Detailed Guide to Making and Caring for Ornamental Grape Bonsai
Besides being a common fruit in our daily lives, grapes are also one of the most beloved fruit tree bonsai. Grape bonsai are easy to manage and bear fruit early; generally, they can bear fruit in the second year after potting. The fruits come in a riot of colors and varied shapes: round and purple ones resemble agate, long and white ones resemble horse teats, small and red ones resemble cinnabar. Each berry is exquisite, carrying the meaning of prosperity.
1. Material Selection
(1) Muscat Hamburg
The cluster is conical, weighing 400-725 g per cluster. The berries are deep purplish-red with a rich rose fragrance. They ripen in late September, and when grown in a pot, the ripening can be extended to around the end of October.
(2) Kyoho
The cluster is conical, the berries oval, each berry weighing about 9 g, purplish-black. Sweet and delicious, with a strawberry fragrance, ripening in early September.
(3) Late Red
The cluster is elongated oval, weighing about 800 g, with the largest reaching 2500 g. The skin is purplish-red, the flesh firm and crisp, and the ripening period is extremely late. With proper management, the fruits can hang on the vine until November without dropping.
(4) Kyoho Muscat
The cluster weighs about 750 g, with a neat cluster shape. The berries are purplish-red, uniform in size, with a long fruit stalk, no berry shatter, and a rich rose fragrance. With proper pot care, the fruits can remain until frost without dropping.
(5) Tetraploid Muscat Hamburg
It has a strong second-crop ability, with clusters weighing about 1000-2500 g. No uneven berry sizes, sweet and tart to the taste. It ripens 10 days earlier than Muscat Hamburg.
2. Bonsai Shaping
Grape bonsai shaping can be divided into two types. One is the shaping of relatively thin young trees with supports, generally trained into the trailing type, funnel type, spiral type, and fan type. The other is the larger old stump with older tree age and thicker vines that can grow independently, which can adopt various tree forms such as cascade style, slanted-trunk style, and straight-trunk style.
(1) Trailing Type
The trunk is left 60--100 cm, with 3-5 fruiting mother branches left at the top, which produce 6-10 fruiting branches that droop naturally, giving a sense of elegance.
(2) Fan Type
The trunk is left 10 cm. After sprouting, only one new shoot on the upper part is kept. When it grows to 3-6 leaves, it is pinched. After secondary shoots grow, they are pinched leaving 1-2 leaves. This process is repeated. Once the shape is formed, the vines are trained into a fan shape, with fruit clusters evenly distributed on the framework surface.
(3) Cascade Type
After the main vine grows 15 cm above the pot surface, it droops downward at 70 degrees, extending forward and downward, so that the fruiting mother branches are evenly distributed, giving a sense of cascading movement when bearing fruit.
3. Bonsai Care
(1) Temperature and Light
Different grape species have different temperature requirements for growth. Generally, the optimal temperature for the germination period is around 10°C; the optimal temperature for flowering, new shoot growth, and flower bud differentiation is 25-32°C, and below 14°C is unfavorable for flowering and fruiting. The minimum temperature during berry ripening is 28-32°C, and the optimal overwintering temperature is -3-5°C. Grapes love light and should be placed in a sunny, well-ventilated location; they are not afraid of sun exposure even in summer. Grapes have a certain cold tolerance; in northern regions, field-planted vines can overwinter simply by burying the vines in the soil. Potted plants should be moved into a low-temperature indoor space in early winter to overwinter.
(2) Watering
Grape leaves are large and grow quickly, requiring more water. In spring, after moving the grapes outdoors and pruning, water more in the first few days, until liquid seeps out from the far ends of the branches. From May to July, during vigorous growth, water thoroughly in the morning and "top up" in the evening, but the pot must not accumulate water. At other times, also keep the potting soil moist. Water less in winter.
(3) Fertilizing
In spring, grape sprouting and development require more fertilizer; apply decomposed organic liquid fertilizer once a week. After an interval of about 10 days, apply 0.3% urea twice. During the young fruit growth period, besides applying decomposed organic liquid fertilizer once every 10-plus days, apply 0.2% monopotassium phosphate once every 15 days or so, for a total of 2-3 times, which benefits fruit growth.
The above is the method for making and caring for ornamental grape bonsai compiled by the Huinong.com editors. Have you learned it all? If you want to learn more agricultural technique knowledge, please follow Huinong Academy!
Fruit Tree Bonsai Making Techniques and Care
Fruit tree bonsai is the product of combining fruit tree cultivation techniques with traditional bonsai art, integrating flower appreciation, fruit viewing, and scenery viewing into one, showcasing both beauty of form and beauty of abundance. In spring, the flowering branches are delicate and gorgeous, brilliant as brocade; in summer, full of vitality, crisp and dripping with green as the fruits grow from small to large, changing with each passing day; in golden autumn, the abundant fruits are a riot of colors.
Making and Care Management:
Choose a healthy fruit tree and keep a few relatively strong branches. Cut off the thinner, smaller ones. Then use lead wire to shape it into the appearance you want. It is actually that simple; just pay attention to management afterwards!
I. Choosing the Best Grafting Time
Fruit tree bonsai grafting includes early spring grafting, summer grafting, and autumn grafting. Early spring grafting is done before the fruit tree bonsai sprouts; summer grafting is done after the scion buds mature; autumn grafting is done in late summer and early autumn. For grafting to improve fruit tree bonsai varieties, except for grape and other fruit tree bonsai that must use green shoot grafting and must be grafted in summer, most fruit trees can choose early spring grafting; for fruit trees whose buds have early-maturing characteristics, that is, fruit trees with multiple branching cycles in one year, autumn grafting can be used, but attention must be paid to cold protection for young branches during winter. Generally, choosing early spring grafting for fruit tree bonsai improvement is more conducive to young branch growth and crown formation.
II. Pruning Branches and Retaining Rootstock
Pruning branches and retaining rootstock refers to cutting back fruit tree bonsai that need grafting improvement, removing most of the original branches of the fruit tree bonsai, keeping branches suitable for grafting (also called rootstock branches), and cutting them into short stubs of appropriate length. The following points should be noted during the operation:
1. Remove upper and keep lower, reduce wound surface. Try to cut off upper or distant branches, keep branches at the lower part and near the main trunk as grafting rootstock, and reduce wounds made directly on the main trunk and rootstock stubs, while preventing the rootstock stubs from peeling and splitting.
2. Pay attention to the orientation of retained stubs. Retain stubs according to the tree and environmental conditions, while also making them easy to work with. If the orientation of the main branch is not ideal, lateral branches or strong auxiliary branches can be used instead as retained rootstock. In short, lower the height and contract the crown.
3. The number and length of retained stubs depend on the original tree shape and tree age. Generally, lower main branches should be retained as rootstock. For taller tree shapes, it is advisable to retain the first and second layers of main branches from bottom to top and the portion of the main trunk that has been cut back. The length of retained stubs should be longer at the lower part, with the cut end 30--50 cm from the main trunk; shorter at the upper part, 25--35 cm from the main trunk. For trees under 5 years old, retain 3--5 stubs; for trees around 10 years old, retain about 10 stubs. For vining fruit trees, retain 1--2 rootstock stubs per main vine. If the original crown is large, more stubs should be retained; if the original crown is small, fewer stubs should be retained.
III. Variety Selection and Scion Collection
1. Variety selection. For fruit tree bonsai grafting improvement, it is advisable to choose varieties suited to the local climate conditions, with good fruit marketability, and strong grafting compatibility with the fruit tree bonsai to be improved, and to achieve a reasonable combination of different ripening periods, different flavors, different colors, different fruit shapes, as well as fresh-eating, storage, and processing varieties.
2. Scion collection. Scions should be selected from healthy, pest- and disease-free, one-year-old branches with plump buds growing upright. For early spring grafting, the terminal buds can be fully utilized for branch grafting, and flower buds should be removed. For summer and autumn grafting improvement, scion collection should pay attention to the degree of bud maturation. Darker branch color, dark green and enlarged leaves indicate that the axillary buds are relatively well matured.
IV. Grafting Methods
1. Cleft grafting. This method is suitable for early spring branch grafting of rootstock stubs with a diameter under 3 cm and for summer grape grafting. The cleft opening on the rootstock stub is 3--5 cm long. The "wedge head" cut on the scion insertion part is 2--3 cm long, required to be flat and smooth, with the two slopes equal in length or slightly different. When inserting, the cortex on one side of the scion must align with the cortex of the rootstock stub; the insertion depth of the scion is determined by aligning one cut surface edge with the rootstock stub cut edge, and 2--3 buds are retained on the scion. After insertion, bind tightly; you can first wrap with plastic tape, then tie tightly with fine string; or after securing the main parts, apply grafting wax.
2. Bark grafting. There are two methods: branch grafting and single-bud grafting. In branch grafting, the "wedge head" cutting method is the same as cleft grafting, except that the "wedge head" is short and steep, with the longer slope about 2 cm and the shorter slope 1 cm. When inserting, the longer slope faces the xylem of the rootstock stub. The method for cutting a single bud for single-bud grafting is: cut diagonally upward from 1 cm below the bud, cutting through the xylem up to above the bud, then make a horizontal cut 1 cut above the bud and remove the single bud. The common opening method for bark grafting rootstock is a "t" shaped opening. Branch grafting rootstock opening methods also include the "one dot and one horizontal" style, as well as the method of directly making 1 vertical cut at the cut end of the rootstock stub. After insertion, binding is the same as cleft grafting; for single-bud grafting, the bud eye must be exposed.
3. Summer bark grafting. The bud cutting method for summer bark grafting is the same as for single-bud grafting. After the bud is cut, the bud plate needs to be peeled off, removing the xylem. When peeling the bud, prevent "core pulling." For grafting peach, pear, and apple trees, the bud can be grafted with xylem after cutting. Bark grafting rootstock openings include "h" shape, "t" shape, etc. When grafting, care must be taken to ensure the bud plate and rootstock fit flatly and tightly, preventing the bud plate from curling. The binding method is the same as single-bud grafting. In addition, summer can also adopt patch budding, whistle grafting, etc.
4. Cut wound care. Following the order of grafting, the rootstock cut wounds and the upper ends of grafted branches should be wrapped with plastic tape or coated with grafting wax. In case of drought, limewater can be used to whitewash the main trunk and large branches to protect tree moisture and improve the success rate of grafting improvement.
V. Management After Grafting
1. Timely inspection and supplementary grafting. Check the survival rate 15--25 days after early spring grafting, 7 days after summer grafting, and 10 days after autumn grafting. If the scion or grafted bud turns black or brown, it indicates the grafting was unsuccessful. If the survival rate is too low, supplementary grafting can be done in time.
2. Apply sufficient fertilizer and water to accelerate grafted branch growth. After grafting fruit tree bonsai, apply farmyard manure 5--25 kg and diammonium phosphate 0.50--2.50 kg according to tree size. Use ring or star-shaped fertilization methods, with trench depth of 20--40 cm, and combine with root pruning to thin out some aged lateral roots. After fertilizing, water thoroughly to keep the root zone moist. Fertilizing can also be done in advance, that is, spring grafting improvement fertilized in the previous autumn, and summer grafting fertilized in early spring.
3. Strengthen care of young branches of fruit tree bonsai to prevent breakage by strong winds. When grafted branches begin to grow after grafting, slightly loosen the binding material, but do not fully release it. When young branches grow to 10 cm long, take some wooden sticks or crop straws, fix half on the main trunk or main branch, and gather half around the young branches, then wrap with fine string to protect the young branches. After the young branches are firmly secured, use a small knife to cut through the binding material used during grafting at the same time, to facilitate their growth.
4. Promptly remove sprouting shoots from the rootstock tree to reduce nutrient competition with grafted branches. However, for fruit trees facing supplementary grafting, they should be treated differently: one situation is that grafting in the previous season was unsuccessful and supplementary grafting is needed in the next season, in which case the rootstock tree's sprouting shoots should be allowed to grow; another situation is that summer grafting was unsuccessful, and supplementary grafting would have too great an impact on the fruit tree root system, so supplementary grafting should be abandoned and the rootstock tree's sprouting shoots allowed to grow.
5. Pruning grafted branches. For overly vigorous grafted branches, "pinch the top" at an appropriate height to promote the sprouting and growth of secondary branches; for densely growing vigorous branches and competing branches, use methods such as bending and pulling to fill gaps, and do not use or sparingly use heading back and thinning pruning methods.
Pruning Techniques for Fruit Tree Bonsai
Pruning fruit tree bonsai should master the principles of "five observations" and "three sparse and three dense." "Five observations." Observe tree age: for young trees, in order to increase the amount of branches and leaves, expand the crown, and form a good structure early, winter pruning should be carried out in November-December. For vigorous trees of fruiting age, winter pruning time can be appropriately postponed to early spring sprouting. For weak trees in full fruiting period, in order to promote their vegetative growth and quickly restore a healthy tree vigor, the winter pruning task should be completed before the end of December.
For vigorous trees in full fruiting period, in order to weaken their tree vigor and form more flower buds, winter pruning can be carried out in January-February; observe tree vigor strength: the degree of pruning should be grasped from both the whole and the part, and overall the tree vigor should be maintained in balance. The crown should be full and compact, with clear hierarchy between main and subordinate, dense on the plane, and the upper layer scaffold branches obviously shorter than the lower layer scaffold branches, with subordinate branches giving way to dominant branches, and the growth vigor of scaffold branches at the same layer approximately consistent. As long as the goal of firm and compact fruit-bearing framework, ventilation and light penetration, and early fruiting and high yield can be achieved, it can be organized and guided according to its original tree shape and tree vigor. Do not overemphasize shaping, especially for young trees, as this often leads to failure to fruit early;
Observe branch appearance:
① Fruit tree bonsai that is strong on top and weak below: cut back the strong upper branches at the flower cluster and replace with a weak leader, or even saw off the strong upper part; for the weak lower branches, heavily head back the main branch tips from the plump buds at the base.
② Fruit tree bonsai with inconsistent growth vigor of basal main branches: cut the strong main branches at the flower cluster, and heavily head back the thin and weak main branches from the plump buds at the top.
③ Fruit tree bonsai with no lateral branches or interior branches to speak of: select the best upright branches and pull them with rope to reasonable positions, and thin out the overly dense ones.
④ Fruit tree bonsai with no tree shape to speak of: saw off some obviously redundant large branches, open up the spacing between layers, select scaffold branches for key cultivation, plan for the long term, and use methods such as "pulling, propping, pressing" to make the tree structure as reasonable as possible. If there are very few or no flower buds, more should be left unpruned, more thinning should be done, and less heading back;
Observe pruning response:
If the one-year-old branches on the 3-year-old branch section have a large number of medium and short branches that are thick and strong, with plump buds, and growth length significantly less than the extension branch tip, and some leaf cluster branches are differentiated, it indicates that the pruning amount in previous years was appropriate, and the same can continue to be used that year. If the length of one-year-old branches on the 3-year-old branch section is similar to or exceeds the extension branch, it indicates that the pruning amount in previous years was too heavy, and lighter pruning should be done that year. If no medium or short branches grow on the 3-year-old branch section, and only some leaf cluster branches with very small leaves are attached, it indicates that the pruning amount in previous years was too light, and heavier pruning should be done that year; observe the number of flower buds: fine work should be done locally to make the ratio of flower bud branches to leaf bud branches appropriate, generally 1:2-3.
"Three sparse and three dense" means: sparse large branches, dense small branches; sparse outer branches, dense interior branches; sparse upper branches, dense lower branches.
"One large and one small" means: large at the bottom, small at the top.
Treatment of branch groups and small branches of fruit tree bonsai. Fruiting branch groups should be promptly cut back, rejuvenated, and renewed to maintain a healthy fruiting potential. For other branches, new branch groups are formed through treatment. Vigorous trees and vigorous branches should be left unpruned more and cut less, and cut back after fruiting weakens. For branches left unpruned for too long, promptly cut back and rejuvenate to cultivate into fruiting branch groups. For branches on the back, do not thin them all out; use them as appropriate. Young trees have strong vigor, and back branches tend to grow vigorously; they can be controlled through summer pruning methods such as multiple pinching, branch pulling, and branch bending, turning the useless into useful; trees in full fruiting period have stabilized vigor, and back branches do not easily grow vigorously, so they can be kept or removed according to space and position; for old trees after the full fruiting period, all back branches should be utilized to renew tree vigor and extend the fruiting years.
Method for thinning branches of fruit tree bonsai:
First, do not remove small branches without removing large ones. That is, when thinning branches, first consider removing large branches, then consider removing small branches, to prevent the phenomenon of the whole plant becoming "bare sticks."
Second, for trees with too many large branches, do not thin too many at once; it can be done year by year, in batches, with no more than two at a time.
Third, do not thin two opposite large branches at the same time, causing opposite wounds, so as not to weaken the upper tree vigor.
Fourth, wounds should be disinfected and protected. They can be disinfected with 2% copper sulfate solution or lime sulfur mixture stock solution, and coated with paraffin or anti-rust paint, to prevent the invasion of pathogens and the evaporation of tree moisture.
Disinfection of pruning tools. Tools often accidentally come into contact with diseased scars; at this time, promptly disinfect with 3-5 degrees Baume lime sulfur mixture or 50 times thiram solution to prevent the spread of pathogens.
About Fruit Tree Bonsai Care
Fruit tree bonsai is simple and easy to learn. As long as you follow the methods below, you can learn how to care for it and make it bloom every year and bear fruit every year, with beautiful scenery accompanying you for as long as decades.
I. Key Points of Fruit Tree Bonsai Care Techniques
1. Watering: Fruit tree bonsai need more water. The potting soil should be "dry when seen, wet when watered," that is, when the potting soil dries and turns white, water thoroughly again. If watering is not timely or not done for several days, causing the root system to be in a water-deficient state for too long, the leaves will wilt or even dry up. If water is applied for a long time without waiting for the potting soil to dry, and the interval between waterings is too short, the potting soil pores will be filled with water and a large amount of air will be expelled from the soil, thereby affecting root respiration, causing difficulty in root growth and even browning and rotting. In summer and autumn, watering time should avoid the midday high-temperature period. When the weather is cold, watering time should be at noon on sunny days. Fruit trees are not very strict about water quality; clean fresh water without salinity and alkalinity is best. Water from washing rice or vegetables or water changed from fish tanks can also be used for irrigation.
2. Topdressing: Fruit tree bonsai have strong adaptability to fertilizers. General organic fertilizers, inorganic fertilizers, and "flower fertilizers" sold in flower shops can all be used, but decomposed organic liquid fertilizer is best. Commonly used ones include cake fertilizers such as sesame paste residue and animal hoof and horn. Note that they must be soaked and decomposed, and diluted more than 50 times before watering in. Inorganic chemical fertilizers should be mixed with multiple elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, first dissolved in water, then applied to the potting soil or sprayed on the leaves, but the concentration should not exceed 5 per mille. Flower fertilizers sold in flower shops are clean and hygienic, with many brands, and can be used according to their instructions. During the growing season, apply organic liquid fertilizer 1-2 times per month. In this way, the fruit bonsai can produce large and colorful fruits and maintain vigorous growth the following year.
3. Light: Fruit bonsai love light. During the growing period, they should be placed in open ground or on a balcony where they can see light. If placed indoors during the ornamental period, it is best to place them in spacious halls, under windows, and other ventilated and light-exposed places. July-August is the peak period of flower bud differentiation for most fruit tree species. During this period, sufficient light is conducive to flower bud formation.
II. Management Characteristics of Various Tree Species:
1. Apple bonsai (pear, crabapple, and sand pear can refer to apple)
1) Pruning: Winter pruning should be carried out in January-February (before sprouting). First, correctly identify flower buds. Apple flower buds are mostly borne at the tips of healthy medium and short branches. The buds are plump, with tightly wrapped scales. Vegetative branches are often relatively thick and long, and their terminal and lateral buds are all leaf buds. If too dense or too long and affecting the tree shape, they can be cut flat from the base. If there is space around, leave 1-2 cm and cut flat, and short branches will sprout that year to form flower buds. In apples, Otome (a small-fruited apple variety), and in crabapples, Donghongguo, etc., can form clusters of axillary flower buds; the middle and upper buds of their healthy branches are often all axillary flower buds. For pruning axillary flower buds, more than 1/2 of the flower quantity should be cut off, so that the density is appropriate and the tree shape is full.
2) Summer pruning: Pinching, branch pulling. From May to July, pinch the fruit spur secondary shoots (shoots growing from the base of the fruit stalk) leaving 4 leaves, to reduce nutrient competition and benefit fruit development. For upright new shoots, all should be pinched 1-2 times. For upright perennial or current-year branches, pull them into a flat and slanting state. The greater the horizontal angle pulled, the more conducive to flower formation.
3) Pollination: Apples and pears have low self-fruitfulness and high cross-pollination fruit set, that is, mutual pollination between different varieties of the same tree species (for example: Red Fuji with Yellow Banana, Xue Li with Ya Li). Artificial pollination can be carried out during the flowering period. When the flowers open, use a clean brush from 8-10 am to mutually pollinate flowers of different varieties. If there is only a single variety, you can contact this base, or before flowering, purchase dried fresh pollen from the specialty store set up by this base.
4) Flower and fruit thinning, so that nutrients are concentrated for supply, can lay a good foundation for fruiting. For trees with many flowers, thin the inflorescences. Each inflorescence can open 5-6 flowers; at the bud stage before flowering, keep 2 flowers and thin the rest. After flowering, poorly pollinated young fruits will drop. The remaining young fruits gradually swell. Due to nutrient competition, some young fruits will still drop. This period until early June is all normal. After mid-June, fruit no longer drops, and then fruit setting can be carried out. According to crown diameter, for example, a fruit tree with a crown diameter of about 40 cm should retain about 10 fruits, 1 fruit per inflorescence. For small-fruited fruit trees such as Otome, sand pear, and crabapple, retain about 25 fruits per 40 cm, about 3 fruits per inflorescence.
2. Hawthorn bonsai: Hawthorn is self-fruitful and does not require artificial pollination. Hawthorn inflorescences are borne at 1-3 bud positions at the top of branches. During winter pruning, do not thin branches; simply shorten overly long branches to keep the tree shape compact. In May, when vigorous upright new shoots grow to 20 cm, pinch leaving 4-6 leaves; earlier is better than later. In addition, spraying 3 parts per 100,000 urea during the flowering period can increase the fruit set rate.
3. Peach bonsai (plum and apricot can refer to peach): Peaches include both flower-viewing and fruit-viewing types. Flower-viewing peach types have brilliant petals, mostly double-petaled, and do not bear fruit or the fruit is too small to eat. Fruit-viewing peach types have pale flowers, single petals, and strong ornamental and edible value. This base has all fruit-viewing fruit trees. Peaches have a very large flower quantity, with large numbers of lateral buds growing in strings. During winter pruning, cut off 1/2-1/3, and cut off overly long vigorous branches. Select 3-5 branches at the lower part of the crown, remove flower buds, and reserve them as reserve reserve reserve reserve reserve reserve reserve reserve reserve reserve reserve reserve reserve reserve reserve reserve reserve reserve reserve reserve
4. Grape bonsai
1) Pruning: Grape pruning should be carried out after leaf fall, preferably from mid-October to early November. Most buds at the middle and base of one-year-old healthy branches are flower buds. Cut leaving 4 buds at the lower part, depending on their strength. For relatively weak branches, cut leaving 2-3 buds at the base. Grapes must be pruned in winter; otherwise, flower buds cannot sprout or nutrients cannot be concentrated for supply to flower buds, and good fruit will not be produced. There are mainly two reasons: first, there is no reasonable pruning or no pruning; second, nutrient supply is insufficient and the plant is too weak. Courtyard grapes are basically the same as this.
2) Bud removal: Can be carried out after buds sprout in spring. Among the double buds or triple buds sprouting on the fruiting mother branch, keep 1 strong bud per node and remove the rest.
3) Pinching: Pinching can shift nutrients from vegetative growth to reproductive growth, conducive to concentrating nutrient supply to the fruit. Generally before flowering, pinch leaving 4 leaves above the inflorescence. After pinching, it will continue to sprout and can be pinched repeatedly. Tendrils should be removed as early as possible to avoid consuming nutrients.
4) Thinning fruit clusters: Each fruiting branch can retain only 1 fruit cluster, and excess ones should be thinned early. Before flowering, part of the flower cluster should also be pinched off so that nutrients are concentrated for supply. Only in this way can a good foundation be laid for producing good fruit.
5. Persimmon bonsai: Self-fruitful. Persimmon often produces 1-2 strong vegetative branches in the current year. During winter pruning, they can be shortened to keep the tree shape compact. Persimmon flower buds are borne in the middle of the persimmon crown, at 1-3 lateral bud positions at the top of strong branches. They can be left unpruned. After fruiting branches grow in spring, large-fruited varieties retain one fruit per branch, and small-fruited varieties retain 2-3 fruits per branch; the rest should be thinned early.
III. Repotting Fruit Tree Bonsai
Repotting can be done once every 3 years, using the original pot or a slightly larger pot. After fruit trees grow in the pot for decades, a thick root mat will form close to the bottom and walls of the pot. When repotting, remove the net-like root mat. In this way, the distance for roots to transport nutrients to the tree body is shortened. If repotting during the growing period, do not damage too many roots; the whole root ball can simply be placed into the new pot.
IV. Overwintering of Fruit Tree Bonsai: Their characteristics are generally spring flowering, gradual fruit enlargement in summer, and autumn ripening. For late-maturing varieties such as apple, pear, and persimmon, after ripening in autumn, the fruit can remain on the tree until around February of the following year. If placed indoors for viewing in winter and during the Spring Festival, note that the ambient temperature should not be too high. Apple, pear, and hawthorn can withstand -20°C low temperatures without freezing. It is best to create an environment of -10°C-10°C for overwintering. Peach, grape, persimmon, jujube, etc. are best at -5°C-10°C. If placed outdoors for overwintering, wrap the pot with newspaper or plastic bags, place it in a wind-sheltered, sunny place, and check the potting soil moisture once a month. V. Fruit Tree Bonsai Pests and Diseases: Because the bonsai cultivation base strictly controls fruit tree pests and diseases, after distribution to urban users, there is no source of infection around them, so the possibility of pest and disease occurrence is extremely small. If it occurs, it can be sprayed and brushed with laundry detergent water.
Key Care Points for Monstera Bonsai
Monstera is a shade-tolerant plant and avoids strong light exposure. Generally, after being moved outdoors in early May, place it under a grape trellis or near large trees by a riverbank. Before 9 am and after 6 pm, it should receive scattered sunlight. Monstera leaves have obvious phototropism. When placing, the leaf surface must face the sunlight to prevent the entire plant from becoming distorted.
At the end of October, move the potted plant indoors and place it in a place not exposed to strong direct sunlight at noon, receiving sufficient light every day. Indoor overwintering cannot be below 10°C. Keep the leaves clean regularly to facilitate photosynthesis and make the plant beautiful. Monstera likes moisture. Water accumulation in the potting soil will cause root rot, causing the plant to stop growing, leaves to droop, lose luster, and leaf blades to become uneven. Watering should follow the principle of preferring wet over dry, keeping it moist regularly, but not waterlogged.
In spring and autumn, water once every two or three days. In summer, water once daily from 2 to 4 pm. The amount of watering depends on the dryness and wetness of the potting soil; generally, water thoroughly. In winter, reduce the amount of watering, about once every 7 days. Monstera is afraid of dry air. During the growing period, spray clean water on the ground and leaf surface several times a day to increase the air humidity around the plant. In summer, avoid directly spraying with river water that is too hot at noon under strong sunlight, so as not to burn the leaves.
Monstera requires more fertilizer than common flowers. Besides applying sufficient base fertilizer at the bottom of the pot (fertilizer accounts for one-third of the soil), from May to October during the growing period of Monstera, apply a mixed dilute liquid fertilizer of decomposed sauce residue, horse hoof, soybean cake, and fishy water once every 10 days. Apply thin fertilizer frequently; combined with watering, apply 5% dilute liquid fertilizer once every two or three days. Monstera leaves are relatively large. When first planted, set up a frame and tie them. After the shape is set, remove it, and keep a certain distance from surrounding objects so that the huge leaves can develop without obstruction. When caring for and viewing indoors, maintain ventilation to prevent scale insects on the leaves.