How to grow a bonsai: a miniature garden on the windowsill. Growing bonsai from seeds - features of agricultural technology Why poor soil is used for bonsai

Literally translated, the word "bonsai" means grown on a tray. Essentially, bonsai is an art that involves growing a miniature copy of a tree. It arose at the end of the 8th century, in China, and was the main decoration of the imperial court. Since that time, many styles have arisen that differ in the structure of the trunk and crown. Bonsai trees are outdoors, their size varies from two centimeters to one and a half meters. Even if you do not know how to grow bonsai at home, this art is made available thanks to the article.

Trees for bonsai - types and features

Some people mistakenly believe that bonsai is some kind of culture, characterized by dwarf size and bizarre shape. Actually it is not. Bonsai can be grown from almost any tree. The main condition is to know which culture is suitable for creating a harmonious miniature copy.

1. Juniper, irga, spruce and rhododendron 8-20 cm.
2. Barberry, field and rock maple, privet, mountain pine 20-30 cm.
3. Scotch pine, American maple, birch, hazel, elm 30-70 cm.
4. Linden, larch, ash, ash-leaved or plane-leaved maple, oak, beech, black pine 60-100 cm.
5. Wisteria, chestnut, black pine, plane tree, elderberry, acacia 100-130 cm.

Seeds of the tree you like can be purchased at the botanical garden, a specialized store, or collected in a city park. A good option for beginners - buy seed in China. Seeds from trees such as spruce, pine, fir, oak or euonymus are ready for planting after harvest.

Seeds of other plants must be dormant for some time and undergo stratification.

Seed stratification as a measure of preparation for sowing

There are seeds that are specially prepared before planting - these are sakura seeds. In fact, Japanese cherry (sakura) - perfect material to create bonsai. From the seeds of Japanese sakura, you can create real masterpieces that can amaze with amazing shapes. In order for the plant to germinate properly, the seeds of this tree are stratified.

Essentially, stratification is a process that mimics winter conditions for better seed germination. There are several ways to stratify plants:

1. cold stratification. It is necessary for seeds that need ripening: pine, arborvitae or blue spruce. The seeds of such plants are first soaked in lightly warm water and then placed in the refrigerator. In this way, an artificial imitation of the temperature drop in nature is produced.
2. Warm stratification. Used to "awaken" the seeds. planting material placed in warm water for several hours or days. You can also place the seeds not in a liquid, but in a medium with high humidity: Wrap with damp cloth or place in wet coco substrate.
3. Combined stratification. It is applied to the seeds of maple, cedar, sakura, which germinate for a long time. Its essence lies in the change of cold and warm stratification. Initially, the seeds are placed in a cold room, and immediately before planting, they are soaked in warm water. Combined stratification is common in bonsai cultivation.

In addition to stratification, the seeds should be disinfected so that the plants are not afraid of the occurrence of fungal formations. To do this, you can use a solution of manganese.

This tool perfectly disinfects the seeds before planting. The seed is soaked in pinkish water. Seed disinfection lasts from 5 days to 2 weeks. After the seeds have been stratified and disinfected, they can be planted.

Soil and container for growing bonsai

Coarse-grained sand, which is steamed before use, is considered the best soil for seeds. This is a kind of disinfection that will not allow the plant to die. It is recommended to use a wide container with a depth of 5 cm and drainage holes. Before planting, the sand must be well moistened and special grooves should be made into which the seeds will be placed.

To grow bonsai at home, you should take care of soil preparation and selection required capacity. The container in which a miniature tree is grown can be of different shapes and depths. Rectangle, oval, circle or polyhedron, deep or flat - the choice is really big. Remember, if the bonsai trunk has a slope, then the container for it should be more stable. In this case, give preference to deep containers or those made of heavy material.

The color of the container should be calm and discreet, this will only emphasize the elegance of the plant. Moreover, the bowl must match the bonsai style. If the miniature copy will have a dense crown, then it is better to choose a flat and wide container. A narrow and tall pot is suitable for a cascading style bonsai, and the tall crowns of the plant will better emphasize deep, but not wide containers.

Before planting, scald the bowl with boiling water to destroy possible sources of fungus and bacteria.

Traditionally, bonsai are grown in a special substrate called akadama. It is a heavy soil, in which there are many nutrients, high level moisture and good air circulation. However, such land is rarely used in its pure form. Firstly, in its pure form, it is only in one of the prefectures of Japan, and secondly, a high concentration of nutrients does not always favorably affect bonsai, especially during the period when the tree is shaped.

The substrate for bonsai must meet several criteria: retain moisture well, contain useful material and provide access to oxygen to prevent souring or rotting of the roots. A good substrate is mixed from granular clay, humus and sand, in the ratio that is suitable for each type of plant.

1. Type of tree and soil used.
2. Deciduous trees. Sod land and sand, in a ratio of 7 to 3 (3 parts of sand and 7 parts of turf).
3. Blooming bonsai. The mixture is prepared from sod land, sand and humus, in a ratio of 7:3:1.
   Coniferous bonsai. Four parts of sand and 6 parts of sod land.

You can prepare the soil yourself at home. Sod land can be dug up in the meadow. Just take off the top vegetative layer, and the top 20 centimeters of the earth can be used for growing bonsai.

Before use, the earth must be cleaned by sifting through a large sieve. Sand should be taken river, coarse-grained. It will make the soil looser, which will improve air circulation, and it holds moisture better. Before use, all these components should be disinfected by heating in the oven. Humus should be purchased at a specialized store or ordered via the Internet.

Features of sowing seeds and plant care

Landing is carried out in spring, summer or early autumn in peat pots, which are filled with a mixture of sand and peat, in a ratio of one to one. If there is no place to buy peat, then you can buy soil for cacti and mix it with coarse sand. Such a substance will be a complete replacement. Observe the following sequence of actions.

1. Pour the mixture into the pot so that there is another 3 cm left to the edge.
2. Add 1 centimeter of cleared sod land, press down with a wooden circle.
3. Place the seeds on the prepared surface and cover them with a layer of sand. The layer thickness is not more than two seed diameters.
4. Press down again with a wooden circle, remove it and pour water over the sand (no more than 80 ml).
5. Cover with plastic wrap.

Place the seed pot in dark place with a temperature of no more than 15 0 C. Periodically remove the film for ventilation and check if the soil is dry. It should always be damp, but not wet.

When the first sprouts have made their way, pierce the polyethylene to provide air access. After the first shoots appear, remove the film from the pots and transfer to a lighted room. Keep plants out of direct sunlight. After 2-3 months, it is worth cutting off the tap root by 2/3, this process is called the formation of seedlings.

Fertilizers are added to the ground where the seedlings ripen. It is necessary to transplant seedlings into a separate form after the sprout grows by 10 centimeters. During this period, the sprout can be accustomed to the sun's rays and at the same time not stop forming the desired shape.

According to this scheme, you can grow sakura bonsai or Japanese pine . But some types of trees need a special approach.

Features of agricultural technology of Japanese and red maple

This tree begins to shed its seeds in autumn. To grow bonsai from maple seeds, they need to be stratified for 120 days. Optimal time for landing April or May. To make sprouts appear faster, the seeds are soaked for 1-2 days in hydrogen peroxide. This measure will speed up the germination process and protect the plant from diseases.

Bonsai from the seeds of all types of maple, especially red, should be grown in partial shade - direct sunlight is contraindicated for it. The land for growing this species should be fertilized once a month to achieve the desired level of acidity. AT winter period feeding is excluded.

Features of lemon bonsai agricultural technology

Growing a plant from lemon seeds is not difficult. Stratification is not needed in this case. Seeds for planting are extracted directly from the fruit. It should be ripe, but without external damage. You can plant several seeds at once.

1. Prepare the pot and soil as described above.
2. At the bottom of the container, make 1-2 cm of drainage.
3. Fill to the top with prepared soil.
4. Place the lemon seeds to a depth of 1.5 cm.
5. Wrap the pot with foil.

The room where the seed container will be stored should be at least 18 0 C. Remove the film at intervals of 2-3 days and lightly moisten the surface with water. Do not over-moisten so that the resulting roots do not rot.

Features of agricultural technology of cedar

Cedar seeds are the easiest to grow bonsai and are suitable for beginner gardeners. Seed material stratification has two stages.

1. Lasts 6 days. Seeds are placed in water with a temperature of 25-30 0 C and changed every two days.
2. The stratification period is 60 days. Seeds are taken out of the water and mixed with disinfected river sand and peat. This substance with seeds is moistened and periodically mixed until the first sprouts hatch.

Once the sprouts have hatched, the seeds can be planted or placed in a container. In this form, cedar seeds can be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of 2 0 C until planting in a pot. Cedar loves a lighted place, but does not tolerate direct sun rays.

An exception is a young bonsai from Japanese cedar seed. It will grow best in a shady area.

Features of agricultural technology of Japanese pine

There are 2 types of Japanese pine: black (less demanding on lighting) and ordinary. Before planting, the seeds undergo a mandatory 3-month cold stratification. Seeds should be planted in a deep container to a depth of 2 centimeters. Sowing time is the end of winter.

The grooves are cut at a distance of 3 cm from each other to facilitate the care of sprouted, but not yet ripe bonsai seedlings. When the first leaves appear, you can take the container into a bright room. With an accelerated process of photosynthesis, the sprouts will get stronger faster. The formation of the crown can be started as soon as the plant reaches 5 cm in height.

Watering, feeding, wintering

The main problem in caring for a bonsai is watering it. because of small size pots, the roots of the tree are deformed and the effectiveness of watering is reduced. There are two main ways of watering: irrigation and immersion.

1. The plant is watered with water from a special kettle.
2. A pot with a tree is placed in a bowl of water and taken out after a few minutes.

It is better to water with rainwater, but if it is not there, let it stand for two days with tap water.

Remember, bonsai die without water. Even if its leaves are green, but there was no watering for a long time, the roots with highly likely dead.

In summer, watering should be done more often and pour more water.

Feeding is important when growing bonsai, especially at the time of crown formation. The tree is fertilized every 2-3 weeks, and once a month it is necessary to apply fertilizer based on algae. The most important fertilizer components are potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus.

Nitrogen is responsible for the growth and development of the leaves and stem of the tree. It is the main component that promotes cell division and protein production.

Phosphorus stimulates cell division, is responsible for budding, and has a positive effect on root growth and development. Protects from diseases.

Potassium helps to fight microorganisms that cause diseases, promotes fruiting and flower development.

These substances must be present in top dressing for bonsai. AT flower shops hard to find suitable option, which contains all the substances in the required proportions. Therefore, we recommend mixing fertilizers yourself in the following proportions:

• in the spring, when the growth period is more intense, apply more nitrogen. The optimal ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is 12:6:6, respectively;
• in summer, nutrition should be more balanced, so the components are added to equal proportions – 10:10:10
• in autumn, less nitrogen is required, the optimal ratio of components is 3 parts of nitrogen and 9 parts of phosphorus and potassium each.

If the bonsai is grown from flowering tree- Emphasize the addition of potassium in a proportional ratio of 12:6:6

Indoor bonsai plants are fertilized all year round, and street - from the period of early spring to mid-autumn. Young trees are fertilized every 2 weeks, older bonsai can be fed every 4-6 weeks. Blooming bonsai should not be fed during the flowering period and immediately after it. When top dressing, remember that it is better to apply less fertilizer than to "overfeed" the plant.

When winter comes, inexperienced gardeners who have miniature trees are on the street, make a huge mistake - bring them into warm room. This behavior causes the tree to constantly grow, it takes too much energy and depletes resources. Depriving the plant of natural "peace", you can put all efforts in vain. A tree that grows on the street needs to be properly prepared for wintering:

1. Clean the branches of dirt and pests.
2. Move the trees to an elevated, well-lit, and draft-free area in the garden.
3. At temperatures below -10 0 C, transfer the plant to an unheated room.
4. Make sure the soil is not too wet.

Bonsai is an amazing art and painstaking work that begins with the selection and search for seeds and never ends. Like all living things, bonsai requires care and thanks its owner for the kindness of green leaves, bizarre shapes and unique sophistication of the image.

To consolidate the material, watch a good video clip on growing bonsai from seeds. The author has a lot to learn!

Growing bonsai from seeds - features of agricultural technology

1. The soil should securely fix the plant in the container.
2. The soil must provide the plant with nutrients.
3. The soil must absorb and hold necessary for the plant moisture, excess moisture must be removed through a hole in the bottom of the pot so that the roots do not rot.
4. The soil must provide sufficient aeration of the roots, i.e., the soil must be loose, since the oxygen they need must be supplied to the roots.

To ensure better circulation of air and water, the soil mixture is poured into the container in layers using a sieve. Grain should be gradually reduced towards the surface. To remove dust, which greatly impairs soil permeability and impairs drainage, it is necessary to have a sieve with the finest mesh available. There are rumors about the use by masters of almost a dozen sieves of various calibers.

The soil in which the plants for sale are kept most often does not meet the above qualities and needs to be replaced urgently.
The soil sold in our stores often contains pests in the form of larvae that feed on roots, and even worms. If they were noticed during a plant transplant, the soil from the roots must be completely removed, and the roots themselves washed running water. Land for transplantation should be mixed with insecticide. You can also disinfect the soil by heating it in a microwave oven, or by freezing it in a freezer. To do this, the soil in the bag is placed in the freezer and left there for about a day, until completely frozen. After this procedure, the earth is stored at room temperature.

Soils are acidic, neutral and alkaline:

1. pH 7 - when the concentrations of hydrogen and hydroxide are equal, the soil is said to be neutral;
2. pH below 7 indicates acidic soil;
3. A pH above 7 is called alkaline soil.

The acidity of the soil is often due to the content of peat in it.

Peat Composed of dehydrated and compressed organic residues of plant origin, it has an excellent ability to absorb water and retain nutrients.

tree taken from natural environment It will take root best if planted in the same soil in which it grew in nature. However, in this case, certain precautions should be taken. First of all, you need to remove the top 20 cm layer of soil, make sure that there are no insects or seeds. Sift the soil through a sieve and leave only the finest part. After that, you need to sterilize the soil in a water bath, or in the bright sun.

The main components of natural soils are clay, sand and humus.

1. Clay consists of very small particles formed as a result of chemical reactions and weathering rocks. Most of all it contains potassium silicate and aluminum agglomerates. Red clay contains ferruginous minerals, while black clay contains carbonaceous particles. Crystalline clay granules provide a loose soil structure, which contributes to a better supply of air to the roots.
2. Sand it can be sea, river or mountain. river sand with rounded grains of sand are added to the soil for an already formed bonsai. The grains of mountain sand have irregular shape, it is suitable for emerging trees. Sea sand cannot be used in soil mixtures. The sand in the soil mixture promotes drainage and the growth of fine roots. When a thin root collides with a particle of sand on its way during growth, it forks in order to bypass the obstacle. As a result, the number of thin roots increases and the tree absorbs water, oxygen and nutrients better.
3. Humus (humus) made up of decomposed plant debris dark color and spongy structure. natural humus in its purest form, it is heather land. It is highly acidic (pH 3), contains silicon, and is formed as a result of the slow decomposition of plants in an oxygen-deprived environment. Humus is very important, as it has a real ability to give and accumulate nutrients.

Components that can be added to the soil for potted plants.

1. Perlite - it is expanded natural glass, the acidity is approximately equal to 7. When watering, perlite absorbs moisture (when watering with liquid fertilizers, it also absorbs nutrients) and then gradually gives them to the roots. Perlite provides good drainage, is able to draw moisture from the lower layers to the upper ones, and helps the root system to develop evenly in the pot. Before adding to the soil, perlite should be washed.
2. Vermiculite- this is a mineral from the group of hydromicas of a layered structure. Vermiculite is able to absorb a large number of moisture when watering, and then slowly give it away. However, it does not absorb moisture from the air. Neutral to the action of alkalis and acids.
   
3. Zeolite(or tuff) is a natural mineral of volcanic origin, penetrated by numerous channels, giving it the properties of a kind of sieve. The addition of zeolite sieve to the soil increases its aeration, retains a sufficient amount of water, "captures" and retains nutrients from the fertilizer, which ensures the best food root system. Zeolite can be purchased as a mineral supplement for animals (chickens) and can be applied to most plants.

Basic rules for the preparation of land mixtures

1. For conifers: 1/3 humus, 1/3 leaf ground, 1/3 river sand.
2. For deciduous trees: 1/2 leaf soil, 1/2 river sand.
3. For fruit and flowering trees: 1/2 leaf soil, 1/2 compost.
4. For trees growing in heather (acidic) soils (azaleas and rhododendrons): 1/2 heather soil, 1/4 compost, 1/4 peat moss.

Ask a question about bonsai

Bonsai is the art of growing smaller copies of nature's creations of plant origin, which first conquered Japan and then the whole world. A skillful likeness of the selected representative of the flora is formed by oneself, 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 is required for it.

Choosing a tree for bonsai

To grow without much hassle beautiful tree bonsai at home, it is best to choose one of the following plants for this, about which gardeners' reviews are extremely positive. Photos will help you see what such a green pet will look like.

• Indoor types of citrus:, 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 buy seedlings from nurseries. The price will depend on the chosen type of tree 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 hibernation period, 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 removed in the refrigerator. Positive temperature regime and a moist environment will help the seed prepare for growth. When put in a warm place, the sprout will quickly awaken;
• You can grow bonsai from seeds from spring to the very beginning of the autumn season. For seedlings grown at the end of summer, it is necessary to apply illumination, which is indispensable in the autumn-winter period;
• In order to successfully germinate seedlings and make it easier for them in the first months of life, you need to take peat tablets, soaked and absorbed moisture, or sandy-peat light substrate. Until the appearance of sprouts, the container is kept under a film in the dark. The air temperature depends on the type of tree grown;
• The greenhouse must be ventilated so that rot and condensation do not appear. When the first shoots appear, you must be present in the room fresh air, then the seedlings are transferred to the light. If necessary, they are fertilized and watered with the help of a complex composition.

The bonsai plant is transplanted 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 a cutting. 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. Do it better in the spring.

• Choose semi-woody or green shoots 5-10 cm long and about 5 mm in diameter;
• It is necessary to plant cuttings in sterile soil, additionally treated with hormonal powder (if possible).

A short master class on planting a cutting:

• Fill the bottom layer of a deep pot with a diameter of 15 cm by 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 handle, we cut the thick branches obliquely;
• Optionally, we process the cuttings with a special hormonal powder, which can be bought at plant stores;

• We insert the seedlings into the soil, leaving a sufficient gap between them;
• Carefully water the soil;
• We remove the pot in a place inaccessible to direct sunlight so that the young leaves of the bonsai do not get burned;
• Slightly moisten the soil, but do not flood;
• It will take a few weeks before germination occurs. It will be possible to plant shoots in a year, and in a couple of years it will be possible to start forming a bonsai crown.

How to choose soil and pot for a bonsai tree

It is advisable to plant a home bonsai in a shallow and small container so that it does not grow huge. At the same time, it is necessary to form and cut off part of the roots.

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

Scalding with boiling water or a hot solution of potassium permanganate is very suitable for processing the pot. So you protect the Japanese bonsai from the fungus of the root system.

The soil helps the tree to retain moisture and provides nutrition, and also thanks to the soil, the roots of the plant are fixed 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 nutrition:

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

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

Bonsai crown formation

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

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

• You can also create bends of bonsai branches using thin braided wire so as not to hurt delicate plant tissues;
• It is necessary to remove the wire from the trunk of the formed tree after a couple of years, otherwise it may return to its original state. Twigs can be released after six months;
• To maintain the aesthetic appearance of the bonsai, do not forget to regularly cut off long shoots that have crawled out of 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 cope with watering a miniature crop. After all, a shallow pot filled with roots and a small amount of soil create certain difficulties. Best fit drip irrigation or irrigation, which will allow dosed, without blurring, to moisten the substrate under the plant.

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

Miniature plants are great for mineral supplements based on algae, which are carried out every 2-3 weeks. You need to take care of the trees carefully, do not leave them without "food", but most importantly - do not "overfeed":

• In the spring season, with maximum growth, 2 times more nitrogen must be applied 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 to the formation of ovaries and buds.

In winter, the tree needs the following care:

• In mild climates, plants are kept outdoors or on unheated terraces;
• In a small pot, the roots may suffer first of all, 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, formed a crown and roots.

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

Video: How to care for a bonsai tree

The shape of the bonsai container can be rectangular, oval, round or multi-faceted. Deep or almost flat - focused on the style that will be formed. All styles that have a stem slope require a more stable planting container, which means the container must be made of heavy material (clay bowls) or be deep enough. The container should not be too bright or colorful, on the contrary, the simplicity of color and shape only emphasizes the style.

In addition, the bonsai container should not violate the proportions of the grown composition with its shape.

For example, too flat and wide bowl used for bonsai with a wide dense crown or multi-stemmed forms, and for styles with a single tree, in which the lower part of the trunk is bare, it will look good if only a piece of landscape or terrain is simulated on it (moss, stones, figurines or miniature houses, etc. .). Big square bowls creates a sense of space.

Not wide, but deep enough bowls suitable for styles where plants have tall and open roots.

Very narrow and deep containers, resembling flower vases in shape, are used for cascading styles, with a hanging crown of a tree.
In any case, try to observe the following proportions - the height of the walls of the bowl should be no less than the thickness of the barrel. And the length of the bowl should correspond to about 2/3 of the height of the plant.

Containers require additional preparation before planting. First, some of them do not have drainage holes. You will have to make them yourself, since most often bonsai bowls are made of clay or ceramics, then you need to use conventional drill with a drill for tiles and glass (with which holes are drilled in bathrooms).
Do not forget also that before transplanting into any container, it is not enough just to rinse it, it is more reliable to additionally scald it with boiling water.

soil for bonsai

As a rule, a special substrate is used to grow bonsai. This is akadama akadama - clay granules, in nature it is land from the territory of the province of Kanto, in Japan. It is used in traditional Japanese bonsai. The earth is heavy, nutritious, moisture-intensive and breathable earth. It has various fractions, small and larger, on average about 3-5 mm, has a pH = 6-6.5. Rarely planted in pure Akadama.

The mixture for bonsai contains components - sand, clay, humus (humus). For deciduous trees, it is better to prepare a substrate from 7 parts of soddy soil and 3 parts of sand. For flowering and fruiting bonsai - 6 parts of sod land, 3 parts of sand and 1 part of leaf humus. For coniferous plants, you need to prepare a mixture of 6 parts of soddy land and 4 parts of sand.
Before use, river sand is properly washed and thoroughly calcined in the oven, its main task is to provide the soil with sufficient friability. Part of the sand can be replaced with vermiculite.

Clay-turf land has nutritional value, but should also absorb moisture well and let air through.
Use purchased soil mixtures possible, but the choice must be made with great care. The fact is that most earth mixtures consist of peat with the addition garden fertilizers. But there are special substrates for growing bonsai, for example, Aurika Gardens for Bonsai.

If you want to prepare the ground yourself, then find green meadow, remove a layer of sod, and dig up the top 20cm of earth. It must be sifted through a large grate to remove stones, sticks and meadow grass roots.

The soil also requires preliminary disinfection. To do this, you will need a metal bucket and a sieve of such a width that when placed in a bucket it fits snugly at about the middle of its height. Water is poured into a bucket, a sieve is lowered and a layer of earth is covered, no more than the height of the sieve. They put the structure on fire, which is reduced after boiling. The duration of the procedure is about 30 minutes. You can also just warm the earth in the oven on a baking sheet.

Bonsai transplant

To maintain the miniature size of the plant, it has to be cut. But in order to maintain a balance of proportions, it is necessary to trim the caviar. This is done during transplantation. The time of transplantation depends on the type of plant. As a rule, a sign of the need for transplantation is the appearance of new buds. For ornamental deciduous plants, this happens in the spring, at the end of winter. For flowering bonsai, transplantation, pruning of the crown and roots is carried out at the end of flowering, usually in autumn.

Repotting and pruning is only necessary when the roots have filled the entire container. If this did not happen, and the plant has already been taken out of the container, then the roots are not cut off, but only the old soil is changed to fresh. The main indicator of the need to transplant bonsai, as for everyone indoor plants is the germination of roots in the drainage hole of the container.

You need to get the plant out of the container after thoroughly moistening the ground. The roots need to be inspected, remove those that are too thick with secateurs. The main strength is a wide fibrous root system. Therefore, the main bundle of fibrous roots is not touched, i.e. no need to pick it up and try to remove the remnants of the earth from it. But the existing tap root is removed completely.

If not a purchased ready-made bonsai is transplanted, but previously grown in an ordinary pot, and upon examination it is found that the tap root is well developed and the bud system is poorly developed, then it is too early to form a bonsai from it. Can be cut to 1/3 or 1/2 taproot and left in the same pot until fibrous roots develop.

It is believed that thickened roots protruding above the ground in a container are one of the main features of a real bonsai. Therefore, when transplanting, thickened roots are brought to the surface - this gives the composition more natural look. The soil in the container can be covered with a layer of green moss. This also maintains a natural look and does not allow the water to evaporate too quickly. After transplanting, bonsai are watered moderately to avoid rotting of the cut roots, shaded from direct sunlight and protected from wind. Adaptation takes about 3-4 weeks.

watering bonsai

In view of the peculiarities of planting bonsai, the soil in the container dries out much faster than in regular pots with indoor plants. Therefore, bonsai are watered much more often. When planting bonsai, the soil is compacted, and water during irrigation can be poorly absorbed, therefore, bonsai are often watered by immersion in a basin filled with water.

The frequency of watering depends on the time of year and, accordingly, on the temperature, in summer it usually happens daily, and on hot days in the morning and evening. In winter, watering is much less frequent - about once a week, and more scarce. It is impossible for damp soil to cool.

The frequency of watering is a very controversial issue and it is pointless to give recommendations as when growing other plants - to touch the soil at a depth with your finger. Yes, it should have time to dry from above, but it is impossible to check it at a depth, so this is more a matter of experience. There are plants that tolerate overdrying quite easily, it is worth watering and withered leaves and twigs become elastic again. For some, drying too long can be fatal. The less soil in the container and the more roots, the faster the water in the soil absorbs and dries. Therefore, an important point - water during irrigation should moisten the entire earthen lump, and not just upper layer soil. Those. It is necessary to water so that water appears from the drainage holes. Water should not remain in the stand! Containers for high-legged bonsai serve as a safety net.

In addition, the irrigation regime and water consumption depend on the type of plants, it should be noted that plants with fleshy parts (stems or leaves - succulents), as well as coniferous plants require less water for irrigation. The first because they are able to store it in the tissues, the second because of the smaller surface of water evaporation. Accordingly, deciduous bonsai with a lush crown evaporate moisture more, and are more demanding on both watering and air humidity.

Watering is best in the morning and / or evening, i.e. when the heat of the day has not yet come or has already subsided. No plant tolerates water on the leaves on a sunny day. All conditions of detention should be similar to natural ones, and in nature, as you know, dew falls in the morning and evening. If suddenly on a hot day the plant has dried up and the leaves have drooped, it must be transferred to the shade (to a cool place), then let it cool a little, and only then place the container in a container with warm water so that it completely covers the ground. When the bonsai "gets drunk", it can be sprayed.

What should be the water? It is best to use soft tap water, filtered household filter. If there is no possibility or desire to use filtered or rain (it is most preferable) water, then you can use tap water that has been settled for at least 3 days. During this time, a precipitate of impurities will fall out, so you need to carefully drain only the top layer of water.

If the water in your area is very hard, then an ordinary filter is indispensable, only filters with ion-exchange resins will help (they remove impurities from calcium and magnesium salts from the water), for example, from Geyser of the WS series.
If this is not done, then not only on the surface of the earth, but over time and on the bark of trees, a white chalk sediment is formed, which can no longer be cleaned off.
The same goes for spraying. Bonsai requires and responds well to regular spraying, but hard water leaves an indelible white salt coating on the leaves.
Water temperature for watering and spraying should be several degrees higher than the ambient air temperature.

Top dressing with fertilizers

Bonsai feeding is carried out throughout the year, with the only difference being that in spring and summer fertilizers are applied with watering once a week, and in autumn and winter - once a month. This is due to the fact that there is little land in the container, and water, as a rule, does not have nutrients.

As a fertilizer, both specialized fertilizers for bonsai and conventional preparations for indoor plants are used. Do not mix organic and mineral fertilizers in one go. All fertilizers are diluted at a concentration two or even three times less than recommended. An overdose of death is like.

There are special developments of well-known authors involved in bonsai breeding, which give recipes for special fertilizers for bonsai. Here, for example, fertilizer on cotton cake contains: cotton cake - 300 g; sesame cake - 300 g; superphosphate - 100 g; fishmeal - 200 g; wood ash- 100 g; water - 10 l.
But I personally will never use such a recipe, due to the fact that I have no idea where to look for cake or fishmeal in urban conditions. In addition, the liquid will have a very unpleasant odor.

It is much easier, more convenient and safer to use special fertilizers for bonsai, such as Pokon for bonsai. I also recommend Planet of Flowers fertilizers for bonsai. If you have not found specialized fertilizers, then you can use fertilizer for indoor flowers"Ideal".

You can not apply fertilizer immediately after transplanting and pruning the plant, as well as if the plant is sick and weakened. Do not feed plants before flowering and during flowering. Moreover, some types of bonsai (for example, myrtle) will not bloom at all if they are fed too often.

It should also be borne in mind that conifers Bonsai plants require less fertilizer than leafy ones. Therefore, they are fed about twice as often.
All fertilizers are applied to moist soil or diluted in sufficient water.

In order not to be mistaken, it is better to start a feeding calendar or set aside one day a week for this procedure. Let's say Monday is fertilizer day.

The site presents substrates for growing bonsai. Soil mixtures provide complex plant nutrition at the initial stage after transplantation, do not require the addition of additional components. The cost of the product depends on its composition and volume of the package.

Product Features

Special soils have the following characteristics:

• . Aeration - constant inflow air.
• . Removal of excess moisture - the roots do not rot.
• . Balanced content of organic and minerals- a complete supply of nutritional ingredients.

The products are used for planting as the main substance.

Payment and delivery methods

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Detailed information about the intervals and zones by city, the conditions for unloading and lifting the order are located, where you can independently calculate the cost of your delivery in advance, indicating the postal address and parameters for unloading.

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