Japanese trees in pots. How to Grow Bonsai: A Miniature Windowsill Garden

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 prone 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.

Bonsai is the name of a small tree with an unusual trunk and crown shape. These trees originated in ancient China, and then in Japan they became not just plants, but turned into works of art. In the modern world, the word "bonsai" refers not only to trees, but also to the methods of their cultivation.

The goal of flower growers who grow bonsai at home is to be able to reproduce the creation of nature. These small copies of trees respect all natural laws and have all realistic proportions. A deciduous tree, for example, blossoms, loses its leaves, and then becomes covered again, and so on.

But it must be remembered that the formation of a tree, growing and caring for it, is a laborious task that takes a lot of time and requires certain knowledge and patience.

People who have never dealt with the care of bonsai trees think that special seeds are needed to grow them, but this is not the case.

In fact, all miniature plants grow from ordinary seeds, but mankind has come up with ways to restrain the growth and change the shape of trees, and successfully uses them.

Small trees have different shapes and differ in their arrangement in pots:


In pots, in addition to trees, there are figurines and small houses. The soil is often hidden under a layer of pebbles or green moss.

Tree formation

To grow the right bonsai, you need to have certain skills and knowledge.

For planting, you can use seeds, cuttings or cuttings of trees. To stop growth, the same techniques are used as in the wild: severe frosts, winds and droughts.

In small trees, the roots are pruned, the branches are also pruned, as well as twisted, additionally tied with wire. All leaves, buds and shoots must be removed.

The trunks are bent or pulled back, depending on the chosen shape.

Growth can be slowed down in the following ways:

  • squeezing the roots of a tree;
  • selection of small pots in size;
  • the use of coarse soil, without trace elements;
  • exclusion of substances necessary for growth;
  • influence of strong wind;
  • the influence of strong heat;
  • the influence of severe and sharp frosts.

Also, trees need rules regarding the shape that is chosen for the tree. To create the desired appearance, they combine naturalness and the necessary form. The height of the trees should not exceed 30 centimeters.

Growing plants from a nursery

When buying a young tree from a nursery, you can form a bonsai fairly quickly. After all, nurseries sell plants that have been grown in a container for a long time, thanks to which they already have developed roots.

The plant is transplanted from the container into the prepared land for bonsai, after cutting off the roots. The purchase of a plant and transplantation must be carried out in early spring, before the growth period.

It is also necessary to properly trim the roots and not damage when digging. The plant is transported by placing the roots in a bag of moss, and the houses are planted in large containers and placed in a shady place protected from drafts.

About 3 years will pass before the tree can be transplanted into a small pot. And in 5-10 years it will be possible to get a fully formed bonsai.

Trees grown in nature take a long time to root. Therefore, sometimes preparations for transplantation begin several years in advance, gradually cutting off the roots.

This option is well suited for trees from a personal garden, which you can follow and gradually remove the length of the roots. Trees from the garden are also planted first in a container, and after three years they are transplanted into a pot.

Draft formation can be started already in the first years, then after 50 years you will get a bonsai that looks powerful and spectacular.

Forming a bonsai from an already practically grown tree and transplanting it correctly is a rather difficult task, and beyond the power of beginners.

seed bonsai

The method of growing from seeds is quite long in time. It takes about 15 years to get a full-fledged bonsai. At this age, it is easier to buy seedlings in the nursery.

But there are plant species whose form can only be changed by starting from the very beginning, such as elms. And therefore, seeds are planted, sprouts are grown, and formation begins from the first year, more sprouts.

When the tree is fully formed, it will be very noticeable that it has been shaped from the very beginning.

The roots of such trees diverge in the shape of a star, and the trunks are formed even and beautiful. Bonsai is harmonious and proportional.

Sown trees at the stage of thin sprouts can be bent in any direction and given any conceived shape.

Seeds can be bought in stores or collected independently in parks or botanical gardens. Some seeds can be sown immediately, such as oaks, spruces, pines, and some need to be stored in a cool place until spring, such as juniper, hornbeam and others.

Before planting, all seeds undergo special treatment to prevent diseases.. Then they are soaked for several days and only then planted in prepared soil in containers or peat cups. After planting, the soil is compacted and watered abundantly.

Seedlings are grown following standard care standards: regular watering, ventilation, diffused light and fertilizer. When the seedling reaches a height of 10 centimeters, it is transplanted and the first molding is carried out.

Getting bonsai from seeds is a laborious and difficult task, but the result will be on top.

Bonsai from cuttings

Compared with the seed method, this method will speed up the formation of bonsai by a year. Cuttings must be cut from a healthy tree shoot. They are cut and rooted in the ground or in wet sand.

The final size of the bonsai is already clear at the beginning of the formation of a miniature tree. The main skeletal branches and trunk are usually already present and further growth will be limited.

In order to achieve the ideal size, you need to pay attention to the size of the leaves. If the species has small leaves, then bonsai can be formed in any size. And if the castings are large or long needles, then it is necessary to set the size of the tree based on the proportions.

Features of growing bonsai

In order to form a certain shape of branches and trunk, one cannot do without wire. It can be applied to branches or trunk, and this technique is quite laborious and complicated.

With the help of a wire, all branches and shoots are fixed. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the wire does not grow into the bark of the tree. It is applied most often in spring or winter, along with annual pruning.

It usually takes about 3 weeks to stabilize the desired shape of a branch or shoot. After that, the wire is removed with wire cutters.

The wire is usually aluminum, coated with copper. And with the help of it they change the direction of the branches, change in growth, the formation of trunks.

Bonsai Tree Care

With constant restrictions in growth, crown formation, growth in a limited space, the life of a tree changes dramatically. The same goes for caring for him.

The most important thing to remember when growing miniature trees is to protect them from drafts and place the pot away from central heating radiators. Avoid direct sunlight best.

Landing. For proper bonsai cultivation, it is impractical to choose a pot with drainage holes. A mesh is additionally laid at the bottom of the pot to prevent soil from washing out.

Before planting, the roots of the plant are pruned. The tree is planted in a pot, fixing large roots, and filling all the gaps with soil. Then the earth around the trunk is rammed and watered. The container with the plant is quarantined for 10 days, in a shaded place.

Watering. For irrigation use soft water, settled or thawed. During the period of active growth, plants need to be watered frequently, and watering is reduced in winter.

Bonsai can be watered using a special watering can or by submersion. Drip irrigation or irrigation is widely used in the modern world.

Top dressing. They are carried out about once every two weeks, and they use their own fertilizers for each type of tree or shrub. It is very important to avoid overfeeding. Therefore, a specific fertilizer application schedule is usually used.

Wintering

In winter, for coniferous and deciduous trees, it is necessary to provide a dormant period. It is better to put them outside or in an unheated room.

In this case, the root system must be protected by additional means. When spring comes, the plants wake up, and the watering and fertilizing regime is restored.

Transfer

Transplantation is performed annually at the end of winter. When transplanting, the soil is removed from the roots, washed and pruned. The pot must be chosen larger than the previous one. When transplanting, the roots are placed horizontally, sprinkled with earth and watered.

Crown formation. For a beautiful formation of the crown of trees, it is necessary to carry out annual pruning. At the same time, it is useful in sanitary terms and rejuvenation. The crown is usually formed conical.

The first pruning is done immediately after planting. And then every year after wintering repeat. With pruning, you can set the direction for the growth of bonsai and redistribute energy from strong shoots to weak ones.

Bonsai Formation Methods

Sometimes artificial aging of trees is carried out so that a young tree looks like a living one. One of these methods is the removal of the bark from the trunk.

To correct the shape of the tree, you can use the method of air layering. It is especially effective if the bonsai grows with a too long trunk.

For this method, in the spring, an incision is made on the tree trunk and the bark is removed. This place is moistened in growth stimulants and covered.

In the fall, the incision is opened, roots should form there. Then part of the trunk is cut off below the roots. And planted as a separate plant.

Thus, at home, you can grow a beautiful and spectacular bonsai tree. But this will require some effort.

The world was introduced to the art of bonsai by the Japanese. And the idea of ​​growing copies of trees in flat pots came to them from China in the 6th century. The Chinese have been able to grow small boxwoods, pines and cypresses for two millennia, but the Japanese craftsmen managed to give this skill the features of true art. In Japan, bonsai has become a philosophy that associates the best qualities of a person with the form and prosperity of a home treasure in a flat bowl. To grow a tree you need knowledge and skills, close attention, understanding, delicacy and love. You will understand this when you get to know the examples of many years of creativity - in good hands, a tree lives for hundreds of years, links generations and becomes a symbol of the family.

Bonsai is a unique phenomenon that is difficult to put on a par with the cultivation of indoor plants. A miniature tree is an absolute, many times reduced copy of large trees, while maintaining proportions and shapes.

This bonsai requires compliance with clear requirements:

  • Strong stem with well defined root base.
  • Clear and graphic line of branches.
  • Branches and trunk are the basis of a tree.
  • A miniature plant should be recognizable, no one should have any doubts about its generic affiliation.
  • A bonsai pot cannot draw attention to itself - it is just a base for a plant.
  • The tree and the pot form a single composition.

Features of growing bonsai

In size, bonsai are large - up to 120 cm, medium - from 30 to 60 cm, small up to 30 cm, miniature - up to 15 cm, among which there are very tiny ones 5 centimeters high. In this case, growth is measured from the edge of the pot to the maximum point of the crown.

No connoisseur will advise you to cut a medium-sized tree to make it miniature - buy a plant of the desired height or grow it yourself. For the smallest bonsai, plants with small needles or leaves are suitable, such as myrtle, bamboo, cypress or boxwood.

When growing bonsai, you need to consider the following features:

  • To form a strong trunk, the first couple of years the tree is grown in a pot "for growth".
  • Watering is regular, but very moderate.
  • Transplant every year (spring) with the removal of excess roots.
  • Fertilizers of low concentration.

Indoor bonsai require constant attention and reverent attitude. If you want to put a miniature tree at home, get ready for constant care and creation of favorable conditions for it. Home bonsai require high humidity and do not tolerate drafts.

The easiest way to get a homemade tree is to buy it ready-made in the store and cherish it, following all the rules. At the other extreme, trying to grow bonsai from seed is too long and the prospects are dim. We suggest taking the middle path.

First of all, decide which tree you want to grow in your home. The choice is almost unlimited, but pine, oak, elm, juniper, birch and ficus most often take root and lend themselves to formation.

The mini-tree will develop according to the laws common to all trees: deciduous trees will turn yellow in autumn and shed their leaves, while conifers will turn green all year round. Miniaturization is achieved by constant pruning and inhibition of development.

Find a small, healthy seedling in a forest or park and carefully dig it up. The height of the sprout is not higher than 15 centimeters. In the same place, take some soil that the plant is accustomed to. Cut the roots with scissors to 10 centimeters. Branches also need to be cut, leaving only horizontally located processes.

At the bottom of a shallow pot, lay a grate and cover with a mixture of peat, sand and garden soil or earth from the place where you took the sprout (1:1:3). Plant a tree, water the soil and take it out into the air, for example, onto a balcony. Arrange the plant in such a way that it is protected from direct sunlight.

When is the best time to plant

The best time for planting is autumn. In winter, the tree will take root and begin to grow in the spring. When the height of the trunk reaches 30 centimeters, you need to start forming a tree.

Where to get bonsai seeds?

Bags of seeds are sold in flower and online stores; cute “bonsai” are drawn on the bags. But these are the most common tree seeds, a small copy of which you want to see at home. Without proper care, these seeds could theoretically grow into pines, oaks and birches. If you decide to go the long way on your own, you can sprout a seed from a bag or from a park, but the process will take several years.

How to choose a bonsai pot

The right choice of a pot is very important, as it will not only be a rooting place, but also part of the composition. For mini-trees, there are special small clay containers. Clay pots are environmentally friendly and are better suited for plants than plastic or metal ones, but they absorb a lot of moisture, which must be taken into account when watering. The pot must have several drainage holes and short legs so that air enters the roots. Flat pots promote horizontal formation of the root system.

There are several proven rules for choosing a bonsai pot:

  • The length of the pot is 2/3 of the height of the plant.
  • Width - slightly less than the most protruding branches.
  • Usually the depth of the pot is equal to the diameter of the trunk at the base.

Advice. Aesthetically look light pots with flowering plants with grayish or pale green foliage. Trees with a dark trunk that stands out against the foliage look good in dark brown, gray or blue pots.

Indoor bonsai are extremely demanding and whimsical, it is not easy to grow them. If the maintenance rules are violated, the tree will die or become an ordinary plant, nothing resembling a Japanese mini-miracle.

Location and lighting

Plants need additional lighting, especially from October to March. When choosing a place for bonsai, consider the following conditions:

  • The tree loves bright light, if the bonsai pot is on the windowsill, remove everything that can shade the plant.
  • Growth will be more active on a western or eastern window, in a place where the sun penetrates in the morning or evening.
  • In cloudy weather, compensate for the lack of illumination with artificial lighting. In summer, this method should not be abused, but in winter and autumn it is recommended to install a fluorescent lamp that will not heat the plant.

Air humidity

The usual humidity in a city apartment is insufficient for most bonsai. To solve this problem, place the pot on a tray of water. Regular spraying of the tree in the morning is useful so that the plant has time to dry by sunset.

Temperature regime

If your bonsai is a reduced copy of a subtropical plant (myrtle, pomegranate, olive), in winter it needs a temperature of + 5-15 ° C, in summer it is better to take the pot out to the balcony.

For tropical trees, a higher temperature of + 18-25 ° C is required. In summer, leave them in the room, and in winter, do not arrange them on a cold stone window sill.

Attention! The need for light, water and top dressing depends on the temperature in which the plant is kept. The warmer the room, the more abundant watering and fertilizing.

How to water properly

Keep the soil in the pot moist, but not wet. When watering, the earth should be soaked through. In summer, watering is more abundant. Subtropical plants are rarely watered in summer. Tropical trees cannot stand cold water. The ideal option is warmed melt water, warmed, but you can also water it with settled tap water.

Top dressing and fertilizer

When growing bonsai, it is important to slow down its growth. In a tight pot, you can create conditions for controlled growth of a tree, but it is difficult to ensure the supply of necessary substances from the soil. Top dressing is necessary so that the plant does not die, but fertilizer must be selected taking into account the type of tree, its age, season. Periodically, macro- and microelements should be added. The main top dressing includes potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus. Less often and in limited quantities, magnesium, zinc, calcium, copper, boron, molybdenum and other trace elements are added.

The start of feeding coincides with the activation of growth. In the spring, nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer is applied and top dressing is repeated every month until mid-summer. Then you should take a break until the beginning of autumn, a series of top dressing continues until the onset of a dormant period.

Advice. Apply more nitrogen in the spring and increase the potassium content of the fertilizer in the fall. Flowering and fruiting bonsai should receive phosphorus.

Complex mineral fertilizers for bonsai are optimally suited for tree care. The packaging indicates the proportions and frequency of fertilizer corresponding to the size of the plant and its condition.

Advice. It is convenient to apply dissolved fertilizers in a tray under the pot so that the soil is completely saturated.

pruning

The most favorable time is spring and summer. Trees that also grow in winter should be pruned all year round.

If the shoot is strong, it is cut obliquely under the kidney. A weak shoot is cut horizontally above the kidney. Soft shoots are best pinched off with nails.

Without pruning, the plant will begin to stretch upwards and stop branching. When forming the shape of a tree, the ratio of the height of the trunk to the entire plant is 1: 3.

Usually the bud at the top grows first, which determines upward growth. After the removal of this kidney, the lateral kidneys will begin to actively develop. When pruning shoots, consider the direction of growth of the kidneys.

You need to start pruning after the appearance of the first five leaves, cutting one or two of the top ones to stop stretching the branches. The extreme upper kidney will determine the further direction of growth.

Growing bonsai, you become an artist who creates a tree to your liking. Form the shape so that the pattern of the trunk and branches is visible, there are no voids.

The first year of life, the tree should grow without external intervention, and in the next seven years, the bonsai is transplanted every year, later - every two years. The most successful time for transplanting is March-April, because with the onset of spring, the tree will be provided with light and warmth for adaptation. After taking the plant out of the pot, inspect the roots and remove the diseased and drying ones. If the root system looks unhealthy, the potting soil should contain gravel.

The transfer goes like this:

  • In two days, the plant is no longer watered so that the roots are easily cleared of the soil.
  • A new pot on the day of transplantation is washed, disinfected and rinsed.
  • The drainage hole is covered with a shard or mesh.
  • Transplantation is quick, as the roots are sensitive to light and air.
  • Holding the plant firmly on the trunk, draw a knife along the walls of the pot and take out a tree with a clod of earth.
  • The soil is removed by a third from all sides.
  • Sick and dried roots are cut off, the rest are slightly shortened.
  • A thin layer of fresh soil is laid on the bottom of the pot.
  • The plant is placed in a new pot and the roots are straightened.
  • Asymmetrical trees are placed closer to the edge of the pot, symmetrical ones - in the center.
  • The roots should be visible above the surface, but not too high.
  • If the root system is weak, the plant is fixed with wire through a drainage hole to which a wooden stick is attached.
  • Top up the soil, filling the voids between the roots and at the edge of the pot. The soil is compacted with fingers.
  • Bonsai are watered until water seeps through the drainage hole.
  • The pot is placed in a well-lit place without drafts and scorching sun.
  • New roots will form in a month.

Problems, diseases, pests

Indoor trees are attacked by insects that can kill the plant.

Aphid

It multiplies quickly and sucks the juices out of the plant. If green, white or black aphids appear, immediately spray the trees with an insecticide and repeat the procedure every other day.

hairy aphid

Settles on larches and pines. It looks like cotton balls that need to be removed from the plant. Treat the bonsai with an insecticide and wash off any remaining pests with water.

Shchitovka

Looks like a growth on the bark. Insects should be removed and the plant sprayed every other day with an insecticide.

bark beetle

They affect adult plants and rarely get out from under the bark to the surface, so you can find the pest years later. Pay attention to holes in the bark and to colorless areas. Treat with an insecticide for 8 weeks, after removing the damaged areas of the bark.

powdery mildew

A fungus that breeds in high humidity and poor air circulation. Use the fungicide without allowing it to enter the soil.

Popular types

  • Hibiscus
  • Pomegranate
  • Casuarine
  • Callistemon
  • Cypress
  • cistus
  • Olive
  • Spurge
  • Pelargonium
  • Rosemary
  • boxwood
  • Pine
  • fat woman
  • ficus
  • Shefler







Answers to questions from readers

plant life span

If you want to take bonsai cultivation seriously, get ready for the fact that caring for it should become a ritual. Under this condition, your tree will pass to your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In the Japanese Imperial Garden, there are bonsai that are over three hundred years old.

Can this plant be kept at home?

Yes, sure. Bonsai is a human creation and should live at home.

Is this flower poisonous?

Mini-trees in all manifestations repeat their large ancestors. If you choose bansai spurge, it will be poisonous.

Why do leaves turn yellow and fall off?

It is very difficult to care for a bonsai - it does not forgive neglect and is sensitive to all violations of the regime. Perhaps the leaves are turning yellow because you poured it with tap water or the pot is standing in a draft. Just cold water can provoke leaf fall. Too hot sun and lack of moisture also cause disease. Spray the plant and inspect it thoroughly for pests.

Bonsai care in winter

Pour gravel into the pan and pour water. Remove the flower pot from the heaters and place it in a cool place so that the tree can rest until spring.

Bonsai are dwarf, but at the same time absolutely healthy and very beautiful trees, which are grown in Japan. It is not so easy to grow bonsai according to all the rules, as these plants require special attention and care. If you want to start growing bonsai from seeds at home, then use the tips from this article.

Initially, bonsai originated in China, where it was called "pencai", and only later this ancient art passed to Japan and developed there. Legend has it that one of the emperors wanted to build a miniature copy of his empire, and it was for this that these dwarf trees were grown. Today, these dwarf trees are increasingly used to decorate the interior with their own hands, which not every housewife manages to grow with their own hands.

Formation of a bonsai tree

To grow the right bonsai, you need to acquire the necessary skills, abilities and knowledge. This is a very complex art, but, nevertheless, fascinating in its own way and mysterious in an oriental way. Seeds, cuttings and cuttings can be used for planting. Including for their cultivation, wild-growing trees of small sizes are taken, growing in strict conditions of the wild environment. Severe frosts, strong winds and long droughts stop or slow down the growth of the tree. Approximately the same tactics of influence is used in the art of bonsai.

The roots and branches of bonsai trees are cut according to a special system, and the branches are also twisted and tied with copper wire. Unnecessary buds, shoots and leaves are removed, and the trunks of trees can be pulled back or bent so that they have the shape chosen by the owners. Bonsai growth is slowed down by the following actions:

  • compression of its roots.
  • The minimum volume of pots.
  • Coarse soil with almost no micronutrients.
  • Lack of essential nitrogenous substances.
  • Wind impact.
  • The impact of heating.
  • Exposure to sudden chilling.

    • With an excess of light and an insufficient amount of nitrogenous substances in plants in the wild, chlorophyll grains stick together and die. Plants living in swamps with high humidity receive protection from solar excess - they have small leathery leaves and a fairly thick cuticle.

    In addition to growth restrictions, bonsai has other rules that relate to the form chosen for the tree. Naturalness and the form corresponding to the rules are the two components of the appearance of a dwarf tree. There are many generally accepted types of bonsai, differing from each other in shape, and sometimes in size. And although, according to the general law, the height of a tree should not exceed thirty centimeters, now experts in this field have begun to grow trees even larger.

    The tree species used also affect the overall appearance of the resulting bonsai tree. For example, conifer will be pleasing to the eye all year round, as it does not have leaves that could fall off. Bonsai, characterized by beautiful fruits or flowers, will show itself in all its glory at certain times of the year. There are even species that have the brightest leaf color in autumn.

    Types of bonsai for growing at home

    As mentioned above, the types of bonsai trees differ from each other in shape as well as placement in the pot. There are many of them, and here are the most common ones:

    1. "Symmetrical" (tekkan) - a tree that grows straight and has strong roots. It differs in that it also has a wide trunk. The species used for it are very different, you can find birch, pine, and elm.

    2. "Rock" (sekizhezhu) - an imitation of a rocky landscape. Very often, cherry or oak is grown for it.

    3. "Inclined" (shakan) - unlike the straight "tekkan", this type of dwarf tree is slightly inclined away from the vertical line.

    4. "Tilted by the wind" (kengai) - such a bonsai is similar to the "shakan", but it is tilted even more, as if a strong wind has blown on it for many years. Sometimes such a tree can even fall below its pot. Branches of this type also correspond to the effect of a strong and long wind - they have one direction. At the same time, it is important that the Kengai pot is stable, because it is not surprising that in this case it is important to maintain balance in the composition.

    5. "Dead tree" (sharimiki) - a tree that has no bark. At the same time, it really seems that it is dying or already inanimate.

    6. “Two trunks” (kabudati) is a forked trunk and a common crown. There are also two trees in one pot, but they usually grow from the same point.

    7. "Hieroglyphs" (bunzings) - such a tree has a crown of leaves only at the top of the branches, which the trunk is almost devoid of. It is believed that conifers in this case will look especially interesting.

    8. "Multi-stemmed" (ese-ue) - like "kabudati", this is not a single tree, but several bonsai trees combined in one pot. In this case, there is an imitation of a miniature forest.

    9. "Half-cascade" (han-kengap) - the base of this type of bonsai tree grows straight up, but then the trunk begins to lean down. In this case, the stability of the container in which the bonsai grows is also important.

    In addition to the tree itself, there may be tiny houses and figurines in the pot, and the ground is often covered with small stones or green moss. From a bonsai tree, you can create a whole composition that imitates the natural landscape.

    Also read: how to make a beaded bonsai

    Bonsai care at home

    When purchasing a ready-made tree, you need to know the rules for caring for this plant. After all, bonsai must be cut in time, properly fed and provided with the right amount of water. It is in winter that especially large shoots are removed from it and cut according to the chosen shape. Only clean and sharp instruments are used for such operations. When transplanting, it is necessary to remove the main, thick roots of the tree to ensure slow growth.

    Watering the bonsai tree is frequent, albeit not very plentiful. It is impossible not to notice that the amount of moisture required also depends on the species, because, as you know, coniferous trees need a smaller portion of water than deciduous ones. Spraying the tree is highly desirable. Every week in the summer, a dwarf tree needs to be fed, and not with ordinary fertilizers, but with special ones designed specifically for such trees. In winter, this is done only once a month.

    Growing bonsai at home, as well as caring for it, requires compliance with certain rules. In this case, you will be able to grow beautiful trees to decorate the interior in the style of ecological minimalism. Experiment and expand your collection of indoor plants with new species.

    The art of bonsai has evolved over the years, and during this time a huge number of styles of creating trees have appeared. Of course, first of all, bonsai is created for the sake of decorativeness. The main role is played by the shape of the trunk and crown. It is they who create that unique appearance of the bonsai, which is so valued all over the world.

    The most common styles of bonsai are:

    • Hokidachi. This is the style of creating a crown like a fan. Great for trees with thin and small leaves. The trunk of the tree should be straight, not curly. Such a crown resembles a ball and looks very beautiful at any time of the year.
    • Moyogi. This style is also found in the natural environment. The trunk of the tree is curved and resembles the letter "s". Each bend has its branches covered with foliage. Branches and leaves begin about a third above the base of the trunk. In this case, the base should be wider than the top.
    • Bunzings. This is a bohemian style that is designed to show the struggle of trees for survival. In the natural environment, such trees can be seen in dense forests where there is little light and only very tall trees that can reach the illuminated area survive. The trunk of such a tree should be long, slightly curved and bare. Foliage is located only at the very top.
    • Fukinagashi. It is also a style of fighting and survival. The trunk of the tree is curved and slightly inclined to the side. All branches are located only on one side of the tree. Such trees can be seen in places with strong winds that constantly blow in one direction.

    Despite the presence of long-established styles, it is not necessary to follow any rules. The crown of a tree can have a completely bizarre and unusual shape that does not fit any style. - this is primarily a manifestation of their imagination and creative impulses.

    More information can be found in the video: