A Complete Analysis of the Production Methods and Maintenance Management Key Points of Pine and Cypress Bonsai
When using the wire binding and shaping method in the production of cypress bonsai, select wire of a corresponding thickness according to the thickness of the branches, and wrap, twist, and hang-tie branches in improper angular positions to meet the needs of shaping.
Before shaping, repeatedly examine the tree's vigor, and guide it according to the curves of the trunk and the positions of the main branches; the concept must come first, and shaping can be carried out from bottom to top in sequence. The vertical planes between layers must not overlap too much, so as to facilitate growth and light penetration; otherwise, over time, the shaded parts will naturally die off and the situation will become uncontrollable.
Pines and cypresses in natural mountains and at famous temples generally stop growing upward after passing their prime. The lateral growth of branches increases, branches grow densely and extend in length, and due to weight and rain and snow, the branches droop, while the small branches on the branches grow sideways. Therefore, when shaping, upright branches and branches should be kept at horizontal or drooping angles, with the size of the angle determined by need, and branches may have lateral bends. If the top branches can droop, they will appear even more aged. Due to modeling reasons, the coexistence of lower branches and upward-growing branches is not excluded, but it must conform to the patterns of growth in the natural environment.
The length of upper and lower branches is generally longer below and shorter above. Viewed from the front, the front branches are short and the back branches are long, and the trunk and main branches should be exposed. The proportion of the lowest main branch on the trunk should be coordinated.
For trunks and thick branches that are not easy to bend with wire and the hang-tying method, the finger interlocking method, successfully tested over many years, can be used to bend them. If it is a large thick branch, use a knife to cut deeply into the upper part of the area to be bent to half the diameter, with the length determined by need. Cut several such slits, and cut one end horizontally across every other slit while doing the opposite at the other end. If force is used to bend it, the horizontally cut ends will tilt up, just like two hands inserted diagonally opposite each other. After the main branch or trunk is fixed in place, the tilted parts can be embedded into the grooves and wrapped with adhesive tape; after two or three years, they can heal well.
Because the foliage of cypress species differs from that of pine, the layers should not be too distinct when styling. Cypress wood is resistant to decay, so dead branches and dead trunks can be created; dead trunks can be made by peeling bark, and dead branches can be shaped from living branches and peeled after the form is set. Cypress bonsai mostly use Chinese arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis), but Chinese arborvitae has coarse and messy branches and leaves, generally monotonous styling, and after formation gives people a messy impression, affecting ornamental value; this is its shortcoming. Chinese arborvitae has aged and highly variable branches and trunks, and large branches are easy to shape; this is its strength. In the creation of Chinese arborvitae bonsai, if one can maximize strengths and avoid weaknesses and return to simplicity and authenticity, using the natural forms of ancient cypresses at Qufu and Lingyan Temple as blueprints, and highlighting the aged trunk. In cultivating the main branches and secondary branches, adopting a scattered-flake style can make the proportion of trunk and branches coordinated, highly twisted and varied, and reduce the amount of messy fine branches and foliage, thereby overcoming the drawback of coarse and messy foliage and improving the ornamental value of Chinese arborvitae.
When digging stumps in the mountains and wild, select those with thick and strong surface roots, even distribution, a trunk with a certain degree of curvature and variation, and branch thickness, especially main branch thickness, coordinated with trunk thickness.
When digging wild stumps, do not transplant with scattered roots; when planting, it is best to use the original mountain soil. After planting, place in a ventilated and sunny place, frequently spray water on the leaf surface, and water again only when the surface of the potting soil is slightly dry. New pine stumps must not be fertilized in the same year.
Management of pine and cypress bonsai:
1. Watering: Pines prefer sunlight and a dry environment, are not tolerant of waterlogging, and should be watered when dry, with more spraying on the leaf surface. Cypresses can be watered more casually.
2. Fertilizing: Pines should not be given heavy fertilizer; in spring and autumn, applying light fertilizer water once or twice is sufficient. If cypresses are to grow vigorously, more fertilizer can be applied.
3. Bud pinching: Pinch buds when growth is vigorous; pinching leaves can make branches short and foliage dense. For Chinese pine and Japanese red pine, removing part of the new shoots in summer can produce new buds within the year. For Japanese black pine, after pinching buds in spring, multiple new buds can grow again in the same year, and in the following year the growth will have short branches and dense foliage.
Chinese arborvitae should be placed in a ventilated and sunny place. Chinese arborvitae cultivated in courtyards must not be placed too close to a sunny wall base, so as to avoid damage from red spider mites.
Key Points for Making Water-and-Land Bonsai
Water-and-land bonsai is the product of combining tree bonsai with landscape bonsai. It is a form unique to Chinese bonsai. Water-and-land bonsai has a wide range of subjects, rich scenic content, and a strong natural atmosphere, and is deeply loved by people. The production of water-and-land bonsai is relatively complex, requiring the maker to master the basic techniques of both tree and landscape bonsai in order to do it with ease.
Selection of materials for water-and-land bonsai. The materials for making water-and-land bonsai mainly include pots, plants, rocks, and accessories. The pots used for water-and-land bonsai are mostly shallow stone pots (that is, landscape bonsai pots), with shapes mainly including rectangular, oval, waist-round, round, and irregular forms, determined according to modeling needs. The pots used for water-and-land bonsai are very shallow and generally do not need drainage holes. If deeper pots are used, holes need to be opened in the dry-land part where trees are planted to facilitate drainage. The color of the pot should preferably be grayish white, sometimes dark colors are also used.
The plants in water-and-land bonsai are mainly trees, and herbaceous and moss plants may also be used. Trees are required to have fine, dense branches and leaves, be suitable for pruning and binding, have a natural tree shape that should not be too peculiar, and have strong adaptability. Many tree species can be selected, such as five-needle pine, Buddhist pine, golden larch, spruce, dawn redwood, shimpaku juniper, Chinese elm, Japanese bush cherry, Chinese hackberry, zelkova, boxwood, tamarisk, maples, small-leaf privet, bamboos, serissa, crape myrtle, pomegranate, tiger thorn, firethorn, and nandina.
The rock materials for water-and-land bonsai are preferably hard. Commonly used stone types include Xuan stone, Yingde stone, turtle-vein stone, stalagmite stone, and axe-cut stone. The shapes of the rocks should not be too peculiar, should not have too many edges and corners, and the surfaces must not be damaged. In the same bonsai, the stone materials should be unified in characteristics such as color, texture, and quality. Commonly used accessories in water-and-land bonsai include figures, animals, buildings, boats, and so on. By material they are divided into ceramic, stone, metal, and so on, with ceramic being the best, and plain and elegant colors being preferable. They can also be made by oneself as needed.
Processing of trees and rocks. Tree materials can be cultivated from a young age or dug from the mountains and wild, but all require a certain period of processing and cultivation and can be used only after basically taking shape. The processing method is mostly based on pruning, supplemented by wiring. For pines and cypresses, wiring is used more often; tiger thorn, bamboos, and the like have relatively beautiful natural forms and do not need wiring, only appropriate pruning. In water-and-land bonsai, the places for planting trees are relatively small and the shapes are irregular, so before planting, the roots need to be treated. Usually the tree is taken out of the original pot, part of the old soil is removed, and overly long roots are shortened, especially thick roots growing downward. The amount of soil removed and roots cut should be determined according to the shape of the dry-land part in the pot. Before the layout is determined, it is advisable to remove less soil and cut fewer roots to ensure survival after planting.
The processing of stone materials is mainly cutting and carving. Stone materials are usually cut with a stone-cutting machine; for soft stone, a steel saw can also be used for manual cutting. Generally, the main stones are initially processed first, and then the other companion stones are processed. When cutting stone materials, the bottom should be cut flat so that it fits well with the pot surface. Before cutting, carefully observe the rock and strive for accurate selection. The purpose of carving is to coordinate and unify the stone patterns and enhance the overall effect. In order to remove ugly edges and corners of rocks or solve problems of surface damage, a water grinding wheel can be used for wet grinding, or hydrochloric acid and the like can be used for chemical treatment. Usually the rocks need to be processed several times before they meet the requirements. Processing should strive to be natural and avoid revealing artificial traces as much as possible.
Layout of water-and-land bonsai. After the trees and rocks have been processed, the layout can be carried out. The layout is very important and is the key to the success or failure of making water-and-land bonsai, so it must be done carefully and meticulously. The layout requires repeated adjustments, and often some materials need further processing or replacement. Strive to place each tree and each rock in the best position. The layout includes trees, slope-bank rocks and dry-land accent stones, terrain, water surface, accessories, and other parts; each part should be interconnected so that they become a whole that is both unified and coordinated and rich in variation.
Water-and-land bonsai usually takes trees as the main body, and they are mostly planted in groups. Attention should be paid to handling relationships such as primary and secondary, sparse and dense, high and low, near and far, contention and yielding, exposure and concealment, and movement and stillness. At the same time, the relationship between trees and rocks, as well as the positions of rocks and water surface, must be considered, and the proportion of dry land to water surface must be appropriate. The layout of rocks should observe the principles of perspective; the shapes and wrinkles of the rocks should be roughly the same while also varying slightly; joined rocks should have a sense of wholeness; and large block surfaces need to be used in combination with small block surfaces. The accent stones in water-and-land bonsai have a great influence on the overall modeling; they can echo the slope-bank rocks and at the same time serve as contrast and foil for the trees. Accent stones also play an important role in handling the terrain and can also make up for defects at the roots of trees. Accent stones should also pay attention to variations in height and density, as well as their relationship with other scenery. Accessories are mostly placed on the rocks, and their positions must be suitable, colors coordinated, and proportions appropriate.
After repeated adjustment and modification, the layout can be determined, and then a pencil can be used to mark the positions of the main scenery in the pot. Special attention must be paid to the position of the waterline, which must be accurately drawn on the pot. Stones can be numbered to avoid mistakes when gluing the rocks. The specific operation process is to first glue the slope-bank rocks in the pot, then plant trees, arrange accent stones, and create the terrain, and finally fix the accessories and spread moss.
Before gluing rocks, wash the pot surface. Cement mixed with 107 glue can be used, then color can be mixed in to make it close to the color of the rocks. The gluing must be tight, ensuring both a good bond between the rocks and the pot surface and a good bond between the rocks themselves. It must not leak water, and there must not be excess cement exposed. An oil painting brush dipped in water can be used to wash away cement stuck on the outside of the rocks; water leakage will be unfavorable to plant growth. After the glued cement has dried thoroughly, trees can be planted. First spread a layer of thin soil on the dry-land part, then remove the old soil from the roots and trim appropriately, plant the trees in suitable positions according to the layout requirements, and use bamboo sticks to make the soil cling tightly to the roots; do not press the soil too tightly.
After planting is completed, place the accent stones in the originally determined positions. The lower parts of the rocks used as accent stones need to be buried in the soil so that they "take root." Generally, while placing accent stones, pile soil in the dry-land part to create terrain and sprinkle a layer of fine-grained soil on the surface so as to spread moss. After placing the accent stones, the accessories can be fixed on the flat surfaces of the rocks with cement or glue.
Spreading moss can beautify the pot surface, integrate the trees and rocks into one body, and prevent soil erosion, so it must be taken seriously. After spreading moss, considering the overall situation, prune the trees carefully once to achieve the best effect. Finally, wash the rocks, tree trunks, and pot clean; thus the production of a pot of water-and-land bonsai is completed. After a period of careful maintenance, the trees and rocks will appear more coordinated and natural, and the ornamental effect will also be better.
Key Points for Maintaining Stump Bonsai
Key Points for Maintaining Stump Bonsai
1. Watering
Watering is one of the most important and most frequent measures in the management of stump bonsai. Stumps are planted in pots, whether deep pots or shallow pots, and the soil is always limited, as is the water it contains. If water is not supplied for a long time, the stump will wither from lack of water. Therefore, observe promptly and water according to the dryness or moisture of the soil to maintain soil moisture. Of course, watering must not be excessive either. If watering is excessive and the potting soil remains too wet for a long time, it is likely to cause root oxygen deficiency and rot. At the same time, the amount of watering should also depend on the specific tree species, seasonal changes, and whether the weather is cold or warm. Generally speaking, in summer or during drought, it is best to water once in the morning and once in the evening; in spring and autumn, water once a day or every other day; in spring when stumps begin to sprout, water once in the morning and once in the evening as conditions require. During the plum rain season or on rainy days, watering is not needed, and attention should be paid to drainage. Sandy soil can be watered more, while clayey soil should be watered less. Watering can be done by spraying the leaf surface or by irrigating the roots. Generally the two are combined: first spray the leaf surface, then irrigate the roots thoroughly. Be careful not to give "half-hearted water," which causes the phenomenon of a wet pot surface and dry interior, and do not spray the leaf surface too much, as this can easily cause excessive growth of branches and leaves.
2. Fertilizing
The soil in the pot of a stump bonsai is limited, and therefore nutrients are also limited, so attention should be paid to replenishing fertilizer. Because of its artistic characteristic of showing the large within the small, stump bonsai must not be fertilized too much or too frequently; one must master the fertilizer content and types and grasp the fertilizing season. The three major nutrient elements for plant growth are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers. Nitrogen fertilizer can promote the growth of stump branches and leaves; phosphorus fertilizer can promote the formation of flowers and fruits; potassium fertilizer can promote the growth of stems and roots. Therefore, the selection of fertilizer should be determined according to the type of stump and its growth condition.
If the stump needs lush branches and leaves, more nitrogen fertilizer can be applied; if the stump needs to produce more flowers and fruits, the phosphorus fertilizer content can be increased; if the roots and trunk need to be thick and strong and well developed, more potassium fertilizer can be applied. Fertilization methods are generally divided into slow-release fertilization and quick-release fertilization. Slow-release fertilization generally involves crushing and decomposing organic fertilizer, mixing it into the soil in a certain proportion, and when changing soil, mixing it into the pot so that it slowly provides nutrients. Quick-release fertilization involves diluting organic fertilizer or chemical fertilizer and applying it according to the seasonal growth needs of the stump, but note that it must not be too concentrated, newly planted stumps are not suitable for this kind of fertilization, and fertilizing on rainy days causes nutrient loss and poor results.
3. Prevention and Control of Pests and Diseases
Diseases appearing on branches and trunks:
These are manifested in rot of the phloem and cambium of branches and trunks, stem rot and cankers on branches and trunks, surface rot of branches and trunks, decay of the trunk core, and spots on branches. Usually Bordeaux mixture should be sprayed, followed by lime sulfur mixture, and the rotten parts should be scraped away.
Leaf diseases:
Leaf diseases usually show symptoms such as yellow-brown or black spots, curled leaves, withering, and early leaf drop, and may be chlorosis, leaf spot disease, sooty mold, powdery mildew, and so on. For leaf spot disease, remove diseased leaves and spray Bordeaux mixture; for chlorosis, spray the leaf surface with a 0.1-0.2 ferrous sulfate solution; for powdery mildew, spray with a 0.3-0.5 degree Beaume lime sulfur mixture.
Root diseases:
When the roots of stump bonsai age, they are prone to root rot or root nodule disease caused by various bacteria and fungi, so attention should be paid to disinfection of the potting soil and control of the amount of watering.
Control of scale insects:
Scale insects are widespread and numerous in species. They are pests that suck the sap of stumps. After being damaged, stumps are prone to sooty mold, poor growth, yellowing and withering of branches and leaves, and early leaf drop. Control methods include killing them by manual brushing, or spraying with a 1000-1500 times solution of 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate, or a 1000-1500 times solution of 80% dichlorvos.
Control of red spider mites:
Red spider mites harm leaves by sucking leaf sap. After pest damage, the leaves appear gray-speckled and cause yellowing, withering, and shedding. The control method is to spray and kill with a 1500-2000 times solution of 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate or a 1000 times solution of 50% isocarbophos wettable powder.
Control of aphids:
Aphids are numerous in species and widespread in damage. Damaged stumps generally have curled and drooping leaves, and in severe cases the leaf surface becomes dirty black, dry, and falls off. Control methods: generally spray and kill with a 2000-3000 times aqueous solution of 40% dimethoate, once a week. Or spray and kill with an 800-1200 times aqueous solution of 2.5% derris.
Pruning:
Bonsai trees are still constantly growing. If allowed to grow naturally without suppression, it will inevitably affect the tree's posture and modeling and lose its artistic value. Therefore, timely pruning is necessary: shorten long shoots and thin dense shoots to maintain a beautiful tree posture and appropriate proportions.
Pinching:
For tree bonsai, in order to suppress height growth and promote the development of lateral branches in a flat and spreading manner, the tender tips of the branch ends can be pinched off.
Bud pinching:
When many adventitious buds grow at the base of or on the trunk of a tree bonsai, the buds should be pinched off at any time to avoid the sprouting of forked branches that affect the beauty of the tree shape.
Leaf pinching:
For foliage-viewing tree bonsai, the ornamental period is often the period when new leaves sprout. For example, the new leaves of maples and pomegranates are red. Through leaf pinching treatment, the tree can produce new leaves several times a year, bright and pleasing to the eye, improving its ornamental effect.
Branch pruning:
Tree bonsai often produces many new branches. In order to maintain its beautiful modeling, attention must always be paid to branch pruning. The pruning method should be determined according to the tree shape. For example, for a cloud-flake style, the branches should be pruned into a flat and neat form. Generally, dead branches, parallel branches, crossing branches, and the like that hinder beauty should all be cut off in time.
Root pruning:
When repotting, combine it with root pruning. Roots that are too dense or too long should be pruned, and this can be considered according to the following situations. If the tree's new roots develop poorly and the root system has not densely covered the bottom surface of the soil mass, then the original pot can still be used for repotting and the root system does not need pruning. For tree species with well-developed roots, where the fibrous roots densely cover the bottom surface of the soil mass, a slightly larger pot should be used, the dense root system should be thinned, old roots removed, and a few new roots retained when repotting. For some old stump bonsai, when repotting, the roots can be appropriately raised to increase ornamental value. Also prune away old roots and part of the root ends, and cultivate with loose, fertile soil to promote the growth of new roots.
Repotting and soil changing:
After a bonsai tree has grown in a pot for many years, fibrous roots densely cover the bottom of the pot, making it difficult for water to penetrate and drain, and fertilizer is not easily absorbed either, which will affect the normal growth of the tree. At this time, it should be repotted and the soil changed. Repotting can use the original pot or a pot one size larger, determined according to the size of the tree. Changing the soil can improve soil aeration and water permeability, increase soil nutrients, help the bonsai tree grow robustly, and improve its ornamental effect.
The soil for repotting stumps is mainly leaf mold, paddy field soil, mountain soil, and so on. When changing soil, some nutrients can first be added appropriately to the soil so that they ferment and volatilize in the soil and become slow-release nutrients, allowing the stump to benefit slowly. As for grasping the pH of the soil, it must be determined according to the specific conditions of the tree species. When repotting, generally first fix a screen or tile piece at the bottom hole of the pot, then add coarser-grained soil to facilitate drainage, then place the stump in, fill in finer-grained cultivation soil, insert bamboo or wooden sticks to firm it, and determine the amount of watering according to the condition of the tree species.
Repotting of tree bonsai can be determined according to the following aspects:
(1) Generally small bonsai are repotted once every 1-2 years, medium bonsai once every 2-3 years, and large bonsai once every 3-5 years. If it is an old stump bonsai, it can be repotted once every several more years.
(2) Tree species that grow vigorously and like fertilizer should be repotted more often and at shorter intervals; tree species that grow slowly and need less fertilizer can be repotted less often and at longer intervals. Old pine and cypress stump bonsai should not be repotted too often.
(3) Tree species with lush branches and leaves and well-developed root systems should be repotted frequently. Repotting can be determined by the condition of root growth. When the potting soil is neither dry nor wet, turn the pot upside down, pat the bottom of the pot with your hand, and let the tree, soil, and roots all come out, then check the compaction of the soil mass and the distribution of the root system. If the soil mass is compacted and the root system densely covers the bottom surface of the soil mass, it indicates that repotting is necessary.
The time for repotting is best chosen during the tree's dormancy period, mostly in early spring or late autumn. If a relatively large amount of the original soil is retained, repotting can be done at any time without seasonal restrictions. If most or all of the old soil needs to be replaced, then the appropriate repotting period must be strictly selected.
Placement and Protection
The placement of stump bonsai should also determine the position according to the characteristics of the tree species. Generally it should be placed in a ventilated and well-lit place with a certain amount of spatial humidity. Insufficient sunlight, poor ventilation, and no certain spatial humidity can cause the plant to turn yellow and dry out, leading to the occurrence of pests and diseases, and even death. However, some tree species like shade, and some stumps need a little more sunlight, so measures such as shading or light blocking must be taken. For example, some evergreen broad-leaved or non-broad-leaved tree species such as boxwood, rhododendron, and camellia mostly like shade, while crape myrtle, ginkgo, and crabapple like sunlight, so this must be determined according to specific conditions. Some stump bonsai are also cold-tolerant or not cold-tolerant. Non-cold-tolerant stumps generally need to be moved into a greenhouse for maintenance and management in winter, such as banyan and Fukien tea.