Latest Prices for Podocarpus Bonsai and a Detailed Guide to Growing and Care
The Podocarpus bonsai has a lush, elegant, and graceful tree form, vigorous and ancient-looking, with leaves that stay fresh green in all four seasons, giving a sense of strength and noble purity. If attached to rocks to create an eagle-claw-embracing-stone posture, it becomes even more antique and unique; grouped with bamboo and stones it is extremely elegant. If cultivated properly, it can flourish without decline for decades or even a hundred years. Now let us take a look at the price of Podocarpus bonsai and its growing methods!
How much is a pot of Podocarpus bonsai?
There are many factors affecting the price of Podocarpus bonsai. Generally, it is several hundred yuan per pot, while good ones can cost several thousand yuan or even tens of thousands of yuan. The ornamental value of Podocarpus bonsai is very high, with a clear, elegant and upright charm and a majestic, vigorous and proud aura. Combined with meanings in Chinese culture such as “longevity” and “keeping wealth and good fortune”, owners pursuing high-grade courtyard landscaping often like to keep one or two pots of Podocarpus to add a finishing touch to their own “garden story”.
How to make a Podocarpus bonsai
1. Propagation: Podocarpus sowing can be carried out in August, usually in an open seedbed, sowing immediately after collection, covered with straw, taking care to shade and keep the substrate moist. Cutting propagation can be carried out in spring and autumn, with spring cuttings in mid-March and autumn cuttings in July to August.
2. Potting: Podocarpus is usually potted before sprouting in spring. The potting soil should be loose, well-drained, slightly acidic sandy loam. Because the Podocarpus posture is simple and elegant, it is suitable to use a purple clay pot or glazed pottery pot for cultivation, and the pot shape is determined by the tree shape.
3. Styling: Podocarpus styling is mostly carried out during the dormant period, mainly by wiring and supplemented by pruning. There are many styles, and common forms include curved-trunk style, slanting-trunk style, lying-cloud style, cliff-hanging style and exposed-root style, etc. The branches and leaves can be pruned into layered or bun-like shapes.
How to grow and care for Podocarpus bonsai
1. Location: Household potted Podocarpus should be kept outdoors in a ventilated place all year round, and must not be kept indoors for a long time, otherwise the leaves will turn yellow and fall off, eventually causing death. In summer, when temperatures are high, it should not be exposed to strong sunlight and needs to be kept in a semi-shaded place.
2. Watering: Podocarpus likes moist soil. During the growing season it should be watered frequently to keep the potting soil moist, but water must not accumulate in the pot. In summer, water should often be sprayed on the leaves or the ground, while in autumn and winter the water supply can be appropriately reduced.
3. Fertilizing: During the spring and autumn growing seasons, Podocarpus only needs 1 to 2 applications of nitrogen-based topdressing. Mature specimens should not be fertilized too much. During the growing season, apply a diluted, thoroughly decomposed liquid fertilizer once every 1 month, and stop fertilizing after the beginning of autumn.
4. Temperature: Podocarpus can be moved outdoors when the outdoor temperature is stable at around 10°C. After summer begins, move it to a semi-shaded place. When the winter temperature drops to 5°C, it should be moved indoors. After moving indoors, control watering, and it can overwinter safely as long as conditions do not freeze.
5. Pruning: Podocarpus should be pruned frequently to maintain its tree shape. When flowering, it is best to remove the flower buds in time to avoid consuming nutrients. For bonsai that has already been styled, attention must be paid to pinching and pruning to prevent excessive growth of branches and leaves, so as to maintain the original posture.
6. Pests and diseases: Podocarpus is mainly harmed by leaf spot disease and anthracnose. Spray with a 500-fold dilution of 50% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder. Pests include scale insects, red spiders and bagworms, which can be killed by spraying with a 1500-fold dilution of 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate.
7. Repotting: Podocarpus is generally repotted once every 2 years. Repotting can be done in either spring or autumn. When repotting, take care to properly cut away excess roots and decayed fibrous roots, and at the same time cut off overly dense branches, and add new culture soil.
Precautions for Podocarpus bonsai
1. Prevent excessive growth: During the growth period of Podocarpus, attention should be paid to pruning and pinching already styled plants to prevent excessive growth of branches and leaves, and to maintain the graceful posture of the Podocarpus. This is generally done during the spring and autumn growing seasons.
2. Prevent cold injury: In winter, when the outdoor temperature drops to 5°C, Podocarpus should be moved indoors. After moving indoors, control watering and stop fertilizing. If there is continuous severe frost, it should temporarily be moved to a sunny and warm place to avoid the leaf tips being frozen and scorched.
3. Prevent pests: Potted Podocarpus should usually be placed on a high platform or stone base, which can reduce ants, earthworms and other insects crawling into the flower pot through the bottom hole and harming the plant.
4. Prevent root rot: During the growing season, Podocarpus is best kept with the potting soil slightly dry. If watered too much, it will cause root rot and yellow leaves, and in severe cases a large number of leaves will fall off and the plant will eventually die.