How should a bonsai be shaped so its cross-section looks natural and beautiful?

"The parking lot loves the night of the maple grove, and the frosted leaves of February are very red." This is the ancient people's praise and love for the red maple. Red maple leaves have a festive feel; whether worn on the body or placed indoors, they can give people a fresh new look, so they are very popular.

To make a red maple bonsai with good ornamental value, you must work hard during the bonsai-making process. Bonsai is produced according to the characteristics of the material and shows the natural beauty of the plant. Red maple bonsai can be divided into the double-trunk type, the slanting-trunk type and the cascade type, but the double-trunk type is more common. Those plants that are short and have weaker branches are most suitable for double-trunk styling.

During production, too much soil should not be kept around the roots, otherwise the space in the pot will be reduced and it will not be suitable for root growth. Before going into the pot, the roots should also be repaired; whether main roots, lateral roots or fibrous roots, as long as they are too long they must be trimmed. Treat the pot used for planting before transplanting the plant. A filter and pebbles must be prepared. The bottom of the pot usually has a hole. Place the filter at the bottom, cover the hole, and then add a layer of pebbles.

After transplanting is completed, the next step is to prune and shape the plant. During pruning, the main targets are those that are too tall, while the others must wait until they have been shaped and then pruned. If you are modeling, you should rely on aluminum wire to wrap these branches, consider the direction you want, and then move the aluminum wire in the ideal direction so that the branches grow in the ideal direction.

If you want a beautiful red maple bonsai, then you must be careful and cautious. In terms of care, it usually starts with factors such as soil, light and moisture. If using soil, it can be used as general growing soil. After watering, it is better to place it in a semi-shaded and ventilated place. In humid conditions, you need to pay attention to watering frequently. Since it does not need to be a conifer-type plant, the red maple has a large leaf area, so its water loss rate is also relatively fast. So leaf control is also a very important aspect, but pay attention to the choice of timing, otherwise it will cause harm to the plant.

The red maple is also in its dormant period, so it is the better time for fertilizing during winter dormancy. It is usually applied together with NPK fertilizer, and pruning is carried out after fertilizing. I believe that in the coming year, you will feel more vitality. Pests are also killers of potted plants. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to their health. If it is found to be worms or other pests, it should be dealt with promptly. If it cannot be handled directly by hand, and if there are many, it is usually treated with omethoate. I believe that only careful care will produce a very interesting potted plant.

The straight-trunk type is characterized by an upright or erect body, a tall and straight tree, and it is the basic tree form of arbor species.

(1) Selecting seed wood

Excellent varieties should have the following characteristics:

(1) The root flare is good.

(2) The dragon ridge is rough and upright.

(3) The trunk is of medium thickness, and the closer to the top, the smaller it becomes.

(4) One side of the trunk is covered with branches.

If the trunk is slightly curved during the seedling stage, wire can be tied directly to restore straightness. If it is a main branch, it should be thicker and deeper. In addition, the distance between the two branches is based on the principle that the higher the position, the narrower the spacing.

(2) Key points of shaping

Usually, the straight-trunk tree type is difficult to shape and cultivate. It must be shaped through composition, the top of the knot, side branches and an all-round form. It strives to seek dynamism and charm in monotony and rigidity, and to make the work break through and gain new ideas.

Distribution of the main branches: generally speaking, the main branches of a straight-trunk tree should be distributed according to certain rules. First, the first branch faces right (or left) and slightly forward, and the second branch extends left (or right) (staggered branches) to maintain stability. The third branch is located at the rear to show depth, also called Lizhi.

As for the fourth branch, the position distribution is as described above; the lower branches are close to horizontal and droop only slightly, and the higher the upper position, the greater the tilt. This is very important for the expression of young branches and makes people feel it is beautiful. The drooping of the main branches depends on the species of the tree.

1. The top of the knot is zigzag, and the direction can vary, but in the end it does not deviate from the central axis of the trunk; the middle of the knot is the top, and the middle is the right. (As shown in Figure 1 below) Figure 1: Use a double floating branch shape to enhance the movement on the left side. Regardless of whether it is left-handed or right-handed, the newly trained top eventually returns to the central axis, and the momentum rises in a straight line. This is a typical daughter-in-law style.

2. The top is zigzag, the direction is changeable, and finally it deviates from the central axis of the trunk, presenting a soft, supple and flexible composition, dignified and generous. (Figure 2) Figure 2: The straight shape of the stump, with the top of the knot extending to the left. It forms a strong contrast with the central upright body. The newly cultivated right-wing swinging branch is right-handed, and it is the standard welcome style.

3. The shape of a short straight trunk in the middle of the knot. The lower the support, the more it forms an isosceles triangle composition, pursuing a stable tower like an unshakable mood. (Figure 3 below) Figure 3: Lifting it short, majestic and thick, taking an isosceles triangle composition. Many black pines in Taiwan, China and Japan have this shape.

4. The top of the knot is the display between the literati tree, the straight trunk and the short straight trunk, and the straight-trunk shape. The setting is moderate, the tree is not short and straight, and the shape is strong. Take two shapes and make it look good. (Figure 4) Figure 4: The middle of the knot is correct, honest, kind, gentle, generous, handsome and handsome. It adopts an equilateral triangle composition, which most people like.

5. Natural wild red cotton type. The kapok tree is also called the hero tree. It is a unique tree species in Guangdong. It is tall and straight, balanced, heroic and full of heroic spirit. (Figure 5) Figure 5: A common natural red cotton type. The characteristics of the kapok tree are that the body is straight and it has a pair of branches. Take the form to make a bonsai.

6. Double straight and tall. This styling is the most common. The main position of the main trunk is released from the floating branch, and the space at the top of the secondary trunk leaves independent space. The secondary right-wing branch becomes the main trunk. (See Figure 6 below.) Straight drying is the most basic modeling form. It can be transformed into multiple shapes according to the understanding of utilization.

Boxwood is a tree often used for bonsai. It can be transplanted in any season, and its survival rate is very high. Even if it is a stump with a less developed root system, it can survive well through cultivation. Most importantly, boxwood is a plant that can be pruned at will, and it can create the ideal shape through adjustment without worrying about the planting of the whole plant.

If you are more patient, the stumps selected for boxwood bonsai can be artificially cultivated by yourself. They can be propagated by cuttings and other methods. During cultivation, they can be initially shaped, and after several years of cultivation, they can take shape. If you want to pursue quick success, then you usually go to the wild to collect old stumps; the roots and branches of the old stumps are slightly pruned and planted for about 1 year, and then they can go into the pot. Please note that if you choose an old stump, there are more natural branches, and the branches and leaves are more luxuriant, so it is easier to survive.

Before potting, you need to properly prune the roots so that they survive better in the pot. For example, roots that are too long should be shortened, but because boxwood grows slowly, it is better not to cut too many roots. A purple clay pot is better, and the color and shape look like the shape of the boxwood tree. The soil used is similar to that of other bonsai. The soil should be fertile and require ventilation and drainage. Mountain soil, humus soil and garden soil can be used. Before putting the soil into the pot, first place a water hole at the bottom of the pot, mainly covering the drainage hole of the pot with a tile, then lay large-particle soil, and then put the growing soil in layers. Place the stump in, fill it with soil, and cultivate the soil to be compacted so that the roots and soil are connected together.

After potting, you should pour enough water. If you want more roots to grow under the trunk, you can place a wooden frame around the flower pot and fill it with soil. The wooden strips should not be higher than 2 inches. This can not only promote the growth of new roots, but also improve the survival rate of the stump. In addition, it is necessary to place the boxwood bonsai just potted in a semi-shaded area for a period of time, and then carry out normal maintenance and shaping.

The shape of the boxwood bonsai is the same as the shape of most stump bonsai. It is made by binding the trunk and branches with wire so that they grow into the ideal shape. Then, during the growing season, the branches and leaves are properly pruned, mainly according to the needs of shaping. Operations such as picking, plucking, turning leaves and pruning. It should be noted that when using wire to bind the trunk and branches, special attention should be paid to the degree of tightness. If it is too loose, the shape will not be in place. If it is too tight, it will hurt the branches. The wire used is preferably rubberized. The damage to the branches is relatively small.

Boxwood grows relatively slowly. In order to shape some places, it is necessary to send out more buds. At this time, some methods can be used to promote buds. Usually a layer of diluted gibberellin is applied where buds are needed. After a period of time, it will send out new buds.