Pine bonsai is a classic of Japanese garden art. Today, more than a hundred varieties of pine are known, which are more or less suitable for the formation of bonsai, but four of them are especially popular. Today we will tell you how to properly grow a classic pine or fir bonsai.
To grow pine bonsai with your own hands, you will have to be patient. The main task is to do everything possible for the slow growth of the plant, which is achieved by frequent pruning of branches and roots, using special soil, special care methods.
In general, a home bonsai should meet the following characteristics:
- have a powerful and strong trunk, which has a pronounced base, and the roots slightly protrude above the soil surface;
- have a small number of branches, while each should be clearly visible and in harmony with the general style of the tree;
- match one of 15 classic shapes;
- to be like a tree growing under ordinary conditions.
As already mentioned, 4 main types of pine are used to plant bonsai in the garden.
Video "How to form pine bonsai"
From this video you will learn how to form pine bonsai with your own hands.
Japanese black
This variety is used most often, as it has an attractive bark texture, is hardy and does not require nutrient soil. In Japan, growing bonsai from black pine is considered a tribute to tradition. At the same time, in the process of growing, you may encounter a number of difficulties:
- the tree forms excessively long needles (this happens due to improper watering, violation of the feeding regime, or if the location of the pot is incorrectly chosen);
- The biological feature of this plant is its extremely slow growth.
The Japanese black pine tolerates the most adverse conditions well, surviving even on poor stony soils.
Japanese white
Such a bonsai will have an unusual appearance: justifying its name, the white Japanese pine is covered with white needles. This is a conical tree, which is distinguished by a dense spreading crown.
Mountain
Home care for mountain pine bonsai also does not require a special approach: the culture is unpretentious, tolerates significant temperature changes well, without even changing the color of its needles. Provided that such a bonsai is provided with the correct conditions of detention, over time it will form a lush crown with a thick needle.
In addition, this variety blooms in a soft purple color. The crown of the plant lends itself to formation in various styles, depending on the preferences of the gardener.
ordinary
Bonsai grown from Scots pine is the most affordable and easiest option in our latitudes. In cases where other species require special conditions of detention, ordinary pine will obediently "fulfill" all the requirements of the gardener, taking the desired form. The variety has paired yellow-green needles and red-brown scaly bark.
Planting and growing conditions
As for how to grow a classic pine bonsai, the secret is to limit the growth of the tree's root system as much as possible (such trees grow in small bowls). Thanks to this approach, the ground part of the tree is oppressed and the desired dwarfism of the plant is achieved.
Before planting a seedling, it is recommended to prune the root system, focusing on the main root process. Do not forget that a large stone should be laid at the bottom of the tank, which is covered with earth. After that, the plant itself is already planted.
Care rules
Whether you grow fir bonsai or any of the listed pines, the plant needs plenty of sunlight. If you place a container with a tree in a shaded place, you will get too long needles, which is not welcome in the art of bonsai. In addition, due to lack of lighting, the branches of the tree may begin to die off.
Another danger is drafts. Try to protect your plant from them as much as possible.
Watering and feeding
The plant needs moderate but regular watering. It is important that the growing pot contains a sufficient layer of drainage material. Try to keep the soil constantly moist. Bonsai are fed with a small amount of complex fertilizers, and not more than 1 time per month.
reproduction
There are two ways to grow a young bonsai from an adult plant: from seeds sown in the spring, or from cuttings that should be rooted during the summer.
Transfer
It is advisable to transplant pine trees in early spring - before the buds swell. They do this once every 2–3 years, and during the initial planting of a seedling, not earlier than after 4–5 years. When carrying out the procedure, do not try to thoroughly clean the roots of the plant from the remnants of the old soil - on the contrary, it will be better if it remains, since this earth contains a lot of compounds useful for the tree.
Trimming and shaping
Forming pine bonsai is difficult due to the fact that the principle of pruning is not similar to other crops. The fact is that the period of active growth of the plant occurs exclusively in the second half of the spring season, unlike other trees.
Another feature is separate growth zones that differ in activity. Thus, the apex is the fastest growing zone, the upper lateral shoots are characterized by an average growth force, and the lower ones are weak.
Formation should begin from a young age of the seedling, since an adult tree is almost impossible to bend, forcing it to grow in the direction you need. As a rule, shaping pruning is carried out in autumn to minimize the loss of juices, carefully processing the cuts.
What to do with kidneys
Pine buds grow in small groups. To make your bonsai look the way you want, you can treat the buds in the following way: remove them on the upper branches (which grow the fastest) and leave them on the lower ones, which form and grow more slowly.
Activities with candles
With the advent of spring, the buds you saved will begin to stretch into candles, the size of which may vary. They can also be pruned to suit the desired crown shape, following the same rule of tree growth zone activity. You should not cut all the candles at once - it is better to stretch the procedure for 2-3 weeks.
Plucking needles
This is one of the mandatory procedures, without which air and sunlight will not be able to penetrate to the inner shoots through the outer needles. In addition, by plucking, you can also control the width and height of the tree's crown.
Manipulation is carried out from the second half of July until the onset of autumn. Both old and young needles are subject to removal. We are guided by a simple rule: the more needles on a certain branch, the more growth activity it differs. By removing some of the needles, we can redistribute the vitality of the plant to other zones.
Needle trimming
Sometimes it is necessary to shorten the needles to make the tree look harmonious. To do this, they proceed as follows: they allow the tree to freely grow needles during the spring and all summer, and at the end of August they cut off all the needles that have grown during this season.
Of course, the tree will try to actively grow the lost needles, and it will succeed. But the needles will be much shorter, which is what we wanted.
Remember: this method is only good for a fully formed tree, a young seedling can be significantly affected by the procedure.
Now you know how to make pine bonsai with your own hands.
The art of bonsai came to us from Japan and China, and now it is becoming more and more popular. I have always been interested in learning how ficus, pine, dwarf birch, etc. bonsai are created. It turned out that everything is quite feasible ...
willow bonsai
When I am abroad, I always pay attention to the plants that adorn not only gardens and streets, but also hotel lobbies, courtyards and houses. A few years ago, I was sitting in an armchair near a flowerpot with some kind of plant with a very strange trunk. Upon closer examination, it turned out to be Benjamin's ficus. It was not one, but as many as five plants with thin trunks, braided with a “pigtail” and already tightly fused. The trees seemed very stable and were in good condition, their intertwined trunks did not affect their well-being in any way.
One day the day came when I remembered this ficus, and I decided to repeat this experience in my garden. Of course, it was unthinkable to use a ficus outdoors in our climate, so we decided to look for a tree that is well adapted near St. Petersburg. Willows from the nearest forest became such plants.
In the spring, four thin twigs were dug. They planted them very close to each other - the willows took root perfectly, began to grow, and spread their leaves. The following spring, it was necessary to hurry to work with willows, as the stems quickly thickened and hardened. She braided them with a “pigtail” until the first branching of the branches, secured them with a thick tourniquet and left them for a year.
I used an old electric wire as a harness, soft enough and not bright, so that local thieves would not cut it off in winter. A year later, next spring, she removed the lower branches, braided the stems even higher, and raised the tourniquet to the very branches.
This was repeated for several years, until I considered that the interlacing of the trunks was already quite high.
Last and this spring, she cut off all the branches that grew inside the tree crowns, leaving only the outer ones, and trimmed the upper shoots, giving them the shape of an oval.
The shape of the trees can be whatever you like, and the height too. But it should be comfortable for work and haircuts, according to your height. The photos show willows from both sides, in spring and summer 2011, they are 6 years old.
Knowing my interest in this topic, many years ago my family gave me the book "Bonsai from the Trees of European Forests" by Wolfgang Kohlchepp. I read everything, as they say, “from cover to cover”, especially the sections: “Bonsai grown from plants purchased in the nursery” and “Bonsai taken from nature, yamadori”. Later, I found many articles on the Internet and advice from experienced amateurs, and decided to grow my own pine bonsai in the garden.
To carry out the plan, it was necessary to pick up a plant. In nature, there are magnificent trees that, despite their age, are great for shaping. Often in the garden there is a need to thin out trees planted often. Such plants are ideal material for bonsai.
Walking along the quarry not far from the dacha in Beloostrov near St. Petersburg, we found a small lopsided pine. Three branches grew on its trunk a little thicker than a pencil, it was 40 cm tall. In order to dig such a tree, you need to cut its roots in a certain way. Carefully dug up and brought to the garden.
They planted a pine tree according to all the rules of bonsai: they shortened the roots and placed them in a container that was slightly larger than the roots. The container was made from a plastic container.
Since it is impossible to leave a container plant in the garden for the winter, they dug it to a shallow depth. In the spring of next year, the pine began to stretch, and it was possible to start shaping.
A lot has been written about the formation of plants in the bonsai style, I will not repeat myself. I just want to dwell on the features that I encountered.
According to the rules, it is necessary to tightly wrap the trunk and, wrapping the branch, attract it, creating a certain shape. Of course, experience does not come immediately. What shape should be given? We got the following:
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Sometimes it was necessary to remove the branch after it had become very lignified, because it did not look in the silhouette of a tree.
If you want to form strongly curved branches, then you need to wire the next year after planting.
If you do not notice in time that the wire is tightly tightened and crashed into the trunk, then scars are obtained after its removal.
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Later, trees from the nursery and from the forest were added to this pine. Scotch pine is a very hardy species and has a beautiful rough bark. Mountain pine, which can be purchased in a nursery, also has smaller frequent needles.
For the Japanese, growing bonsai is a whole philosophy that combines the spiritual and physical side of the process. An ordinary person needs to treat this matter with love and patience in order to achieve success. You need to have some knowledge about how to make pine bonsai. It takes a lot of time and effort to grow bonsai on your own. As a result, an amazing plant will give joy and beauty for many years.
Traditional bonsai must meet the following characteristics:
- Trunk. It should be powerful and strong, with a pronounced base and protruding roots.
- Branches. There are few branches, their lines should be harmonious and clearly visible. The trunk and branches of bonsai give the tree that very unique bizarre image.
- The form. The Japanese bonsai pine must meet one of 15 classifications. To help a novice or experienced gardener, drawings, diagrams, photographs or your own fantasies and wishes.
- Pine in miniature should look like a tree growing in natural conditions.
The main task when creating a bonsai is to achieve a slow growth of the plant. This is achieved in several ways: frequent pruning of tree roots and shoots, artificial restraint of growth, the use of special types of soil, special ways of caring for and watering trees.
How to grow pine bonsai outdoors
Pine occupies an honorable place in bonsai landscape design. Its obvious advantages are the original form, unpretentiousness to growing conditions, resistance to low temperatures, and a high level of adaptation.
Observing certain conditions, you can grow this miracle tree right in the ground:
A real bonsai is a visually old tree. The effect of aging is achieved by artificially bending and landing branches with the help of weights and wire. For the impression of a long-growing pine tree, the bark is specially cut in several places with a knife edge.
Formation of bonsai from Scots pine
Scotch pine can be an excellent basis for self-growing bonsai. Conifers differ from deciduous trees in two stages of growth per year, which should be considered when creating pine as a bonsai. The first wave of growth occurs in late spring and is expressed in the lengthening of the branches. The second wave occurs at the end of August and is characterized by thickening of the branches.
In a few years, you can grow a bonsai from Scotch pine with your own hands in a pot:
Scotch pine bonsai should have a strong and developed surface root structure (nebari). Root growth is achieved by several growing seasons, as a result, the tree should firmly and confidently hold on to the ground.
If you plant young trees from pots in open ground, then you can get garden bonsai from Scots pine. This is done in the fifth or sixth year of the plant's life. The advantages of growing in the garden are the rapid growth of the power of the trunk and the sufficient height of the tree. Before transplanting, the crown and trunk of the bonsai must be fully formed, that is, its proportions by this moment already fully correspond to the desired ones.
The formation of pine bonsai is a balance between the creation of nature and man. In order not to disturb the harmony, you can plant several bonsai from different types of trees in the garden, surrounding them with objects and plants that are similar in style and mood. The transformation of an ordinary tree into a beautiful dwarf counterpart is a fascinating and interesting activity. Bonsai pine will become a real decoration of the garden with individual outlines and lines inherent only to it.
Video about planting pine bonsai
The miniature living tree was first created about a thousand years ago by order of the Chinese emperor, who decided to decorate the palace with a tiny kingdom of plants. From there, the practice of bonsai cultivation came to Japan. Growing graceful trees has become a classic of Japanese gardening art and has spread throughout the world.
Description and main types
Miniature bonsai trees are a reproduction of plants found in nature. In Japan, bonsai cultivation is a holistic worldview that combines spirituality and physicality. In Russia, miniature trees have appeared quite recently. Undemanding pine is perfect for creating whimsical shapes.
Landing Ideas
An amateur for growing such a tree with his own hands just needs patience and knowledge of how to make bonsai from pine. The tree is formed artificially according to special rules:
- the trunk should be strong and impressive with a compacted support and a rhizome protruding from the soil;
- there are usually few branches so that they are combined with each other, creating a tree with its unique appearance;
- they try to give the pine the shape of one of the 15 classic designs.
The outline of a pine bonsai should resemble a plant growing in nature. The most important task in growing a tree is to slow down its growth. For growing bonsai, 4 varieties of pine are usually used.
Japanese black
Pinus thunbergii is most often taken as the basis for the cultivation of a tiny plant because of the originality of its bark, crown density, slow growth, hardiness and unpretentiousness. The tree easily withstands very harsh conditions, able to survive even on stony soil.
classic plant
Japanese white
Pinus parviflora is single-stemmed and multi-stemmed. The branches eventually acquire a grayish-blue hue, and the delicate thin needles with curved tips justify the species name of the tree. This species is very popular in garden plots.
Mountain
Mountain bonsai pine (mugus), which is not too capricious in cultivation, with favorable care, is distinguished by a dense crown, which allows it to be formed in a variety of styles. The bark of a young tree is purple in color, and the pine tree blooms with light purple inflorescences.
ordinary
Parviflora is the most simple option for domestic lovers. It does not require special conditions, it is easy to form the desired look. Scotch pine bonsai is distinguished by paired yellowish-green needles and scaly brown-reddish bark. It usually has low-hanging branches, giving it a graceful shape.
Styles of bonsai pines
The images on the basis of which miniature trees are classified are similar to the species diversity of plants in nature. However, they can be changed during the growing process in accordance with the author's intention. Styles specific to bonsai differ in the angle of the trunk, the placement of the branches, and their combination:
- the formal vertical style (tekkan) is distinguished by an even trunk thickened downwards with regular placement of branches;
- the informal vertical style (moyogi) is characterized by a curved trunk with a decrease in bends towards the top;
- the oblique style (syakkan) has a trunk inclined at an angle of 60-80 degrees, as if under the influence of a constant strong wind;
- the double trunk style (shokan), often found in nature, is characterized by a single crown, a common root system and different thicknesses of the trunks. According to tradition, it is given to couples in love;
Strict minimalism
- cascading bonsai (kengai) are usually grown in tall pots. It resembles a tree on the edge of a cliff, bent under the weight of a snowfall or a hail of stones. The branches are arranged horizontally to balance the composition;
- semi-cascade style (khan-kengai) in natural conditions is found on the banks of reservoirs and in the mountains. The base of the trunk grows first up, and then tilts to the side and down. The top is located at the level of the edge of the pot;
- literary (bohemian) style (bunzingi) with a bare vertical trunk and a crown at the top symbolizes the struggle of a tree for a place under the sun.
Important! In addition to the most common, there are several more styles of bonsai pines.
Planting and growing conditions
Coniferous trees differ from deciduous trees in two periods of annual growth, which are important for the gradual formation of bonsai. The first stage - increasing the length of the branches - takes place in the spring, the second - an increase in their thickness - in August. It takes several years to fully develop.
The secret to growing a miniature tree is to control root growth as much as possible. For this, seedlings are placed in low pots. This method allows you to limit the growth of the above-ground part of the plant and get the desired size of the seedling. Before planting, they usually dig and trim the root system.
Important! At the bottom of the tank you need to put a large stone, covered with soil.
Pine bonsai is characterized by strong and developed superficial roots (nebari), which securely hold the tree in the soil.
Care rules
The main condition for growing any miniature plants is the abundance of the sun. In the shade, the needles will grow too long, distorting the appearance of the bonsai. Lack of illumination at home can provoke the death of branches. In addition, such a plant does not tolerate drafts at all.
Watering and feeding
The tree requires restrained, but systematic moisturizing, preferably in the morning or evening. During the initial watering, the container with the plant is placed in a basin of water. Moisture enters the soil through a hole in the bottom and saturates the entire soil. In the future, it is moistened with a thin stream from a watering can or sprayed.
Coniferous trees need top dressing from April to October. Old bonsai rarely fertilize. For a balanced development of the plant, complex mineral substances alternate with organic ones.
reproduction
Growing bonsai begins with planting. Usually, two methods of cultivating a young tree are used: seed and cuttings. Both methods require patience.
Additionally! Pine seedlings can be purchased at the nursery.
The most suitable method for pines is seed, but it takes up to 12-15 years. Pine seeds collected independently in the forest usually germinate 34 weeks after planting.
Helpful information. The formation of Scots pine in the bonsai style, its roots, bends of the trunk and branches by means of wire application begins in the second year of growth, and this is likely only with seedlings.
Planting a plant
Transfer
Bonsai transplantation is carried out at the beginning of the spring season, before the buds swell. Experienced gardeners recommend doing this for the first time in the 4th-5th year of growth, and later every 2-3 years. In the process of transplanting, the former soil containing a lot of nutrients should be partially left on the roots. After the first successful transplant, the gardener may think about how to make bonsai from a pine tree in a summer cottage.
Trimming and construction
Creating a bonsai pine is not an easy task due to the difference in the method of pruning from other crops. Pine growth occurs later than other trees. The development zones are also different: the upper branches grow the fastest. Shaping circumcision begins from the first years. An adult tree is difficult to form the desired shape. Autumn pruning will reduce the loss of juices.
Important! An indispensable condition is the diligent processing of slices.
What to do with kidneys
To create the desired look of the bonsai, bunching buds are usually removed from the top fastest growing branches and left at the bottom where the growth process slows down.
Procedure with candles
In the spring, the left eyes begin to develop into candles of various sizes. They are also pruned based on the expected shape of the crown. In one session, it is not recommended to get rid of all the candles, it is preferable to do this for 2-3 weeks.
Plucking needles
Without this procedure, internal shoots will be left without access to air and sunlight. Pulling helps to regulate the volume of the crown. The operation is carried out from mid-summer to late autumn. Get rid of any needles (old and young). Eliminating them from the densest branches allows you to switch the flow of juices to other zones.
Needle trimming
To harmonize the appearance of bonsai, they resort to shortening the needles. This makes it possible for the needles to grow naturally on the tree all spring and summer, and only at the end of August they shorten the needles that have grown over the season.
Important! The technique is only suitable for adult pines, and it can seriously damage young ones.
Full cascade
Shortening "candles"
Docking young growths allows you to make the bonsai more fluffy. Selective fragmentary pruning on a third of young shoots, intensively growing in May, forms a crown of various shapes. This work should be done before the opening of the candles. You can create different outlines of the crown:
- balls;
- bowls;
- cubes.
Complicated configurations
Bonsai pine trees with balls planted one on top of the other look impressive. To get this result, one candle is not removed during pruning in the spring. A year later, a new sphere or bowl is left on it. By removing some of the shoots, complex plant models can be formed. To do this, you first need to master the mechanism of changing trees and practice on the simplest ways to shorten candles.
Additional benefit
After cutting the candles, trimmings remain, containing a lot of vitamins. Coniferous teas, decoctions and infusions have been used in folk medicine for the prevention of colds and many diseases for a long time, used to rinse the hair and torso. Vodka tincture or decoction of pine candles helps to improve tone and immunity. The healing aroma of pine needles refreshes sleep if you place dry candles in a pillowcase.
Composition
The formation of pine bonsai is an art on the verge of philosophy, combining the harmony between the fruit of human labor and nature. The transformation of an ordinary plant into a picturesque dwarf likeness is an entertaining creative activity. A miniature pine will decorate the house with its unusual appearance.
Bonsai is an ancient oriental applied art. Its history spans over twenty-two centuries. At its core, bonsai at home from pine is the creation of miniature copies of coniferous trees.
The first records of this ancient art of decoration date back to the Tang Dynasty. But it gained the greatest distribution in Japan during the heyday of the design of living gardens in the palaces of the ruling dynasties.
With the development of bonsai, the size of the plants constantly decreased. Thanks to this, we have trees in their current form. At the moment, a ready-made plant can be bought at any flower shop. But the care doesn't end there. It is necessary to form a crown constantly.
Growing bonsai
So you can take either seeds or seedlings. Pine seedlings are very suitable for this.
Small pine seedlings must be dug up in the forest in autumn. In order to be able to form bonsai in different styles, respectively, it is necessary to dig up seedlings of various shapes.
Initially, they must be in natural conditions for some time. Once you have brought your seedlings home, transplant them into flower containers and place the pots outdoors. The diameter of the container should not exceed fifteen centimeters.
Your future bonsai must be securely covered from drafts and wind, it is advisable to cover the flower pots with mulch. The process of forming pine crowns at home can begin after the plants come out of dormancy in the spring.
bonsai shaping
With the onset of spring, seedlings will need to be cut. At the same time, only ten centimeters are left. After such circumcision, lateral sprouts begin to actively grow. The trunk gradually becomes thicker.
Pruning pine seedlings is necessary with sharp scissors. The cut must be made at an angle of 40-45 degrees. The remaining needles on the plant should be thinned out as much as possible.
After trimming the trunks of your bonsai, use the frame wire to give the trunk of the plant the desired shape. For this, aluminum wire with a thickness of three millimeters is suitable. Gradually, the barrel will reach the required size and begin to crash into the wire. It will need to be removed and a new frame made.
The shape of the new frame should not be changed.
It is very important to follow the wire when forming the trunk. It should not damage the pine needles. If you decide to grow several bonsai at home, it will be interesting to give them a different shape. You can pick up interesting styles from special literature or information posted on Internet resources.
Flower pots with your seedlings will need to be put on an elevated place in your garden.
Plants must also receive enough sunlight.
Watering plants
To grow a beautiful bonsai, you need to pay special attention to the irrigation regime. The substrate must never dry out.
Pine trees will need to be fertilized periodically. It is not recommended to cut them again. And already with the onset of the cold season, bonsai should resemble the outlines of mature trees in nature. With the onset of the onset of the winter period, the plants are covered with mulch.
By the third year in mid-spring, pine seedlings should be transplanted into larger flower pots. Their diameter should be twenty-five centimeters, and a depth of at least fourteen centimeters.
Substrate preparation
To grow bonsai, you need to make good soil. To do this, take two parts of pure sand and two parts of perlite. You also need to add one part of the humus. So that excess moisture drains well to the bottom, drainage is poured.
Root care
Great attention should be paid to pines. The roots are carefully straightened when transplanting seedlings. Also in many sources you can find information that the roots need to be trimmed. Although many growers in the early stages do not do this, and leave the roots as they are.
Only damaged parts need to be trimmed. After transplanting into a pot, the flower is covered with a dry mixture of "Kornevin".
- Throughout the third year, the plant should be regularly watered and fertilized. Before the onset of cold weather, pines are pruned at the level of the upper shoots. For the winter, flower pots are again covered with mulch.
- During the fourth year of the life of seedlings, you can begin to form the crown of your tree. Here you can show your imagination and form some interesting bonsai. Ideas can be taken from specialized literature.
- In the future, every year the main attention should be paid to the formation of the crown and trunk of the tree itself. To do this, you need to do a constant trimming of the pine and pinching the branches. In order to direct the growth of branches in the right direction, a wire frame can be worn on separate parts of the plant.
Growing bonsai at home is quite difficult. Don't expect to get satisfactory results right away. This requires patience and constant work. Don't give up on this hobby. A little training, and your work will bring you a lot of pleasure.
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