Planting and caring for bonsai at home. How to Grow Bonsai: A Miniature Windowsill Garden

The culture of bonsai first became known in Japan and China more than two millennia ago. Translated from Chinese, the word means "tree in a bowl." To date, bonsai are common throughout the world, but it is the Japanese species that are distinguished by their elegance.

What does a bonsai tree mean?

Many consider bonsai to be an ordinary tree, but this is not at all the case. A real bonsai is creativity, a work of art that requires a lot of work. In the interior and exterior of the East, such a plant is an indispensable element.

Nothing can decorate landscape design just like bonsai. A photo of this beautiful plant is the best proof of its uniqueness. Modern bonsai is a whole sign system. With its help, many elements can be translated into reality: plants of the sea coast, alpine trees, meadow plants.

Under natural conditions, the tree acquires its appearance through the action of wind, sun, terrain. At home, the formation of bonsai is done manually- using wire, secateurs and a knife.

In the homeland of bonsai, it is believed that the older the plant, the more noble it is. Ancient compositions adorn best places East. The scale of the bonsai in relation to the ordinary tree, of which it is a copy, is 1:100.

How to make a bonsai yourself?

The process of creating a bonsai on their own- quite laborious, lengthy and complex, but very interesting. Before you figure out how to grow a bonsai, you should study the main stages of growing a plant. Conventionally, they can be divided into eight consecutive steps:

• choice of blank of the original tree for bonsai;
• pruning the tops of the tree;
• periodic pruning of branches and root system with a concave pruner;
• the formation of a crown of bonsai from the kidneys;
• formation of branches for the crown of bonsai, pruning of excess branches;
• shaping branches with wire;
• shortening young shoots for better branching and compactness of bonsai;
• transplanting bonsai into a miniature pot and creating a composition.

Basic requirements for traditional bonsai

A real home bonsai must meet a number of characteristics:

• powerful trunk with a strong root;
• a clear line of branches;
• branches and trunk - the foundation of the plant, which should be visible through the leaves;
• visual resemblance to the original tree;
• planting bowl - simple, dim design;
• design match pot and plant.

Bonsai differ from each other in two main characteristics:

• size;
• the form.

There are two ways to form a plant:

• with wire;
• without using wire.

The technique of crown formation with the help of wire appeared not so long ago, but it was firmly established. With its help, you can create the most diverse and unique crown shapes.

Instead of wire for shaping bonsai, you can also use pins with rubber gaskets or cargo.

The following types of bonsai trees are distinguished by size: large (up to 1 m 20 cm); medium (up to 60 cm); small (up to 30 cm); miniature (up to 15 cm). As a rule, bonsai at home - miniature plant, causing a state of awe, incredible beauty and fragility of a young girl.

Growing bonsai large sizes practically does not differ from miniature subspecies. There are only a few special creation conditions:

• formation of a low base (up to three branches);
• planting in a large bowl to form a thickened trunk;
• enhanced watering;
• annual transplant with the removal of unnecessary roots;
• non-concentrated fertilizers.

The most common forms of bonsai are: vertical symmetrical, vertical asymmetrical, inclined, bent, cascading, rock, forked, three-stem, multi-stem.

On the pedestal of the most whimsical indoor plants can be safely attributed to the banzai tree. Home care for this plant is a rather laborious and difficult process.

Failure to comply with the rules for keeping bonsai can cause his death. Therefore, if there is the slightest doubt about the possibility of providing necessary conditions it is better to initially abandon the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bgrowing bonsai. For favorable growth bonsai should be created by him optimal conditions content:

• light mode;
• air humidity;
• temperature regime;
• priming;
• watering;
• fertilizer.

Bonsai is a photophilous plant that does not have enough natural lightening, so you will have to take care of the source of additional lighting. Otherwise, the plant will begin to experience a lack of light. The greatest need for abundant lighting is winter period.

The main parameters that you should pay attention to when choosing a place for bonsai are the side of lighting, the angle of incidence of the sun's rays, and the color of the walls.

The best source of additional lighting is a fluorescent lamp, which has a high efficiency and is easy to use. The closer the lamp is to the plant, the higher the effect of its presence., but at the same time, do not forget about the strength of thermal radiation, which can harm. The optimal location of the lamp is 30-40 cm from the plant.

The optimal temperature for keeping bonsai depends on what type of plant it belongs to:

• for subtropical subspecies, the temperature of keeping in winter ranges from 5-15 degrees, in the warm period it can be kept outdoors;
• for tropical subspecies, the required temperature is 20-25 degrees.

Do not forget that there is a directly proportional relationship between the temperature of the content and the abundance of watering: the higher the temperature, the more often the plant needs watering.

In a standard room, there is not enough moisture to create favorable conditions for bonsai, so it needs additional air humidification. To do this, you can spray the leaves with water daily or purchase an electric humidifier. The second option is more convenient, but quite expensive.

The soil in the bonsai bowl should be constantly wet, it should not be allowed to dry out, as it suffers root system and the plant as a whole. The level of soil dryness is determined manually. Be sure to achieve complete wetting of the earth until the water flows out of the drains. In the warm season, bonsai needs more frequent watering than in winter. The most suitable water for irrigation is boiled and melted water.

It is best to plant bonsai in special soil, which is sold in specialized stores. Soil for indoor plants is not suitable for bonsai, as it has an unsuitable composition for it.

As a fertilizer, both a universal (for most plants) and a special (exclusively for bonsai) substance can act.

Bonsai is an art that came from Japan. Indoor bonsai is a miniature tree growing in a small bowl. This is an exact copy of a real tree, usually on a scale of 1:100. In this article, you can figure out what a bonsai is and how to form it at home.

fruiting bonsai

Bonsai is not just a miniature tree. It has characteristics: a thickened trunk, a well-formed crown, a height of 20 cm to 2 m. This is a full-fledged tree, but in miniature. Translated from Chinese, "pun sai" means "tree in a bowl" - miniature copies have been grown for decades. And the older the tree, the more beautiful it is transplanted into a pot in the countries of the East.

How did the art of bonsai originate in China as early as 200 BC? e. The Japanese brought it to perfection several centuries later. Hobby has become massive in the first place among the common people. The inability to set up a garden near the house was compensated by growing mini-trees.

Creating a bonsai at home is not difficult if you provide proper care for it. The intensity of growth must constantly be regulated by pruning the root system. In art, there are several styles of bonsai. Before growing a tree, you need to decide which one you would like to see on your windowsill.

Bonsai styles

The choice of container for the tree will depend on the style. Cascading or sloping styles require the choice of a heavier and more stable bowl that outweighs the weight of the sloping canopy. There are many styles, of which the most commonly used are:

For beginners, it is better to start with the Tekkan style. And if you manage to master the technique of growing bonsai, you can experiment with others.

Plant selection for bonsai

Trees and shrubs are suitable for bonsai, which, as they grow, acquire a lignified trunk and branches. It is necessary to choose a plant suitable for the surroundings. climatic conditions. Plants with large flowers, fruits, leaves are better not to choose for creating miniatures.

From coniferous trees for bonsai, cypress, thuja, pine, juniper, larch are often chosen. From deciduous - birch, maple, hornbeam, willow, oak. Flowering plants for bonsai look spectacular: acacia, pomegranate, citrus, peach, plum, magnolia.

Different types of trees are suitable for bonsai.

For indoor cultivation, it is better to choose non-deciduous plants that are able to develop all year round. From indoor flowers, ficuses, gardenia, dracaena, cordilina are often taken as a basis. For beginners, African portulacaria, ficus benjamin is ideal.

What you need to grow

To care for a bonsai, you will need a set of certain tools. For a beginner, two or three main ones are enough to form a crown.

1. Concave wire cutters are needed to cut the wire and cut the branches to the very trunk - so that there are no stumps and burrs.
2. Convex cutters. With their help, unnecessary convex sections, parts of the trunk, root are removed from the trunk. The instrument with a spherical head creates a cut that heals quickly.
3. Special scissors for cutting roots. Essential when pruning thin roots. You can also use special pliers. They differ from the convex head, which follows the contour of the sphere, but has a straight cutting edge.
4. Tweezers with a curved tip are needed to remove excess buds, dead leaves, and pluck out pine needles.

When indoor bonsai becomes a permanent hobby, and not a short-lived hobby, you can purchase a professional tool kit.

Growing bonsai

The creation of a bonsai begins with the selection of a plant and the preparation of a container, soil for planting. Further, efforts will be required to achieve growth not of the crown, but of the trunk. Bonsai care consists not only in planting a plant and forming a crown, but also in observing other nuances.

Pot selection

Slanted styles require stable pots such as earthenware or ceramic pots. The container should not violate the integrity of the composition. For bonsai with a dense, spreading crown or several trunks, wide, shallow bowls are chosen. For plants with open roots, tall narrow pots are suitable. Narrow and deep containers resembling vases are suitable for cascading styles.

The pot must ensure the stability of the composition.

The height of the walls should not be less than the diameter of the trunk, the width should be 2/3 of the length of the plant. Drainage holes must be made in bonsai pots. If they are not available in clay or ceramic containers, drill them yourself. It is necessary to root the tree in a standard deep container. The process of initial formation takes about 2 years, after which the plant can be transplanted into a permanent bowl.

soil for bonsai

Growing bonsai requires poor soil. It slows down the growth of the plant. The optimal mixture is 1/3 of clay, and half of peat or rotted leaves, the rest is filled with coarse sand or small stones.

For deciduous trees, it is better to take 7 parts of clay soil and 3 - sand. For flowering - 6 parts of clay, 3 - sand, 1 part - leaf humus. For coniferous trees, a mixture of clay and sand is made in a ratio of 6: 4. Before use, the sand must be washed and calcined in the oven. It can be partially replaced with vermiculite.

It is better to collect the earth on your own in April, when the snow melts and the soil is almost thawed. Commercial mixtures usually include peat and garden fertilizers, so bonsai will grow intensively in them, and this is not necessary. Before use, the soil is disinfected by boiling it in a sieve and water for about 30 minutes or by calcining it in the oven.

First planting

When planting, the tree must be buried in the soil to thicken the trunk. At the same time, cut the root system, leaving only the roots growing to the sides. This must be done in the future with each transplant. The formation of a horizontal root system is required to slow growth.

Rooting should take place in a shaded place - bonsai does not like direct sunlight. After planting, the ground must be watered and tamped, then the plant must be quarantined for 10 days. Bonsai is isolated from other plants, if necessary, accustomed to the open air gradually.

Accommodation

The required light intensity depends on the type of plant chosen. However, most trees do well in a well-lit area without direct sunlight. During the day, from 11.00 to 16.00, it is better to shade the plant, periodically turn it in different directions to the light. This is necessary for uniform formation.

If the plant does not have enough light, the shoots will be thin, the petioles will be elongated, the leaves will reach for the light. In this case, additional illumination with a fluorescent lamp or phytolamp will be required. Bonsai need to be protected from drafts.

Watering

In a shallow container, the soil dries out faster than in standard pots. When planting, the soil is compacted, so it may not absorb moisture well. In order for the earth ball to be well saturated, bonsai is usually watered by immersion.

To do this, the bowl is dipped completely into a container filled with water for a few seconds. If watered under the root, then until the water begins to appear through the drainage holes into the pan. Excess is drained after half an hour.

Between waterings upper layer the soil must dry out. In summer, it is necessary to water the bonsai often, sometimes daily, in winter - once a week poorly to avoid hypothermia of the soil. The frequency also depends on the needs of the plant - some species easily tolerate drought, while in others the leaves instantly lose turgor.

Blooming bonsai tree.

Water the bonsai in the morning or evening, avoiding water on the leaves in bright sunlight. Deciduous varieties need additional spraying. Water should be soft, filtered, suitable rain and melt. Its temperature should be several degrees higher than the air temperature in the room.

top dressing

Bonsai need to be fertilized throughout the year. In summer and autumn, top dressing is applied once a week, in winter and autumn - once a month. Suitable fertilizer for bonsai or regular for indoor plants. It must be diluted in proportions that are 2-3 times weaker than those recommended by the manufacturer.

Bonsai do not feed if the plant is weakened, just transplanted or pruned. Before and during flowering, fertilizing is also not necessary. conifers trees need to be fed 2 times less than other plants. Fertilizer is applied to the soil after watering.

Wireframe creation

The formation of the style should be started immediately after planting the tree in the primary pot. In order for the plant to acquire the desired shape, copper or aluminum wire is used. One end of the wire must be deepened and strengthened in the soil, and then wrapped around the trunk and branches with it, forcing it to grow in a given direction. Its thickness should be the same as the branches.

Select 3 main branches on the tree. To form the desired frame, you will need additional segments attached to the main wire. It should fit snugly against the trunk and branches, but not damage the bark. Its length should be at least 1.5 times the area to be wrapped.

For delicate branches, use a thinner wire in the winding. The frame is removed from the branches after 6-8 months, but the wire from the trunk - not earlier than after 1.5-2 years. After that, the bonsai is transplanted into a permanent bowl.

Bonsai transplant

The first transplant of a young tree is done in the second year of growth, in early spring. The plant is transplanted into a permanent bowl, again cutting all the roots going down. Transfer time at different varieties plants may vary, but usually the need is indicated by the appearance of buds. Flowering trees are transplanted after the end of the flowering period - in the fall.

Pruning the root system during transplantation.

Transplanting and pruning of the roots should be done when they have filled the entire pot. You can understand this by their germination in the drainage holes. Before removing the clod of earth, it is necessary to moisten it with plenty of water. If you have taken the plant out of the pot and realized that there is still room for the roots to develop, do not cut them, just replace the soil.

When transplanting with secateurs, the taproot and thick roots are removed if the ones growing to the sides are well developed. If the lateral roots are weak, then only a part of the core is removed, and those growing to the sides are formed with a wire. Thickened roots are left above the ground, which adds naturalness to the composition. The soil can be covered with a layer of green moss.

bonsai shaping

In order for an ordinary plant to acquire signs of a bonsai, it is necessary to start forming after transplanting into a permanent bowl. You can achieve a thickening of the trunk by slowing down the growth of the tree. To do this, resort to the following tricks:

• Make cuts on the trunk, reducing the flow of juices. The tree releases juice to heal wounds and this slows down its growth.
• The trunk is pulled with wire at a short distance from the ground. Due to this, the trunk becomes thicker, and the tree grows more slowly. The wire should compress only the upper tissues and interfere with blood circulation. When the trunk thickens above it, it is removed and transferred to another place.
• To form a crown, branches are cut. Pinching and pruning is done in spring or throughout the year, depending on the plant.

Trimming and pinching

In the spring, after the appearance of new buds, all overlapping branches are cut off from the tree and young shoots are pinched at the level of 1-2 pairs of leaves. flowering plants do not pruning, waiting for the end of this period. The pruning tool is disinfected, the cut points are sprinkled with crushed coal.

Bonsai crown formation.

With intensive growth of shoots, periodic pruning throughout the year may be necessary. The more often this is done, the thicker and smaller the crown will be. Scissors remove too long branches that interfere with the overall composition.

Bonsai is a fascinating art that can be mastered at home. When the tree acquires the necessary shape and is planted in a permanent bowl, all that remains is to produce annual pruning of branches and periodic transplantation.

One day, the Chinese emperor ordered the creation of a miniature empire for his palace, with mountains, plains, meadows, forests and rivers, the sight of which would please his heart and eyes. To fulfill the ruler's command, the gardeners created tiny living trees, a miniature analogue of growing giants.

The art of bonsai (translated from Japanese means “a plant grown in a tray”) is the process of growing in a small shallow vessel an exact, but reduced to miniature size, copy of a tall tree grown in natural conditions.

The birthplace of this fascinating art form is China, where it originated about two thousand years ago, and six centuries later, together with the Buddhists, it ended up in Japan, where it developed: the Japanese not only improved the methods of growing graceful trees, but also systematized (Japanese bonsai from Chinese is distinguished by great elegance).

If we talk about Japanese art, it must be borne in mind that it is not just a process of growing a bonsai, but is a whole philosophy, since the person doing this must have the appropriate attitude: be wise, benevolent, delicate and have a sense of justice.

Since the art of bonsai became extremely popular in the twentieth century, this approach to growing miniature trees by Europeans was somewhat simplified: those who want to have such a miracle in their home, it is enough to take their work seriously, with love and show maximum attention to the plant. In this case, miniature trees are quite capable of living for more than a hundred years, uniting several generations of the family with their presence.

Appearance

Bonsai pine and other plants should completely resemble a tree grown in vivo and even through the leaves to have well-visible branches and a strong trunk with clearly visible roots. It is necessary to plant a homemade bonsai in a shallow vessel of a simple shape with a discreet color.

Trees grown by this method are usually small: the largest plant has a height of 120 centimeters, the smallest one does not exceed five. In this regard, the following classification of plants is distinguished:

• Large - height from 60 to 120 cm;
• Medium - from 30 to 60 cm;
• Small - from 15 to 30 cm;
• Miniature - from 5 to 15 cm;
• Tiny - up to 5 cm.

The most popular indoor bonsai are from five to thirty centimeters: they are so beautiful, fragile and graceful that, causing involuntary awe, they give the impression of belonging to an amazing magical land of miniature things.

dwarf trees in the house

Before you create a bonsai at home, you need to consider that experts do not recommend forcibly turning large and medium-sized plants into dwarf ones.

In order to grow bonsai at home, it is advisable to either buy an adult tree of the right size, or grow it using seeds.

Experts recommend that people interested in how to grow bonsai purchase seeds of plants with small foliage or needles. For example, bonsai of pine, dwarf bamboo, cypress, buckthorn. Ficus bonsai Benjamin is also well suited - evergreen shrub(Despite the fact that this plant does not belong to traditional Japanese art, it is very popular in the world because of its ease of care and rapid growth).

Before you grow a bonsai with your own hands, you need to take into account that the occupation is not easy and you will have to constantly take care of the tree: in order to get a full-fledged plant, it will take at least four years (this is how much it will take for the seeds to germinate and form a strong trunk).

It should also be borne in mind that indoor bonsai are trees, therefore, like other plants of this species, they need fresh air and enough light. For example, bonsai pine is quite a way to grow both indoors and outdoors, but Japanese black pine prefers to grow only outdoors, so in winter you need to place the plant in the coldest room and monitor the lighting.

Growing Features

Create dwarf trees from tropical and native plants. Before making a bonsai, you need to consider the following points:

• What kind of soil does the tree grow on;
• How light-loving it is;
• Where it prefers to grow - in the shade or in the light, in wet or dry areas.

Picking up suitable soil, after looking at the place where the created bonsai will be located with your own hands, you need to decide which method to grow the tree: by cuttings or with the help of seeds.

A person who is interested in how to grow bonsai must take into account that growing bonsai from seed is the longest process. To create a bonsai of pine, cherry, oak and other trees that are poorly cut by cuttings, it will not work in any other way: only with the help of seeds.

Seeds of plants that grow in temperate latitudes must be cold-worked. To do this, they must first be placed in a container with moistened sand and put in the refrigerator. At the same time, there is no such trouble with the seeds of plants of subtropical and tropical latitudes, but they must be soaked in slightly warm water the day before sowing.

The soil in which the seeds should be planted should be loose and well breathable (great soil for seed germination is obtained by mixing peat with sand). In order for the seeds to germinate, the soil must be moist, and the air temperature should not be lower than 25 degrees.

But after the appearance of sprouts, the situation changes dramatically: the air temperature should not be higher than eighteen degrees. At the same time, young sprouts need moderate moisture and in large numbers light, otherwise they will become weak and susceptible to disease. After three to four weeks, they are seated in separate vessels (it should be borne in mind that in large dishes the plant may die, since its small root system cannot cope with the abundance of moisture).

As for propagation by cuttings, it is more fast way. It must be borne in mind that the cuttings of many trees do not take root well, and therefore, in order for everything to work out, optimal conditions should be constantly maintained: combine high air humidity with low soil moisture.

The age of the trees from which the cuttings will be cut should be from 5 to 10 years, and if the plant is considered difficult to root, then younger (from 2 to 3 years). At what time of the year to cut the cuttings depends largely on the latitude where the tree grows: for deciduous plants in temperate latitudes, this is May and July, but for conifers, this period begins either in early spring before the buds begin to swell, or at the end of summer, when active growth ends.

To get a cutting, you need to take a medium or upper part shoot up to 20 cm long, on which there are at least two nodes. A cut is made two centimeters from the lower shoot, after which the cutting is inserted into the ground so that its lower node is completely immersed in the ground: the root system will be located here.

As with seeds, the substrate must be porous in order to allow air and water to pass through well. The sprout must be sprayed periodically or placed in a sufficiently damp place (the planted cutting can be placed under glass jar or cover with polyethylene). The air temperature should not be lower than twenty-four degrees, and the place where the cutting will be located should be well lit and ventilated.

tree shape

When forming a composition, you need to remember that everything should look natural, and all components should be combined with each other. For example, it is impossible to plant flowering and fruit trees, grass and shrub, or shrub and tree. Also, the composition should not have a lot of greenery or color.

One of the most challenging tasks is the creation of a tree of the intended shape, for which they use methods such as pruning, ligation, cutting branches and other methods (the plant should not have more than two or three branches). Among the variety of forms, the main types of bonsai are distinguished:

• Straight - the tree has a straight, slightly thickened trunk;
• Inclined - grows at an angle;
• Multi-stemmed - the tree lies on the ground, and several trunks grow from it;
• Cascading - the top of the tree is inclined below the soil boundary.

Necessary care

While the plant is just being formed, it should be borne in mind that it needs to be watered very often, but not poured, fertilizers should be given in limited quantities, and replanted once a year, in the spring, removing excess roots. As for the soil in which the tree will be planted, it is advisable to do it yourself by mixing humus, clay and fine gravel or coarse sand (the soil sold in stores is not very suitable).

When caring for miniature trees, it should be borne in mind that it is easier to grow it in the fresh air, since room air too dry for him. If the plant is kept on a balcony or in a garden, it is quite easy to take care of it (the only thing is that in summer you need to cover it from direct sunlight, and hide it from rain and wind in winter). But indoor bonsai require careful care, so they are usually short-lived.

There are trees created specifically for the apartment, and therefore, having greater endurance, they require less maintenance. But they still need to be kept away from heating appliances: they need high humidity air. Also, when caring for these plants, it must be borne in mind that they are afraid of drafts.

In any case, both outdoor and indoor miniature trees are one of the most demanding indoor plants, and therefore it is not easy to care for them: improper care will either kill the tree or make it an ordinary plant that does not attract attention.

Considering that bonsai is mainly a plant of tropical and subtropical latitudes, the climate of the temperate zone does not suit it, therefore, it must be created independently.

When growing a tropical tree, it must be remembered that since the day is shorter in temperate latitudes, additional lighting must be created for the plant (this issue is especially relevant in winter). Considering that each tree needs a different amount of light, it is advisable to check with specialists or on the Internet on special thematic forums about how to care for your plant (how much light it needs and where exactly to put it).

Subtropical trees, such as rosemary, pomegranate, olive, are kept in a room in winter, the temperature in which ranges from 5 to 15 ° C, and in summer they are taken out to Fresh air. But it’s more difficult to take care of tropical trees: they don’t like cold, so they are kept indoors, the temperature of which ranges from 18 to 25 ° C, and even in summer they are not recommended to be placed on window sills made of stone. It should be remembered that the higher the temperature indicators of the atmosphere, the more the tree needs light, water and nutrients.

Since a small tree is extremely in need of moisture, it needs to be provided. To do this, you need to put a pot with a plant in a flat vessel filled with water, at the bottom of which there are pre-laid pebbles or a grate. The water should always be at the same level, and the tree itself should be regularly sprayed with water.

As for watering, here it must be taken into account that the earth must be constantly wet (subtropical plants are watered less often). Concerning tropical plants, then they do not tolerate cold water, so it is advisable to use either melted or settled water.

Indoor bonsai is now firmly established in the everyday life of phytodesigners of residential and office space. No less popular is the garden bonsai, which adorns the landscape. This material presents the main types of bonsai as an art of plant sculpture based on suitable trees, flowers and shrubs.

The word bonsai literally means "grown on a tray". Miniature size, however, is not achieved by growing plants in a cramped pot, where the roots have nowhere to go. According to the official definition, a bonsai is “a tree similar in every way to the corresponding ordinary tree, except for its miniature size. The way to grow is to keep the tree in a limited size pot, pinching out the growth points and trimming the roots to create a balance between the crown and the root system, and at the same time give the necessary shape.

Garden bonsai are sold in nurseries, usually at the age of 4 years. During the main growing period, the plants were kept in a pot, and both root and stem pruning were carried out every year. In addition, the branches were given an attractive shape using a special hard bonsai wire. At the age of approximately 3-4 years, the plant was transplanted into a shallow frost-resistant pot with drainage holes.

Growing garden bonsai is fun, but you need to have an idea of ​​what you are doing. First of all, it is important to remember that these are not real houseplants. They are brought indoors for only two or three days - they suffer if kept indoors for a longer time. Normal room air is too hot and dry. Outdoors, protection from wind and rain is required. You also need to understand that growing bonsai takes time and money.

Types of plants and trees bonsai

Conifers are favorite objects for classic bonsai. Their leaves tend to be small and evergreen, and the plants are remarkably long-lived. The types of bonsai presented in the photo below can help determine the style and direction.

Popular types of bonsai tree include:

Chinese juniper(Juniperus chinensis);

Cypress pea(Chamaecyparis pisifera);

Kempfer larch(Larix kaempferi);

Cryptomeria japonica(Cryptomeria japonica and Pinus sylvestris).

Not all suitable species bonsai plants evergreen - widely grown:

Maple fan, or hand-shaped(Acer palmatum)

AND zelkova serrata,(Zelkova serrata).

Flowering and fruiting trees are especially interesting. There is a long list of species that are suitable for making attractive bonsai. These are, for example, cherry, apricot, peach, Japanese azalea, quince, magnolia, wisteria, apple trees (especially crab varieties), broom and pyracantha. In fact, almost any hardy tree can be grown this way, so you can use oak, beech, birch, or maple seedlings from your garden.

Indoor trees and bonsai plants

Indoor bonsai trees are a relative novelty that did not come from Japan. The center of interest seems to have been in Germany and then it spread all over the world. The main difference from the traditional garden bonsai is that heat-loving trees and shrubs are used here. Houseplant bonsai, as a rule, is much better than cold-resistant species, adapting to the conditions that exist in ordinary house. Of course, they must be kept indoors during the winter.

As such, they can be considered houseplants, although they should be subjected to standard bonsai treatment during the summer months. To do this, it is necessary to keep them outdoors and bring them indoors for only a few days.

The easiest way is to buy mature and already prepared specimens, but they are expensive. If you have the time and patience, you can start from scratch. Plant the selected seedling or rooted cutting in the usual way and care for it. When the main stem reaches the desired height, the growing point should be pinched off. Remove some of the lower branches and pinch off the tips of the upper side branches to encourage tillering in the canopy. After 2 years, it must be transplanted and trimmed.

Growing indoor bonsai, like their hardy outdoor counterparts, is exciting, but certain conditions must be met for them to thrive.

indoor flowers bonsai

Some of the indoor plants can be grown and shaped as bonsai potted flowers. indoor bonsai in the photo are offered below in various style variations of design.

Most popular:

ficus benjamina(Ficus benjamina);

Heptapleurum(Heptapleurum);

Allamanda(Allamanda);

Ixora(Ixora);

dwarf pomegranate(Punica granatum nana);

Bonsai is not just a decorative green decoration in the house, it is miniature tree, which is rather capricious, caring for it is painstaking and long, but the result obtained exceeds any expectations. Bonsai will give small world at your home if you are already a professional in communicating with this miracle of Japan and its culture. Love for the beautiful and unusual will help overcome the difficulties that will arise in the first years of acquaintance with bonsai. And in a few years, your world will be filled with an unusually breathtaking view of a miniature landscape.

Bonsai prototype taken from ordinary trees, which grow in subtropical zones, in tropical, in the middle forest zone, as well as coniferous giants. Naturally, the first problem is related to the climate to which the original is accustomed. If you buy bonsai yourself, then choose closer to your habitat, it’s more difficult if you were presented with such a wonderful plant.

Temperature

IN temperature regime it is necessary to reproduce the changes corresponding to the plant. Boxwood, pomegranate, olives, myrtle - perfectly adapt to room conditions- this applies to all subtropical bonsai varieties. Will bring great benefits to summer period front garden, garden, balcony or just open window. Fresh air favorably affects the development and growth of this unique houseplant.

It is better for them to survive the winter in a rather cool room, where the temperature fluctuates between +15. A well-equipped and glazed balcony is perfect for this. But for tropical trees, it is necessary to adhere to +18 in winter, otherwise they may suffer from higher temperatures. Often, it is this temperature that is maintained in apartments in winter. The most difficult thing in organizing wintering is to withstand temperatures no higher than +10 for different kind coniferous, maple, the same mountain ash. Of course, a balcony is good, but if it is not very insulated. In case the balcony cannot be used for different reasons, especially its absence, use the reverse greenhouse method. The window sill, along with the bonsai, is fenced off so that the plant receives as little heat as possible.

Lighting

Before installing lighting in a place next to a bonsai, you need to become very familiar with the natural conditions in which the tree grows. An apartment is, of course, not a natural habitat, but you can try to get closer to it by studying the information. The most optimal location of the light will be from the east and west side, so we focus on these windows. An interesting point is the direct location of the bonsai on the windowsill.

The west window implies that the plant will stand with right side. The east window will have a more favorable effect if the tree is placed on the left side. The development of bonsai will be complete both for leaves and for shoots if it is turned 180 ° at least once every two weeks, or even two or three times in four weeks throughout the entire warm period. cold period may result in very weak shoots that have lost their brightness and are too elongated.

Lack of light adversely affects the development of bonsai. To avoid this, it is necessary to raise curtains and blinds throughout the daylight hours. Helps increase daylight hours Fluorescent Lamp or halogen, but not incandescent, to which many are most accustomed. A properly selected lamp is placed at a height of no more than 50 cm, such an addition will saturate the plant with the necessary light and increase daylight hours to half a day.

Watering

Irrigation is labor-intensive, according to experts. Its frequency and amount depend on the soil, the capacity where the bonsai grows, evaporation and absorption of liquid. It is for this reason that many consider the procedure proper watering not possible. The most optimal option is watering in small portions, but quite frequent in quantity. This option is not available to most gardeners.

The most common irrigation methods include the immersion option. In order to implement it, you need to take a container larger than the one where the bonsai grows and place the plant there. It will be possible to take it out only when air bubbles no longer rise to the surface. This serves as a signal that the soil no longer needs moisture, but before putting the bonsai in place, it is necessary to allow excess water to drain from the pan. The process of saturating the earth with moisture must be monitored so as not to overexpose the bonsai in water where there is no air for the roots. This is especially important for middle lane trees. It is also worth considering the state of rest, which falls on the winter period, for which excessive saturation of the earth with moisture is fraught.

In summer, fresh air washes the leaves of your tree, moisture evaporates more and more from the soil. No matter how busy you are, but during such a period you need to water at least twice a day, especially moisture-loving representatives of the bonsai family. For tropical representatives, even spraying is possible, but within reasonable limits. For the winter period, watering changes its quantity and frequency to once a week. Before watering the plant, you must be completely sure that the earth has dried out. The light color of the soil indicates the need to add moisture to the bansai. You can also probe the soil and, based on tactile sensations, determine the timeliness of watering. For the most experienced people who have devoted their lives to bonsai, this moment is determined by the weight of the pot or pallet where the plant is planted.

You can also prepare a water bath for the summer. To do this, expanded clay, coarse-grained sand, moss, stones (that which absorbs and releases water well) are placed in a rather deep container. All this is filled with water, and a bansai is installed on top, but in such a way that there is space between the moisture and the pan. It is good to combine such a system with spraying for a better result in creating a humid environment.

Bonsai is the aesthetic enjoyment of an ornamental tree. It is very common to find a hydroponic plant method that loses the charm and charm inherent in this type of houseplant. This is due to the fact that the pallet is replaced by pots inserted one into one. However, in this method of growing and caring for ornamental trees has its positive aspects, but standard view bonsai pushes this method into the background.

Top dressings and fertilizers

Feeding bonsai does not require serious knowledge or a laborious process. The most well-known mineral supplements that are suitable for indoor plants will saturate the bansai with the most necessary at least once a month. With the onset of winter, feeding is stopped, except for tropical species, if their daylight hours are equal to half a day.

Ornamental trees can be fed in the usual way, watering the ground from above, or you can immerse a pallet with a plant in a mineral solution, as when watering. A mineral solution prepared from two grams is placed in a deep container. mineral supplement, which is diluted in one liter of water. In this solution, the bonsai is located until it gets enough to drink, after which it is removed from the treatment bath.