How to water small bonsai scientifically? A detailed guide to the methods
More and more friends are now growing plants at home, and many of them are bonsai enthusiasts. Growing a small bonsai at home not only purifies the air but also beautifies the environment, so it is fair to say it is a good choice. But bonsai lovers who keep small bonsai often do not know how to water them scientifically, so the editor will introduce the watering methods for small bonsai.
Small potted plants
For small bonsai, rainwater is the best water to use. If tap water is used, it is best to let it sit for two or three days so the chlorine in the water evaporates before use. Small bonsai should not be watered directly the way medium and large bonsai are; generally the following two methods are used.
1. The immersion method. This means immersing the entire bonsai in water, letting air bubbles escape, and taking it out only after it is completely soaked through; you can also use a tray filled with water, and a bonsai placed in a water-filled tray can maintain a water supply for one or two days. Placing several bonsai in one large tray easily creates a humid microclimate environment and promotes growth.
2. The spray method. This means using a dedicated sprayer to spray water on the leaves and at the roots. In spring and autumn, water once each morning and evening; during the plum rain period, avoid heavy rain washing over them, to prevent lodging that would affect growth; in summer and autumn, when temperatures are high and the air is dry, prevent heat stress and lower the temperature, and increase the frequency of spraying and watering.
Key points for managing small bonsai
1. Fertilize in good timeBecause small bonsai are in small pots, if they are not fertilized in time the trees will decline prematurely or their branches will wither. For foliage bonsai, apply a fertilizer solution mainly containing nitrogen; for flowering and fruiting bonsai, apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer solution; for pine and cypress bonsai, one application of base fertilizer a year is enough. In summer, because temperature and humidity conditions are suitable, potted plants readily send out new shoots and tender leaves and grow extremely fast, so properly supplementing fertilizer for the potted plants can maintain the growth of branches and leaves of small bonsai. In addition, fertilization should be carried out on sunny days when the potting soil is on the dry side, so that the fertilizer is not easily lost.
2. Water scientifically
For small bonsai, rainwater is the best water to use. If tap water is used, it is best to let it sit for two or three days so the chlorine in the water evaporates before use. Small bonsai should not be watered directly the way medium and large bonsai are; generally the following two methods are used. 1. The immersion method. This means immersing the entire bonsai in water, letting air bubbles escape, and taking it out only after it is completely soaked through; you can also use a tray filled with water, and a bonsai placed in a water-filled tray can maintain a water supply for one or two days. Placing several bonsai in one large tray easily creates a humid microclimate environment and promotes growth. 2. The spray method. This means using a dedicated sprayer to spray water on the leaves and at the roots. In spring and autumn, water once each morning and evening; during the plum rain period, avoid heavy rain washing over them, to prevent lodging that would affect growth; in summer and autumn, when temperatures are high and the air is dry, prevent heat stress and lower the temperature, and increase the frequency of spraying and watering.
3. Reasonable lighting
Small bonsai plants are generally rather shade-loving. Except for varieties grown for flowers and fruit, the time in direct sunlight each day should not be too long: in summer only about one hour is needed, and in the other seasons 2 hours is enough; generally they can be grown well in scattered light alone. Small bonsai plants should not be kept in a study or bedroom for a long time, out of sight of sky and sun all day. Usually they should be moved outdoors about every half month, and after being cared for for a week in a ventilated, cool place, moved back indoors. You can also put small bonsai plants indoors during the day for viewing and put them outdoors at night to take in rain and dew and promote growth.
4. Pruning and pinching
Summer is the growing season for small bonsai. The plants grow quickly and sprout vigorously, which often spoils the perfection of their form, so pruning and pinching must be carried out. For plants with especially strong sprouting ability, such as Serissa japonica, Sageretia thea and elm, pruning five or six times a year is needed to maintain their graceful shape; Podocarpus macrophyllus is pruned about once each in June and October; when Pinus parviflora puts out new leaves in April, not only should the overly dense young branches be cut away, but pinching should also be done, removing 1/3 of the new buds; for Pinus thunbergii and Pinus taiwanensis, when they send out new buds, all the main buds can be removed, leaving the newly grown secondary buds; after Buxus and Pseudolarix amabilis sprout, leave 1-2 nodes and pinch out the tips, so they branch more, then pinch again. In this way, the branches can be made more numerous and shorter, maintaining a graceful form.
How to scientifically create a group-planted bonsai
So-called group planting means cultivating three or more individual trees in a flat pot or shallow pot, thereby displaying a forest form.
Some even have as many as several dozen trees, and as the number of trunks increases, the sense of luxuriance they present becomes stronger. When planting, most pots follow the principle of using the same tree species, because in this way it is not only beneficial for cultivation, but the whole also looks more natural. In addition, it is best to choose tree species with the same leaf character and bark texture, so that the distinctive flavor can be shown.
(1) Choosing the planting stock
The rough distribution is, in order, the main tree, the secondary tree and the companion tree. If it is a small group planting, besides the main tree, the others can also be cuttings.
When first shaping a group planting, a 7-trunk group planting is best. Because the fewer the trunks, the easier the cultivation work.
(2) Key points for shaping
The first step is to plant the main tree to the right or to the left, closely followed by the secondary tree, and then the companion trees. Use the differences in length and thickness among the various trees, and their tree forms, to emphasize the sense of distance and the beauty of harmony. In addition, if there are very many trunks, several paths can be created, concretely presenting the forest form.
For the branch development of a group planting, the basic forms of straight trunk, curved trunk and slanting trunk are the standard. Soundly cultivating the various trees is the key point in creating a group planting form. Because the closer to the outer edge of the pot, the easier it is for roots to form, while trees located in the central part mostly develop their roots slowly, so when fertilizing and watering, attention should be paid to the above problems.
At the same time, the way the roots develop will determine the maturity of the main branches. So when cultivating, it is best to have the roots extend toward the outside of the pot.