1. Do not blindly seek out tree stumps

Many flower enthusiasts always want to own more bonsai so they can enjoy them at any time, to quench their "hunger" and "thirst." But when first learning to make bonsai, due to insufficient appreciation skills, they want every stump they see when collecting stumps in the mountains and fields, carrying out "carpet-style" digging, which both wastes resources and destroys the ecology. When buying at the market, they also do not distinguish good from bad or superior from inferior, and purchase in large quantities. The result is mostly low-grade coarse pieces, wasting time, effort and money. Therefore, although the eagerness of beginners to seek stumps is understandable, they must have guidance from an expert, so as to avoid getting half the result with twice the effort.

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Collected wild stumps: absolutely do not proceed blindly

2. Do not be careless when cultivating stumps

The ancients said: "Success comes from thought, ruin comes from carelessness." The same applies to cultivating stump bonsai. The care of stump bonsai requires patience and carefulness, and even more so requires knowledge of plant growth characteristics, soil structure, water and fertilizer application, and pest and disease control. In the process of caring for stump bonsai, pay attention to the following five points:

1. Absolutely do not handle tree stumps carelessly

Each tree stump must be carefully pruned of its branches and roots according to one's own styling ideas, and the wounds must be treated properly before it can be planted in the soil, otherwise it will not be conducive to the stump's survival.

2. Absolutely do not be careless with soil preparation

Soil is an important factor affecting whether a stump survives and thrives. If the soil is well prepared, there is greater hope for the stump's survival.

Bonsai stump cultivation

3. Absolutely do not be careless with watering and fertilizing

Plant growth cannot do without fertilizer and water, but one should apply thin fertilizer frequently and water at the right time and in the right amount. If one hastily applies large amounts of water and fertilizer, the stump cannot absorb it, which will cause waterlogging and root rot or fertilizer damage, and its survival will be at risk.

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4. Absolutely do not be careless in dealing with pests and diseases

Many pests and diseases can endanger a plant's life within a few days, so they must not be treated lightly. One must discover them promptly and control them promptly.

5. Absolutely do not fiddle with the stump carelessly

When a stump is planted in the ground or in a large pot, one must wait until its root system is well developed and it has completely survived before repotting and changing the soil in a suitable season and suitable weather. Absolutely do not bury it in the ground one moment and then, eager to pot it up for display, move it back and forth, for even a living stump will become a dead stump.

3. Do not rush the styling

Personally creating a uniquely styled work is undoubtedly the most exciting thing, but one must absolutely not rush.

1. Avoid rushing to style when care has not been sufficient

The branches of a tree stump must grow to a certain degree of sturdiness and gradually form transition branches with the trunk before they can be pruned and styled. One must absolutely not judge by length rather than sturdiness, and once the branches have grown to a certain length, bind and suspend them in a "twisted dough twist" manner. On the surface it may appear to have a certain shape, but on closer inspection it "lacks proper maturity," especially for deciduous plants, whose defects become clearly evident when viewed in winter.

A bit dirty

2. Avoid styling when considerations are not mature

A tree stump requires repeated deliberation before a styling plan can be determined. Beginners, because they have only a smattering of styling techniques and are eager to get hands-on, rush blindly into action, and afterward keep making drastic corrections, causing a single tree stump to be moved and shifted around, delaying the time and opportunity for it to take shape.

It is suggested that beginners, when styling, had best first put forward their own views, and then seek guidance from an expert. This way they avoid detours and it also helps improve their own artistic cultivation.

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