How do you tell a raw stump from a cultivated stump? A must-read for beginners buying bonsai stump material

Bonsai is one of China's traditional arts: trees, sand and stones from nature are placed in an ornamental pot, expressing the grand through the small, and it is deeply loved by people. Friends who have bought plant stump material have probably all heard of raw stumps and cultivated stumps in bonsai. Everyone knows that the survival rate of cultivated stumps is far higher than that of raw stumps. How can beginners distinguish a raw stump from a cultivated stump when buying plant stump material? Let's look at the details below.

There are two kinds of raw stumps. One is freshly dug from wild mountains and gardens; this kind of rough material is called a "down-the-mountain stump." Down-the-mountain stumps often have well-developed roots in their native place, so digging requires cutting off most of the root system, and after digging, in order to ensure survival and subsequent shaping, most of the branches and trunk must also be cut off. This kind of rough material, which has not yet undergone any artificial cultivation, cannot have its survival rate guaranteed during the planting process.

The other kind refers to material that, after being dug and transplanted, has undergone a period of artificial care: the cut root wounds begin to heal, some new roots have grown out, and the cut branches and trunk have also produced new leaves. This is a sign that a down-the-mountain stump is beginning to survive initially. But at this time the stump is still like a newborn baby, rather delicate, and its growth is not yet stable. Once transplanted, there is still a great risk of the stump dying, so this kind of rough material is also a raw stump.

A cultivated stump refers to bonsai rough material that has gone through the raw stump stage of cultivation: the new root system can already supply enough nutrition for the plant itself, the cut surfaces of roots and trunk have healed, the new branches are luxuriant, and some of the new branches are able to lignify. It can also grow well when transplanted into a pot.

When beginner bonsai friends buy material, the material they see is often wrapped in a soil ball at the roots or already potted. Some unscrupulous merchants often plant raw stumps in pots or soil balls to pass them off as cultivated stumps. People cannot see the state of the plant's roots, so they cultivate them as cultivated stumps, ultimately suffering losses.

Below, the editor will explain how to tell which one is a cultivated stump by looking at the branches, trunk and leaves of the plant:

1. Look at the trunk. As mentioned earlier, after a raw stump comes down the mountain, part of the branches and trunk will be cut off to ensure survival rate and the later shaping direction. After cultivation and nurturing, the cut surface of the plant will slowly heal, and healing tissue will grow at the edge of the cut, wrapping around the edge of the cut. Some fast-growing species can even completely wrap around a not-too-large cut. The appearance of this kind of node on the trunk proves that what you bought is a cultivated stump. (The picture shows a cut made many years ago, which has already formed a "horse eye.")

2. Look at the branches. After a raw stump sprouts, the new buds keep growing and become new branches; this is a sign that the raw stump has survived. As the branches keep growing, the green, tender branches slowly thicken and begin to lignify; this is the manifestation of having been cultivated to maturity. So if you see that some branches of the material stump have this kind of lignification, it shows that the stump has been cultivated for some time. Its growth is already stable.

3. Look at the leaves. If a raw stump has retained some branches and leaves, and from the above two points it seems to meet the criteria, then you must also consider the leaves. When a raw stump comes down the mountain, root damage is certain. Once the plant's root system is damaged, the first thing to show it is the leaves; the leaves will become dull and lusterless within a few days. If the leaves of the whole plant appear dull, please be cautious about buying it. If the above two points are also met, and the leaves are fresh and lively, with both new and old leaves, then if you buy it at this time, you definitely will not be disappointed.

Of course, if you come across a raw stump that really suits your eye, it is also fine to buy it, but you must care for it strictly and carefully to avoid losses.

When you get a raw stump, the first step is to disinfect the roots. Potassium permanganate or some root disinfectant is fine. For slower-growing tree species, you can add some nutrients that help rooting during the disinfection step (better less than more). Plants are like people: when there is a wound, infection must be prevented. The soil medium used for cultivation must also be sterilized by exposure to sunlight, so as to prevent bacteria or fungi in the soil from secondarily infecting the plant. Second, the cut surfaces of the branches and trunk should be sealed with tin foil or sealing glue. This step is to prevent the plant itself from losing water and to isolate harmful bacteria in the air. Third, the branches and trunk exposed above the pot soil should be wrapped in plastic wrap, because before the root system has grown well, the plant's trunk exposed to the air risks dehydration. Finally, note that to cultivate a tree you must first cultivate the roots. In this root-cultivation stage, never let the pot soil remain overly wet for a long time, as this will cause the old roots to rot, and then there is basically no saving it.

The above is the many years of bonsai care experience summarized by the editor of Huinong Network. Now can you tell whether a bonsai is a raw stump or a cultivated stump? If you want to learn more agricultural technical knowledge, please follow Huinong Academy!

How do you graft a Chinese arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis) stump bonsai? Techniques for grafting Chinese arborvitae stump bonsai to create antique-style stumps

Walking into a bonsai cultivation garden, we can see some large, superb and unusual Chinese arborvitae stumps gathered together. With the development of the social economy, market demand for stump bonsai has increased, and various places have begun using thick Chinese arborvitae branches as scions and Chinese arborvitae seedlings as rootstock, adopting various grafting methods to make Chinese arborvitae stump bonsai. Next, the editor will briefly talk about the techniques for grafting Chinese arborvitae stump bonsai to create antique-style stumps.

1. In early spring each year, that is, before the Chinese arborvitae has sprouted, cut the Chinese arborvitae branches and trunk into short sections according to the needs of the bonsai shape, and store the cut branch segments in sand in a shaded place, while keeping the sand moist to avoid water loss.

2. After the temperature rises and the branch segments begin to sprout and the cambium slips its bark, use bark grafting or other grafting methods to graft the selected spare Chinese arborvitae seedlings onto the lower part of the thick Chinese arborvitae branches.

3. Fix the grafted rootstock onto the Chinese arborvitae branch segment with a pneumatic staple gun; this can prevent the two from shifting relative to each other. Then, according to the thickness of the Chinese arborvitae branch segment and the rootstock, graft multiple rootstock seedlings onto each branch segment, which can effectively increase the survival rate.

4. Choose a wooden stick 6-8 cm thick and 15-20 cm tall, and use a pneumatic staple gun to fix the stick at the pith position of the lower part of the Chinese arborvitae branch segment. This can effectively prevent displacement of the graft union between the rootstock seedling and the branch segment during planting, and watering after cultivation and care can also prevent the stump rough material from tilting.

5. Apply healing agent and water-retaining agent to the graft union, wrap and seal the part of the Chinese arborvitae branch segment above the graft union with plastic film, leaving only the lower saw cut of the branch segment and the rootstock roots exposed. Then cultivate it in river sand or a loose, breathable medium, with a planting depth of 5-10 cm. After planting, fix the stump to avoid shaking.

6. Care of Chinese arborvitae stump bonsai

For the care of Chinese arborvitae stump bonsai, according to local temperature, wind strength, etc., spray water on the branches and trunk 1-3 times a day to reduce transpiration;

Frequently observe the cultivation medium to avoid drought or waterlogging;

In summer, during high-temperature and strong-sun weather, provide shade in time and increase the frequency of watering;

Fertilizing is not advisable during the care period of Chinese arborvitae stump bonsai.

7. In the spring of the second year, prune the stumps whose roots have healed and which are growing healthily according to the bonsai artistic shaping plan, completing the rough material production of the Chinese arborvitae stump bonsai.

What are the sources of stump material? Key points for selecting plants for stump bonsai

What are the sources of stump material? The sources of stump material mainly include buying from the stump market, artificially propagating small stumps, and digging up wild small stumps. The selection of plants for stump bonsai is the most basic requirement in making stump bonsai, so a certain understanding of this aspect is needed. Next, the editor will specifically talk about the key points for selecting plants for stump bonsai.

I. Points to note when buying stumps from the market

① Check whether the stump will be difficult to plant and keep alive due to excessive water loss.

② Check whether there are too few fibrous roots at the roots; if too few, it is not easy to survive.

③ The stump's form must have an old and vigorous posture.

II. Artificially propagating small stumps

Propagation methods: plant through methods such as cuttings and grafting.

III. Benefits of digging up wild stumps

① Wild stumps, sculpted by nature, have an old and ancient posture, with natural beauty;

② They take shape quickly and cost little.

III. Selection of plants for stump bonsai

After old stumps are dug up, the main management of the tree rough material is to ensure survival. Generally, they are deeply buried underground for care, and after they survive, they are shaped year by year and their roots are raised. At the same time, the following points also need attention:

① After surviving, do not rush to pot them.

② Avoid sparse watering; ensuring a moist but not waterlogged state is the most important measure for a stump to survive.

③ Avoid misjudgment. In the earlier stage, cutting roots and severing branches causes the plant to suddenly suffer severe injury and enter "false death." At this time, it should be managed properly, waiting for temperature and humidity to restore the stump's vitality, first producing tender buds from the stump's internal vitality and entering "false life." But even when new roots grow, it still has not reached true survival, mainly because these tender roots are not enough to absorb sufficient water and nutrition to supply what the stump needs; it is still necessary to continue keeping the stump buried to reach true survival.

④ Avoid impatience. The design of the stump head into a stump posture must be thought over carefully. Frequently removing new buds is a sign of impatience and is extremely harmful to cultivating the stump.