How to make a bonsai from a mature tree. Garden bonsai - technique and procedure. Creating a harmonious composition

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

To grow without much hassle beautiful tree bonsai at home, it is best to choose for this one of the plants listed below, about which reviews from gardeners are extremely positive. 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 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 for exit excess moisture and for fastening 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 could damage it must be removed. root system. 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 soft wire dig in and fix in the ground at the trunk base 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

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

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

Miniature plants 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 review the growing process. 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

Culture bonsai originated in China and Japan.

Translated from Japanese, “bon-sai” (the Chinese word is “pun-sai”) means “wood in a bowl.”

However, a bonsai is not just a container tree, it is a true work of art that requires many years of work. In the eastern tradition, bonsai style trees are classical elements interior and landscape design.

Bonsai is a whole language of symbols. Some of the miniature trees resemble inhabitants of sea coasts, bent under cruel winds, others - alpine plants, branches hanging fancifully from the rocks, while others, on the contrary, look serene and simple - like a meadow tree located in the middle of a sunny island of tranquility.

In nature, the shape of a tree is formed under the influence of wind, sun and relief, and a bonsai master imitates natural forms with his own hands - using a knife, pruning shears and wire guides.

– the age of the tree is about 20 years. The shape of the tree is not ideal - after all, this bonsai was formed by a beginner amateur.

This miniature linden 30 years. This very beautiful bonsai, made by the German Dieter Arndt, has already repeatedly won prizes at various exhibitions.

A classic bonsai is a miniature copy of a tree in life size on a scale of 1:100.

In Japan, they believe that a pine tree looks like an old man, and a deciduous tree looks like a young girl. Therefore, miniature pines and junipers are usually planted in rough bowls Not correct form- made of wood or stone. Deciduous bonsai are placed in elegant ceramic vessels.

Bonsai have been grown for decades. And the older and more beautiful the bonsai becomes, the more expensive bowls it is transplanted into, emphasizing the nobility of the composition. In Japan, these bowls are custom-made by hand so that the vessel perfectly complements the bonsai artist's design.

Making a bonsai yourself is very difficult and time-consuming, but also exciting. Let's look at the stages of growing a bonsai tree.

	Choosing a blank tree for bonsai First you need to choose a plant - it is best to take not a street specimen, but a young plant that originally lived in a container and is already adapted to such conditions. You can also grow a seedling specifically for creating a bonsai - but this will take longer. The roots of a young plant are shortened and planted in a flat bowl. The initial bowl is taken as simple as possible, undecorated.
	Trimming the top of a tree In spring, the top and side shoots of the tree are cut off. After this, the tree begins to gain trunk thickness, but its height will remain small. It is better for the plant to spend the summer outside, but for the winter, bonsai are placed in frost-free rooms - their roots are not adapted to frost.
	Regular pruning branches and roots In subsequent months and years, pruning is repeated many times. Branches, especially thick ones, should be trimmed very carefully. For pruning, you should purchase a special pruning shears with a concave blade and make sure that its blades are sharp. Pruning with such pruning shears causes minimal damage to the tree - the cut areas heal faster. Every year, the future bonsai should be removed from the bowl and its roots trimmed.
	Buds for growing crowns When the trunk is formed required thickness, several buds are left on the tree for the development of branches. From this moment, work begins on the shape of the bonsai crown.
	Main branches for the bonsai crown skeleton You need to wait until the branches form. After this, several branches are left in the bonsai for further crown formation, and the rest are cut off.
	Shaping bonsai branches To give shape to bonsai branches, wire - aluminum or copper - is used. The thickness of the wire should approximately correspond to the thickness of the branches. The wire is carefully wrapped around the trunk and branches of the tree, giving them the desired direction. For opposite branches use one piece of wire. The tips of the branches are pinched to improve branching.
	Regular formative pruning of branches Next comes the most interesting part. The tree will gradually grow in the direction that the wire sets it. Adjust the wire as you watch the bonsai grow. Regularly trim young shoots to help the tree branch better and remain compact.
	Transplanting a bonsai into a decorative bowl When the bonsai is ready, you will need to select the appropriate bowl for it and think through the entire arrangement.

Photos of bonsai trees

If the bonsai is made from fruit tree or shrub, then it continues to bloom and bear fruit at the usual time for its kind - like hawthorn in this photo.

This maple for more than 80 years! A multi-tiered crown has been formed on the tree by the skillful hand of a bonsai master. There is a deep bowl under this bonsai, since the height of the vessel should be proportional to the diameter of the crown.

Bonsai from juniper, the crown of which is formed by a semi-cascade. An irregularly shaped bowl was selected from the tree, which imitates a depression in a rocky slope.

Bonsai trees should be advantageously positioned on stands and well lit - so that a garden visitor can admire them first from afar, and then, coming closer, examine their filigree crown.

Gardens in oriental style often decorated with bonsai. Characteristic for Japanese garden- red bridge, stone lanterns, miniature trees and giant cereals - sedges, bamboo and others.

However, if you follow this example and decorate your garden with miniature trees in the summer, do not forget to protect them from frost in winter and autumn. The specificity of the root system of bonsai does not allow it to winter outside in mid-latitudes.

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

Like many centuries ago, the goal of a gardener passionate about bonsai is to reproduce the creations of nature itself. Small copies of oaks, maples, pines, sakura or ficus trees have realistic proportions, they live according to nature’s routine. If a deciduous tree is grown in a pot, it blooms, becomes covered with leaves and goes into winter dormancy.

Because the craftsmanship of a real tree is shaped by hand, growing and caring for a bonsai is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and requires knowledge, patience, and an understanding of your green pet's needs.

And yet, more and more newcomers are enthusiastically taking on difficult but very exciting work. How to grow a bonsai at home and care for a small copy of a real tree?

How to grow bonsai at home: common methods

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

There are several ways to grow bonsai at home:

through sowing the seeds of the crop you like and the subsequent “education” of the seedling;
using a rooted cutting;
forming a seedling from a nursery or wild nature;
transferring an already adult cultivated or wild specimen into a pot and correcting it.

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

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

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

Choosing the right tree for bonsai

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

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

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

How to grow bonsai from seeds?

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

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

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

For germination and the first months of life of seedlings, use a light sand-peat substrate or peat tablets that have been soaked and absorbed with moisture. Until a sprout appears on the surface, the container should be kept in the dark under the film. The air temperature is selected depending on the bonsai tree being grown.

To avoid the formation of condensation and rot, the greenhouse is ventilated. When seedlings appear, a small amount of fresh air is provided inside and the seedlings are transferred to light. As necessary, seedlings are watered and fertilized with complex compounds. When the plant reaches a height of 10–12 cm, it is replanted.

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

Choosing a pot and soil for bonsai

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

When choosing a bonsai pot, you need to take into account that over the years the tree becomes heavy and, especially with an irregular, inclined or cascading shape, may lose stability. Therefore, for bonsai ranging in size from a few centimeters to 9 meters, massive, more often ceramic pots, bowls or containers of the most different forms and styles.

There should be a drainage hole at the bottom of the container and more than one. They are used not only to drain water, but also to secure the plant.

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

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

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

For deciduous bonsai trees, a substrate containing 7 parts of turf soil and 3 parts of coarse washed sand is recommended.
Flowering crops are grown on a mixture of 7 parts turf soil, three parts sand and 1 part highly nutritious humus.
Coniferous species, the most popular among bonsai lovers, need particularly loose soil, for which take 3 parts turf soil and 2 parts washed sand.

Before filling the pot, the bonsai soil is sorted out, removing foreign matter that could damage the roots, sifted and sterilized. A drainage layer is placed at the bottom of the container to drain excess moisture.

Caring for a bonsai tree at home

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

By constantly limiting growth, shaping the crown and growing a bonsai in a small pot, a person completely changes the life of a tree or shrub. Therefore, caring for such a crop is very different from caring for other indoor plants.

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

Previously, gardeners only had a specially shaped watering can or the ability to immerse a bonsai pot in a bowl of water to wet the soil from below. Today, plant irrigation or drip irrigation is actively used, which allows the soil under bonsai to be moistened in doses and without the risk of erosion.

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

Feeding is carried out at intervals of 2–3 weeks, using your own mixtures for different cultures and seasons. For Japanese trees For bonsai, there are mineral fertilizers based on algae.

You can’t leave plants without food, but it’s equally important not to overfeed your bonsai. Therefore, when caring for bonsai trees at home, fertilizing is done very carefully:

in the spring, at maximum growth intensity, including twice as much potassium and phosphorus in the fertilizer;
in summer the proportions remain the same, but the concentration is halved;
closer to autumn, especially for deciduous crops, the content of potassium and phosphorus is doubled, and nitrogen, on the contrary, is reduced.
Flowering and fruit-bearing trees and shrubs need more potassium, which is used for the formation of buds and ovaries.

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

Bonsai is a type of gardening art. Arose this type art in China between the 8th and 10th centuries. Its essence is that trees that grow in nature and become large enough over time are planted in pots and various kinds stands. Due to constant pruning of the crown and the fact that the root system becomes flat, dwarf trees like these are obtained.

Creating a real bonsai tree with your own hands from pine

In order to grow a pine bonsai, it will take a lot of time and effort, but the result is worth it.

You should start by collecting seedlings. It is best to take more than one, so that during the process of their growth you can choose the tree you like best, and it is easier to conduct experiments with the crown on several samples. An important point when growing pine bonsai is that it has 2 growth phases per year: late summer and late spring.

In the first year of bonsai growth, there is no particular hassle with it, since the tree is just beginning to take root and buds appear, that is, there is no need to trim anything. Late spring, in the first phase of growth, the branches of the pine tree lengthen, but at the end of summer, in the second phase, the branches of the tree become thicker and the roots begin to accumulate substances necessary for growth. Therefore, the roots of the tree should not be trimmed during the second phase. Another important detail is that young pine seedlings require a lot of light, as well as good drainage, otherwise the roots will simply begin to rot. The pot with pine should be placed away from drafts, as the plant is very afraid of wind.

In the second year of growth, first of all, the seedlings are cut off by 7-12 cm, but it is very important to ensure that healthy needles remain on the shoot after this, which should not be damaged under any circumstances. Pruning should be done at an angle of 45° and always at the end of March. Before you get a finished bonsai, its root system needs to be trimmed every year.

But if suddenly the needles of your tree grow above the required level, then it is better not to touch anything for now, and come up with another way to grow the bonsai crown.

After cutting the shoot, the pine trunk will begin to thicken. Also, the needles can become very lush, so you need to thin them out so that each needle receives sunlight. The main thing is not to overdo it. For pruning, you need to purchase a special pruning shears, which will cause much less harm to the plant.

After these manipulations, wire is placed on the seedling to form the shape of the trunk. The main thing is to ensure that the frame does not grow into the trunk, since as it thickens it will cut into the trunk, and as soon as this begins to happen, the wire should be removed and replaced. During this period, the tips of the branches are pinched, then they begin to branch better.

The tree will now grow the way you want by guiding it with the wire. During this period, you need to regularly shorten the young shoots, then it will remain the correct shape and will continue to branch.

Then you need to continue in the same direction, but without the wire. All that is necessary is to regularly monitor the formation of the crown, removing excess. Now the tree can be transplanted into a permanent bowl, decorating it to your liking.

Your bonsai is ready!

Master class on creating an artificial bonsai with your own hands

Bonsai is a wonderful decoration for your home, but as you know, it takes a lot of time to create such beauty. But you want to decorate your home with a decorative tree in this style now. Of course, such a problem can be solved within a day - buy it, but it’s much more pleasant to create such a tree with your own hands. This is where numerous ways to create such a decorative item from artificial materials come to the rescue.

Material we need for work

Any ceramic plate or flowerpot will become a tree stand.
Three-core wire, three pieces, 40 cm each. It will be needed to form the frame of the trunk and branches of the future bonsai.
Glue gun.
Gypsum, which will be needed to form the trunk and branches on the frame.
PVA glue.
Acrylic paints for the final design of the work.
Artificial greenery, which will need to be divided into inflorescences.

Creating a trunk and branches

Take a three-core wire and strip 10-12 cm from one end; future branches will be on this side. Do the same with the other two.

Now secure all three wires to the future stand using a heat gun. Connect them together and also fasten them with hot glue, then coat the entire structure with PVA glue.

Next, you need to dilute the plaster as indicated on the package, also add PVA to the mixture. The consistency of the solution should be like thick sour cream. Apply to the tree frame and form the trunk and branches. Leave the tree for a day, it should dry thoroughly.

After a day has passed, take PVA glue and coat the entire tree again. When the glue is dry, paint the barrel Brown color. The paint must be mixed with PVA in a ratio of 3:1 and applied with a sponge. After this, ocher can be applied on top. You need to wait two hours to dry.

Creating a tree crown and its design

After the trunk has completely dried, you can begin to attach the leaves to the branches. This is done using a heat gun.

Now I'm left last step– will decorate the stand beautifully. To create grass on it, take semolina and PVA glue and mix in a 2:1 ratio, add green paint to this mixture until the shade you want appears. You can apply the mixture to the bottom of the stand with a cocktail spoon; this method will help create natural unevenness and relief. Then glue coffee beans at the base of the trunk - these will be pebbles. And finally, attach any toy in the shape of an animal or whatever you like to the grass. Leave it all to dry again for a day.