More than five years ago I really wanted to grow a bonsai tree myself at home. And today, a small stylish and original tree flaunts on a special stand and is the pride of my flower collection, because a lot of effort and labor was spent.
When everything seems to be planted in the garden, you want something unusual and new. Bonsai are the same trees that everyone knows, only in a miniature version. You can grow bonsai from seeds from any tree, you just need to know what seeds to buy and where.
The growing process is quite long and painstaking. It takes about 5 - 6 years to get the desired result. Not every gardener will reach the finals, but, nevertheless, the grown tree is very decorative and impressive, and will certainly become a favorite at home.
Popular trees are bonsai, which can be grown by seed.
To make a choice, you need to figure out which plants are the most famous. There are tropical, deciduous and coniferous trees that can be grown into a bonsai tree. Today, for example, oak has become fashionable, but it will take a lot of time to grow. Also known are the following:
- Ficus.
- Pine.
- Fir.
- Cypress.
- Boxwood.
- Myrtle.
- Ambulilon.
- Acacia.
- Hornbeam.
- Birch.
- Maple.
- Pomegranate.
This is not the entire list of trees from which it is quite possible to grow a bonsai. The art of growing came to us from Japan and has become very popular among us, despite the demanding and capricious nature of miniature plants.
Classification of plants by size
To choose the right tree, you need to decide not only on the container where it will grow, but also on the dimensions, shape, and height.
- Miniature. Height ranges from 5 cm to 15 cm. They are very tiny, but they only benefit from this.
- Small (15 - 30 cm).
- Medium (30 - 60 cm).
- Large (60 - 1.2 m).
The first few groups are the most popular, because it is miniature that is valued. Such small trees are the “highlight” of any interior.
Where to buy seeds?
You can take the seeds yourself from a botanical garden or park. It is also recommended to buy or order from specialized gardening stores. Seeds for planting are also purchased from online stores; some are purchased to order from China.
In general, there are many options. But we must remember that this is just planting material, but will have to be grown by following strict instructions and acting in accordance with the rules. Also seeds various types differ noticeably from each other in size and appearance, and they are planted according to the requirements of their variety.
Preparing for landing
You need to decide, firstly, where to start. You should prepare thoroughly and create the necessary conditions for growing bonsai in room conditions.
Main factors for planting
Naturally, the usual climate is optimal for each tree. But experienced growers It is recommended to safely grow bonsai indoors. You just have to create the necessary conditions. Let's consider the main ones.
Lighting
It depends, first of all, on the tree itself and the usual natural conditions. The bonsai tree is most often located in the west or east of the room. This plant requires a daylight period of at least 12 hours. If it is the autumn and winter periods, then it is necessary to connect an artificial one. For this purpose, special lamps are installed.
Temperature
There is no need to do anything special during the summer season, because the climate is quite acceptable. Regular ventilation and fresh air should be provided.
Watering
The moisture regime depends on the specific type of tree. But the general requirement is the following: it is better to water the soil in the pot more often, but in small portions. Under no circumstances should excess moisture be allowed. This may lead to rotting of the root system.
It is also necessary to take into account air humidity and protect the plant from drafts and dampness. To prevent the branches from drying out, you should periodically spray the tree warm water room temperature using the rain method. Only by fulfilling all the conditions can you grow a worthy bonsai tree.
Soil preparation
The composition may vary slightly in composition, but the main ones are as follows:
- 3 parts garden soil.
- 1 part river sand.
- 1 part peat.
A special mixture of akadama is also suitable for a bonsai tree. Fir will feel good in soil with some calcined sand.
An important part of the planting process is choosing a suitable pot. Since the plant is very original, the planting container should match the bonsai tree. A wide, shallow, stable pot will do. There must be drainage holes at the bottom and a drainage layer consisting of pebbles, small stones or expanded clay.
It is very important to maintain the required soil moisture, ventilation and oxygenation of the root system. Some gardeners place pieces of moss in the root zone, which not only makes the plant decorative, but also keeps the soil moist longer.
Seed preparation and planting
According to reviews, black pine is suitable for this method, but you can, of course, choose other types of trees. The main thing is that the seed material is fresh. Then you need to properly prepare the seeds for planting. Let's look at the whole procedure step by step.
- The seeds must be wrapped in a damp cloth. Then place them in the refrigerator for 8 - 12 weeks. Regularly check that the napkin is damp.
- Next step: place the seeds from the cold into a container with warm water for 6 hours.
- Then take out the seed material and transfer it to a plastic bag. Leave in the room for 3 days.
- Good seeds that can be grown will definitely swell. Empty and spoiled ones will remain small and should simply be thrown away.
- Suitable seeds are buried 2 cm into previously prepared soil. A small layer of river sand is poured on top.
- After planting, the soil is compacted or pressed down with a wooden circle.
- Next, in order not to damage the newly planted seeds, you need to spray the soil with rain, carefully moistening the soil.
- The top of the pot is covered with film and hidden in a dark place with an air temperature of no more than + 15 degrees.
- Periodically, the film must be removed to ventilate and check the soil moisture.
- As soon as the shoots appear, protective film it is necessary to pierce in several places. This way oxygen will penetrate to the plant in the right amount.
- As soon as the shoots grow, the film should be removed completely. Move the pot to a sunny and well-lit place. But direct sunlight should not hit the shoots, otherwise the bonsai may die.
How to properly water a bonsai
Proper planting is only the first important step towards growing a dwarf tree. Next, you should follow the rules of care so that the tree can develop.
In the summer season, the soil is watered several times every 7 days; in autumn and spring, once a week is sufficient. Make sure the soil doesn't dry out. In winter, watering is carried out only a few times.
Coniferous trees are watered once a week in winter because they continue to grow. It is better to water the plant with a small amount of water more often than to flood the plant. This can lead to root rot.
There is a way to moisten the soil in a pot called immersion. To do this, water at room temperature is poured into the container. Then the pot is placed in it. Through drainage holes in the bottom, water penetrates in the required quantity into the root system of the tree. After half an hour, the pot can be pulled out.
For bonsai trees, not only watering is important, but also spraying, especially in hot weather. For irrigation, you should use only water at room temperature and settled water.
Feeding and fertilizer
In order for the tree to grow and develop well, you must follow the schedule of feeding and fertilizers. Flowering plants need phosphorus fertilizing. It is also important for fruit-bearing plants.
- Dosage: dissolve 1 gram of fertilizer in 1 liter of water, place the pot in the prepared water and leave until the soil is saturated. This way you will not overfeed your bonsai.
- Schedule: potassium is added in October and November, winter is a break, nitrogen and phosphorus are added in spring and until July at least once a month. From July to September there is a break.
Fertilizers and fertilizers can be used for indoor plants universal, but less concentration. Some plant growers purchase special formulations specifically for such plants. It is important to follow the dosage so as not to harm the plant.
An adult plant needs mandatory pruning and crown formation. This requires real skill and taste, but the result will please you.
If you like miniature fairy plants, then it’s time to learn how to grow bonsai from seeds at home. This method of growing may seem too time consuming, but don’t rush to give it up. In a few years you will receive a unique living miracle made by your own hands.
Despite the fact that to obtain the final result you will have to spend a lot of time (sometimes up to 10 or 15 years), the process of growing and forming a tree from a seed has many advantages: But just planting a seed in the ground is not enough, you need to know how to care for a bonsai and how to form an exotic shape. But first things first.
How to grow bonsai from seeds at home
How to select and prepare seeds
To grow a tree in Japanese style different cultures are suitable. The most commonly used conifers are pine, juniper, cedar, and spruce. Deciduous trees - elm, rhododendron, barberry, hawthorn, cherry, chestnut, lemon, elderberry, thorn. The choice of breeds is practically unlimited.
Seeds for planting must be of high quality and have high germination rate, otherwise you can waste time waiting for them to germinate. Seeds of many tree species covered with a dense shell that delays germination. Therefore, they must be scarified. The hard coating is filed very carefully.
Stratification is also used - keeping in cold temperatures. This can be done after sowing; just leave the pot on a cold balcony for several months, simulating natural conditions.
In addition, the seeds must be pickled in strong. This measure will not only disinfect the buds, but also stimulate their germination.
To make it easier to grow bonsai from seeds, you can skip this stage and take young seedlings from nature. One-year-old trees are suitable for this. In this case, you can skip all the pre-sowing work at home and proceed directly to the formation of the crown.
How to sow and germinate seeds
The substrate for sowing seeds is prepared from humus (2 parts) and sand (1 part). It is first spilled with a disinfectant solution and dried. The container for sowing seeds should be 5-7 cm deep. It also needs to be disinfected first.
You will have to sow several seeds at once, and then from the seedlings you will need to select the strongest and strongest ones. The seeds are laid out on the surface of the soil and sprinkled with a layer of soil. The thickness of the powder depends on the dimensions of the seeds themselves. Usually she larger diameter seeds 2-3 times.
It will be easier to grow bonsai from seeds if you sow in the fall immediately after collecting the seed material. If the crop needs stratification, then the container is left for the winter in cold conditions. In the spring, it is brought indoors and a greenhouse is made at home: covered with glass or polyethylene. Such an improvised greenhouse must be regularly ventilated to prevent mold from appearing on the surface of the soil.
When 3-4 leaves are formed on young seedlings, they are picked into separate pots. A month and a half after transplantation, future trees are fed for the first time. For this purpose, complex fertilizer is used.
How to care for and shape a bonsai
For the winter, pots with trees must be placed in a cool room. If there is no insulated loggia or basement, then you can leave the plants on a cold windowsill, covering them from the rest of the room with a curtain. You can open the window for a short time to further cool the air.
In spring, grown trees are transplanted into another container. In this case, the transshipment method is used. The composition of the soil is no longer the same as for sowing seeds. It should consist of clay, humus, humus and coarse sand. The proportions of these components depend on the type of plant grown at home.
At the age of one or two years, the trunk can already begin to bend, giving the desired line. In conifers, they are used for fixation. copper wire. Most often, the formation of the trunk is done in winter, when the stem is more flexible to bending.
U coniferous species with a rough crown, the wire can be left until it easily grows into the bark. As a result, scars form on the trunk. In the future, they will tighten and give an additional aesthetic effect.
From trees with smooth bark, the wire is removed after 3-6 months. If the trunk is rough, then the applied wire can be kept for up to 8 months. The thickness of the clamp should be one third of the thickness of the branches being bent. That is, if the branches have a diameter of approximately 0.6 cm, then the wire is taken 2 mm thick.
After 1-3 years, the wire can be reapplied to create new scars. But it should be remembered that with age, the trunk of trees thickens more slowly and traces of wounds are more difficult to heal. Therefore, when the tree reaches a significant age, it is better to abandon the wire frame.
How to care for deciduous bonsai and form a fancy crown? For this group of trees, you can not use a wire retainer, but change the direction of growth using spring pruning.
How to determine the size of a bonsai
This indicator is determined mainly by desire, as well as by the size of the leaves. Trees with small leaf blades, including those with small needles, can be grown both large and small (up to 8 cm). But among plants with large leaves or long needles, only a tall bonsai will look beautiful. The maximum height can reach 1.3 m.
There is one more point that is not mentioned above, but without which it will not be possible to grow a beautiful bonsai. This part of the work is done while waiting for the seedlings to appear:
To grow bonsai from seeds at home, of course, you need patience. But it will pay off when, in a few years, your home will be decorated with a living embodiment of your creativity. Moreover, caring for bonsai is very simple.
Sakura is most often associated with Japan and its culture. Picnics under the canopy of flowering trees have long become an integral attribute of welcoming 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 take place under the sign of their flowering. But sakura also grows well in cooler regions - certain species can be successfully grown even in Siberia.
We have prepared a hearty, incredibly appetizing and simply easy-to-prepare dish for you today. This sauce is one hundred percent universal, as it goes with every side dish: vegetables, pasta, or anything. Chicken and mushroom gravy will save you in moments when you don’t have time or don’t want to think too much about what to cook. Take your favorite side dish (you can do this in advance so everything is hot), add some gravy and dinner is ready! A real lifesaver.
Agriculture refers to such types of human activity, the successful outcome of which is not always directly proportional to the efforts made. Unfortunately, nature does not necessarily act as our ally in growing plants, and often, on the contrary, throws up new challenges. Intensified reproduction of pests, abnormal heat, late return frosts, hurricane winds, drought... And one of the springs presented us with another surprise - a flood.
With the arrival of the dacha season, the question arises of growing strong and healthy seedlings our favorite vegetables: cabbage, tomatoes, sweet peppers, eggplants and many other crops. At the same time, the question arises - how to grow decent seedlings and subsequently get healthy plants and a decent harvest from them? For example, I have been growing seedlings for several seasons now and protecting my garden from diseases with the help of biological drugs Alirin-B, Gamair, Glyokladin, Trichocin.
Let me confess my love today. In love with... lavender. One of the best unpretentious, evergreen and beautiful flowering shrubs, which can be successfully grown in your garden. And if someone thinks that lavender is a Mediterranean or, at least, southern inhabitant, then you are mistaken. Lavender grows well in more northern regions, even in the Moscow region. But in order to grow it, you need to know some rules and features. They will be discussed in this article.
Having once tasted such an invaluable product as a pumpkin, it is already difficult to stop looking for more and more new recipes for serving it to the table. Korean pumpkin, despite its pungency and spice, has a fresh and delicate taste. After cooking, you will need to cover the salad and let it brew for at least 15 minutes. My nutmeg pumpkin is very juicy and sweet, so there is no need to knead it. If the pumpkin is of a different variety, then you can knead it with your hands so that it slightly releases the juice.
Lettuce, as the earliest and most unpretentious green crop, has always been held in high esteem by gardeners. Spring planting Most gardeners usually start by sowing lettuce, parsley and radishes. IN Lately desire for healthy eating and a large selection of greens in supermarkets make gardeners think, which of these plants can be grown in their beds? In this article we will talk about nine of the most interesting, in our opinion, varieties of salad.
Another “bonus” is always “attached” to the flowering of indoor roses - capriciousness. When they say that it is easy to grow roses in rooms, they are disingenuous. For flowering indoor roses it is necessary to create literally ideal conditions. And vigilant care, attention and response to any plant signals is the main key to success. True, no matter how capricious roses may be, growing them in a potted format can be quite successful. And attentive flower growers should not be afraid of this.
Pollock is best prepared as a casserole, separating the fillet from the skin and bones. Pieces of fish are mixed with a colorful vegetable set, poured with a sauce of cheese, sour cream and eggs. This fish casserole has a presentable appearance, and its taste is a bizarre mixture of subtle nuances. Vegetables and fillets will be soaked in sour cream, the cheese will harden into a golden brown crust, and the eggs will bind all the ingredients together. Pieces of fish are abundantly sprinkled with Italian herbs, and pollock acquires an unusual piquancy.
Despite the fact that calendar spring begins in March, you can truly feel the awakening of nature only with the advent of flowering plants in the garden. Nothing signals the arrival of spring as eloquently as clearings of blooming primroses. Their appearance is always a small celebration, because winter has receded and a new gardening season awaits us. But apart from spring primroses, there is still a lot to see and admire in the garden in the month of April.
Rapidly growing and turning into wild thickets, hogweed disrupts the existing ecosystem and suppresses all other plants. Essential oils, contained in the fruits and leaves of hogweed, cause severe forms dermatitis. At the same time, it is much more difficult to control than other common weeds. Fortunately, today a product has appeared on the market that can quickly rid your area of most weeds, including hogweed.
Carrots come in different colors: orange, white, yellow, purple. Orange carrots contain beta-carotene and lycopene, yellow due to the presence of xanthophylls (lutein); White carrots have a lot of fiber, and purple ones contain anthocyanin, beta and alpha carotenes. But, as a rule, gardeners choose carrot varieties for sowing not by the color of the fruit, but by the timing of their ripening. We will tell you about the best early, middle and late varieties in this article.
We recommend a fairly easy pie recipe with a delicious chicken and potato filling. An open pie with chicken and potatoes is an excellent hearty dish that is suitable for a hearty snack; it is very convenient to take a couple of pieces of this pastry on the road. The pie is baked in the oven for one hour at 180 degrees. After that we put it on wooden surface, having previously released it from the mold. It is enough to slightly cool the baked goods and you can start tasting.
The long-awaited spring for many indoor plants is the period of the start of active growing season, and for most - the return of their decorative properties. While admiring the young leaves and emerging shoots, you should not forget that spring is also a great stress for all indoor plants. Sensitive to changes in conditions and universal, all indoor crops face much brighter lighting, changes in air humidity and temperature conditions.
You can easily prepare homemade Easter cake with cottage cheese and candied fruits, even without any pastry experience. You can bake Easter cake not only in a special form or in a paper mold. For your first culinary experiences (and more), I advise you to take a small cast-iron frying pan. Easter cake in a frying pan will not turn out as high as in a narrow pan, but it never burns and is always well baked inside! Cottage cheese dough made with yeast turns out airy and aromatic.
Beautiful miniature garden tree in our house or greenhouse. Growing bonsai at home is not difficult if you wish. The only thing you need is patience, especially when growing large quantity bonsai.
Seeds and types of popular miniature trees
Among the types of bonsai, some of them have gained particular popularity. The following species are most often grown from seeds:
- tropical: boxwoods, acacias, wisterias, leptospermums, ficuses;
- broad-leaved: beeches, birches, hornbeams, elms, maples;
- conifers: cedars, spruces, pines, firs, cypresses.
In fact, the list of available woody plants is much larger. For example, seeds of spruce, euonymus, pine, beech, oak and fir can be planted at the time of collection.
Bonsai seeds can be found independently in parks, groves, and so on. It's much more fun than shopping in a store. But you will need special knowledge, from searching to preparing and growing seedlings.
Advice from an amateur gardener
An important point is that seedlings must be formed within a period of up to 3 months.
If you find seeds, but want to plant them at another time, you will need to properly store the material. To do this, they must be placed in a container or, better yet, in a special wooden cellar. Before this, the seeds should be dried. They should be stored in a cool room at a temperature from -5 to 0 degrees Celsius.
Growing method
The seeds themselves differ mainly in weight and type of seed coat. For a certain type of seed, one or another sowing method is suitable. Following the rules will allow you to grow truly beautiful and healthy seedlings. Trees such as Japanese maple, hawthorn, juniper, hornbeam, quince require a preliminary freezing period. To do this, you need to place them in a cool room. wet sand. The rest period varies from six months to a year.
Pre-treatment of seeds
In order for the seeds to begin to germinate properly, they must be processed to avoid disease or death. Before planting, the seeds are placed in water for a couple of days. Or peat moss is also used for germination. To speed up the effect, you can break the hard shell of the seed. Next, they are treated with Bordeaux mixture against diseases and the soil is disinfected.
Bonsai seeds can be ordered online
For example, thermal soil treatment with drainage is suitable for fir. Usually a laundry bin is taken, in which two bricks are placed, edges down. Place a bucket on top so that it is tightly closed with a lid. As boiling water is poured, the top edges of the bricks should protrude three centimeters out of the water. Before this, holes are made at the bottom of the bucket, and gauze is placed on top of the bottom. It takes about 2-3 hours to warm up the soil.
Ready-made kit for growing Bonsai from seeds
There are other ways to sterilize soil - freezing. This is usually done late autumn. The soil is poured into a bag and left in the yard or loggia until frost sets in. Afterwards, the soil is brought into the room to thaw for 10 days. Before doing this, it is advisable to water it with melt water from fresh garden snow. Then for 6 - 7 days the soil is again exposed to the air. In this case, the temperature should be about -20 degrees. These processes of freezing and thawing the soil must be done 2-3 times to completely destroy harmful microorganisms and weed seeds.
Planting bonsai, soil
The seed is planted in spring, late summer or autumn. Peat pots, previously filled with a mixture of sand and peat in equal proportions, are ideal for planting. Or use cactus soil and coarse sand. You can’t fill the soil mixture to the brim; you have to leave about three centimeters. Above is a centimeter layer of pre-prepared soil. Then the entire mixture should be lightly pressed down with a piece of wood, the seeds should be laid out and covered with a layer of sand, no more than two diameters of the seed being planted. Press down again with a piece of wood and add a little water.
Mini greenhouse for Bonsai from an egg carriage
The container is covered with glass or plastic film to create a greenhouse effect. Then all the contents are placed in a place protected from the sun with a temperature no higher than 15 degrees. The soil should always be moderately moist and not dry out.
Seedling care
After the first shoots appear, air must be supplied to the container. To do this, several holes are made in the polyethylene, or you can place a sliver under the edge of the glass. As soon as the first leaves appear, the seedlings should be completely opened.
In the interval from one to three months, re-rooting is required. This is cutting off the tap root - 2/3 of its length. Sometimes a special hormone is injected to stimulate root formation.
Plants need to be fertilized, it is better to do this in early summer. Fertilizers should be added to the soil in small portions. When the seedling reaches a height of 10 centimeters, it is transplanted into flower pot. The plant must begin to be accustomed to sunlight. Don't forget to do periodic shaping. Depending on the type of bonsai, it is produced at the age of several years.
Using simple instructions and the tips suggested above, we can get the truly beautiful and healthy tree of our dreams.
Literally translated, the word “bonsai” means grown on a tray. Essentially, bonsai is an art that involves growing a miniature copy of a tree. It originated at the end of the 8th century, in China, and was the main decoration of the imperial court. Since that time, many styles have emerged that differ in the structure of the trunk and crown. Bonsai trees are outdoor trees, their size varies from two centimeters to one and a half meters. Even if you do not know how to grow bonsai at home, this art becomes accessible thanks to the article.
Trees for bonsai - types and features
Some people mistakenly believe that bonsai is some kind of crop characterized by dwarf size and bizarre shape. Actually this is not true. You can grow bonsai from almost any tree. The main condition is to know which culture is suitable for creating a harmonious miniature copy.
- Juniper, serviceberry, spruce and rhododendron 8-20 cm.
- Barberry, field and rock maple, privet, mountain pine 20-30 cm.
- Scots pine, American maple, birch, hazel, elm 30-70 cm.
- Linden, larch, ash, ash-leaved or sycamore maple, oak, beech, black pine 60-100 cm.
- Wisteria, chestnut, black pine, plane tree, elderberry, acacia 100-130 cm.
Seeds of the tree you like can be purchased at a botanical garden, a specialty store, or collected in a city park. A good option for beginners - buy seed in China. The seeds of trees such as spruce, pine, fir, oak or euonymus are ready for planting after collection.
Seeds of other plants must remain dormant for some time and undergo stratification.
Seed stratification as a measure of preparation for sowing
There are seeds that are specially prepared before planting - these are sakura seeds. In fact, the Japanese cherry tree (sakura) is an ideal material for creating bonsai. From the seeds of Japanese sakura, you can create real masterpieces that will amaze with their amazing shapes. In order for the plant to germinate properly, the seeds of this tree are subjected to stratification.
Essentially, stratification is a process that simulates winter conditions in order to improve seed germination. There are several ways to stratify plants:
- Cold stratification. Necessary for seeds that need ripening: pine, thuja or blue spruce. The seeds of such plants are first soaked in slightly warm water and then placed in the refrigerator. In this way, an artificial imitation of temperature differences in nature is produced.
- Warm stratification. Used to “awaken” seeds. Planting material is placed in warm water for several hours or days. You can also place the seeds not in liquid, but in a medium with high humidity: Wrap in damp cloth or place in damp coconut substrate.
- Combined stratification. Applies to maple, cedar, and sakura seeds, which take a long time to germinate. Its essence lies in the change of cold and warm stratification. Initially, the seeds are placed in a cold room, and immediately before planting they are soaked in warm water. Combined stratification is common when growing bonsai.
In addition to stratification, seeds should be disinfected so that plants are not afraid of fungal formations. To do this, you can use a solution of manganese.
This product perfectly disinfects seeds before planting. The seed is soaked in pinkish water. Disinfection of seeds lasts from 5 days to 2 weeks. After the seeds have been stratified and disinfected, they can be planted.
Soil and container for growing bonsai
The best soil for seeds is considered to be coarse sand, which is steamed before use. This is a kind of disinfection that will prevent the plant from dying. It is recommended to use a wide container with a depth of 5 cm and drainage holes. Before planting, the sand must be well moistened and special grooves must be made in which the seeds will be placed.
To grow bonsai at home, you should take care of preparing the soil and choosing the right container. The container in which the miniature tree is grown can be of different shapes and depths. Rectangle, oval, circle or polyhedron, deep or flat - the choice is really wide. Remember, if the bonsai trunk has a slope, then the container for it should be more stable. In this case, give preference to deep containers or those made of heavy material.
The color of the container should be calm and discreet; this will only emphasize the elegance of the plant. Moreover, the bowl must match the bonsai style. If miniature copy will have a dense crown, it is better to choose a flat and wide container. For a cascade style bonsai, a narrow and tall pot is suitable, and the tall crowns of the plant are better emphasized by containers that are deep, but not wide.
Before planting, scald the bowl with boiling water to destroy possible sources of fungus and bacteria.
Traditionally, bonsai are grown in a special substrate called akadama. It is a heavy soil that contains a lot of nutrients, high level moisture and good air circulation. However, such land is rarely used in its pure form. Firstly, it is available in its pure form only in one of the prefectures of Japan, and secondly, a high concentrate of useful substances does not always have a beneficial effect on bonsai, especially during the period when the tree is being shaped.
The substrate for bonsai must meet several criteria: retain moisture well, contain useful material and provide oxygen access to prevent souring or rotting of the roots. A good substrate is mixed from granular clay, humus and sand, in a ratio that is suitable for each type of plant.
- Type of tree and soil used.
- Deciduous trees. Turf soil and sand, in a ratio of 7 to 3 (3 parts sand and 7 parts turf).
- Blooming bonsai. The mixture is prepared from turf soil, sand and humus in a ratio of 7:3:1.
Coniferous bonsai. Four parts sand and 6 parts turf soil.
You can prepare the soil yourself at home. Turf soil can be dug up in a meadow. All you have to do is remove the top plant layer, and the top 20 centimeters of soil can be used for growing bonsai.
Before use, the soil must be cleaned by sifting through coarse sieve. Sand should be taken from river, coarse grain. It will make the soil looser, which will improve air circulation, and it will retain moisture better. Before use, all these components should be disinfected by heating in the oven. Humus should be purchased in a specialized store or ordered online.
Features of sowing seeds and plant care
Planting is done in spring, summer or early autumn in peat pots, which are filled with a mixture of sand and peat in a one-to-one ratio. If you have nowhere to buy peat, you can buy soil for cacti and mix it with coarse sand. Such a substance will be a complete replacement. Follow the following sequence of actions.
- Pour the mixture into the pot so that there is still 3 cm left to the edge.
- Add 1 centimeter of cleared turf soil and press down with a wooden circle.
- Place the seeds on the prepared surface and cover them with a layer of sand. The layer thickness is no more than twice the diameter of the seeds.
- Press down again with a wooden circle, remove it and pour water over the sand (no more than 80 ml).
- Cover with plastic wrap.
Place the pot with seeds in a dark place with a temperature of no more than 150C. Periodically remove the film for ventilation and check if the soil is dry. It should always be damp, but not wet.
When the first shoots emerge, pierce the polyethylene to provide air access. After the first shoots appear, remove the film from the pots and move them to a lighted room. Keep plants out of direct sunlight. After 2-3 months, it is worth cutting off the taproot by 2/3; this process is called the formation of seedlings.
Fertilizers are added to the ground where the seedlings ripen. It is necessary to transplant the seedlings into a separate form after the sprout has grown by 10 centimeters. During this period, the sprout can be accustomed to sun rays and at the same time do not stop forming the desired shape.
Using this scheme you can grow sakura bonsai or Japanese pine . But some types of trees require a special approach.
Features of agricultural technology of Japanese and red maple
This tree begins to drop seeds in the fall. To grow bonsai from maple seeds, they need to be stratified for 120 days. The optimal time for planting is April or May. To make sprouts appear faster, the seeds are soaked in hydrogen peroxide for 1-2 days. This measure will speed up the germination process and protect the plant from diseases.
Bonsai from seeds of all types of maple, especially red, must be grown in partial shade - direct sunlight is contraindicated for it. The land for growing this species should be fertilized once a month to achieve the required level acidity. In winter, feeding is excluded.
Features of lemon bonsai agricultural technology
Growing a plant from lemon seeds is not difficult. Stratification in this case is not needed. Seeds for planting are extracted directly from the fruit. It should be ripe, but without external damage. You can plant several seeds at once.
- Prepare the pot and soil as described above.
- Make 1-2 cm of drainage at the bottom of the container.
- Fill to the top with prepared soil.
- Place the lemon seeds at a depth of 1.5 cm.
- Wrap the pot in film.
In the room where the container with seeds will be stored, the temperature must be at least 180C. Every 2-3 days, remove the film and lightly moisten the surface with water. Do not over-moisten so that the resulting roots do not rot.
Features of cedar agricultural technology
The easiest way to grow bonsai is from cedar seeds; they are suitable for beginner gardeners. Stratification seed material has two stages.
- Lasts 6 days. The seeds are placed in water at a temperature of 25-300C and changed every two days.
- The stratification period is 60 days. The seeds are taken out of the water and mixed with disinfected river sand and peat. This substance with the seeds is moistened and stirred periodically until the first shoots hatch.
Once the sprouts have hatched, the seeds can be planted or placed in a container. In this form, cedar seeds can be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of 20C until planted in a pot. Cedar loves a lighted place, but does not tolerate direct sunlight.
The exception is a young bonsai made from Japanese cedar seed. It will grow better in a shaded area.
Features of Japanese pine agricultural technology
There are 2 types Japanese pine: black (less demanding on lighting) and regular. Before planting, the seeds undergo a mandatory 3-month cold stratification. Seeds should be planted in a deep container to a depth of 2 centimeters. Sowing time is the end of winter.
The grooves are cut at a distance of 3 cm from each other to facilitate the care of sprouted but not yet mature bonsai seedlings. When the first leaves appear, you can take the container into a bright room. With the accelerated process of photosynthesis, the sprouts will grow stronger faster. You can begin to form the crown as soon as the plant reaches 5 cm in height.
Watering, fertilizing, wintering
The main problem in caring for a bonsai is watering it. Because of small size pots, the roots of the tree are deformed and the efficiency of watering decreases. There are two main methods of watering: irrigation and submersion.
- The plant is watered with water from a special kettle.
- The tree pot is placed in a bowl of water and taken out after a few minutes.
It is better to water with rainwater, but if there is none, let it sit for two days with tap water.
Remember, bonsai die without water. Even if its leaves are green, if there has been no watering for a long time, the roots are most likely dead.
In summer, watering should be done more often and more water should be poured.
Feeding is important when growing bonsai, especially at the time of crown formation. The tree is fertilized once every 2-3 weeks, and algae-based fertilizer must be applied once a month. The most important components of fertilizer are potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus.
Nitrogen is responsible for the growth and development of tree leaves and stems. It is the main component that promotes cell division and protein production.
Phosphorus stimulates cell division, is responsible for budding and has a positive effect on root growth and development. Protects against diseases.
Potassium helps fight microorganisms that cause disease, promotes fruiting and flower development.
Bonsai food must contain these substances. IN flower shops hard to find suitable option, which contains all substances in the required proportions. Therefore, we recommend mixing fertilizers yourself in the following proportions:
- In the spring, when the growth period is more intense, add more nitrogen. The optimal ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is 12:6:6, respectively;
- in summer, nutrition should be more balanced, so components are added in equal proportions - 10:10:10
- In autumn, less nitrogen is required, the optimal ratio of components is 3 parts nitrogen and 9 parts each of phosphorus and potassium.
If the bonsai is grown from flowering tree– focus on adding potassium in a proportional ratio of 12:6:6
Indoor bonsai plants are fertilized all year round, and street ones - from early spring to mid-autumn. Young trees are fertilized once every 2 weeks, older bonsai can be fed once every 4-6 weeks. Flowering bonsai should not be fed during the flowering period or immediately after it. When feeding, remember that it is better to apply less fertilizer than to “overfeed” the plant.
When winter comes, inexperienced gardeners who have miniature trees outside make a huge mistake - they bring them indoors. warm room. This behavior causes the tree to constantly grow, which takes too much energy and depletes resources. By depriving the plant of its natural “rest”, all efforts can be wasted. A tree that grows on the street needs to be properly prepared for wintering:
- Clean the branches of dirt and pests.
- Move the trees to an elevated, lighted, draft-free spot in the garden.
- At temperatures below -100C, move the plant to an unheated room.
- Make sure the soil is not too wet.
Bonsai is an amazing art and painstaking work that begins with the selection and search of seeds and never ends. Like all living things, bonsai requires care and thanks its owner for his kindness with green leaves, bizarre shapes and a unique sophistication of the image.
To reinforce the material, watch a good video on growing bonsai from seeds. The author has a lot to learn!
There are many plants growing in our garden, some of which were there even before the garden was formed - old, perennial trees that simply remained on the site, a young garden produced by our own efforts, as well as many flowers and industrial plants, berry bushes, root vegetables, etc. Further. But, despite the abundance of beautiful and useful plants on the site, you always want something new and unusual.
Bonsai can be such a position in the garden - growing an exact copy of a tree, but only in miniature. Today we will look at how you can grow bonsai from seeds. The path is not easy and long, but it brings the desired result.
So, let's start with the fact that you can grow a huge number of bonsai from seeds, but it will require patience, time and some expenses, because some plants can take more than five years. As we said right away, the path is not easy and quite long, and only the most patient gardener will reach the end, who will get the desired result.
Popular bonsai trees that can be grown from seeds
Almost every tree can be grown in this way, but you also need to know about the popularity of one or another. For example, among the tropical ones, the most popular are boxwoods, myrtles, abutilons, leptospermums, acacias, wisterias and, of course, ficuses. Broadleaf trees include beeches, hornbeams, maples, birches, elms, Japanese beeches and pomegranate trees. Conifers include fir, cypress, spruce, cedar and pine.
Also read: What diseases and pests affect bonsai
Where to get seeds of maple and other trees
Bonsai seeds can be found in botanical gardens or even public parks, where beautiful and often unique trees often grow. If you do not have such an opportunity, then you can always buy seeds for growing bonsai at home. This can be done online or through live plant stores, either locally or by order. But you shouldn’t be particularly deceived by the beautiful images on the packages of seeds that are sold, because what you are buying is only planting material, from which the desired bonsai will be obtained only as a result of special efforts, knowledge and labor.
Store seeds or plant immediately
The seeds of various plants may differ from each other not only in appearance and weight, but also in the type of seed box. In addition, for each individual variety there is a specific sowing method that will allow the seeds to germinate correctly.
Seeds of spruce, pine, beech, oak, euonymus and fir are ready for sowing at the moment of collection. If they need to be planted at another time, the seeds can always be saved by placing them in a cool place, after wrapping them or placing them in some container.
Seeds of other plants, such as hawthorn, juniper, maple, hornbeam, quince, require some period of dormancy and stratification. They must be kept in a cool place, first placed in wet sand. The period of such rest may have different terms, from six months to a year.
How to germinate seeds, is pre-treatment necessary?
In order for the seeds to be ready for planting, they must be properly germinated and treated with preparations, otherwise problems such as seed death due to certain diseases are possible. Before planting, the seeds are placed in water for several days to swell and begin the process of primary germination. It is also possible to germinate seeds in sphagnum moss or vermiculite. In this case, it is advisable to break the hard shell of the seeds. This process ensures better germination. Further, in order to avoid the appearance of plant diseases, the seeds should be treated with a fungicide, liquid or dry, and the soil must be sterilized.
How to grow bonsai (video)
Planting a seed, soil composition
Prepared seeds are planted in spring, late summer or even autumn. Peat cups or pots pre-filled with a mixture of sand and peat in a 1:1 ratio are excellent for planting. You can replace this composition with store-bought cactus soil, to which coarse sand should be added. The soil mixture should not fill the container to the brim; you need to leave about three centimeters to the top. Next is 1 centimeter of prepared, but already sifted soil. Next, the soil needs to be pressed down a little with a piece of wood and the seeds laid out. They are sprinkled with sand on top. The thickness of the last layer should be a maximum of two diameters of the seed being planted. Press it down again with a piece of wood and water it a little.
The seeding container is covered with polyethylene or glass to create a greenhouse effect and placed in a place away from sunlight and high temperatures, which should not exceed +15 degrees Celsius.
The soil in the container should be constantly moist, not dry out or filled with water.
Seedling care
At the moment when the first sprouts from the seeds are noticed, it is necessary to ensure the flow of fresh air into the container. This can be achieved by placing a small sliver under the glass or making plastic film several small holes. When the first leaves appear, the seedlings can be completely opened.
At the age of one to three months, it is necessary to form seedlings. The taproot is cut off (when picking), approximately 2/3. There is a possibility that the seedling will have to be re-rooted. In this case, you will need to use a drug that stimulates root formation, such as a special hormone.
Seedlings need to be fed with fertilizers. It is advisable to do this in early summer, adding fertilizer to the soil in small portions. When the plant reaches a height of 10 centimeters, it must be transplanted into an ordinary flower pot. The plant can begin to be acclimated to sunlight. Do not forget that the plant requires constant formation, only then it will turn into the plant you dreamed of, truly decorative and beautiful. Depending on the type of bonsai, its formation can be done at the age of several years.
An indoor bonsai is an object of constant care, an object of contemplation, an important element of Feng Shui and a family heirloom that is passed down from generation to generation. Growing a tree from the seeds of a plant can bring you complete creative satisfaction and rave reviews. Although it will take quite a long time (at least three years) before you can begin to fully care for and shape the tree, this is the only way to grow a bonsai from the very beginning at home!
If you collect seeds from trees growing in your area (such as pine or maple), then it is better not to plant them in the fall, but if you want to plant them in the spring, or grow a tree that is not typical for your climate, then the seeds of the plant will be needed stratify.
Stratification is a preliminary treatment of plant seeds that simulates winter conditions, something like hardening. Growing and caring for a novice florist can be somewhat difficult, so it is worth first germinating the seeds of local trees in the fall, just as it happens in natural conditions.
Where to get bonsai seeds, germination and care
You can collect seeds in the fall from coniferous or deciduous trees in your region (spruce, pine, maple, oak, etc.). Seeds, like fruits such as chestnuts or acorns, are easy to find in the forest.
Conifer seeds can be found in pine cones.
After you collect pine, spruce or cedar cones, you need to store them in a warm place so that the seeds poke out between the separated scales.
Seeds of sakura plants or other exotic trees can be obtained from China, and they receive mostly positive customer reviews. From exotic seeds you can create a bonsai mix, which is easy to care for.
The ability of a seed to germinate depends on a number of factors:
- On the quality and viability of seeds;
- From the ambient temperature;
- From the method of collection and storage;
- Depending on how much time has passed since ripening.
It is advisable to use fresh seeds that have ripened this or last year; The seeds of some trees remain viable for a very short time.
The seeds of a plant are biologically programmed to germinate in their native habitat when environmental conditions are most favorable. For most species, this means that seeds that ripen in late summer and fall will go dormant during the winter and then germinate when the soil warms.
Sprouting in the spring, the young seedling has the entire spring, summer and fall to grow and strengthen for its first winter.
Therefore, many seeds ripen all summer, and, falling to the ground, do not grow, but overwinter under the snow, of course, if they are not eaten by birds or animals. Conifers especially suffer from animals - pine, cedar, various spruce trees.
It is possible to stratify seeds by simulating the effect of repeated freezing and thawing in a refrigerator during the winter, and then gradually warming the soil and increasing daylight hours.
The plant seeds should be washed in water for 5-6 hours, and then placed in a damp plastic bag and left at room temperature for 3-4 days. Seeds that swell in water are viable, but any floating seeds are essentially empty shells and will not germinate and must be removed, no matter how many there are.
A plastic bag with seeds is placed at the bottom of the refrigerator, where the temperature is about 4°C. The bag is then gradually moved to the top shelves of the refrigerator over a period of two weeks until it reaches the top shelf, where the temperature is just above freezing. During the second two-week period, the bag should be slowly moved down to the bottom of the refrigerator. After this, the seeds can be removed from the refrigerator and sown in the soil.
Bonsai: getting to know the art (video)
How long does bonsai grow from seeds?
Growing a beautiful home bonsai from a seed is a very long and difficult work process, but caring for such a bonsai is the highest pleasure. It may take years, or even more, your entire life, but it will be worth it. A miniature pine, oak or cherry blossom is incomparably beautiful.
Beginners usually buy ready-made bonsai seedlings in stores or online resources, but you can find plant seeds right in the forest in your area.
Coniferous trees - spruce, pine, fir - generally cannot tolerate transplantation, since they have a single-root system with very delicate root hairs. It is best to plant seeds from trees in your region (not tropical or equatorial) in the fall so they can begin to germinate in the spring. You need to start caring for them as soon as they emerge from the soil.
In Japan, it is customary to grow heirloom bonsai, care for them, and pass them on from generation to generation. A tree lives for hundreds of years, it can even live a thousand or more, and what does human life mean before practically eternal life tree? Conifers live the longest - redwoods live up to 4000 years.
Bonsai carmona care at home
Carmona or Fujian tea is one of the favorite types of tropical bonsai. Seeds and seedlings of the plant are easily available at online discounters, bonsai nurseries, and sold on many online platforms. In another way it is called carmona small-leaved. Under natural conditions, it grows in the form of a small tree or shrub no more than 4 meters high. Carmona is distributed from India and Malaysia to the Philippines. Photos of Carmona can be seen on many resources dedicated to floristry and bonsai.
The tree is constantly covered with small white five-petaled flowers. If the flowers are pollinated, they produce miniature red drupes. Although carmona is not as beautiful as cherry blossoms, many people find charm and beauty in it.
Carmona has no dormant period and grows all year round. The tree grows upward, so you need ongoing care– you will have to twist the branches with wire to achieve curly shapes. The tree needs to be constantly pinched, but woody branches are almost impossible to bend.
Large scars on the bark practically do not heal, which means you need to think about how to hide them in the bark. Caring for the bark consists of periodically etching it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
The main disadvantage of karmona is its attractiveness to insects, especially mealybug which can kill the tree. In addition, bonsai are affected by aphids and scale insects. Unfortunately, carmona is sensitive to many systemic pesticides, especially diazinon. Before spraying the carmona with anything, try it on a separate leaf, and if it does not turn black within 7 days, then you can treat the whole plant.
All types of karmona have leaves with uneven surface, similar to sandpaper with small gray spots. This is normal and is not a consequence of insect infestation.
Fertilize the tree weekly, during the entire growth period. Do not fertilize newly purchased, transplanted or diseased trees.
It is best to keep the carmona on the south or west side of the house. If the window faces north or east, then you need to illuminate the plant with a fluorescent lamp from a distance of 10-15 cm for 10-12 hours every day.
Growing the plant from fresh seeds is very easy. You just need to remove the juicy peel from the fruit, plant fresh seeds in the bonsai soil, and lightly water to keep the soil moist. The seeds will sprout within 4 weeks. Allow them to grow for a year, and then begin to form the trunk and crown using wire. Stem cuttings are also very easy to root.
Bonsai pine from seeds (video master class)
This MK describes how to plant and germinate pine seeds for bonsai in the early stages. Will also be shown proper care and conditions for keeping the seedlings.
Part 1: where to start (video)
Part 2: first shoots (video)
Podocarpus bonsai care at home
Podocarpus macrofolia (Buddhist pine or yew) - rather slow-growing evergreen tree, is very often grown as a bonsai.
It is quite easy to care for:
- Water regularly; Buddhist pine does not like drought.
- Feeding - every two weeks during the growing season, in winter - in small quantities and less often.
- You can prune at any time of the year. Regular pruning will help form a lush, beautiful crown.
- Repot every 2-3 years, avoid cutting the roots too much. Podocarpus prefers slightly acidic soil.
- Propagation by cuttings, in summer.
Bonsai at home: decorative thuja (video)
Bonsai culture came from Japan and China and has firmly established itself throughout the world. The most favorite bonsai are pine, yew, oak, as well as sakura and carmona. There are numerous recommendations on how to grow bonsai at home. To grow bonsai from seeds, you just need to collect them in a forest or park, or buy them in brick-and-mortar or online stores. Japanese cherry trees are very popular - sakura, podocarpus, carmona, as well as coniferous trees because of their unpretentiousness and exceptional beauty. Bonsai care comes down to watering, fertilizing, replanting, protecting from pests and forming the crown using pruning and wire twisting.
Bonsai at home (photo)
