Detailed Explanation of Key Techniques for Transplanting Chinese Arborvitae (Thuja sutchuenensis) Bonsai

  Many people not only love Chinese arborvitae bracelets, but also want to obtain a Chinese arborvitae bonsai. Chinese arborvitae is a prehistoric plant originating more than 300 million years ago, a relict plant from the Cretaceous period of the dinosaur era, known as the world's rarest and oldest gymnosperm, and an extremely rare surviving plant living fossil in the world. During the process of digging up Chinese arborvitae, the brothers in the mountains often dig up some live material, and some specifically dig live material to make Chinese arborvitae bonsai. To successfully cultivate a live Chinese arborvitae tree, one must master the following cultivation steps.

  Chinese arborvitae has relatively strong vitality and is mainly propagated through transplant cultivation. For fertilizer selection for Chinese arborvitae soil, fertilizers with good air permeability should be chosen, and attention should also be paid to pest control treatment. Regular pest control should be noted, and it is best to spray for insect bites once every week during the period after transplanting. Spraying six or seven times in total is sufficient.

  1. Digging up

  Roots are the most unsuitable to dig up, but as long as there are two or three small red roots, there is still hope for survival. The more leaves carried, the better. Having both roots and leaves is the first fundamental requirement for the survival of Chinese arborvitae. Without roots and leaves, no matter how much effort is put in later, it is futile.

  2. Timing

  The shorter the time from digging down from the cliff to planting in soil, the better. After a live tree is brought down the mountain, it is best to plant it that same evening. If not planting at that time, it can be placed in a warm, humid, dark place, with water sprinkling and misting to maintain moisture. Do not soak the roots in water.

  3. Soil

  The soil used for cultivation must be a mixed soil that is permeable, breathable and loose. Never use pure soil; generally adding 80% river sand is sufficient. In the Taihang Mountains area, it is best to use coal briquettes that have been burned and left unused for a period of time with no residual fire. Discarded coal briquette ash is a sterile cultivation soil with good water permeability, air permeability and moisture retention, and is very suitable for cultivating Chinese arborvitae. When watering, water should seep into the soil and flow out of the bottom of the pot within 2 or 3 seconds.

  4. Moisture retention and temperature control

  Newly planted Chinese arborvitae is best cultivated in a greenhouse, which is the best method to improve the survival rate, as it can retain moisture and control temperature. The main purpose of moisture retention and temperature control is to keep the trunk and leaves from losing internal water, maintain life, and provide the key conditions for subsequently rooting and sprouting. During the growing period, the pot soil must not be allowed to dry out. The ambient humidity is best kept above 70%. When the temperature reaches 25°C to 35°C, it is the best time for Chinese arborvitae to root and sprout. Pay attention to ventilation.

  5. Light

  A new Chinese arborvitae tree has very few roots, and its function of absorbing water is already very weak. At this time, the leaves can breathe and absorb water through the leaf surface, maintain life and carry out photosynthesis, which in turn promotes the flow of tree sap, promotes root survival and sprouts new roots. Therefore, it is very useful for a new tree to carry more leaves. During the growing period, with suitable temperature and humidity and sufficient light, the photosynthesis of the leaves is stronger, which is more conducive to survival. But in midsummer, if the light is too strong, it cannot maintain the humidity of the growing environment, and it will also evaporate the original water in the new tree's body, drying out the tree. Therefore, appropriate shading is needed. A shade net with low shading rate is sufficient, but do not shade for a long time.

  7. Plant once and for all

  After planting, it is best not to transplant again within three years, and never carry out a second transplant within one year. Chinese arborvitae has difficulty rooting, and even a tree that has survived for two years may not necessarily have well-developed roots. Therefore, once planted, it must be planted into a container. After planting, use rope to fix the trunk to the container so that the tree cannot shake.

  During the process of digging up Chinese arborvitae, the brothers in the mountains often dig up some live material, and some specifically dig live material to sell to bonsai middlemen. The amount of live Chinese arborvitae material exceeds that of dry material, but a large amount of live material becomes two-color material and white-bark material among Chinese arborvitae materials because the roots cannot be extracted or the branches and leaves have been cut off. But when encountering live material with roots and leaves, it can be cultivated to survive. Whether in ecological value, ornamental value or market price, compared with simply becoming root art and root carving, it is not on the same level at all!

  Key points for transplanting Chinese arborvitae bonsai:

  1. Seedling selection: robust growth, free of pests and diseases, and good directional marking.

  2. Digging up: choose the soil ball size according to the diameter at breast height (8-10 times), and reduce damage to the root system.

  3. Transportation: the soil ball and bark must not be damaged, and spray transpiration inhibitor to reduce the loss of water and nutrients.

  4. Digging the tree hole: dig the tree hole according to the size of the soil ball (the tree hole is 30-50CM larger than the soil ball), and spread organic fertilizer and root-promoting fertilizer in the tree hole.

  5. Planting: minimize damage to the tree, pay attention to the tree's orientation, and set up ventilation pipes.

  6. Installing supports: pay attention to protecting the trunk and avoid damaging the bark.

  7. Watering: do not water if not dry, and water thoroughly when watering.