, barberries, turf trees and even clumps of perennials will be an excellent addition to formed trees, if you give them smooth, streamlined outlines with the help of regular haircuts.

In addition, plants similar in appearance to the plants of the Japanese flora will add zest. For example, instead of mosses, you can grow saxifrage, stonecrop, azorella, some types of bryozoans, and astilbe will look good in the shade. Strive to make the composition harmonious, and the garden itself will tell you what changes are needed.

Konstantin Korzhavin

Bonsai is the art of growing small copies of natural plant origin, which first conquered Japan and then the whole world. The skillful likeness of the chosen representative of the flora is formed with his own hand, so this requires a lot of patience, time and knowledge. In this article, we will show you how to grow a bonsai tree at home, and how you need to care for it.

Choosing a tree for bonsai

To grow without much hassle beautiful tree bonsai at home, it is best to choose for this one of the plants listed below, about which gardeners' reviews are extremely positive. Photos will help you see how such a green pet will look.

• Indoor citrus fruits:, lemon,;

• Ornamental 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 a seedling from 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 used immediately for germination, while the other part undergoes a hibernation period, in which the sprout must wait out the cold season. Stratification at home will simulate winter.

• For a period of 3-5 months, the seeds of the bonsai tree are placed in sphagnum moss or in wet sand, then the container is removed to the refrigerator. Positive temperature regime and a moist environment will help the seed prepare for growth. When it is placed in a warm place, the sprout will quickly awaken;
• It is possible to grow bonsai from seeds from spring to the very beginning of the fall season. For seedlings grown at the end of summer, it is necessary to apply illumination, which is indispensable in the autumn-winter period;
• To successfully germinate seedlings and make them easier for the first months of life, you need to take peat tablets, soaked and absorbed moisture, or a light sandy-peat substrate. Until the sprouts appear, the container is kept under the film in the dark. The air temperature depends on the type of tree grown;
• The greenhouse must be ventilated so that rot and condensation does not appear. When the first shoots appear, the presence of fresh air in the room is necessary, then the seedlings are transferred to the 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 a cutting. This method allows you to accelerate the growth time in comparison with the previous version by almost a year. First you need to collect suitable cuttings. It is better to do this in the spring.

• Choose semi-lignified or green shoots 5-10 cm long and about 5 mm in diameter;
• It is necessary to plant cuttings in sterile soil, additionally treated with hormonal powder (if possible).

A short master class on planting a cutting:

• Fill the bottom layer of a deep pot with a diameter of 15 cm by about a quarter with a mixture of Akadama and fine gravel in equal proportions;
• Fill the remaining space of the container with a soil mixture suitable for the selected plant;
• We remove all the branches at the bottom of the cutting, cut the 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;
• Water the soil carefully;
• We remove the pot in a place inaccessible to direct sunlight so that the young bonsai leaves do not get burned;
• We slightly moisten the soil, but do not fill it;
• Several weeks will pass before germination. It will be possible to plant shoots in a year, and in another couple of years it will be possible to start forming a bonsai crown.

How to choose soil and pot for bonsai tree

It is advisable to plant home bonsai in a shallow and small container so that it does not grow huge. At the same time, it is necessary to form and cut off part of the roots.

The bonsai pot is chosen very carefully. This takes into account that from year to year the plant will become heavier, may become unstable, especially if it has a cascading, inclined or irregular shape. Therefore, ceramic bowls, containers or pots, usually massive, are made for a "green friend" with a size from several centimeters to a meter. different shapes and style. Their bottom should have several drainage holes used to release excess moisture and to attach the future tree.

Scalding with boiling water or a hot potassium permanganate solution works very well for processing the pot. This will help protect Japanese bonsai from root fungus.

The soil helps the tree retain moisture and provides nourishment, and the soil also fixes the roots of the plant 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 looseness and nutritional value:

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

Before planting a bonsai, the soil must be sorted out and any excess that can damage the root system must be removed. And also the substrate is sterilized and sieved, drainage is done at the bottom of the container.

Bonsai crown formation

Copper wire is usually used to give a miniature tree a beautiful bizarre shape.

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

• You can also create bends of bonsai branches using thin braided wire so as not to hurt delicate plant tissues;
• It is necessary to remove the wire from the trunk of the 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 the bonsai, do not forget to regularly prune the long shoots that have crawled out of 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 manage watering your miniature crop. After all, a shallow pot filled with roots and a small volume of soil create certain difficulties. Drip irrigation or irrigation is best suited, which will allow metered, without blurring, to moisten the substrate under the plant.

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

Miniature plants are great for algae-based mineral fertilizing, which are carried out every 2-3 weeks. You need to take care of the trees carefully, do not leave them without "food", but the most important thing is not to "overfeed":

• In the spring season, at maximum growth, nitrogen must be added to the fertilizer 2 times more than phosphorus and potassium;
• In summer, the same proportions are used, but the concentration decreases by 1/2;
• At the end of August, especially for deciduous crops, the content of phosphorus and potassium is doubled, and nitrogen is reduced;
• Fruiting and flowering shrubs and trees require more potassium, which is used to form ovaries and buds.

In winter, the tree needs such care:

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

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

Video: How to care for a bonsai tree