Types of bonsai. Growing bonsai at home

Sakura is most often associated with Japan and its culture. Picnics in the shade flowering trees have long been an integral attribute of the meeting of spring in the Land of the Rising Sun. Financial and academic year here begins on April 1, when the magnificent sakura blossoms. Therefore, many significant moments in the life of the Japanese pass under the sign of their flowering. But sakura also grows well in cooler regions - certain types can be successfully grown even in Siberia.

We have prepared a hearty, incredibly appetizing and simply elementary dish for you today. This gravy is one hundred percent universal, as it will suit every side dish: vegetables, pasta, and anything. Gravy with chicken and mushrooms will save you in moments when there is no time or you don’t want to think too much about what to cook. Grab your favorite side dish (you can make this ahead of time to keep it hot), add gravy and dinner is ready! A real lifesaver.

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Some believe that bonsai is a variety of dwarf tree-like plants that are grown in standard pots. Others believe that bonsai is an art form or direction in Eastern philosophy, which, as it were, complements a tiny Japanese tree. In fact, bonsai are really tiny trees that are the most exact copy of their tall relatives. They get them - having comprehended all the subtleties of a special type of art, and for years they successfully keep them in their home - only by understanding all the subtleties of Eastern philosophy, based on contemplation, admiration and reflection. Previously, a unique Japanese tree as tall as an ordinary indoor flower could only be seen at exhibitions. Now bonsai has become incredibly popular and has spread throughout the world. Many Russians also began to master the technique of its cultivation. It is simple only at first glance, but it is fraught with many secrets and features.

Where to begin

If you have firmly decided that you need a tiny tree in a pot, the question arises how to get it. To facilitate the task, you can buy ready-made bonsai in the store. Then the duration of his life in the apartment will depend on the knowledge and compliance with the rules of care. But many adherents of oriental culture certainly want to grow an exotic plant from scratch on their own.

There are different types of bonsai, depending on the type of plant that will be dwarfed. Almost any tree from the garden or from the nearest forest belt can become a candidate. The art of bonsai became famous in Japan, but was born in China during the Tang Dynasty, when one of its rulers wanted to create a miniature copy of his empire. It was then that the smart ancient Chinese came up with the idea of making exactly the same trees out of ordinary trees, only reduced tenfold. They called the new agricultural technique "cultivated on a tray" or bonsai. Thus, following certain techniques, any plant can be turned into a dwarf. But in practice, success often comes with trees that can withstand extreme conditions of existence, namely, to develop in a miniature volume of soil, not to get sick from changes in natural lighting conditions, changes in annual temperatures and watering. Therefore, no matter what types of bonsai you choose, it is important to take into account the natural conditions of your pets and strive to get as close to them as possible.

Where to get planting material

As mentioned above, suitable for bonsai different plants both coniferous and deciduous. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the size of their leaf blade. Since the potted plant will be miniature, it is desirable that the leaf blades of its prototype are not too large. Otherwise, a small trunk simply will not be able to hold them on itself. The second condition is that the species of plants from which different types of bonsai are created should have a genetic tendency to form a dense crown. Having decided on a candidate, it is necessary to take into account in what soil your future bonsai grows in the wild, with what illumination, at what humidity. All this exactly will need to be recreated at home in a pot. In practice, success is achieved with fruit trees, citrus, myrtle, maple, rhododendron, ficus and many others.

Yamadori

There are not only different types of bonsai, but various technologies its reproduction, or, more correctly, the starting operation of cultivation. Yamadori is considered the simplest technology. It consists in the fact that in the natural habitat the right young tree is being looked at. It is dug in a circle, too powerful roots (if any), truncated and left alone for three months. Then it is removed with a clod of earth and placed in a selected flower pot (bonsainik). For speedy adaptation, the plant is shaded, sprayed, and a temperature regime similar to the natural one is created.

Toriki

This technology in Russian means trivial cuttings. It is important to respect the timing of this process. For example, in Russia, it is desirable to cut hardwoods at the end of spring, and conifers, on the contrary, at its beginning. Plants from which cuttings are harvested should be at the age of five to ten years. If you strictly follow the rules for harvesting planting material for your bonsai, caring for it in the future will not bring disappointment. Cuttings should be cut only in cloudy weather, cutting off shoots that are not yet stiff. Their length can vary depending on the number of internodes. They should not be less than three and it is not desirable that there be more than five. The upper edge of the handle is made even, and the lower edge is beveled, placed in water, covered with a damp cloth. Another practiced way of toriki is to carefully remove a strip of bark no more than 2 cm wide on a branch that you like, or make an incision on a branch into which a pebble is inserted. This place is abundantly moistened with epin, wrapped with sphagnum, polyethylene on top, fixed and wrapped on both sides to stop the air supply. Moisture is regularly supplied to this compress with a syringe. The twig should take root in about 60 days.

Misho

This method is ideal for beginners and means seed propagation. Maples, oaks, myrtle, pomegranate, citrus fruits are suitable for this. You can collect ripe seeds from selected trees, from which bonsai should turn out without any problems. Only for this, the seeds must go through all phases of stratification. To facilitate the task, in the spring you can carefully remove already sprouted seeds from the ground and place ready-made sprouts for the future bonsai in prepared bowls.

Classification according to size

There are not only different types, but also styles of bonsai that differ in size. It's amazing that the world of miniature plants has its own tiny giants and midgets. AT international classification allocate:

1. Mame. This group consists of trees up to 20 cm high. Among them:

Keshi-tsubu (Lilliputians in the country of Lilliputians, only up to 2.5 cm high).

Sieve (up to 7.5 cm high, maximum 8 cm).

Gafu (up to 20 cm high).

2. Shohin. This group consists of plants intermediate in size between very small and just small. Here, too, there are two subgroups:

Komono (about 20 cm tall).

Myabi (up to 25 cm).

3. Kifu. The group is in the middle. The plants included in it can grow up to 40 cm.

4. Ty. Plants in this group are almost giants and reach a meter height. Subgroups:

Tyukhin (up to 60 cm).

Omono (up to 100 cm).

5. Bonju. In the world of midget plants, these are already giants, capable of stretching up to 120 cm and above.

Crown shape classification

It turns out that by the way the crown looks, there are also different styles bonsai. The traditional ones are:

Tekkan (upright trunk, thickening towards the base).

Moyogi (the base and top of the stem are perpendicular to the ground, and the middle is curved).

Sokan (the tree has two stems, each with its own crown, forming something whole).

Syakan (trunk without curvature, but growing to the ground at an angle).

Kengai (trees resemble classic weeping trees, that is, they grow with stems tilted below the pot, as if falling).

Khan kengai (the stem of the tree is also falling, but the top is always in line with the soil of the bowl, and the outgoing branches resemble independent plants).

Bunzingi (the tree grows with an upright stem, but with a minimum number of branches).

Sekijoju (there are stones in the bowl on the ground, and the roots of the tree seem to braid them).

Ishitsuki (a composition of figured stones is created in a bowl, and plants grow in their crevices).

Hokidati (the stem of the plant is straight, and the branches form a beautiful spherical crown).

- Yose ue (several trees grow in a pot, not a multiple of 4, different in height and age).

Ikadabuki (imitation of a tree, as if collapsed to the ground, from the trunk of which separate branches grow upwards).

Exclusive styles

In addition to the classic ones, which are considered simpler, there are very complex ones in the art of bonsai that require high skill. It:

Netsuranari (a tree from one root grows several stems, which are intricately intertwined with each other).

Fukinagashi (a complex composition in which the bonsai grows not just at an angle, but in such a way that its branches and leaves are arranged as if the wind were bending the tree).

Sakei (in a bowl, an imitation of a whole corner of nature is created - a forest or a mountainous area, and bonsai plants make this imitation more natural).

Growing Rules

It is not very difficult to keep a bonsai at home, the care of which is based on the exact observance of the rules. Those who believe that dwarf trees should grow only in the house, as an element of decor, are mistaken. Very often, bonsai compositions are placed outdoors, and they are brought into the house only with the onset of cold weather. If the winters are not severe, bonsai can be left outside, but at the same time, the bowls should be placed in a container with a large diameter, and covered with a dense layer of moss from above to the very branches of the tree.

It is very important that deciduous bonsai in winter period just as in natural conditions, they shed their leaves and for some time remained in a state of rest. To do this, they are taken out to a cool room. The third condition for success is the exact observance of lighting and humidity standards. If bonsai is not enough natural light, additionally turn on the lamps, but at the same time take into account the heat they generate. To maintain optimal humidity, you can use an electric humidifier. If this is not available, the bowl with the plant can be placed in a tray lined with pebbles and half filled with water. The simplest, but also the most ineffective way is spraying the crown of plants.

Landing

When prepared planting material- cuttings or seeds - bonsai must be placed in his house. The Japanese and Chinese use bowls and low flower pots for this, glazed or matte, but always with several drainage holes. So that the soil is not washed out of them, the holes are covered with a piece of tile. The shape of the pot can be any. The soil for indoor bonsai is best taken the same as that of its outdoor counterpart. Some masters prepare the soil separately. Everyone has their own recipes. Here are the most common:

A mixture of equal parts of clay, fine gravel, humus, stone chips or sand;

Clay, humus and gravel in ratios (3:5:2);

Clay humus, gravel (1:5:3);

Leaf earth, coke, sand, bark, volcanic soil.

In any case, the soil should easily pass water in order to avoid its stagnation. Besides, experienced craftsmen It is advised to disinfect the pot and soil before planting. placed in the ground, covered with glass, the entire period of germination is maintained at a warm temperature and moderate humidity. Plants that have hatched and reached the stage of 2-4 leaves dive. In order for the root system to develop, the picking operation must be carried out several more times. Cuttings and seedlings are planted in the same soil as the seeds. For better rooting, the cuttings are covered with a film.

Transfer

Growing bonsai is unthinkable without a transplant, which must be done every two, maximum three, years before the start of sap flow. This operation is also carried out with suspicion of rotting of the root system. Before transplanting, the plant is left without watering for a couple of days. Remove from the pot with a knife. The soil is carefully removed from the roots, all suspicious roots, and large roots are also removed. The pot is disinfected, filled with a couple of centimeters of new soil, the roots remaining after pruning are straightened with a wooden stick, laid out on the ground, sprinkled with earth, compacted and watered. You can fix the plant with a wire inserted into the drainage hole.

Bonsai (plant): how to care

Keeping small trees is not very difficult. They need to be watered regularly cold water making sure that the soil in the pot does not remain dry or too waterlogged. During the dormant period, the plants are watered less often, during the growing season more often. Feeding bonsai is a must. Do this from the beginning of the growing season every week, adding sapropel or urea. You can also use mineral fertilizers in the form of granules or solutions. Fertilizers containing a lot of nitrogen are applied after the end of the first wave of growth. With the onset of a dormant period, feeding is stopped. Coniferous bonsai are also not fed in winter. Do not fertilize diseased and recently transplanted plants.

bonsai shaping

How to make something unusual out of an ordinary tree is, perhaps, the main question. Technologies are different. In our conditions, maple bonsai is not bad even for beginners. Having chosen the desired variety, according to the general rules, seeds or cuttings are planted, the first year the plant is allowed to get stronger. In the future, they change the appearance of the trunk, gently wrapping it with soft (copper or aluminum) wire. But with maples this does not always work. Most often they are formed by pruning. To stop the growth of the top, new shoots are regularly removed from it. Maple has a rather large leaf blade. To reduce it, grown leaves are removed around the middle of summer, leaving the petiole. The tree for this period is moved to a shady place. In order for the maple bonsai to grow lush, when pruning, you can truncate a too elongated trunk (cover the wound with an antiseptic), remove skeletal branches, pinch young shoots. To give the trunk an inclination or bends, to it during the period active growth you can tie a weight or gently bend it in the right direction and fix it copper wire by placing a cloth underneath. Several methods can be used to achieve the desired barrel thickness. In some plants, young stems are spliced, planted next to each other and fastened together. For maple, this method is not very successful. The thickness of the trunk in this case is achieved by its truncation.

Bonsai is a compact miniature plant. Now Japan is considered the birthplace of the tradition of growing miniature plants, although in fact the country only adopted the tradition from the ancient Chinese - bonsai were grown there 2 thousand years ago. And in Japan, art appeared much later, along with the religion of Buddhism.

But it was through Japan that the whole world learned about the art of bonsai. It was the inhabitants of this country who brought it to perfection, invented many various kinds, methods of cultivation and decoration. For a small country like Japan, these miniature trees turned out to be very in a suitable way Express your love for art, beauty and nature. At the same time, they are small, which is important, because the average apartment in Japan is small size- and bonsai fit perfectly into this space. Chinese bonsai still exist, but the Japanese versions differ from them in much greater elegance and thoughtfulness.

By now, the thoughtful Japanese have already created a real philosophy of bonsai, as in almost every other area in life to which they put their hands and brains. It is believed that the art of bonsai cultivation brings up hard work, patience and wisdom in a person. It is sometimes difficult for a European and Westerners to accept this philosophy, but nevertheless, having started growing these plants, willy-nilly, you will have to show patience. With proper care, bonsai can delight you long years- Some varieties of plants live more than a hundred years. And a tree planted by a grandmother may well continue to be grown by her grandchildren.

Now, by the word bonsai, we mean a miniature tree growing in a container, preferably ceramic. It differs from an ordinary indoor flower in that the bonsai looks like a tree, only a very small one. It also has a trunk and a crown. At the same time, bonsai almost never bloom.

What signs are inherent in the "correct" bonsai:

Powerful stem with clear signs developed root system.
The branches have a clear contour, they are quite spreading, they form a crown characteristic of an ordinary tree in a plant.
The trunk is the base of the bonsai and should be clearly visible through the leaves.
Bonsai should be very similar to an ordinary tree growing in natural conditions.
A container for the composition is preferable without decor, a simple laconic shape, made of ceramics or clay.
The pot and the plant itself should be combined with each other, emphasize and complement the dignity.

Bonsai come in different sizes. According to this parameter, they are divided into the following groups:

Large bonsai - from 60 to 120 cm.
Average bonsai - from 30 to 60 cm.
Small - from 15 to 30 cm.
Miniature - from 5 to 15 cm. Among this last group there is a so-called “s-nail” species 5-15 cm in size and “baby” - 7.5-15 cm.

Height is measured from the edge of the container in which the flower is located - to the very top of the plant.

The most popular types are small and miniature bonsai. Their beauty, decorativeness and complete repetition of ordinary tall trees in a reduced version cause admiration and surprise. What plants are most often grown as bonsai:

dwarf bamboo. This plant is native to China. It is quite capricious and thermophilic. In the conditions of Russia, it is not suitable for horticultural cultivation.
Cypress. This is a subtropical plant, it is possible to grow it as a bonsai in greenhouses and conservatories.
Rosemary. Quite unpretentious.
Olive. Very beautiful and decorative bonsai. A miniature olive can bear completely edible fruits.
Buckthorn. Berries are poisonous. Therefore, with the cultivation of this bonsai, you need to be careful. In addition, the bark of the plant is a powerful laxative. Pets must not be allowed near it.
boxwood. Decorative and quite unpretentious.
Chinese elm - stable and does not require much care.
Ficuses - common trees in many homes and offices. They are hard to care for.
Myrtle- an evergreen tree that has a pleasant smell, especially during flowering, emits essential oils which are bactericidal.

Breeding at home

Breeding a bonsai tree is practically no different from growing in garden conditions its counterpart of regular size. But, of course, there are some nuances:

A well-formed bonsai has few branches - mostly around 3-5 main branches.

In the first few years, it is recommended to grow bonsai in a disproportionately large pot. This is necessary in order for the plant to form a strong trunk of the desired shape, a large capacity will allow the tree to quickly gain the desired mass. After stem formation reaches required dimensions, bonsai can be transplanted into a pot that is more suitable for its size. Of course, there are methods for thickening the trunks, but we will talk about them later.

Bonsai needs more thorough watering than a garden tree. But at the same time, it is not allowed to “flood” the plant, this can lead to rotting of the roots, and later the death of the plant.

It is customary to replant a bonsai tree every spring, changing the ground and removing excess roots, some species are transplanted 2 times a year, others every 2-3 years.

Top dressing of bonsai is done with a very weakly concentrated solution and quite rarely, again, everything depends on the plant, but mostly once every 1-2 months.

The most popular forms of indoor bonsai

According to this parameter, the classification was made by Japanese flower growers, so all groups have "native" names.

Chokkan. This is a bonsai with a straight trunk perpendicular to the ground. The trunk has the shape of a regular cone, evenly and symmetrically covered with branches.

Mayogi. Also a vertical trunk, but some curvature and lack of symmetry are allowed. If the chokkan resembles a garden tree, then the mayogi is a wild specimen.

Shakan. Heavily inclined bonsai.

Fukinagashi. This type of miniature symbolizes a tree that is bent under a gust of wind. It has a very strongly inclined trunk. The branches at the same time look in the direction of the slope.

Hokidachi. This shape resembles a small fan. There is a straight trunk, which, closer to the top, diverges to the sides in the form of a regular fan.

Kengai. This is a bonsai hanging, "ampel" form. The branches and leaves of the plant can bend over the edge of the pot. As an option - Khan-kengai - a semi-hanging form, while the drooping is not so pronounced.

Ishitsuki. This is "bonsai growing on a rock" - a literal translation. In reality, stones are placed in a pot as a rock. The roots of the plant entwine these stones very picturesquely.

Sokan. This is a form of bonsai that has two, almost identical, trunks. Literally means "twins". Trunks should grow from one root.

Sankan. Three trunks.

Kabudachi. This is a multi-stemmed bonsai, looks like a bush. Trunks can be different in height and thickness, but their number must be odd - this must be strictly followed.

Yose-Yu. This is an imitation of a plot of forest in a pot. There may be several trees of different varieties and sizes.

Ikadabuki. In translation, this form means "raft". Represents practically lying, tumbled down on the ground, a trunk. Its branches grow vertically upwards.

Choosing between these species is not an easy task, because each of them is beautiful and wonderful in its own way. See what these styles look like in the photos and pick the right one for you!

Growing bonsai outdoors.

if you have garden plot, whether it’s a summer house or you live in a private house, then you are very lucky. Indeed, in the fresh air in open conditions, bonsai most quickly gains the desired shape. In addition, some types of trees are simply not possible to keep in an apartment, this should not be forgotten!

Garden bonsai grow best outdoors. Dry indoor air is difficult for them to tolerate. If the plant is grown on outdoors, then the bonsai gets sick less often, and looks better. At the same time, aggressive substances should not be allowed to enter the plant. sun rays. In winter, the maintenance of the plant provides protection from precipitation and strong wind. What types of bonsai can be classified as suitable for horticultural cultivation:

juniper;
Kaempfer larch;
pines;
Japanese maple;

gray elm. And a few other less well-known plants in our country. In general, for horticultural cultivation, it is important that the plant has a strong root system and is hardy enough. Do right choice a suitable bonsai can be consulted on the forum with experienced flower growers and lovers of these miniatures.

Growing bonsai indoors is not easy. In "captivity" plants begin to act up and show their effeminacy and fastidiousness in full scale. But improper care of bonsai can deprive the plant of decorativeness and make it completely unattractive.

What conditions does he need to provide:

1. Lighting.

In our latitudes, the bonsai tree, as a guest from hotter countries, often lacks lighting. Therefore, it is best to keep it on the southern windowsills. It is possible, if the apartment allows, to completely transfer the pot after the sun.

If there is no way to provide daylight, sufficient for him, you can arrange additional light for bonsai in the apartment using table lamp. But at the same time, artificial light can only be used as a temporary measure when it is dark and overcast. At the same time, it is important not to put incandescent lamps next to the bonsai, LED or halogen ones are better.

2. Temperature

Some species can withstand winter time up to 5 degrees. In summer they should be grown under open sky at natural summer temperatures.

And tropical varieties need warmth all year round- from 18 to 25 degrees. They should also be left at home during the summer. You should know that the higher the temperature and the drier the air, the more abundant the watering and the more often the feeding should be. And vice versa.

3. Humidity

In our usual premises, the air humidity, especially if it is an apartment in winter, is not high enough. For normal bonsai breeding, it is not very suitable. How to fix the situation?

You can install an electric humidifier. This thing is useful not only for the existence of bonsai, but also for health and appearance the inhabitants of the house. But there are also disadvantages - it is expensive, it consumes a lot of electricity, it makes a lot of noise.

A simple and elegant way out is to place the bonsai pot on a tray of expanded clay filled with water. Such a measure is especially effective when the pallet is located above the heating radiator. A steam effect is created by the rapid evaporation of water.

You can spray bonsai with a spray bottle. It is better to do this procedure in the morning so that the plant does not stay overnight with wet leaves.

4. Watering

Bonsai loves fairly moist soil, drought endures with great difficulty. In summer, watering should be increased, in winter - vice versa. When watering, it is important to monitor the temperature of the water; you can not water a delicate miniature with cold water - only at room temperature.

5. Substrate (primer for wood)

Clean shop soil is not suitable for growing bonsai. It can only use like constituent part substrate. The maintenance of bonsai provides for the manufacture of earthen mixture on their own. How to do it:

clay - 1 part;
humus - 5 parts;
coarse sand, ground gravel - 2 parts.

This is the optimal soil substrate recipe for growing capricious bonsai.

Instead of humus, humus from leaves or needles, even bark, is suitable.

Do not forget the constituent parts of the soil to be crushed properly. After you have prepared the parts, they should be heated at a temperature of 100 degrees for 15 minutes. This heat treatment will destroy pest larvae and weed germs.

In conclusion, we add that in Japan there is a sign associated with the cultivation of miniature plants, that the art of bonsai cultivation reaches its greatest flowering when the society in the country is healthy, and in general the whole country moves forward and develops.

The technique of cultivating miniature trees originated in China over a thousand years ago. Bonsai literally translates as "plant on a tray." This technique came to Japan with Buddhist monks, who used small trees to decorate the niches of houses, so the plants were no more than 50 cm. And in the 18th century, the Japanese turned this technique into a real art, and therefore a variety of styles arose.

Bonsai can be bought, but the pleasure is not cheap. Therefore, more and more often flower growers independently practice the cultivation of such trees. In order for the venture to be successful, you should first decide on the type of plants suitable for growing on a "tray".

Species diversity of bonsai

The species diversity of bonsai is extensive, but beginner flower growers are advised to start with coniferous plants, because they are long-lived and quite unpretentious.

There are several main types of bonsai that combine certain types of plants:

evergreens that delight with rich greenery at any time of the year
spring bloomers that bloom during the spring months
blooming in summer
capable of throwing flowers only in autumn
with an intricate shape of the trunk and branches that open to the eye after leaf fall

Any plant can be used for bonsai, but heat-loving trees and shrubs should be chosen for indoor floriculture. Most often in apartments and offices you can admire the following views:

dwarf pomegranate
xora
acacia
bougainvillea
, or firs
fruit representatives of the garden, among which are distinguished, or
oak trees

Some craftsmen also practice more fastidious representatives of green nature to create bonsai. For inexperienced craftsmen who decide to grow a miniature forest or garden in the house, any seeds of undemanding plants will do. Wisteria is often used, the small flowers of which densely cover the branches and make the plant very decorative.

The secret to creating a small replica of a garden tree is constant pruning. In order to grow bonsai from seeds at home, you will need a lot of patience and a great desire. It may not work on the first try, so you have to start all over again.

Growing process miniature plant quite long and requires constant attention.

Conventionally, the bonsai cultivation technique can be divided into three main stages:

Care of the seed over a long period of time, which can stretch for years. The choice of plant should be based on climatic conditions region. Ficus and pine are considered the most adapted.
Growth care. The most crucial moment that requires tireless attention. A young plant needs to be aired frequently. And when four full-fledged leaves appear, the sprout should be transplanted and two months later, start feeding. In winter, it is advisable to move the plant to the windowsill, and gradually reduce top dressing to nothing.
Maintenance of an adult tree. It is necessary to constantly monitor the degree of illumination and maintain an optimal level of humidity by periodic spraying. After a certain period of time, bonsai begin.

It is important for little green friends to create optimal conditions, especially on early stages growth. To do this, you should study the features and preferences of the chosen culture and satisfy all its whims.

The secret of decorative bonsai is that the trees need to be grown in a permanent container, periodically pruning the crown and roots. Thanks to such segments, a balance is achieved between the ground and underground parts plants, as well as the desired crown is formed. In addition to pruning, other equally important cultivation conditions should be taken into account.

Care Tips:

Accommodation. If you choose the right type of plant, then you can grow it both indoors and outdoors. The main thing is to provide a sufficient amount of light and periodic ventilation. It is also necessary to remember that some cultures have a rest period. These include decorative maple or. Some types of plants should first be kept indoors, and then transplanted into the garden. Experienced gardeners say that there are no completely outdoor crops, because if the plant is placed in a room and the necessary conditions are created, then they will gradually acclimatize and will grow no worse than on the street.
Choice of capacity soil preparation. The bonsai technique involves the use of light soils with good drainage capacity. Water stagnation should not be allowed, so you need to equip the container with high-quality drainage. A variety of containers are selected, but to create creative compositions they often take containers of different geometric shapes. The main thing is that they are not deep - this will allow them to develop correctly. In this case, you need to ensure that the color of the container is in harmony with the color of the plant itself.
Watering. Based on the fact that the size of the container is quite limited, certain methods have been developed for irrigating such plants. This is either direct watering, or placing a bonsai pot in a container of water. The frequency of irrigation depends on the chosen crop: some plants can easily tolerate periods of drought, while others require constant moisture. If bonsai preferences are not taken into account, then the root system may suffer, leading to death. It is better to water miniature trees with rainwater, but tap water is also suitable if it is cleaned and allowed to settle. The temperature of the irrigation water should be close to the air temperature.
Also, plants need spraying to maintain the required level of humidity. These events are held several times a day. summer time. Procedures allow the plant not only to freshen up, but also wash off dust particles from the leaves.
Bonsai should be fed once every 7-10 days. For this, any garden fertilizers are used: urea, sapropel and others. also make top dressing based on algae, but twice as rarely. Top dressing provides nutrition and strengthens the crop, due to the replenishment of nutrients in the soil. Top dressings are applied in the form of powders, granules or solutions.

But when feeding, you should follow a few basic rules:

on the early stages development use fertilizers with a low nitrogen content - they significantly accelerate growth
high nitrogen concentration is acceptable with stronger leaves, when the first wave of growth has subsided
in spring and autumn time It is customary to use complex balanced fertilizers. Plants with periods of sleep, stop feeding before the onset of cold weather

Feeding should be discarded if the bonsai is sick, weak or just transplanted.

Crown formation rules

To reduce the size of the plant, you can use various methods:

Seasonal pruning, which is the key to success in growing, but it must be done correctly, otherwise the plant will die.
The direction of growth of branches and trunk using copper or aluminum wire.
Creating the illusion of an old tree. To do this, remove the bark from the trunk of a living tree. But this must be done very carefully so as not to destroy the plant.

It is the main method of crown formation. It allows you to reduce the size of the tree, form the location of the main branches, and also stimulate the growth of young shoots. But during such events, bonsai is under heavy stress, so manipulations can only be carried out on healthy and strong specimens.

Several types of pruning are used when forming bonsai:

forming when large branches are cut out and the trunk is truncated, creating the shape of the future plant
shortening the branches, which allows you to increase the volume and give a neat look
light cutting of young shoots
pinching to limit growth
pruning roots - for the growth of a new root mass

Moreover, pruning of the roots and crown should be proportional and balanced.

Interest in the bonsai technique prompted gardeners and breeders to a series of experiments, thanks to which the style was formed. this method growing plants. To date, there are quite a few styles of bonsai, including:

"Chokkan" is presented in a classic upright style with simple and clear lines. This style is preferred by beginners.
"Shakkan" - expressed in a tilted tree.
"Sokkan" has a forked barrel.
"Moegi" is distinguished by a peculiar trunk irregular shape, but the top of the crown is directed vertically.
"Fukinagashi" looks like a tree bent in half, the trunk of which is parallel to the ground.
Group plantings that depict a miniature grove.
"Kengai", growing in a cascade.

Also used are styles growing in a stone tree or with a bare root system. But before choosing certain style, you should find out from experienced flower growers the nuances of their formation and cultivation. Only after the consultation it will become clear how difficult it is to grow such beauty.

Bonsai is not only beautiful miniatures, it is a corner of wildlife in enclosed space(room or house).

The presence of such a living corner is always able to settle joy and good mood in the soul, to calm the shattered nervous system and minimize family discord. The presence of bonsai, as it were, reminds that a person is a piece of pristine nature, about which modern people long forgotten, being in constant pursuit of technological progress.

More information can be found in the video:

Bonsai is a special technique for growing bonsai trees in room conditions. Essentially, bonsai is the art of creating the kind of tree you want to see. For a plant, you can choose the most common cutting of aspen, birch, pine, oak or juniper. With the help of various tricks, a strong large tree is forced to grow in small indoor pots, thanks to which a very beautiful small tree grows, amazingly fitting into a modern interior.

In the East, the bonsai technique is equated with the art of creating sculptures or painting. The history of bonsai dates back to the time of the samurai. When warriors went on campaigns, they certainly took small trees with them, personifying eternal youth and life.

How to plant a bonsai

Adult bonsai is an expensive pleasure. In addition, grown by someone else's hands, bonsai will not bring you proper satisfaction and joy. Old-timers of the East say that growing bonsai from scratch gives a person strength, teaches wisdom and patience.

To grow a bonsai at home, you need to go to the nearest park and find a small offshoot of any tree. Remember that bonsai is a prototype of a large tree, so you need to choose those varieties that suit your taste. That is, if you do not want to see leaves falling in autumn and bare branches in winter, you need to choose evergreen tree species. Also pay attention to which trees take root well in your lane. Do not plant a palm tree or banana tree if they don't have enough sunlight.

Walk through the park and decide on the choice of tree. It can be ficus, oak, elm, birch and any other plants. Dig up a small tree cutting. Usually viable shoots huddle around the roots of a large tree. In the same place, in the park, it is necessary to collect land for planting a plant. This is done so that the tree gets into the "familiar", that is, into the soil familiar to it.

To plant a plant, you need to prepare a pot. Bonsai grows very well and takes the desired shape in wide and shallow ceramic pots. The pot should be so shallow that it only covers the roots of the tree. Ceramics, in turn, perfectly retains moisture, which is so necessary when planting a shallow plant. However, for the first time, until the tree has grown stronger and gained strength, it can be planted in an ordinary pot for indoor plants.

At the bottom of the pot, you need to make drainage - scatter expanded clay pebbles or just brick shards. To prepare the soil, you need to mix three parts of the earth brought from the park with one part of sand and one part of peat. Mix the soil and pour it into the pot. Plant a tree in it, pre-cut long roots. This is another important part of growing a tree. At each transplant, you need to cut the roots of the tree, leaving no more than 10 cm. This allows the plant to grow not up, but in breadth.

Growing bonsai is quite simple. Most trees do not need any special conditions. Immediately after planting a tree, it must be watered abundantly and put on Fresh air- for example, on a balcony or on a window sill with outside window.

fertilizers
Since there is not a lot of soil in the pot, bonsai need to be fertilized regularly. You need to feed the plant once every three weeks during the period of active growth. In winter, top dressing can be canceled. Usually bonsai are fertilized from a mixture of minerals, which include nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Some crops, such as pine and maple, do not fertilize with nitrogen, otherwise it can provoke the active growth of these trees, which is unacceptable for us.

Watering a bonsai tree
Bonsai should be watered moderately, the amount of water required by the plant depends on its type. However, you should not allow the soil to dry out completely, since a shallow pot does not allow the tree to accumulate moisture. It is best to water the plant as soon as the topsoil dries out. In winter, watering is reduced to a minimum. If the air in the room is very hot and dry, you need to place the plant pot in a pan of water. Bonsai also need regular spraying - so it looks fresher.

Temperature and amount of sunlight
Most cultures are quite unpretentious regarding the temperature in the room where they grow. Try to regularly take your "pet" out into the fresh air - put it on the balcony. Most trees grow normally at temperatures ranging from -10 degrees to +40 degrees Celsius.

But there should be plenty of sunlight all year round. Place bonsai on windows on the sunny side of the house. And only in the middle of summer the tree needs to be protected from direct sunlight, otherwise the crown will simply turn yellow.

pruning bonsai
Pruning is one of the main conditions for growing aesthetically. beautiful plant. Even at the very beginning of growing a tree, you need to decide on the shape that you would like to see in your pot. Trees can be cut in such a way that they are straight and tall, spreading and low, asymmetrical, spherical, etc.

When pruning, it is important to consider some features. If you want to speed up and improve the growth of a plant in a certain direction, you need to cut off only the tops of the branches that grow in that direction. When you remove only the top leaves, the growth of the plant in that direction is accelerated. If, on the contrary, you want to stop the growth of branches in a certain direction, you need to “pinch off” the branches, that is, remove them from the very base of the trunk. Most likely, new shoots will no longer grow from this place.

From the very beginning of the growth of the seedling, it is necessary to constantly form the crown of the plant. This accelerates the growth of leaves, while making them small and decorative. Usually the tree is pruned in spring and summer, using small pruners or scissors for this. It is not necessary to prune the tree during flowering, otherwise it will never bloom again.

Many flower growers who are just starting to grow bonsai do not understand how such a dwarf plant species can be obtained from a large viable tree. Here are a few tips to help you figure out how to shape your bonsai.

Small capacity. If you plant a seedling in a large container, you will get a real garden tree. The small size of the shoots is achieved due to the shallow pot for planting bonsai. There is not much soil to "roam" in growth. And in order to replenish the strength of the plant, you need to transplant the tree into fresh soil saturated with minerals and fertilizers every few years.
Minimum fertilizer. To slow down the growth of a tree, you need to fertilize it, but to a minimum. You must not allow active growth and development of the crown.
Frequent pruning of young shoots. If you constantly cut off young branches, all the growth of the tree will go into the thickness of the trunk, which is what we want to achieve.
Root pruning. At each transplant, you need to ruthlessly cut the roots of the tree, leaving only small branches no more than 12 cm long.
Cuts in tree bark. If a tree stubbornly strives to grow upward, you need to stop the flow of sap under its bark. To do this, incisions are made on the bark or the trunk is simply pulled over with wire for several months.

All these techniques can be carried out only after the final strengthening of the seedling, otherwise it may lead to the death of a fragile tree.

What is sick bonsai

Bonsai can usually get sick with all those diseases and pests that affect large trees of this type. The main pests of the bonsai tree are spider mites, aphids, and worms. Like other indoor plants, bonsai can suffer from mold and mildew. You can recover from pests using medicinal formulations for indoor plants, which are sold in specialized stores. You can also rub the tree trunk with garlic tincture, which kills insects. If your plant got sick, it means that you did not observe the temperature regime, the amount of watering and other plant life conditions.

Growing a beautiful, elegant and refined bonsai tree is a real hobby that requires patience and endurance. Bonsai is not just floriculture, it is a true art of creating beauty.