The tradition of growing bonsai came from Japan and China. Caring for a miniature tree is not just an old national agricultural technique, but an entire culture aimed at developing spirituality and creating miniature creations of nature. Bonsai at home requires constant attention, compliance with temperature conditions, humidity levels and regular pruning, so maximum effort and patience are required when growing it.

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  Home care rules

  Bonsai loves good lighting. It is usually grown on window sills, as well as on balconies, terraces, and gardens. Fresh air is very useful for this crop; the supply of oxygen to the roots and foliage increases its decorative qualities, improves the growth and development of shoots.

  If a plant is chosen for cultivation that does not go to rest in winter period, then you should take care of it in the cold season. He needs additional lighting. To do this, fluorescent lamps are used, and they try to place the plant itself as close to the window as possible.

  

  Air temperature

  Most plants can easily tolerate average temperatures from +10 to +18 degrees. How less light indoors, the cooler the air should be. As soon as the outside temperature reaches +10 degrees, the bonsai can be taken out into the fresh air. They start with small “walks” of 2-3 hours, and when the plant adapts, they choose a permanent place for it in the garden or on the balcony. Bonsai are returned to the premises at the end of summer.

  The miniature tree does not tolerate drafts - this must be taken into account when choosing a place for its growth in the garden. The plant should also be protected from direct sunlight, which can burn the delicate small leaves. If the weather is outdoors unstable and sudden temperature changes occur with a difference of more than 5-7 degrees, it is better to grow bonsai at home.

  

  Watering

  Bonsai are grown in pots or trays with a small area and depth, so moisture from the soil evaporates very quickly. The plant needs to be watered frequently, summer period- every day. This is best done using a small watering can with a fine strainer. “Bathing” the bonsai is also welcome - the tray with the plant is placed in a wider container with water and left for 30-60 minutes. This way the soil will be saturated with moisture more evenly. For good growth tree, the soil should be constantly moistened, but overwatering should not be allowed.

  You can determine when it’s time to water the plant by picking up the tray. If its weight is noticeably lighter than it was the day before, then you need to moisten the soil.

  For irrigation, it is best to use rain or settled water. If the bonsai is grown in a garden under trees, it will need watering even after rain. On open places water the tree as soon as it dries out upper layer soil. Like many exotic plants, bonsai is demanding of air humidity, it needs regular daily spraying, and from time to time the tray should be placed on wet pebbles or clay shards.

  In winter, the watering regime changes for deciduous bonsai. Apple trees, maples and other deciduous miniature trees are watered less frequently, as they go into a dormant stage and slow down, and sometimes even stop, their growth. A weekly one-time moistening of the soil will be sufficient. Coniferous plants continue to water as the top layer of the substrate dries.

  

  Fertilizer

  The main feature of growing bonsai is a small amount of soil in a tray or pot, which contains a minimum of nutrients, insufficient for normal height and the development of a miniature tree. Therefore, the plant must be regularly fed with complex fertilizers. From the beginning of spring until autumn, mineral compositions are used as fertilizer for exotic plants. Feeding frequency is once every 2-3 weeks.

  2 g of the complex composition are diluted in 1 liter of water and the tray with the plant is placed in a container with liquid. Leave until it is completely absorbed.

  In winter, bonsai also continue to be fed, but the frequency of fertilization is reduced. From the beginning of autumn, compositions containing nitrogen should be eliminated. The tree takes well to additives in the form of bone meal or crushed fish bones. In cold weather, fertilizing is applied once a month.

  It is not recommended to apply fertilizer on top of the substrate. Most often, the soil layer of a bonsai is covered with moss, and when mineral compounds come into contact with it, it begins to turn yellow and loses its decorative look. It is most convenient to use fertilizer in the form of balls or granules. They are placed in the substrate, and useful material are evenly delivered to the roots, dissolving during watering.

  Formation and trimming of the crown

  Caring for bonsai involves not only watering and creating a comfortable microclimate, but also pruning and shaping the crown. If this is not done, then the tree as a unique agricultural form will lose its meaning. Pruning is also necessary to prevent thickening of the crown. The procedure is carried out in the fall, removing those vertical shoots that spoil the appearance of the “green cloud” rising above the stem.

  To maintain the shape of the tree in the summer, it is necessary to pinch, thinning out the dense tufts of leaves that form at the ends of the shoots.

  If you radically trim the branches and shoots on one side of the crown, the opposite side will begin to actively grow and develop. This principle underlies the formation of a bonsai crown. You need to remove the shoots located on the trunk very carefully. The more branches it has, the faster the trunk becomes woody. You need to cut off part of the shoot above a mature bud to ensure the appearance of new shoots.

  While the trunk is not woody, you can give it an original shape and set further formation. They do this using soft wire. They wrap it around a part of a trunk or branch and direct it - move it to the side or bend it down, securing it with a pin.

  Transfer

  Young bonsai are replanted annually. When the plant reaches 4-5 years, this procedure is reduced to 1 time every 3-5 years. But even an adult plant may need an emergency transplant when signs of root rot appear or they fill the entire tray, penetrating out through the surface of the substrate or drainage holes.

  The best time to replace the soil in a container with a miniature tree is late winter - early spring. At this time, it begins to grow, new young buds appear. The exception is flowering and fruiting bonsai. For them, the best period for replanting is the end of flowering and fruiting.

  The optimal tray for bonsai is clay, 3-6 cm high and width equal to the diameter of the plant crown. It is important that the container has many drainage holes, and that the tray itself is mounted on centimeter legs.

  The tree is removed from the old pallet and the roots are pruned, removing up to 1/3 of the rhizome. The most convenient way to do this is with sharp scissors. All roots should be freed from soil and washed in water at room temperature. For planting, you can use the same tray in which the bonsai grew, or take a new, larger area if the plant becomes cramped.

  Soil composition for different types Bonsai is different:

  • for deciduous plants - 7 parts of turf soil and 3 parts of coarse sand;
  • for conifers - 3 parts of turf soil and 2 parts of coarse sand;
  • for flowering ones - 3 parts sand, 7 parts turf soil, 1 part highly nutritious humus.

  A mesh is placed at the bottom of the pallet, which is secured with wire, drainage made of expanded clay or clay shards, and a little substrate is poured. The roots of the plant planted in the container are completely covered with substrate, and the soil on top is covered with moss. When planting, the soil must be thoroughly moistened. After 3 weeks, fertilize and remove dried branches and leaves.

  Types of trees

  A wide variety of plants are grown and shaped as bonsai: fruit and coniferous, deciduous and evergreen. Often in stores, when purchasing, you can see the inscription “bonsai mix” on the packaging. This means that the seed crossing method is used for cultivation. The result is original plants with a variety of colors and crown splendor. For beginning gardeners, it is best to choose traditional plants:

  View	Description
  Ginseng (microcarpa, ginseng)	An evergreen plant from the Mulberry family. The leaves are small, oblong or round. At home it grows up to one and a half meters. The trunk is thick, with smooth bark. Does not tolerate direct sunlight
  Ficus benjamina	It grows up to 60 cm in height, has a bark-covered stem and woody shoots. The leaves are small, ovate. If all care rules are followed and an optimal microclimate is created, it can bloom once every few years. Forms aerial roots that are used for transplanting
  	Representative of the Bracnikov family. The branches are tough, the leaves are dark green, 1-2 cm in size, with small white stripes. In mature plants, cracks form on the bark. In summer it blooms with small white fragrant flowers
  	An evergreen tree with bark covered with scales. The needles highlight a large number of resin that protects the plant from diseases and pests. The needles are grouped into small bunches. Prefers well-lit places
  Juniper	An evergreen tree from the Cypress family. The needles are long, light green, and the bark of the plant is red-brown, thin and very vulnerable. When conditions suitable for normal growth are created, it blooms with white or yellow small flowers, which subsequently form fruits - pine cones.
  	The plant belongs to the Elm family. The trunk is covered with thin brown bark. The leaves are toothed and light green in color. The plant is distinguished by abundant branching. May bloom and bear small fruits which are popularly called lionfish
  	It grows up to 35-40 cm in height. It has small leaves that can change color at different times of the year. The trunk is thin, woody, and can be easily formed into a curved shape.

The Japanese introduced the art of bonsai to the world. 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 Japanese masters managed to give this skill the features of true art. In Japan, bonsai has become a philosophy that connects best qualities personality with the shape 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 become more closely acquainted with examples of many years of creativity - in good hands a tree lives for hundreds of years, connects generations and becomes a symbol of the family.

Bonsai is a unique phenomenon that is difficult to put on par with growing indoor plants. A miniature tree is an absolute, many times smaller copy big trees, while maintaining proportions and shapes.

Real bonsai requires compliance with clear requirements:

• A strong trunk with clearly defined root bases.
• Clear and graphic line of branches.
• The branches and trunk are the basis of the tree.
• A miniature plant should be recognizable; no one should have any doubts about its generic identity.
• A bonsai pot cannot attract attention to itself - it is simply a base for the plant.
• The tree and the pot form a single composition.

Features of growing bonsai

In terms of 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 expert will advise you to prune 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, such as myrtle, bamboo, cypress or boxwood, are suitable.

When growing bonsai, you need to take into account the following features:

• To form a strong trunk, the tree is grown in a pot “for growth” for the first couple of years.
• Watering is regular, but very moderate.
• Replant every year (in spring) with removal of excess roots.
• Low concentration fertilizers.

Indoor bonsai require constant attention and reverent attitude. If you want to place a miniature tree at home, be prepared to constantly care for it and create favorable conditions. Home bonsai require high humidity air and do not tolerate drafts.

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

First of all, determine what kind of tree you want to grow in your home. The choice is almost unlimited, but most often pine, oak, elm, juniper, birch and ficus take root and can be shaped.

The mini-tree will develop according to laws common to all trees: deciduous trees will turn yellow in the fall and shed their leaves, and coniferous trees will turn green all year round. Miniature 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 no higher than 15 centimeters. In the same place, take some soil to which the plant is accustomed. Cut the roots with scissors to 10 centimeters. The branches also need to be trimmed, leaving only horizontal shoots.

Place a lattice at the bottom of a shallow pot and add a mixture of peat, sand and garden soil or soil 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 so that it is protected from direct sunlight.

When is the best time to plant

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

Where can I get bonsai seeds?

Bags of seeds are sold in flower shops 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 have at home. Without proper care From these seeds, theoretically, pines, oaks and birches can grow. If you decide to go the long way on your own, you can germinate a seed from a bag or from the park, but the process will take several years.

How to choose a bonsai pot

Choosing the right pot is very important, since it will not just be a rooting site, but also part of the composition. There are special small clay containers for mini-trees. 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 can flow to 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.
• The width is slightly less than the most protruding branches.
• Typically the depth of the pot is equal to the diameter of the trunk at the base.

Advice. Light-colored 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, and they are not easy to grow. If the maintenance rules are violated, the tree will die or become an ordinary plant, in no way reminiscent of the 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 light with artificial lighting. In summer you should not abuse this method, but in winter and autumn it is recommended to install a fluorescent lamp that will not heat the plant.

Air humidity

The usual air humidity in a city apartment is not sufficient for most bonsai. To solve this problem, place the pot on a tray of water. It is useful to regularly spray the tree in the morning so that the plant has time to dry by sunset.

Temperature

If your bonsai is a smaller 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 onto the balcony.

Tropical trees require a higher temperature of +18-25 ° C. In summer, leave them in the room, and in winter, do not place them on a cold stone windowsill.

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

How to water correctly

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

Feeding and fertilizer

When growing bonsai, it is important to slow down its growth. IN cramped pot It is possible to create conditions for controlled growth of a tree, but it is difficult to ensure the supply of necessary substances from the soil. Fertilizing is necessary so that the plant does not die, but you need to select fertilizer taking into account the type of tree, its age, and time of year. Macro- and microelements should be added periodically. Basic feeding includes potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus. Magnesium, zinc, calcium, copper, boron, molybdenum and other trace elements are added less frequently and in limited quantities.

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

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

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

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

Trimming

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

If the shoot is strong, it is cut obliquely under the bud. A weak shoot is cut horizontally above the bud. It is better to pinch off soft shoots with your fingernails.

Without pruning, the plant will begin to stretch upward 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, determining upward growth. After removing this bud, the lateral buds will begin to actively develop. When pruning shoots, consider the direction of bud growth.

You need to start pruning after the first five leaves appear, trimming one or two top ones to stop the stretching of branches. The uppermost bud will determine the further direction of growth.

When you grow bonsai, you become an artist, creating a tree to your liking. Form the shape so that the pattern of the trunk and branches is visible and 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 replanted every year, later every two years. The best time for replanting is March-April, because with the onset of spring the tree will be provided with light and warmth for adaptation. After removing the plant from the pot, inspect the roots and remove any diseased or drying ones. If the root system appears unhealthy, the replanting soil should contain gravel.

The transplant proceeds as follows:

• Stop watering the plant for two days so that the roots can be easily cleared of the soil.
• On the day of transplantation, the new pot is washed, disinfected and rinsed.
• The drainage hole is covered with a shard or mesh.
• Transplantation is quick because the roots are sensitive to light and air.
• Holding the plant firmly on the trunk, run a knife along the walls of the pot and remove the tree with a lump of earth.
• The soil is removed by a third on all sides.
• Diseased and dried roots are cut off, the rest are slightly shortened.
• Place at the bottom of the pot thin layer fresh soil.
• The plant is placed in new pot and straighten the roots.
• Asymmetrically shaped 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 secured with wire through a drainage hole to which a wooden stick is attached.
• Add soil, filling the voids between the roots and at the edge of the pot. The soil is compacted with your fingers.
• Water the bonsai until water seeps through the drainage hole.
• The pot is placed in a well-lit place without drafts or scorching sun.
• New roots will form in a month.

Problems, diseases, pests

Indoor trees are subject to attacks by insects that can destroy the plant.

Aphid

It multiplies quickly and sucks the juices from 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. 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 should be sprayed with an insecticide every other day.

Bark beetle

They attack mature plants and rarely emerge from under the bark to the surface, so you may find the pest years later. Pay attention to holes in the bark and discolored areas. Treat with an insecticide for 8 weeks, after removing damaged areas of bark.

Powdery mildew

A fungus that multiplies in high humidity and poor air circulation. Use the fungicide without allowing it to get into the soil.

Popular types

• Hibiscus
• Pomegranate
• Casuarina
• Callistemon
• Cypress
• Cistus
• Olive
• Spurge
• Pelargonium
• Rosemary
• Boxwood
• Pine
• Crassula
• Ficus
• Schefflera

Answers to readers' questions

Plant lifespan

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

Is it possible to keep this plant at home?

Yes, sure. Bonsai is a creation of man 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 the leaves turn yellow and fall off?

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

Bonsai care in winter

Pour gravel into a tray and add water. Remove the flower pot from heating devices and place it in a cool place so that the tree can rest until spring.

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

The goal of gardeners who grow bonsai at home is to be able to reproduce the creation of nature. These small replicas of trees follow all natural laws and have all realistic proportions. A deciduous tree, for example, blooms, loses its leaves and becomes covered with them again, and so on.

But it must be remembered that forming a tree, growing and caring for it is a labor-intensive task that takes a lot of time and requires certain knowledge and patience.

People who have never cared for 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 has successfully used them.

Small trees have different shapes and vary in placement in pots:

In addition to trees, the pots contain 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 must have certain skills and knowledge.

For planting, you can use seeds, cuttings or layering of trees. To stop growth, the same techniques are used as in wildlife: very coldy, winds and droughts.

In small trees, the roots are pruned, the branches are also pruned, twisted, and 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 tree roots;
• selection of small pots by size;
• use of rough soil, without microelements;
• exclusion of substances necessary for growth;
• influence of strong wind;
• influence of strong heating;
• the influence of strong and sharp frosts.

Trees also require rules regarding the shape chosen for the tree. To create the required appearance combine naturalness and the necessary form. Trees should not exceed 30 centimeters in height.

Growing plants from a nursery

When purchasing 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 prepared bonsai soil, after cutting off the roots. Plant purchase and replanting must be done in early spring, before the growth period.

It is also necessary to trim the roots correctly and not damage them when digging. The plant is transported by placing the roots in a bag with moss, and at home it is planted in containers. big size, and placed in a shady place, protected from drafts.

It will take about 3 years 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 require a long time to take root. Therefore, sometimes preparations for replanting begin several years in advance, gradually cutting off the roots.

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

Rough formation can begin in the first years, then after 50 years you will get a bonsai that looks powerful and impressive.

It’s quite easy to form a bonsai from an already almost grown tree and replant it correctly. difficult task, and not suitable for beginners.

Bonsai from seeds

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

But there are plant species whose shape can only be changed if you start the changes from the beginning, such as elms. And so they plant seeds, grow sprouts and begin the formation of more sprouts from the first year.

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

The roots of such trees diverge in the shape of a star, and the trunks are formed smooth and beautiful. The bonsai turns out harmonious and proportional.

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

Seeds can be purchased in stores or collected independently in parks or botanical gardens. Some seeds can be sown immediately, such as oaks, spruces, pines, and some must 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, observing standard norms care: regular watering, ventilation, diffused light and fertilizers. When the seedling reaches 10 centimeters in height, it is transplanted and first molded.

Growing bonsai from seeds is a labor-intensive and difficult task, but the result will be excellent.

Bonsai from cuttings

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

The final size of a bonsai is clear already 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 the bonsai can be formed of any size. And if the castings have 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 the branches and trunk, you cannot do without wire. It can be applied to the branches or trunk, and this technique is quite labor-intensive and complex.

All branches and shoots are secured with wire. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the wire does not grow into the tree bark. It is most often applied in spring or winter, simultaneously with annual pruning.

To stabilize the desired shape branches or shoots usually take about 3 weeks. After this, the wire is removed with wire cutters.

The wire usually used is aluminum, coated with copper. And with its help they change the direction of branches, change growth, and form trunks.

Bonsai tree care

With constant restrictions on growth, crown formation, growth in a limited space, the life of a tree changes dramatically. Its care also changes.

The most important thing to remember when growing miniature trees is that they need to be protected from drafts and the pot should be placed away from radiators central heating. Avoid direct sunlight best.

Landing. To properly grow bonsai, it is important to choose a pot with drainage holes. An additional mesh is placed at the bottom of the pot to prevent soil from being washed out.

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

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

You can water your bonsai using a special watering can or using the submersion method. In the modern world it is widely used drip irrigation or irrigation.

Feeding. They are carried out approximately once every two weeks, and different fertilizers are used 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, it is necessary to provide a period of rest for coniferous and deciduous trees. It is better to put them outside or in an unheated room.

Wherein root system must be protected with additional means. When spring comes, the plants awaken, 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 trimmed. The pot must be larger than the previous one. When transplanting, the roots are placed horizontally, sprinkled with soil and watered.

Crown formation. For the beautiful formation of tree crowns, 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 performed immediately after planting. And then every year after wintering they repeat. With the help of pruning, you can set the direction for bonsai growth and redistribute energy from strong shoots to weak ones.

Bonsai formation methods

Sometimes they carry out artificial aging trees so that the young tree looks older. One such method is to remove the bark from the trunk.

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

For this method, in the spring, an incision is made on the tree trunk and the bark is removed. This place is soaked 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 beautiful and spectacular tree bonsai. But this will require some effort.

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

Bonsai. © Claire Vannette

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

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

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

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

Bonsai. © Cindy Black

Comfortable conditions and the need for fresh air

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

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

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

Watering and air humidity

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

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

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

Top dressing for bonsai

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

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

Bonsai pruning and shaping

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

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

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

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

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

Bonsai feeding. © Jonas Dupuich

Transplantation, containers and substrate

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

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

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

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

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

Prevention is indispensable

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

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

Choosing a tree for bonsai

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

• Indoor types of citrus fruits: lemon, ;

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

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

Growing Bonsai from Seeds

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

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

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

Growing bonsai from cuttings

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

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

A short master class on planting cuttings:

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

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

How to choose soil and pot for a bonsai tree

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bonsai crown formation

To give a miniature tree a beautiful, fancy shape, copper wire is usually used.

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

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

Video: Bonsai pruning and crown formation

How to care for a tree at home

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

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

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

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

In winter, the tree requires the following care:

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

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

Video: How to care for a bonsai tree