Japanese tree in a pot with large leaves. Bonsai at home - how to care for a miniature tree

Self-employment is a very time-consuming and difficult task. Its implementation is not within the power of every grower. When growing, you must get along with your plant and understand how to properly care for it. All existing types of bonsai are individual in their own way and are not similar to each other, so first of all you need to decide on the variety of the grown plant and its future style.

Existing species

Carmona

This plant has several names. Some call it karmona, others tea tree, and the rest - eretia. 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, karmona starts with choosing the right place to grow it. This plant is thermophilic. In the summer, it must be kept outdoors in a shady place.

In winter, it is necessary to choose a warm room for him with maintaining a high level of humidity. To do this, a container with a carmon tree must be installed on hydraulic balls, but only so that the soil and water do not touch. Water must be constantly changed or topped up with fresh water.

Priming

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

After acquiring this plant, it is best to transplant it into nutrient soil so that the karmona can get all the necessary nutrients. Such soil can be purchased in specialized stores or prepared independently in an apartment environment.

Watering

Carmona loves when the moisture is uniform. For this, settled water is used. If you miss a watering session and the karmona begins to dry out, then it is very difficult to save the plant.

Fertilization

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

Fertilization begins in early spring and ends in autumn.

You need to fertilize the soil every 14 days, in winter - monthly. Organic bonsai fertilizers are excellent for this process.

Formation

Karmona can be grown to create any style of bonsai. Young branches easily lend themselves to any change in their shape and direction. To do this, you can use a wire with a thick braid or special supports.

If you purchased a bonsai from a store and the karmona 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. Myrtle bonsai is highly valued by specialists in this field. Therefore, acquiring its cuttings is not always easy, and not at all cheap.

Myrtle has a number of features:

1. The place for growing should be not very wet, but sunny.
2. can grow no more than 90 centimeters.
3. When growing myrtle in garden conditions, it must be transferred indoors for the wintering period.
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 the summer period.
8. Allergy sufferers may not worry about volatile secretions. They don't pose any 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 a few existing rules:

1. Flowering can only occur with sufficient light. And the fruits will certainly appear on it, it is only necessary to carry out pollination on their own or with the help of insects.
2. If in winter the room is warm enough and the tree does not freeze, then you need to take care of uniform watering and spraying. The container in which the myrtle tree is located should not be placed near heating appliances or batteries. Be sure to drain excess water from the pan after watering.
3. Myrtle naturally grows in a subtropical climate. That is why he must survive the winter in a warm place that does not freeze through. The optimal temperature regime is a mark 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 period, the myrtle tree must be washed regularly under a warm shower or sprayed.

Remember! Myrtle bonsai should be transplanted once every few years, only in the spring.

bonsai pomegranate

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

Humidity

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

Temperature regime

Home pomegranate is able to develop indoors, where the temperature does not fall below -10 ° C.

Wintering

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

Watering should be much less frequent than in other seasons of the year. In summer, you can feed the pomegranate tree with mineral fertilizers; in winter, they do not feed. Such manipulations will help to grow a healthy tree.

Lighting

When growing, it is very important that the pomegranate bonsai stand in a well-lit place without direct sunlight. Lack of lighting can be more harmful than too much. And then the pomegranate can get sick.

pruning

Pomegranate must be trimmed in a timely manner to form its crown. The spring period is the ideal time to carry out this process.

cedar bonsai

Quite often, flower growers choose cedar for growing bonsai, due to its endurance and neat needles. Cedar is a large coniferous tree with gray bark.

For growing cedar, you can choose one of its several types. Care must be taken to ensure that the care of this tree is good enough.

Lighting

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

Temperature regime

Cedar must be protected from hot temperatures and extreme cold.

Watering

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

Between watering procedures, you need to maintain an interval so that the soil can dry out. With excessive moisture, the cedar will be covered with yellow needles.

Fertilization

Top dressing 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 should be carried out with thick braided wire. Be careful if you tighten the wire too much - it can cause wounds and the cedar will be covered with scars. Usually, 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. Azalea at home is grown only in two forms. One of them is the Indian Azalea. Growing a blooming live bonsai at home is not so easy, so read all the points so that the azalea gets proper care.

Priming

The soil should be acidic and contain a lot of nutrients. When transplanting, you need to partially change the soil.

Lighting

Azalea belongs to light-loving plants. It is best to choose a well-lit place for its cultivation, without the presence of direct sunlight.

The temperature regime 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 wet. Azaleas need regular and abundant watering. To do this, we need soft or melt water at room temperature.

Formation

Azalea as a bonsai should be pruned at the end of the spring period. Azalea, like all flowers, is quite fragile, so you need to use wire with extreme caution to form its crown.

bonsai wisteria

Many flower growers go out of their way to grow bonsai from the wisteria plant at home. You need to carefully study all the rules for care so that wisteria will delight you with its beautiful flowering and beautiful shapes.

Lighting

Wisteria belongs to light-loving plants, therefore, the place for its cultivation must be chosen accordingly.

Temperature regime

If the temperature drops below -5, in this case, the wisteria may freeze, so you need to take care of additional measures to warm the plant. Do not forget to ventilate the room where wisteria develops.

Capacity

To make wisteria feel comfortable for growing it, ceramic containers are chosen.

cleansing

After the end of the flowering period, 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 a lot of energy. Only a few pieces are allowed.

Transfer

Wisteria should every year, after flowering is completed, “move” into a new container. In this case, it is necessary to inspect the root system well and remove damaged parts. Otherwise, wisteria after transplantation may get sick.

In addition to all these presented types of bonsai, the following varieties are grown in apartment conditions: boxwood bonsai, birch bonsai, oak bonsai. Often, flower growers who are fond of feng shui prefer to grow bonsai from a fat woman to attract money to their home.

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

According to legend, the Chinese emperor decided to observe his country with his own eyes, for which the masters of the Celestial Empire had to create tiny copies of houses, people and, of course, trees. Bonsai, almost fifteen centuries ago, first conquered Japan, and today this amazing art has conquered the whole world.

Like many centuries ago, the goal of the bonsai grower is to reproduce the creations of nature itself. Reduced copies of oaks, maples, pines, sakuras or ficuses have realistic proportions, they live according to the routine established by nature. If a deciduous tree is grown in a pot, it blooms, leaves and goes to winter dormancy.

Because the skillful likeness of a real tree is shaped by hand, growing and caring for a bonsai is laborious, time-consuming, requiring knowledge, patience and understanding of the needs of your green pet.

And yet more and more beginners enthusiastically take on the difficult, but very exciting work. How to grow a bonsai at home and take care of a small copy of a real tree?

How to grow bonsai at home: common ways

If the grower is just beginning to be interested in bonsai, the easiest way is to purchase an already formed plant, for example, from ficus or citrus. It will help you master all the techniques of care from ordinary watering to pruning and adjusting the shape of the trunk and branches. The accumulated experience will allow you to move on to more complex tasks.

There are several ways to grow bonsai at home:

• through sowing the seeds of the culture you like and the subsequent "education" of the seedling;
• with the help of a rooted cutting;
• the formation of a seedling from a nursery or wild;
• transfer to a pot and correction of an already adult cultivated or wild specimen.

The fastest of these methods is the formation of the crown and root system of a one- or two-year-old seedling. Such a plant already has developed roots, while its ground part gives room for imagination and can be modified, according to the plans of the grower.

Enthusiasts interested in how to grow bonsai from seeds should know that this is the longest way, but also the most rewarding. Here, a person has control over the plant literally from the moment the seed is hatched, and it is easier to change the shape of the shoots and roots because of their flexibility.

It is not necessary to choose an exotic tree or shrub. The main thing is that the plant has small leaves and a small annual increase, otherwise it will be much more difficult to “tame” the future bonsai tree.

Choosing the Right Bonsai Tree

What types of plants are suitable for bonsai, a Japanese-style tree? To quickly get an attractive tree, you can pay attention to:

The choice of trees suitable for bonsai is incredibly large, and many of them are the indigenous inhabitants of Russia and are found in gardens, parks, city squares and forests. Magnificent compositions are obtained from and shadberry, hawthorn, acacia and birch, elder and linden, euonymus and oak.

Before growing a bonsai, based on the type of plant, its future height and style are determined.

How to grow bonsai from seeds?

Seeds of trees and shrubs suitable for bonsai are divided into two types. Some of the cultures are immediately ready for germination, but the “program” of many species has a hibernation period, when the sprout waits out the cold season, by evolution. At home, stratification will help to simulate winter.

Tree seeds for Japanese bonsai are placed in wet sand or sphagnum moss for 3-5 months, after which the container is placed in the refrigerator. At a slight positive temperature in a humid environment, the seed prepares for growth. When it is transferred to heat, the sprout quickly awakens. For evergreen species and plants with seeds that have a particularly strong shell, heat or temperature contrast is used to awaken.

Sowing seeds is carried out from spring to early autumn. Seedlings obtained in the second half of summer already need illumination, which is simply irreplaceable in autumn and winter.

For germination and the first months of life of seedlings, a light sandy-peat substrate or peat tablets soaked and saturated with moisture are used. Until a sprout appears on the surface, the container should be in the dark under the film. The air temperature is selected depending on the bonsai tree grown.

To avoid the formation of condensation and rot, the greenhouse is ventilated. When shoots appear inside, they provide a little access to fresh air and transfer the seedlings to the light. As necessary, seedlings are watered and fertilized with complex compounds. When the plant reaches a height of 10–12 cm, it is transplanted.

At this stage, the main root is shortened by a third to slow down the vertical growth of the tree. They immediately begin to form the future trunk, for which copper wire is used.

Choosing a pot and soil for bonsai

The bonsai tree is not for nothing called grown on a tray. To limit the pet in growth, it is planted in a deliberately small and shallow container, while simultaneously forming and cutting off part of the root system.

When choosing a bonsai pot, keep in mind that over the years the tree becomes heavy and, especially with an irregular, inclined or cascading shape, can become unstable. Therefore, for bonsai, ranging in size from a few centimeters to 9 meters, massive, often ceramic pots, bowls or containers of various shapes and styles are traditionally made.

At the bottom of the container there should be a drainage hole and not one. They are used not only for draining water, but also for attaching the plant.

Treating the bonsai pot with a hot solution of potassium permanganate or scalding it with boiling water will help protect the plant and protect it from fungal infection of the root system.

Bonsai soil is not only designed to provide nutrition and retain moisture to the plant, it must help the roots to gain a foothold in a relatively small volume of the pot. Therefore, a special substrate is used for miniature copies of real oaks, lindens, lemons, maples and other trees.

In Japan, for many centuries, such a mixture based on certain types of clay is called akadama. For greater nutritional value and friability, fertile soil and sand are added to the granular substance:

1. For deciduous bonsai tree species, a substrate is recommended with the inclusion of 7 shares of soddy land and 3 parts of coarse washed sand.
2. Flowering crops are grown on a mixture of 7 parts of soddy soil, three parts of sand and 1 part of highly nutritious humus.
3. Conifers, the most popular among bonsai lovers, need especially loose soil, for which they take 3 parts of soddy soil and 2 parts of washed sand.

Before filling the pot, the soil for bonsai is sorted out, removing foreign inclusions that can damage the roots, sieved and sterilized. At the bottom of the container, a drainage layer is arranged to drain excess moisture.

Bonsai tree care at home

It is not enough to purchase a miniature tree, get a young seedling or root a cutting of a breed you like. It is important to know how to care for a bonsai tree.

Constantly limiting growth, forming a crown and growing bonsai in a small pot, a person completely changes the life of a tree or shrub. Therefore, caring for such a culture is very different from caring for other houseplants.

The main task of the grower is to establish watering bonsai, which is not easy to cope with with a small amount of soil and a shallow pot filled with roots.

Previously, flower growers had only a special form of watering cans at their disposal or the ability to immerse a bonsai pot in a bowl of water in order to wet the soil from below. Today, plant irrigation or drip irrigation is actively used, which allows dosed and without the risk of erosion to moisten the soil for bonsai.

For irrigation, take only soft, melted or settled water. During the growing season, plants need more moisture, with the onset of autumn and the approach of the dormant period, watering is reduced and carried out less often, focusing on the state of the substrate.

Top dressing is carried out at intervals of 2-3 weeks, using their mixtures for different crops and seasons. For Japanese bonsai trees, there are mineral supplements based on algae.

You can not leave the plants without nutrition, but it is equally important not to overfeed the bonsai. Therefore, when caring for bonsai trees at home, top dressing is applied very carefully:

• in the spring, at maximum growth intensity including in fertilizer twice as much as potassium and phosphorus;
• in summer, the proportions are left the same, but the concentration is halved;
• closer to autumn, especially for deciduous crops, the content of potassium and phosphorus is doubled, and nitrogen, on the contrary, is reduced.
• flowering and fruiting trees and shrubs need more potassium, which goes to the formation of buds and ovaries.

With the advent of winter, nothing changes for exotic evergreens, but coniferous and deciduous trees must prepare for wintering. How to care for a bonsai tree in winter? If the climate allows, they are left outside or brought to unheated terraces. The root system in a small bonsai pot may be the first to suffer, so it is additionally covered and the soil is dried a little. With the onset of spring, the plant awakens and again needs watering, top dressing and the formation of a crown and roots, which is mandatory for bonsai.

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 please his heart and eyes. To fulfill the ruler's command, the gardeners created tiny living trees, a miniature analogue of growing giants.

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

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 developed: the Japanese not only improved the methods of growing graceful trees, but also systematized them (Japanese bonsai from Chinese is distinguished by great elegance).

If we talk about Japanese art, it must be borne in mind that it is not just a process of growing a bonsai, but is a whole philosophy, since the person doing this must have the appropriate attitude: 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: those who want to have such a miracle in their home, it is enough to take their 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 the 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 well-visible branches and a strong trunk with clearly visible roots. It is necessary to plant a homemade bonsai in a shallow vessel of a simple shape with a discreet color.

Trees grown by this method are usually small: the largest plant has a height of 120 centimeters, the smallest 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 indoor bonsai are from five to thirty centimeters: they are so beautiful, fragile and graceful that, causing involuntary awe, they give the impression of belonging to an amazing magical land of miniature things.

dwarf trees in the house

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

In order to grow bonsai at home, it is advisable to either buy an adult tree of the right size, or grow it 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 well suited - 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 rapid growth).

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

It should also be borne in mind that indoor bonsai are trees, therefore, like other plants of this species, they need fresh air and enough light. For example, bonsai pine is quite a way to 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.

Growing features

Create dwarf trees from tropical and native 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 a suitable soil, having looked at the place where the created bonsai will be located with your own hands, you need to decide which method to grow a tree: by cuttings or with the help of seeds.

A person who is interested in how to grow bonsai must take into account that growing bonsai from seed is the longest process. To create a bonsai of pine, cherry, oak and other trees that are poorly cut by cuttings, it will not work in any other way: only with the help of seeds.

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

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

But after the appearance of sprouts, the situation changes dramatically: the air temperature should not be higher than eighteen degrees. At the same time, young sprouts need moderate moisture and a lot of light, otherwise they will become weak and will be susceptible to diseases. After three to four weeks, they are seated in separate vessels (it should be borne in mind that in large dishes the plant may die, since its small root system cannot cope with the abundance of moisture).

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

The age of the trees from which the cuttings will be cut 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 the year to cut the cuttings depends largely on the latitude where the tree grows: for deciduous plants in temperate latitudes, this is May and July, but for conifers, 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 the shoot up to 20 cm long, on which there are 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: the root system will be located here.

As with seeds, the substrate must be porous in order to allow air and water to pass through well. The sprout should be periodically sprayed or placed in a sufficiently humid place (the planted stalk 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, it is impossible to plant flowering and fruit trees, grass and shrubs, or shrubs and trees in one vessel. Also, the composition should not have a lot of greenery or color.

One of the most difficult tasks is to create a tree of the intended shape, for which they use methods such as pruning, bandaging, cutting branches and other methods (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;
• Inclined - grows at an angle;
• Multi-stemmed - the 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 being formed, it should be borne in mind that it needs to be watered very often, but not poured, fertilizers should be given in limited quantities, and replanted 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 gravel or coarse sand (the soil sold in stores is not very suitable).

When caring for miniature trees, it should be borne in mind that it is easier to grow it outdoors, since indoor air is too dry for it. If the plant is kept on a balcony or in a garden, it is quite easy to take care of it (the only thing is that in summer you need to cover it from direct sunlight, and hide it from rain and wind in winter). But indoor bonsai require careful care, so they are usually short-lived.

There are trees created specifically for the apartment, and therefore, having greater endurance, they require less maintenance. But they still need to be kept away from heating devices: they need high humidity. Also, when caring for these plants, it must be borne in mind that they are afraid of drafts.

In any case, both outdoor and indoor miniature trees are one of the most demanding indoor plants, and therefore it is not easy to care for them: improper care will either kill the tree or make it an ordinary plant that does not attract attention.

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

When growing a tropical tree, it must be remembered that since the day is shorter in temperate latitudes, additional lighting must 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 (how much light it needs and where exactly to put 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 it’s more difficult to take care of tropical trees: they don’t like 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 temperature indicators of the atmosphere, the more the tree needs light, water and nutrients.

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

As for watering, here it must be taken into account that the earth must be constantly wet (subtropical plants are watered less often). As for tropical plants, they do not tolerate cold water, so it is advisable to use either melted or settled water.

For some, a houseplant is a blooming violet or ficus with dark, shiny leaves. And someone wants to grow a real forest in a small handful of land.

Many lovers of indoor plants have heard the mysterious word "bonsai". But what is bonsai and how to form a miniature miracle, they simply do not understand. And meanwhile to understand it is quite real.

History of bonsai

The fashion for miniature trees spread around the world from Japan. But the Japanese are not the founders of a new art form. The idea of ​​bonsai came to them from China. But it was the Japanese who brought it to perfection.

The first mention of the cultivation of miniature trees fell into the hands of historians in 1972. In the mausoleum of Prince Zang Hui, images were found detailing the technology of growing small trees. Judging by how carefully the drawings were preserved for posterity, the technique was considered a particularly valuable knowledge. The drawings belonged to the time of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, which corresponds to 600 BC. e.

The Chinese called the unusual hobby "pensay". The Japanese read the Chinese character in their own way, and the word "bonsai" came out, meaning "grown in a tray."

By the way, archaeologists claim that even the ancient Egyptians knew what bonsai was. They grew small plants in special vessels, but called them differently. Unfortunately, the Egyptian version of the name has not been preserved.

What's the point of this

The Japanese brought the art of growing dwarf plants to perfection. Each tree requires many years of work, attention and patience from the master. This is the only way to get a green masterpiece that will live longer than its creator. A beautiful plant will go to grateful students who understand well what bonsai is and how much effort the master has invested in this beauty.

The art of bonsai is a certain philosophy that allows you to accept life and enjoy the beauty of its course. Each tree in the hands of the master goes through three stages, like all life on the planet. First, it lives through youth, shining with freshness and vigor, then it enters maturity, reaching the perfection of forms and beauty, and the last stage is old age, embodying all the wisdom of the world. And, besides, bonsai is a symbol because the youngest in the family needs to learn from experience and be able to preserve what the elders have created.

What trees can be grown

Most often, evergreen species are used for growing in containers. It can be Japanese cypress, cryptomeria, five-leaf, black or red Bonsai of these tree species looks very impressive, but some prefer to grow deciduous trees, finding a special charm in the change of seasons. In this case, apple trees of different varieties, cherries, some rhododendrons, wild azalea, various varieties of pears, persimmons, wild grapes, willow and others are suitable.

Bonsai pine looks very beautiful and unusual, as can be seen in the photo below, so these miniature coniferous trees are most often found.

Bonsai styles: Tekkan and Moyogi

Even the most experienced master will never get two absolutely identical plants. But all compositions are usually clearly divided into styles. It was the Japanese who brought this tradition to the art of bonsai. They gave a designation to a number of features by which trees are divided into styles. There are more than 30 of them, but we will consider the most common ones.

If you see a bonsai plant with a straight trunk flaring towards the base, then this is a formal vertical style - Tekkan. Another important characteristic of it is that the plant should narrow towards the top. Any type of tree can be grown in this style. The symbolism of Tekkan is proud loneliness and unbending character.

If the plant is elongated vertically, but its branches do not have a clear structure, but are arranged arbitrarily, then this is the Moyogi style. may be curved, but the top must be drawn in line with the base, forming a perpendicular to the ground. Moyogi symbolizes simplicity and freedom, and also the desire to go beyond, resisting circumstances.

Fukinagashi and Shakan

These are bonsai styles, the photos of which seem to be taken in a strong gusty wind. The Syakan (oblique style) is characterized by a slope at an angle to the ground, but the tree stretches upwards. Fukinagashi (wind-bent) can have both a straight and sloping trunk, but its branches are directed in one direction (in the direction of the slope), as if the tree has grown in a strong wind. The symbolism of these styles is resistance to the forces of nature and the struggle for life.

Sokan Style

Sokan translates as "forked trunk". This style was suggested to bonsai lovers by nature itself, since very often two trunks rise from one root, one of which is stronger and higher. The tree can be flat or sloping, it is not very important, the main thing is that it should form a common crown. You can create a similar bonsai at home by giving the appearance of a second trunk to the lowest branch. The symbolism of this style is the continuity of generations and the veneration of traditions. Sokan is sometimes referred to as "twins" or "father and son".

Kengai and Khan-kengai

It is a bit similar in cascading and semi-cascading style. Kengai is like a tree growing on a steep cliff. To survive, he had to adapt to difficult circumstances. The symbol of style is plasticity in any conditions.

Khan-kengai is distinguished by a more horizontal direction of trunk growth. Trees seem to grow on the shore of a reservoir, trying to reach the water with their crowns. Hen-kengai is a bonsai, the photo of which clearly shows that the branches do not fall below the middle part of the pot, and the top of the plant is always above ground level.

For these plastic styles, plants with bendable trunks are always chosen. Preference is given to pine, cotoneaster, juniper.

Bunzings

This style is considered one of the most difficult to perform. And he is one of the oldest. Otherwise, this style is called "literary". This name is due to the fact that the plants have a schematic form of "Japanese letters". Masters, as if writing calligraphic signs, growing trees with long curved trunks without lower branches. The crown of this type of bonsai is only allowed at the very top. The style symbolizes airiness and sublimity. For cultivation choose coniferous or broad-leaved species.

Charming Yose-ue

Can you imagine the bonsai pots that have grown a small forest? These are Yose-ue style plants. The composition is made up of a large number of trees with different heights of trunks, with different thickness and age of plants. Usually, an odd number of trees are selected, and they are most often of the same species. They are planted without observing symmetry and avoiding the same distances. Thus, the master gets his own park or a small forest, as similar as possible to a corner of the wild.

Sharimika Style

Enlightened Japanese have learned to see beauty in every moment of life. They proved that old age can be beautiful too. The embodiment of this statement is the style of Sharimika, that is, "dead wood". The tree is artificially aged, the bark is partially removed from the trunk, and its wood is bleached, creating a contrast between the dead and the living. Areas with dead wood are subtly curved, but they must be clearly visible. For this species, juniper is most often used.

planting bonsai

Going to grow the described miracle, beginners are wondering how to plant a bonsai. You can do this in several ways:

1. Misho's way. This is ideal for beginner experimenters. It lies in the sowing of seeds collected in the wild. In this case, you can choose exactly the one you need from the many sprouts and start slowing down growth from the very beginning.
2. Toriki's way. This is the cultivation of miniature plants from cuttings or layering. To use this method, the bark is cut or cut in the right place on the branch and the opened wood is treated with horse growth stimulants. A piece of wood is wrapped in moss and film and waited for 3 (sometimes more) months. The cut point is not allowed to dry out all this time.
3. Yamadori method. The approximate meaning of this name is "found and dug up." In the spring, a suitable plant is found in a forest or garden, dug in and left for several months to form surface horses. After that, the powerful roots are slightly shortened, the plant is removed from the soil, and the formation of a bonsai in a pot begins.
4. Wake's method. With this method, a ready-made young plant is bought in the nursery, then it is cut and planted in a flat pot. Or a young bonsai is bought, and then it is grown, based on their style preferences.

How to form a plant

The main task in growing bonsai is to force the tree to remain small. To do this, you need to slow down growth and give the desired shape. To inhibit growth, roots are often cut and young shoots are removed, poor soils are chosen, fertilizers are used minimally, and special bonsai pots are chosen in which the root system cannot grow much. In addition, be sure to use a system to weaken the flow of juices, applying horizontal cuts to the wood or braiding the trunk with wire.

When the plant is sufficiently rooted, they begin to cut and bend its branches. For this, copper wire is used, which is used to entangle branches and fix them with pegs in a flowerpot. Bends are best started in the summer, when the branches are most elastic. In order not to damage the crown, the bending point is wrapped with a soft tourniquet or bast.

Timely pruning of branches helps to awaken the necessary buds to growth. If, in order to create an ideal shape, it is necessary to direct the branch to the right, then choose a bud sticking out in the right direction and cut the branch above it, leaving no hemp above.

By the way, if pine bonsai is grown, then pruning must be done with extreme caution. Damaged branches may turn yellow. This also applies to other conifers.

How to care for a plant

The plant requires care throughout its life. To grow a decent bonsai, home care is provided all year round. This includes transplanting, fertilizing, watering.

Transplanting is best done in the spring. It is necessary to ensure that the roots do not grow and do not form a ball. As soon as this has happened, the tree is taken out of the bowl, the roots are cut and the plant is returned to its place, but in fresh soil.

For planting, a mixture of 3/5 humus soil, 1/5 peat and 1/5 sand is made. The soil in the container is carefully compacted so that voids do not form. The height of the soil in the container is about 5-6 cm. As a rule, it is decorated with stones and moss from above.

Top dressing is carried out in spring and summer. The interval is kept for about two weeks. It is most convenient to use a ready-made liquid organic fertilizer with bird droppings, which is applied 2 hours after watering.

What else needs to be done to grow a healthy and beautiful bonsai? Care at home involves abundant and regular watering. Many people place a container with a tree in a flat vessel with water. Its bottom is filled with small stones or a grate is placed. The water level in the tray is maintained at one mark. This allows you to increase the humidity of the air and reduce watering.

Water is necessary for a miniature tree in large quantities. But you need to take into account the type of plant, since different irrigation conditions are created for residents of different climatic zones. So, for example, small-leaved karmona is a bonsai tree, the care of which requires daily abundant watering. But for a fat woman, such watering is fatal, its root system will not cope with the abundance of moisture and will rot.

It is important to understand that a miniature tree needs to be watered more often, even if the species does not like wet soil, when the following factors are present:

• the foliage on the branches is large and numerous;
• the plant is planted in a small or flat container, because then there is a large area for evaporation of moisture from the surface of the substrate;
• the air in the room is dry and too warm.

In addition, regular spraying will not interfere with the plant. However, keep in mind that evergreen species can only be sprayed with distilled water. When using ordinary tap water, an irremovable whitish coating will appear on the leaves.

Now that you understand what bonsai is, you can try to create your own masterpiece. But think and evaluate your strengths. If you are not patient enough, then maybe you should not take on this painstaking work.

) showered questions about the possibility of growing bonsai at home.

First, I will say a few words about the history of growing a decorative miracle tree. This amazing, complex and incredibly interesting art appeared in China in 200 BC. Growing dwarf trees in small containers was called pen-tsai in the Celestial Empire. Now the Japanese name "bonsai" is in use.

The inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun perfected the process and instilled a love for potted trees throughout the world. There is a legend: samurai, leaving for war, took small plants with them. Their plants were a talisman of life and invincibility.

It is striking that the occupation of the local nobility, which originated in China and reached aerobatics in Japan - the cradle of oriental wisdom and deep understanding of the world - has spread throughout the world, leaving no people indifferent, even if they are completely far in their worldview from the legislators of this fashion.

At homeartbonsai is valued on a par with sculptures or paintings by famous artists and certainly has its own masters who reach a high level in this matter. It also has a deep philosophical meaning. For this reason, coniferous species are more valued, since they symbolize eternity, in contrast to deciduous ones, which shed dead leaves.

I can’t say that I am a very big specialist and “mini-gardener”, I cannot boast of my own garden of mini-trees, but, as far as I know, growing them is quite simple. wonder tree Bonsai is easy to grow even for a beginner grower. There is an opinion that this plant needs some special care, but this is not so. For a mini-tree, a small ceramic pot with good drainage and loose sandy soil, and good lighting is enough. Bonsai are watered infrequently, as the soil dries completely.

To keep your tree miniature, you should grow it in a small pot and periodically pinch the top so that it grows not in height, but in breadth. But, as always, no matter how simple this project looks, you can be sure that as it is implemented, you will stumble upon "shoals and underwater reefs." Therefore, I will give here recommendations that will allow you to avoid trouble and disappointment.

To grow bonsai indoors, initially you need to choose the right types of trees, namely from a special group - “indoor bonsai”, since there is also a group of “garden bonsai”, which are much more resistant to the vagaries of nature, but are completely unsuited to live in indoor conditions.

In addition to the needs specific to bonsai, you should always take into account the growing conditions of each particular plant from which you will create a mini-tree. I must say that it is better to take specimens whose homeland is your region of residence. But this is especially true for garden species, and then you can experiment on any hardy tree.

If the tree is not grown independently, then bonsai turns into a rather expensive pleasure. In addition, when buying, you can run into a fake - a skillfully finished seedling of a large tree or a dwarf specimen. Therefore, it is easier, certainly and much more exciting to grow a tree yourself in a room from a seedling, a rooted cutting or a seed (citruses, coffee). Only it should be noted right away: this is not easy - painstaking and lengthy work, requiring maximum attention and time.

For bonsai, specimens that form a lignified trunk are suitable. plant species for bonsai room decorations see Attachment.

The essence of technology bonsai is to artificially slow down the growth of a full-fledged shoot from an ordinary tree. This is achieved in several ways, the main of which is the formation of a crown to give the bonsai the appearance of a naturally growing tree. This is a very artistic, fantasy work and is almost a whole science. To shape a bonsai, the following steps apply:

• planting a tree in a small container
• selection of infertile soil and application of fertilizers only in the form of a minimum
• frequent pruning of young buds and shoots
• frequent pruning of the roots, mandatory when transplanting
• cutting the bark of the trunk leading to its aging
• stopping or weakening the flow of sap in the tree - for this, incisions in the trunk are used, compression with copper or aluminum wire (for conifers for 6 months, for deciduous for 3, wire ingrowth is unacceptable)
• bending and twisting the trunk and branches with wire, which requires special care

All techniques for shaping a tree are made in the summer and only after the tree is well accepted and strengthened in its pot. Even pruning of roots and branches should balance the proportions of bonsai above and below ground in growth.

Pruning of branches is also done with meaning: when a section of a branch is removed, an impetus is given to increased growth of a shoot or bud, below the cut part. So by finding shoots sticking out in the direction you want and removing the top part, you can get the entire branch to grow where you want it to. Pruning is done without leaving a knot, close to the growing element. The remaining branches and trunk will become stronger and thicker.

According to the shape of the crown, trunk and roots, many styles of bonsai are distinguished (see APPENDIX). A certain style is characteristic of a certain type of plant.

Bonsai in the room: care

The lighting needs of bonsai are different in each case, but the tree must receive bright sunlight at least for a while, shading from too strong a sun, otherwise it will die. Then it is worth considering what shape the bonsai is and, based on this, turn it towards the light. Need wind protection. Indoor bonsai should be determined for the summer outside, only fresh air requires gradual getting used to.

Bonsai containers are special, necessarily unglazed inside and with a good outflow of water - clay or ceramics - shallow containers. A harmonious combination of plant and pot is appreciated, while the impression should be that the tree grows naturally and in no case should it be noticeable that it is being formed.

It makes sense to stop the choice on the ground on a special purchased mixture for bonsai - ordinary land will not suit them. It is not easy to make the mixture yourself: half of the organic mixture is leaf humus, peat, orchid substrate, crushed pine bark, plus half of the coarse-grained substrate - sand, stone chips. Adding lumps of clay will increase the moisture content of the mixture.

Normal room temperature in warm weather and somewhat cooler in winter - in general, many bonsai are quite thermophilic, with the exception of conifers. According to the conditions of maintenance, bonsai are excellent, as bathroom plants. They require constantly moist, but not waterlogged soil (good drainage holes in the container are needed for this purpose) and very high humidity. Watering - every day, with warm water by immersion or thin streams from above through a sieve. Some bonsai are best watered with rainwater due to lime intolerance. The best place is a pallet with pebbles in addition with frequent spraying. In a word, dry air for mini-trees is detrimental.

Transplant every 2 years in the spring. Cutting the roots by 1/3 and planting in the same pot with only a new soil mixture. Shake off the old soil from the roots a little. Top dressing: in summer - complex fertilizer, in winter less often - with a low nitrogen content. It is less laborious to use long-acting fertilizers in granules.

No matter what principle you may want to grow bonsai in the room - “through the small to see the great”, the ability to see in miniature all the greatness of mother nature or pride in improving oneself in growing unique plant specimens. The main thing is that you love your pet, and every day he brings happiness, harmony, peace of mind and peace of mind to your home. And in his ability to create completely unique interior in your apartment there can be no doubt about it.

RePo - positive repair hopes that our article will be a good start for you to start growing bonsai. But besides this, special books on technology may be needed. For any gardener, the main motto here will be "There is no limit to perfection!"

APPLICATION

plant species for bonsai room decoration

Bonsai styles