What are the cultivation methods and precautions for boxwood bonsai?

The main place of origin of boxwood is in our country, and it is currently distributed in many places in our country. Nowadays many people grow boxwood in pots for bonsai viewing. However, if you want its ornamental value to be high, its cultivation methods are also very important. If you do not master them, it is very likely to cause poor growth or even death of the boxwood bonsai.

How to grow boxwood bonsai

1. The type of fertilizer should be determined according to the different growth stages of boxwood. During its seedling stage, apply more phosphorus fertilizer; during its growth period, apply more nitrogen fertilizer; and before growth stops in autumn, apply more potassium fertilizer. In addition, the specific amount of fertilizer is calculated according to the stage. Generally speaking, it increases during the growth period and then decreases afterward.

2. Generally carry this out once every 2 to 3 years, preferably before spring sprouting. Along with repotting, cut off some old roots and overly long and dense root systems, replace 1/2 of the old soil, and fill in fertile, loose culture soil to promote root development.

Boxwood bonsai cultivation methods and precautions

1. Cultivation methods:

1. Watering. Boxwood likes moisture, and the bonsai needs frequent watering to keep the pot soil moist, but it must not become waterlogged. During the high-temperature period in summer, water in the morning and evening, and also spray water on the leaves.

2. Fertilizing. During the growth period from May to August, apply 2 to 3 times of fully decomposed dilute cake fertilizer water. In winter, apply 1 basal fertilizer, using rotted barnyard manure or dry cake fertilizer crumbs.

3. Pruning. During the growth period, cut off leggy branches, overlapping branches, and excess branches that affect the tree shape at any time. Boxwood sprouts relatively quickly. Generally, after new shoots appear, cut off the first 1 to 2 nodes at the tip to prevent leggy growth. After boxwood fruits, remove them promptly to avoid consuming nutrients and affecting the tree's growth vigor.

2. Precautions:

The type of fertilizer should be determined according to the different growth stages of boxwood. During its seedling stage, apply more phosphorus fertilizer; during its growth period, apply more nitrogen fertilizer; and before growth stops in autumn, apply more potassium fertilizer. In addition, the specific amount of fertilizer is calculated according to the stage. Generally speaking, it increases during the growth period and then decreases afterward.

How to promote budding in boxwood bonsai

1. Promote budding according to growth habits. Boxwood is especially afraid of strong light exposure, so during the process of growing boxwood bonsai, you must pay attention: only indirect light is allowed, and it must not be directly exposed to sunlight under the hot sun. Boxwood likes fertilizer, so you can spray an appropriate amount of nitrogen fertilizer on its leaves year-round, but the concentration needs to be lower. When watering boxwood normally, note that you can mix in a trace amount of nitrogen fertilizer. The leaves grown this way will have very good gloss and be very beautiful.

2. Method for promoting budding. Actually it is very simple, and the raw material used is also very cheap, namely gibberellin, also known as 920. The amount used should be determined according to the degree of aging of the boxwood stem. In severe cases, a higher concentration can be used, generally around a 1000-fold dilution. Dissolve it with alcohol and then add clean water to dilute it, and then it can be used. Use a brush to evenly apply it to the areas where budding needs to be promoted, applying once a day. Following this method for two or three times will allow new buds to grow.

Common pests and diseases of boxwood bonsai and their control

1. Peach aphid. Control method: protect natural enemies such as ladybugs and green lacewings. You can choose 20% fenvalerate-killing emulsifiable concentrate at 2000-fold dilution or 2000 to 3000-fold imidacloprid powder for spraying.

2. Leaf spot disease. Control method: select healthy, disease-free seedlings for planting. From early June to July, spray 50% carbendazim at 500-fold dilution or 75% chlorothalonil at 500-fold dilution, or 50% thiram wettable powder at 800 to 1000-fold dilution for prevention to reduce the incidence rate, spraying once every 10 to 15 days for 3 consecutive sprays. In winter, clear away fallen leaves and burn them in a centralized manner.

When growing boxwood bonsai, you can generally start from its growth habits, and the management of temperature and light must be strengthened. In the later stage of cultivation, timely pruning and pest and disease control are also needed. Only by doing these tasks well can the boxwood grow well.