How to Grow a Pine Bonsai? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Care Methods
The pine bonsai is one of the most popular bonsai among modern bonsai enthusiasts. It can be placed indoors, on balconies, in courtyards and in public places, where it serves as a fine decorative feature. At the same time, in feng shui the pine represents longevity and the vibrant vitality of life, so it is much loved by people. Let us take a look below at how to grow a pine bonsai!
How much does a pine bonsai cost?
The market price of pine bonsai varies according to size, variety, craftsmanship and so on. A pine seedling bonsai without a pot and 50-60 cm tall sells for 25 yuan; a pine bonsai without a pot, four years old and 80-90 cm tall, sells for 50 yuan; a pine bonsai without a pot, 7 years old and about 1 m tall, sells for 65 yuan; and a pine bonsai without a pot, 8 years old and about 110 cm tall, sells for about 85 yuan.
The symbolism of the pine bonsai
1. Longevity: The pine has a long lifespan, so giving a pine as a gift in daily life is often taken to mean that the recipient hopes you will enjoy longevity as boundless as the pine's.
2. Lofty spirit: As everyone knows, pines mostly grow on high mountain peaks or in the crevices between rocks. On slopes without vegetation cover, only the pine stands tall, and a sense of lofty spirit bursts forth in an instant.
3. Uprightness: The pine's straight, tall trunk and solemn, dignified bearing both express its noble qualities and moral integrity. Uprightness and unyielding resistance to falsehood are the symbolic meanings long attributed to the pine.
How to grow a pine bonsai?
1. Environment: The pine is cold-hardy and drought-tolerant and can be kept year-round in courtyards on terraced slopes, on balconies and on flat platforms, in places with ample light and moving air. Small bonsai, however, should not be exposed to strong sunlight in midsummer. In winter they can overwinter in the open ground; it is best to bury the whole pot in a sunny, wind-sheltered spot. If overwintering indoors, the room temperature should not be too high, and they can be moved outdoors at Qingming Festival.
2. Watering: The pine likes dry conditions and dislikes waterlogging, so do not water excessively; water only when the soil is dry, and water thoroughly when you do. Moderately controlling water during the growing season can make the branches and trunk thick and short and the needles short and small, adding ornamental value. In high summer temperatures, the foliage can be misted frequently, which benefits growth.
3. Fertilizing: The pine tolerates poor, thin soil and can grow normally even when the soil lacks fertilizer, and this also promotes a short trunk, dense branches and short needles. During the growing season, however, applying 1-2 light applications of thin, well-rotted cake fertilizer water helps it grow vigorously and increases its resistance to pests and diseases.
4. Pruning: To maintain its graceful, antique tree form, a pine bonsai must be pruned appropriately. During the growing season, pruning is mainly bud pinching, 3-4 times a year. When the new buds have elongated but the needles have not yet sprouted, about 1/2 of each terminal bud can be pinched off; for bonsai that do not need to grow more branches, the terminal buds can be removed entirely. Branches that spoil the beauty of the tree form can be pruned during the dormant period.
5. Repotting: A pine bonsai is generally repotted once every 3-5 years, preferably in February to March. When repotting, keep the original root ball intact as it is taken out, remove 1/2 of the old soil, cut away overly long roots as well as dead and rotten roots, and at the same time prune some unnecessary branches and foliage to keep the upper and lower parts of the potted plant in balance. If the original pot is not large enough, it can be changed to a slightly larger new pot; the planting method is the same as for initial potting.
6. Diseases: Common pine diseases include leaf rust, needle cast, twisting branch disease and pine gall disease. For pine needle rust and pine gall disease, spray 65% wettable ferbam or ziram at 300 times dilution; for needle cast, spray lime sulfur at 0.5 degrees Baume.
7. Pests: Common pine pests include aphids, scale insects, red spider mites and pine tip moths. For red spider mites, pine tip moths and the like, spray 50% fenitrothion emulsifiable concentrate at 1000-1500 times dilution, or 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 2000 times dilution.