How to make a Podocarpus bonsai? Detailed explanation of production methods and techniques
Podocarpus (Podocarpus macrophyllus) is evergreen all year round, relatively shade-tolerant, and prefers well-drained yet moist sandy soil. Its posture is graceful and dancing, deep green and richly fragrant; the seeds resemble a monk's head, and the seed receptacle looks like a monk's robe, so the whole form is like an arhat, hence the name. Varieties include: small-leaf Podocarpus, short-leaf Podocarpus, narrow-leaf Podocarpus, etc. These dwarf small-leaf Podocarpus are most suitable for making bonsai.
After Podocarpus seedlings have been planted in a pot for 1 to 2 years and are growing well, they can be shaped. First, conceive the design before shaping; after determining the main viewing side, first remove the small branches on the trunk, then remove the small buds and leaves on the large branches, highlighting the trunk and branch structure for shaping. No. 12 to 14 galvanized wire can be used, winding from the base of the trunk upward to the top of the trunk. When winding, press the wire down with your hand, wrap it around the trunk branch, and climb and turn upward.
Be careful not to damage the bark of the trunk, so as not to affect the appearance and shaping. After the trunk is wired, the branches can be shaped as freely as you like. The branches on the trunk can be wired with No. 18 wire. All remaining branches are cut off, leaving only the branches on both sides for shaping. According to the height and size of the shaped Podocarpus, plant it into a suitable pot. After shaping, the wire can be removed in August to October.
How to make a Podocarpus bonsai
Podocarpus is an evergreen small tree of the Podocarpaceae family. It is evergreen all year round, with narrow and long needles, dark green color, vigorous branches and trunk, and a long lifespan, and is a commonly used tree species for making bonsai. Among them, Queshe Podocarpus has leaves only 2 cm long, a beautiful tree shape, and is a precious tree species for making bonsai. Podocarpus prefers a warm and humid environment, is relatively shade-tolerant, and likes fertile, loose, well-drained, slightly acidic sandy loam. Its bonsai production methods are as follows: 1. Seedling sources
Small Podocarpus bonsai seedlings are usually obtained by artificial propagation methods such as sowing and cuttings. There are also wild Podocarpus in the mountains and fields, generally growing in stone crevices. You can choose to collect those with short plants, antique branches and trunks, and graceful postures.
2. Shaping
1. Potting
Podocarpus is usually potted before germination in spring. The potting soil should be loose, well-drained, slightly acidic sandy loam. Because Podocarpus has an antique and elegant posture, it is suitable to use purple clay pots or glazed ceramic pots for cultivation, and the pot shape is determined by the tree shape. 2. Shaping
Podocarpus is mostly shaped during the dormant period, mainly by wiring, with pruning as a supplement. Because Podocarpus branches are soft, easy to wire, and can also be pruned, the shapes are diverse. Common forms include curved-trunk style, slanting-trunk style, lying-cloud style, cascade style, and exposed-root style, etc. The branches and leaves can be pruned into flat pads or steamed-bun shapes. 3. Care
(1) Location
In summer, Podocarpus should be placed in a warm, humid, and well-ventilated place; in winter, it should be placed indoors at above 5°C. But the temperature should not be too high, so as not to affect its dormancy.
(2) Watering
Podocarpus likes moist soil. During the growing season, it should be watered frequently to keep the potting soil moist, but water must not accumulate in the pot. In summer, frequently spray water on the leaves or the ground to keep the leaf color bright and beautiful.
(3) Fertilizing
Podocarpus that has already been shaped should not be fertilized too much. Usually during the growing season, apply a thin liquid fertilizer once every 1 month, and stop fertilizing after autumn begins.
(4) Pruning
Podocarpus should be pruned frequently to maintain the tree shape. When flowering, it is best to remove the flower buds in time to avoid consuming nutrients.
(5) Repotting
Podocarpus is usually repotted once every 2—3 years. It is generally carried out in March—April.
(6) Pest and disease control
Pay attention to the prevention and control of pests and diseases, especially in summer and high-temperature seasons, and pay attention to the control of scale insects and red spiders.
Podocarpus bonsai production and care, and appreciation of Podocarpus bonsai pictures
Today I will introduce the production and care of Podocarpus bonsai, and I have collected some Podocarpus bonsai pictures for appreciation. I hope everyone likes them
Podocarpus bonsai production and care
Podocarpus is an evergreen small tree that likes light, is slightly shade-tolerant, and prefers a warm, humid climate. Its leaves are small, its growth is slow, and its lifespan is long. It is tolerant of pruning and suitable for making various forms of bonsai, and is also the main tree species for traditional formal-style bonsai. There are relatively few old Podocarpus stumps, and most are cultivated from a young age.
Podocarpus wood is hard, highly tenacious, and its branches are upright. For Podocarpus with branches and trunk 0.5 to 1 cm in diameter, growing solidly and vigorously, metal wire can be used for wiring (traditionally brown silk is used). When the trunk is more than 2 cm thick, bending becomes more difficult.
Choose a tree stump with well-developed roots, a root base spreading in all four directions, a trunk with curvature, many branches, and a short and sturdy tree shape. For making small bonsai, branches 0.5 to 1 cm thick can be selected for bending and shaping. Traditional formal style selects those with longer trunks for wiring and shaping; the trunk is mostly bent into two-and-a-half bends or swimming-dragon bends, and branches are retained at the protruding parts of the left and right bends and tied into cloud-pad shapes.
When using metal wire for wiring, remove the metal wire in time to avoid wire embedding, which affects growth.
Podocarpus can be pruned all year round. Usually, pinching is the main method; pinching can promote the sprouting of side buds, and repeated pinching makes the branch pads fuller. When pruning, cut off vigorous water shoots, messy branches, and diseased or dead branches. When pruning branches, cut close to the trunk and leave no stubs. In order to improve the ornamental value of shaped Podocarpus, old leaves can be removed in March to stimulate axillary buds to grow new leaves. When removing leaves, leave the leaf stalk to avoid damaging the axillary buds and causing no new buds to grow.
Podocarpus is a moisture-loving tree species, so watering should be frequent and the potting soil should be kept moist. In spring and autumn, water once every 2 days; in summer, water once in the evening or morning; in winter, water once every 3 to 5 days at noon. Water thoroughly, and combine it with washing dust off the leaf surface to keep the leaves bright and clean, making the leaf color emerald green.
Shaped Podocarpus does not need much fertilizer. During the spring growing season, apply thin fertilizer 2 to 3 times a year, mainly nitrogen fertilizer, supplemented by phosphorus and potassium. When repotting and changing soil, apply sufficient base fertilizer; the base fertilizer is mainly fermented
bone meal and cake fertilizer, applied at a volume ratio of potting soil to bone meal of 20:1. Usually, a 0.1% urea solution can also be sprayed on the leaves to make the leaves bright green.
Podocarpus bonsai is repotted once every 2 years, generally in spring. When repotting, remove half of the old soil, cut off excessive fine roots, long roots, and tangled roots, scrape away part of the soil at the dry roots, and gradually raise the roots. When the trunk base of the tree stump thickens and the tree body increases, a correspondingly larger pot should also be used when repotting.
Podocarpus is mainly harmed by aphids, scale insects, and red spiders. When severe, the leaves turn black. It can be sprayed and killed with 800 times dilution of 40% omethoate.