Bonsai at home can be grown on the basis of absolutely any plants, flowers and trees. Both conifers and leaf cutters are suitable for this. This material is about bonsai for beginner florists who would like to do miniature plant sculpture, but do not know where to start. It is told about how to grow bonsai at home and create an optimal habitat for it.
The subtleties of growing bonsai
General rules for the location of indoor plants apply to indoor bonsai. Place them where their basic needs for light, temperature and humidity can be met. Ideally, they should be located close to eye level so that the space between the tiers of branches can be clearly seen. Rotate plants occasionally to ensure even growth. There are certain secrets, tricks and subtleties of growing bonsai in a room and a country house.
For garden bonsai, there are several ways to arrange. The easiest way is to keep the bonsai pot on the terrace or in coarse sandy areas in the border. Serious collectors, however, require something more – they usually install the pots on slatted racks, which are built near a wall or fence to protect from the wind. Some canopies can be installed above them, but this should not deprive the bonsai of sunlight.
To install individual trees, posts are sometimes used, ending at the top with a platform. They are attractive, but strong winds can topple loose pots.
Where to plant bonsai trees?
It’s time to understand in detail the question of where, in which pots to plant bonsai trees. The bonsai pot has a number of features. First of all, he is small. An exception is a deep cascade pot. There are both earthenware and faience pots. Make sure the pot is frost resistant if it is to be used for a garden variety.
Look for drainage holes – they should be twice the area of what you’ll find at the bottom of a regular flower pot. The outer surface may be either glazed or unglazed, but the inner surface must be unglazed. Experts choose muted browns, greens, grays or blues. Make sure the base of the pot has legs to allow water to flow freely.
soil for bonsai
Ordinary garden soil is definitely unsuitable – the easiest way is to buy a ready-made potting mix for bonsai. The standard soil for bonsai should be fairly coarse and highly absorbent. Enthusiasts usually make their own blends, often tailoring them to suit the needs of individual plants.
The standard soil recipe for bonsai is 50% organic matter and 50% sand. The organic material is sifted through a sieve with meshes of 2-4 mm in diameter. It can be peat, leaf humus or bark. The sand must be washed coarse-grained, river or mountain. Some people add calcined clay or special Akadama clay to the mixture to increase its water-holding capacity.
The tree should look like it was taken from where it naturally grew. It may look open to all winds, the trunk may be twisted, but it should never look obviously cut and shaped.
Experts recommend planting closer to one end than the other in a rectangular pot, but this is a matter of taste. The size of the pot is important – it should be large enough to look stable, but not so large that it visually overwhelms the bonsai. Keep in mind that the ease of culturing increases with container size. Additional items (Chinese figurines, etc.) are a matter of personal taste.
Anything that gives the tree an “old” look is valued in bonsai. This effect is provided by exposed roots, as well as jin and shari techniques, which can add a sense of maturity.
In the straight style, tiers of branches, usually horizontal or drooping, create the effect of a cloud. Between these “clouds” there must be air spaces.
Bonsai styles and their photos
There are various styles of bonsai that allow you to implement a variety of ideas and ideas. Next, you can see the bonsai styles in the photo and read their brief characteristics.
Broom style. Garden tree form – symmetrical branching at the top of a straight trunk.
Cascade. Falling trunk – the top falls below the bottom of the pot Exposed mature roots (shown in the photo) are clearly visible above the surface of the potted compost.
Symmetrical straight style. Vertical trunk – branches are horizontal or lowered.
Group. A collection of individual trees, each with its own root system.
Asymmetrical straight style. Curved vertical trunk – branches on the outside of the bends.
literary style. Branches in a minimal amount only on the upper part of the trunk of an attractive shape.
Carnival style. A collection of branches rising from a horizontal trunk.
Growing on stone. The stone replaces the pot – the roots grow in depressions and cracks.
Semi-cascading style. Bent stem – the top does not reach the bottom of the pot.
Slanted style. A straight or slightly curved trunk is inclined to one side.
Double stem. Two trunks, one smaller than the other, united at the base.
Twisted stem. The trunk is noticeably twisted – the branches are horizontal or lowered.
Weeping. Straight or curved upright trunk – all branches noticeably drooping.
Tree-in-the-wind. An inclined trunk with all branches on one side.
How and what kind of bonsai to choose?
Bonsai varieties are not natural dwarfs. These are normal trees that will grow to full size if not properly pruned. The following are some tips on which bonsai to choose for growing at home. Before you choose a bonsai, you need to learn about all the botanical characteristics of the plant.
The plant will be expensive. You can grow it from scratch, but it will take several years.
A cheap bonsai will either be young, in need of further shaping, or it will be of poor quality. It can be a regular seedling that has been cut, planted in a pot and partially formed.
If you’re planning to get serious about bonsai breeding, it’s best to look for a specialized nursery instead of buying them from a regular garden center.
Make sure what you get has its name – a label saying “bonsai” is no good. Find out if it’s an indoor plant or an outdoor variety – ask for the information sheet.
Examine the plant – it should be formed in one of the main styles, and the leaves should be green and healthy. Check that the branches are not suffering from shriveling. Make sure the wire is not ingrown into the trunk and that the plant is securely fixed in its container.
Inspect the soil – the surface of the soil should be sufficiently loose, not compacted and not waterlogged. The surface must be free from weeds and liver mosses.
Inspect the bonsai pot – the inside surface should not be glazed, and there should be appropriate drainage holes in the base.