Detailed Explanation of Peach Tree Bonsai Planting Methods and Cultivation Techniques
The peach tree is a deciduous small tree of the genus Prunus in the rose family (Rosaceae), native to China and widely cultivated in all provinces and regions of the country. Potted peach trees are a combination of fruit tree horticulture and bonsai art. Besides the effects of delighting the heart and pleasing the eye, beautifying the home, and providing delicious fresh fruit, they are also a path to prosperity. Let us take a look together at peach tree bonsai cultivation techniques!
Variety Selection for Peach Trees
Most varieties of common peach, nectarine, flat peach, and flat nectarine cultivated in production, as well as ornamental peach varieties, can be grown in pots, but it is best to choose varieties with a compact tree body, an open tree posture, abundant flowers, beautiful flower color, large fruit, bright fruit color, a high rate of self-fruitfulness, and a relatively short dormancy period, as well as dedicated flower-viewing varieties, such as Zaoxiangyu, Chunyan, Lichun, Huaguang, Sahua Hong Pantao, Zaolu Pantao, as well as Bitao, Yangchun Baixue, Juhua Chongban, American Flower Peach, and others.
Seedling Cultivation of Peach Trees
1. Rootstock cultivation: Potted peach trees require a compact and dwarf tree body, and using dwarfing rootstocks is an effective approach. Suitable dwarfing rootstocks mainly include Nanking cherry (Prunus tomentosa) and dwarf flowering cherry (Prunus japonica). Nanking cherry and dwarf flowering cherry are wild resources widely distributed in Northeast China and North China and other regions. Their common characteristics as peach rootstocks are significant dwarfing, strong adaptability, and stress resistance (cold resistance, drought resistance, tolerance of poor soil), and they can also cause peach trees to bear fruit earlier, ripen earlier, and improve fruit quality. Nanking cherry has strong grafting compatibility with peach trees, and the grafting survival rate is very high in all four seasons, while the grafting survival rate of dwarf flowering cherry onto peach trees is relatively low. Dwarfing rootstocks can be propagated by seed, sowing and raising seedlings in the field, and then transplanting them into pots. Wild Nanking cherry and dwarf flowering cherry growing on hillside terraces can also be dug up, and attention should be paid to using unusual perennial plants with striking trunks. The dug-up rootstocks can be slightly shaped and pruned, then planted directly into pots and grafted after they survive.
2. Grafting techniques: Grafting methods can use scion grafting and bud grafting. If special tree forms are to be cultivated, "inverted bud grafting" can be used during bud grafting, that is, the bud eye points downward, and the shoot that grows after the graft survives naturally forms a crooked shape. At the same time, "inverted bud grafting" also has the effect of moderating tree vigor and reducing tree size. According to experiments, there is no obvious difference in survival rate between inverted bud grafting and normal bud grafting in peach trees. In addition, varieties with different flower colors and different fruit colors and shapes can be grafted onto the same rootstock, so that it produces flowers of different colors and bears fruit of different colors and shapes, improving the ornamental value of potted peach trees.
Potting and Planting of Peach Trees
1. Pot selection: Pots should be selected according to the display environment, cultivation purpose, tree size, and so on. Commonly used pots include clay pots, porcelain pots, and purple clay pots. Clay pots are the most commonly used pots for potted fruit trees and flowers, with a low price and good air permeability, which is beneficial to root growth, but they are relatively brittle, easily damaged, rough on the surface, and not very attractive. Porcelain pots are sturdy in texture and attractive in appearance, but have poor drainage and air permeability, and are relatively expensive, so they are generally better used for indoor ornamental cultivation. Purple clay pots are fine and dense in texture, harmonious in color, elegant and simple, and their drainage and air permeability fall between those of clay pots and porcelain pots. They are relatively expensive and suitable for indoor ornamental use. In addition, containers such as plastic pots, cement pots, and wooden boxes can also be chosen. The size of the pot can be determined according to need and tree size, and generally a mouth diameter of more than 24 cm is preferable.
2. Potting soil preparation: The potting soil must be culture soil. There are no strict requirements for the composition and proportions of the culture soil. Generally, 2 parts fertile garden soil, 2 parts leaf mold, and 1 part decomposed livestock and poultry manure are used, or 3 parts garden soil, 1 part furnace slag, and 1 part decomposed high-quality organic fertilizer are mixed. When preparing, first break up and sieve the various ingredients, then mix them evenly in proportion. In short, the prepared potting soil should be rich in nutrients, loose and breathable, retain fertilizer and water, and be slightly acidic, with a pH value of 5.5 to 6.5. The prepared potting soil should be disinfected to kill pathogens and pests in it. Commonly used disinfection methods include sunlight exposure and formalin disinfection. Sunlight exposure is to spread the potting soil thinly and evenly on a cement surface and expose it to the sun for 2 to 3 days. Formalin disinfection is to spray the potting soil with 5% formalin solution, then seal it with plastic film and fumigate for 1 to 2 days, then remove the film, and use it after the chemical has evaporated.
3. Planting method: The planting time is after leaf fall in autumn or before bud break in spring. Put the prepared potting soil into the pot to about half full, higher in the middle and lower around the sides. After properly pruning the seedling root system, place the seedling in the center of the pot and spread the root system out, with the root crown 3 to 4 cm from the pot rim, then add potting soil while shaking the pot so that the root system and soil are in close contact, with the potting soil slightly higher than the root crown, and finally water thoroughly. If the soil sinks after watering and exposes the root crown, add soil to cover the root crown.
Shaping and Pruning of Peach Trees
1. Shaping: The shaping of potted peach trees can be done freely according to requirements, such as open-center form or curved-trunk form. For the main branches, the branch-pulling method is used to adjust branch direction and angle. Through repeated pinching, side branches are promoted. With techniques such as bending branches, circling branches, and twisting branches, branches are cultivated into different shapes such as round, slanting-trunk, weeping-branch, and fan shapes, increasing beauty and filling out the crown.
2. Thinning branches: Peach trees have high sprouting ability, strong branching ability, and large growth volume. Thinning can be carried out according to the principle of thinning more on strong trees with many branches and thinning less on weak trees with few branches, removing diseased and pest-infested branches, dense branches, and water sprouts.
3. Heading back: For one-year-old moderate branches with medium growth and good development, cut them back from the middle-lower part of the branch to control the outward movement of the fruiting position.
4. Renewal pruning: For relatively long perennial branches, cut them back to within a certain range to control the outward expansion of the crown.
5. Removing sprouts: In spring, when shoots grow to 3 to 5 cm, many latent buds and buds on upright branches sprout and should be removed in time to reduce nutrient consumption.
6. Pinching: For vigorous branches that grow upright and have obvious apical dominance, when the new shoot grows to 25 cm, pinch it back leaving 5 to 8 cm, to control excessive branch growth and make the crown compact.
Fertilizer and Water Management for Peach Trees
1. Do not apply concentrated fertilizer: Potted peach trees have a small nutritional area. If the fertilizer concentration is too high, or too much fertilizer is applied at one time, it will cause reverse osmosis, leading to shrinking peach leaves and death of the peach tree plant. When fertilizing, the principle of "use thin fertilizer, a small amount each time, and apply multiple times" should generally be followed, mainly watering with dilute fertilizer solution, and applying urea, monopotassium phosphate, and special compound fertilizer for fruit trees at the roots. For young peach trees under 5 years old, the amount applied each time is 0.05 to 0.25 kg. For peach trees over 5 years old in the full fruiting period, apply 0.5 to 1 kg each time. For foliar spraying, the concentration of urea and monopotassium phosphate is 0.3 to 0.5%, the concentration of superphosphate extract is 2 to 3%, the concentration of wood ash extract is 2 to 5%, the concentration of boric acid or borax is 0.2 to 0.3%, the concentration of ferrous sulfate is 0.2 to 0.5%, and the concentration of zinc sulfate is 0.3 to 0.5%.
2. Do not apply raw fertilizer: Applying fertilizer that has not been decomposed not only easily breeds maggots and insects, gives off a bad smell, and pollutes indoor air, but also generates high temperatures during fermentation in the flower pot, which can damage the root system. Soybean cake, hoof pieces, or inedible internal organs of chicken, duck, fish, and so on, as well as chicken and duck manure and rabbit manure, should be soaked in water in a vat in advance, placed in the sun to fully ferment, and applied after decomposition.
3. Do not fertilize around the root crown: The most active parts of the peach tree root system for absorbing fertilizer are the rapid growth zone at the root tip and new hair roots. Fertilizing around the root crown is not conducive to fertilizer absorption and easily burns the root crown area of the peach tree, causing leaves to gradually turn yellow and fall off, affecting normal growth. The correct method is to bury decomposed organic fertilizer or chemical fertilizers such as urea and monopotassium phosphate in the soil at the edge of the flower pot, or apply them relatively far from the root crown, cover them with a layer of soil, and then water.
4. Reasonable watering: Peach trees are drought-resistant and afraid of waterlogging. It is appropriate for the potting soil to be moist, with a relative soil humidity of about 60%. Both too dry and too wet can cause leaf drop. Generally, water once a week in spring. In summer, growth is vigorous and evaporation is high, so water once every 3 to 4 days. In autumn, appropriately control water to prevent excessive growth. Watering during the growing season should be done in the morning or evening, avoiding watering under direct hot sun, and cold tap water or well water should not be used directly for irrigation. Also pay attention to watering thoroughly.
Flower and Fruit Management for Peach Trees
Potted peach trees often show physiological fruit drop, mainly caused by pollination and nutritional deficiencies. Measures to reduce flower and fruit drop are: artificial pollination. Each year during the flowering period, collect mixed pollen and use a brush to pollinate manually 2 to 3 times to ensure the fruit-setting rate. Spray 0.3 to 0.5% borax during the flowering period to improve flower bud sprouting ability. Before physiological fruit drop, promptly thin dense fruit, setting fruit according to leaves, with one fruit per 30 to 50 leaves. Bag the fruit. After fruit drop in June, spray first, then bag, and remove the bags 20 days before ripening, which can effectively prevent disease and pest damage.
Disease and Pest Control for Peach Trees
The main diseases of peach trees are brown rot and anthracnose. To control peach brown rot, spray with 500 times dilution of 65% zineb wettable powder. To control anthracnose, spray with 1000 times dilution of 70% thiophanate-methyl. The main insect pests of peach trees are peach fruit borer and aphids. To control peach fruit borer, spray with 2000 times dilution of 20% fenvalerate emulsifiable concentrate. To control aphids, spray with 2000 times dilution of 2.5% deltamethrin.
Cold Protection and Overwintering of Peach Trees
Most peach varieties can tolerate low temperatures of -22 to -25°C, so peach trees can basically overwinter safely. However, it should be noted that potted peaches need a certain amount of low temperature in winter to germinate, bloom, grow, and bear fruit normally, usually requiring a chilling requirement of 600 to 1200 hours. Therefore, attention should be paid to low-temperature treatment for peaches in winter. Do not place them in a heated room. Generally, it is more suitable to place potted peaches under low-temperature conditions of -1 to 7°C. They are mostly placed in basements or cellars to overwinter, while preventing the potting soil from drying out. If it is dry, water in time.
Taixing, China: Peach Tree Bonsai in Two Years Rapidly Formed Bonsai in Two Years
The picture shows Ju Bingsheng in the courtyard introducing to villagers a bonsai that has already borne peaches. Photo by Luo Zhongming
Ju Bingsheng, a retired teacher from Yaowang Town, Taixing City, Jiangsu Province, loved cultivating flowers and seedlings since childhood. After retiring the year before last, he began researching grafting techniques for bonsai peach trees. The peach tree bonsai he cultivated is grafted in the first year and bears fruit in the second year. In spring the peach blossoms bloom, and in summer the fruit hangs in abundance, ornamental and edible. His invented rapid method for peach tree bonsai obtained a national patent last year and was included in the national agricultural industrialization key project for the 21st century.
Cultivation of Delicious and Beautiful Bonsai Peaches
Bonsai peaches not only have large, delicious fruit and high edible and ornamental value, but can also green the environment, beautify life, cultivate character, and add interest to life. They are suitable for cultivation by families and institutions. Their cultivation techniques are as follows.
I. Potted varieties
Potted peaches are mainly ornamental, and the main choices are late-maturing excellent varieties that bear fruit early, easily form flower buds, have large fruit, and good quality, such as Zhonghua Shoutao, Yangtun Jutao, Shinchuan Nakajima, Hongjiangjun, Zhongtao No. 21, Ruipan No. 4, and other varieties.
II. Flower pot selection
Generally choose a clay pot with a diameter of 30 cm and a height of 25 cm, because clay pots are loose and porous in texture, easy for excess water in the pot to drain and air to circulate, suitable for root development, and inexpensive, light, and convenient to use.
III. Preparation of nutrient soil
Nutrient soil must not only be rich in nutrients but also have good air permeability. There are generally two preparation methods. One method is 4 parts garden soil, 4 parts humus soil, and 2 parts furnace slag and sand. This nutrient soil is suitable for newly transplanted small seedlings. The other method is 6 parts garden soil, 2 parts humus soil, and 2 parts furnace slag. This formula is mostly suitable for cultivating mature seedlings.
IV. Potting and planting
1. Planting time: Potting should be done after bud break in spring or after leaf fall in autumn. At this time, plant growth is in a relatively slow state, stored nutrients are abundant, and after potting it is easy to root and easy to survive.
2. Seedling selection: Choose seedlings with a well-developed root system, many fibrous roots, appropriate trunk thickness and height, beautiful tree form, uniform branching, and robust growth.
3. Potting method: First check whether the bottom of the flower pot is unobstructed, then cover the hole with a broken pot piece with the convex side facing up, to avoid soil leakage or blockage. When planting, the roots should be spread out and in close contact with the soil. The planting depth should be just enough to cover the original soil surface of the seedling, the graft union should be exposed above the soil surface, and the potting soil should be filled to 80% full to facilitate watering. After potting, water thoroughly.
V. Peach tree styling
The tree shape should mainly be peculiar, novel, beautiful, and elegant. Exposed roots, dense branches, and a compact plant shape are the minimum standards. There are generally three tree forms:
1. Straight trunk form: The main trunk is a single stem, tall and upright, with distinct layers and evenly distributed fruit, giving a sense of majestic standing.
2. Curved trunk form: The trunk bends upward in a zigzag shape, mostly with two layers, shaped like a swimming dragon.
3. Slanting trunk form: The main trunk is inclined, generally slightly curved, with the crown leaning to one side and tilting outside the pot, with a distinctive charm.