How to shape a Chaenomeles speciosa bonsai? The quick method is easy to understand at a glance
The flowers of Chaenomeles speciosa are gorgeous and pleasing to the eye, and its branches are vigorous, slanting, hard and powerful. With softness within strength, it is richest in antique charm. The fruit ripens in October and is golden yellow, also quite ornamental, making it an excellent bonsai tree species for both flowers and fruit. Generally, a Chaenomeles speciosa bonsai takes about five years from rooted cutting to finished form. In addition, its branches are hard and prone to producing water sprouts, making wiring, pruning and shaping rather difficult. Through five years of practice, we have worked out a quick method for shaping Chaenomeles speciosa bonsai, described in detail below:
1. Cultivating the plant form: For field-grown or potted Chaenomeles speciosa, cut off diseased, weak and dead branches so that the interior of the clump is hollow, which helps ventilation and light penetration. Also select large branches with unique branch forms for careful pruning, pruning 3?5 times that year so that the branches twist and extend. The last pruning should preferably be completed before the end of July, otherwise it will affect flower bud differentiation and the flower quantity will be sparse the following year. At the same time, strengthen fertilizer and water management to ensure lush flowers and leaves.
2. Air layering: Air layering of Chaenomeles speciosa can be carried out right after the flowers fade. First girdle the selected large branch for 1?1.5cm; if 50?100pp rooting powder is applied, rooting can be advanced by 5?10 days. Then take a square piece of clean plastic film with a side length of 15?25cm, drill a small hole in the center just large enough to pass the trunk through, and cut from the middle of one side toward the center. Put the plastic film around the trunk 10cm below the girdle, tie it, then fold it upward into a pouch and fill it with prepared growing medium. The growing medium must be light and well drained; generally use vermiculite or leaf mold, decomposed sawdust plus a small amount of garden soil, mix evenly, sprinkle in an appropriate amount of water, and sieve while moist. Fill with 0.25?0.5 kg of growing medium, then tie the plastic film 5cm above the girdle. In daily care, pay attention to maintaining the moisture of the growing medium inside the plastic film. If the growing medium turns white, water can be injected with a syringe, and pay attention to shaping.
3. Cutting off from the mother plant and cultivating: One month after air layering, white young roots will successively emerge at the girdled area. When the number of roots exceeds 10, the total length exceeds 50cm, and the root color turns yellow, it can be cut off from the mother plant. According to the rooting situation, the size of the branch tip and the thickness of the trunk, it can be cut off in 1-3 times. After cutting, remove the plastic film and plant it in a flower pot slightly larger than the soil ball. At the same time, cut off some branches or remove some leaves to maintain the balance between transpiration and water absorption. After keeping it in a shaded place for two weeks, it can enter routine care. Because Chaenomeles speciosa roots quickly, it must be repotted once that year. In winter, the flower pot can be buried in the soil outdoors to overwinter. The next year it becomes a bonsai with an elegant antique posture, abundant flowers and lush leaves, and heavy fruit. The characteristics of this method are a short shaping time, requiring only 1 year; and the root system is uniform, so with slight root lifting it can become coiled and twisted; the roots are small, suitable for planting in various landscape pots; the flowers are abundant and the leaves lush, with an elegant antique posture, and it can be produced in large quantities at one time. According to experiments, air layering on 10-year-old old branches can still succeed in one attempt. The shortcoming is that exposed roots are not easy to achieve and require more than 2 years of root lifting.
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