What is bonsai? How to grow a miniature tree at home?

For someone, the houseplant is a flowering violet or ficus with dark shiny leaves. And someone wants to grow a real forest in a small handful of earth.

Many fans of house plants heard the mysterious word "bonsai". But what is bonsai and how to form a miniature miracle, just do not understand. But meanwhile, it's quite possible to understand this.

History of bonsai

Fashion on miniature trees spread throughout the world from Japan. But the Japanese are not the ancestors of a new kind of art. The idea of a bonsai came to them from China. But it was the Japanese who brought it to perfection.

The first mention of the cultivation of miniature trees fell into the hands of historians in 1972. In the mausoleum of Prince Zang Hui, images were found that describe in detail the technology of growing small trees. Judging by how carefully the drawings were saved for descendants, the technique was referred to especially valuable knowledge. Figures belonged to the time of the reign of the Chinese dynasty Tang, which corresponds to 600 BC. E.

The Chinese called an unusual hobby "pensai." The Japanese read the Chinese character in their own way, and the word "bonsai" means "grown in a tray".

By the way, archaeologists say that even the ancient Egyptians knew what bonsai was. They grew small plants in special vessels, but called them differently. Unfortunately, the Egyptian version of the name is not preserved.

What's the point of this

The Japanese brought the art of growing dwarf plants to perfection. Each sapling requires a master of many years of work, attention and patience. Only in this way you can get a green masterpiece that will live longer than its creator. A beautiful plant will be given to grateful students who understand well what bonsai is and how much effort the master has invested in this beauty.

The art of bonsai is a definite philosophy that allows one to embrace life and enjoy the beauty of its current. Each tree in the hands of the master passes through three stages, like all living things on the planet. First, it lives youth, shining with freshness and pressure, then enters into maturity, reaching perfection of forms and beauty, and the last stage - old age, embodying all the wisdom of the world. And, in addition, bonsai - a symbol of the continuity of generations, because the youngest in the family need to learn from experience and be able to keep what the elders created.

Which trees can be grown

More often for growing in containers use evergreen species. It can be Japanese cypress, Chinese juniper, Japanese cedar, five-leafed, black or red Japanese pine. Bonsai from these tree species looks very impressive, but some prefer to grow deciduous trees, finding a special charm in the changing seasons. In this case, suitable Japanese plum, apple trees of different varieties, cherry, some varieties of maples, rhododendron, wild azalea, various varieties of pears, persimmons, wild grapes, willow and others.

Bonsai-pine looks very beautiful and unusual, as it can be seen in the photo below, so it is often these miniature coniferous trees that can be found.

Bonsai styles: Tokkan and Moyegi

Even the most experienced master will never get two absolutely identical plants. But all the songs are clearly divided into styles. This tradition was brought to the art of bonsai is the Japanese. They gave a designation to a number of signs, according to which trees are divided into styles. There are more than 30 of them, but we will consider them most common.

If you see a bonsai plant with a straight trunk extending to the base, then this is a formal vertical style - the Tekkan. Another important characteristic of it is that the plant must be tapered to the top. In this style, you can grow any kind of tree. Tikkan's symbolism is proud loneliness and unbending character.

If the plant is stretched vertically, but its branches do not have a clear structure, but are located arbitrarily, this is the style of the Mojega. The trunk of a tree can be bent, but the top necessarily extends to one line with the base, forming a perpendicular to the ground. Mojogi symbolizes simplicity and freedom, and also - the desire to go beyond the limits, resisting circumstances.

Fukinagasi and Syakan

These are styles of bonsai, photos of which seem to be made with a strong gusty wind. For Syakan (inclined style), the slope is inclined at an angle to the ground, but the tree extends upwards. Fukinagasi (bent by the wind) can have both a straight and inclined trunk, but its branches are directed in one direction (towards the slope), as if a tree grew in a strong wind. The symbolism of these styles is resistance to the forces of nature and the struggle for life.

Sokan Style

Sokan is translated as a "split trunk". This style was suggested by nature lovers to bonsai lovers, since very often two trunks rise from one root, one of which is stronger and higher. The tree can be flat or sloping, this is not very important, the main thing is that it should form a common crown. Create a similar bonsai at home can be, giving the appearance of the second trunk the lowest branch. Symbolism of this style is continuity of generations and veneration of traditions. Sometimes Sokan is called "twins" or "father and son."

Kengai and Khan-kengai

These are a bit similar kinds of bonsai in a cascade and semi-cascade style. Kangai - like a tree that grew on a steep cliff. To survive, he had to adapt to difficult circumstances. The symbol of style is plasticity in any conditions.

Khan-kengai has a more horizontal direction of stem growth. Trees, as if grow on the shore of the reservoir, trying to reach the crown to the water. Hen-kengai - bonsai, whose photo clearly shows that the branches do not fall below the middle part of the pot, and the top of the plant is always above the ground level.

For these plastic styles, plants with bent barrels are always chosen. Preference is given to pine, cotoneaster, juniper.

Bundzigs

This style is considered one of the most difficult to perform. And he is one of the most ancient. Otherwise, this style is called "literary". This name is due to the fact that plants have a schematic form of "Japanese letters". Masters, as if writing calligraphic signs, growing trees with long curved trunks without lower branches. The crown of this species of bonsai is only allowed at the very top. The style symbolizes airiness and sublimity. For growing choose coniferous or broad-leaved species.

Charming Yose-uye

Can you imagine pots for bonsai, in which a small forest grew up? These are plants in the style of Yose-uh. The composition consists of a large number of trees with different heights of trunks, with different thickness and age of plants. Usually, an odd number of trees are selected, and they are often of the same species. Plant them, not observing symmetry and avoiding the same distances. Thus, the master gets his own park or small forest, most like a corner of the wild.

Style of Sharimiki

Enlightened Japanese have learned to see beauty in every moment of life. They proved that old age can also be beautiful. The embodiment of this statement is the style of Sharimika, that is, "dead wood". The tree artificially ages, the bark from the trunk is partially removed, and its wood is bleached, creating a contrast between the dead and the living. Sites with dead wood are bent, but they must be clearly visible. For this species, juniper is most often used.

Planting bonsai

Going to grow the described miracle, beginners are wondering about how to plant a bonsai. There are several ways to do this:

1. The way Missy. This is an ideal option for beginning experimenters. It is enclosed in the sowing of seeds harvested in the wild. In this case, you can choose from a variety of germs is the one that you need, and begin to slow growth from the outset.
2. Method of Toriki. This is the cultivation of miniature plants from cuttings or layers. In order to take advantage of this method, the bark is cut or cut at the right place on the branch and the stimulated growth of the horses is opened up by the wood that has opened up. The wood is wrapped in moss and film and waiting for 3 (sometimes more) months. The place of the cut is not allowed to dry out all this time.
3. The way of Yamadori. The approximate meaning of this name is "found and dug". In spring, in a forest or a garden, a suitable plant is found, dig it up and leave it for several months to form surface horses. After that the powerful roots are shortened a little, the plant is extracted from the soil, and the formation of the bonsai in the pot begins.
4. Wye way. With this method, a ready-made young plant is bought in the nursery, then it is cut off and planted in a flat pot. Or bought a young bonsai, and then grow it, based on their preferences in style.

How to form a plant

The main task in growing bonsai is to make the tree stay small. To do this, slow down the growth and give the desired shape. To inhibit growth, roots are often pruned and young shoots are removed, scanty soils are selected, a minimum amount of fertilizer is used and special pots are chosen for bonsai in which the root system can not grow very much. In addition, it is necessary to use the system of attenuation of juices intake, applying horizontal cuts to wood or braiding the barrel with a wire.

When the plant is sufficiently entrenched, begin to cut and bend its branches. To do this, use a copper wire, which entangle the branches and fix pegs in the flowerpot. Bends better to start in the summer, when the branches are most elastic. In order not to damage the crown, the place of bending is wound with a soft bundle or bast.

Timely pruning of branches helps to awaken the necessary kidneys to growth. If, to create the ideal shape, you need to direct the branch to the right, then select the kidney sticking out in the desired direction, and trim the branch above it, not leaving the hemp above.

By the way, if bonsai-pine is grown, then pruning should be done with extreme caution. Damaged branches may turn yellow. This also applies to other conifers.

How to care for a plant

The plant requires care throughout its life. To grow a decent bonsai, care at home provides all year round. These include transplantation, fertilizing, watering.

Transplant is best done in the spring. It is necessary to make sure that the roots do not grow and do not form a tangle. As soon as this happens, the tree is taken out of the pot, the roots are cut and returned to the plant, but in fresh soil.

For planting make a mixture of 3/5 humus soil, 1/5 peat and 1/5 of sand. The primer in the container is carefully rammed so that no voids are formed. The height of the soil in the container is about 5-6 cm. From the top, as a rule, it is decorated with stones and moss.

Feeding is carried out in spring and summer. The interval is maintained for about two weeks. It is most convenient to use ready-made liquid organic fertilizer with bird droppings, which is introduced 2 hours after irrigation.

What else do you need to do to grow a healthy and beautiful bonsai? Care at home involves abundant and regular watering. Many install a container with a tree in a flat vessel with water. Its bottom is filled with small stones or a lattice. The water level in the tray is maintained at one level. This allows you to increase the humidity and reduce watering.

Water is necessary for a miniature tree in large quantities. But you need to take into account the type of plant, because residents of different climatic zones create different conditions for watering. For example, small-leaved cattle is a bonsai tree, the care of which requires daily abundant watering. But for a fat woman such watering is disastrous, its root system can not cope with the abundance of moisture and rot.

It is important to understand that a miniature tree should be watered more often, even if the species does not like moist soil, when there are the following factors:

• The foliage on the branches is large and numerous;
• Plant planted in a small or flat container, since then a large area of evaporation of moisture from the surface of the substrate;
• The room is dry and the air is too warm.

In addition, the plant will not prevent regular spraying. However, consider that evergreen species can only be sprayed with distilled water. When using the usual tap water on the leaves there will be an unbrusable whitish coating.

Now that you understand what bonsai is, you can try to create your own masterpiece. But think and evaluate your strength. If you are not patient enough, then maybe you should not take up this hard work.