Bonsai at home - how to care for a miniature tree. Bonsai care at home

In order to enjoy the beauty and elegance of trees, it is not at all necessary to have your own garden or household plot. Surprisingly, plants that everyone used to consider outdoors can live and grow in flower pots.

Bonsai is an ancient one that has become so popular that it has spread to many countries of the world. Its essence boils down to growing an exact copy of a tree in miniature. In order to become the owner of a charming indoor tree, you need to know how to care for bonsai, because this plant requires special care and attention. So let's get started.

Location

Needs bright light, but it is necessary to protect the plant from direct sunlight, as they can cause burns. In the absence of additional lighting, bonsai will suffer from a lack of light, which is especially true for the season from October to March.

How to care for bonsai during this period? It is recommended to use appliances artificial lighting: fluorescent, mercury or halogen lamps. But incandescent lamps should not be used, since the heat rays emitted by them have a detrimental effect on the plant. However, it is important to consider that you should not use artificial light throughout the year, as this will do more harm than good.

Humidity and temperature conditions

Since caring for bonsai is not an easy task, you will have to work hard. The plant loves moist air, and therefore it is very important to maintain indoor humidity that is comfortable for it. It is great if the room has an aquarium, in which case there is no need to purchase special devices.

The most expensive, but at the same time not very effective way to maintain optimal humidity is an electric humidifier. It is possible to solve the problem more simple method by placing the plant on a tray filled with hydroballoons.

How to care for bonsai from the standpoint of the temperature characteristics of the plant? For a plant (olive, pomegranate, myrtle) in winter time year it is necessary to create from +5 to +13 degrees. Tropical love warmth, and therefore throughout the year they should be kept at an indoor air temperature of +18 ... + 24 ° C. In summer, all varieties of bonsai must be taken out to the balcony or garden, if any.

Watering

Water is of great importance in the life of this amazing plant. Bonsai can be destroyed by both lack of moisture and its excess. So, how to care for a bansai and find the optimal water balance?

As they say in Japan, in the homeland of this miracle plant, bonsai should be watered three times: first - for the sake of the pot, then for the sake of the soil, and finally for the sake of the tree. Therefore, it is recommended to go around the bonsai with a watering can three times so that the water can soak into the vessel, into the soil and get to the plant itself.

Since the plant absorbs moisture not only through the roots, it is advisable to spray the trunk and leaves of the bonsai. Among other things, this will wash off the dust that prevents the tree from breathing from the leaves. When watering a flowering tree, it is important to avoid getting moisture on the flowers, otherwise they will simply die.

It is best to water the plant in the morning. This is due to the fact that evening watering contributes to the creation of favorable conditions for the appearance of fungus and mold, and during daytime watering, the water droplets remaining on the leaves create the effect of a glass lens, as a result of which the plant can get a sunburn.

top dressing

Since it is necessary to take care of a bonsai tree very carefully, one should not forget about feeding the plant. For the first time, it is necessary to fertilize a tree in the spring with the appearance of shoots. For this purpose, it is recommended to purchase ball-shaped organic fertilizers made according to a special Japanese recipe.

Further top dressing should be carried out every 30 days. In July, a pause should be made, which is necessary in order for the shoots to stop their growth and be able to harden. The plant is especially in need of fertilizers in early autumn, when the formation of rudiments is observed, from which new shoots will appear next year.

Bonsai mix

Bonsai mix represent trees different breeds, which are formed under small indoor trees. Many amateur flower growers, acquiring such a plant, then try for a long time to understand which variety it belongs to and how to care for the bonsai mix. In order for the tree to live for a long time to the delight of all households, it is necessary to strictly follow the above general recommendations bonsai plant care.

bonsai ficus

It is recommended to give preference to evergreen small-leaved varieties. this plant, such as Benjamin's ficus, blunt or boxwood ficus. How to care for ficus bonsai, what conditions must be provided in order to grow a beautiful and healthy tree?

First of all, it is important to know that the plant prefers partial shade, and therefore there is a particularly urgent need for additional lighting it does not experience. The soil for the tree should consist of 2 parts gravel, 5 parts humus and 3 parts clay.

In the first 2-3 years of life, the ficus should be formed without human intervention, and then it is necessary to cut the tree to the desired height. For shaping, use wire, which, importantly, should not be left for a long time.

Knowing how to care for a bonsai tree and following all the recommendations, you can grow an amazingly beautiful tree, the real pride of any grower.

The placement of the bonsai depends primarily on the type of plant being grown in the bonsai style. So, if you grow, for example, a tree of crassula, milkweed or adenium, then you need a well-lit place with some direct sunlight. Cypress, rhododendron trees will definitely require shading or light partial shade. It must be said right away that the bonsai bought in the store are grown under the conditions of the so-called filtered lighting, i.e. in scattered light. If you grow bonsai from trees and shrubs taken in nature, then the conditions should be as close to natural as possible. It means a lot fresh air and enough light.

The place chosen for bonsai largely determines the formation of the crown. If the plant will stand on one side towards the light, then this will lead to the development of stronger strong and leafy branches with more sunny side. Therefore, the container must be periodically rotated so as not to violate the formed style. It is best if the plant will receive sunbathing early in the morning - on the east window or in the evening on the west. In the period from 11 to 16 hours of the day, shading is desirable.

If for some reason natural light is not enough, the plant will respond well to additional illumination with fluorescent lamps or phytolamps. Determining the lack of light is simple: the leaves turn to the light source, the shoots are thinner, the petioles of the leaves are longer than usual.

Do not place the container in a windy place or under strong air conditioning or fan.

Creating a traditional bonsai

What distinguishes a ficus in a pot from the same ficus formed in the form of a bonsai? Miniature sizes? No, not only. As already agreed above, the signs of a century-old tree grown over the years. It is also possible to give the appearance of such a tree from a plant that is 2-3 years old, and which is 10-20 years old. It all depends on the desired thickness of the barrel. It is clear that the thicker the trunk, the older plant. In an old plant, it is not only thickened, but also covered with bark. To get hold of such a plant, you need to either grow it for many years, or find it in nature. The found tree is dug up, cut off the roots, part of the foliage and planted in a container.

In order to give the trunk a thickening resort to certain techniques. The first is that the trunk of the tree at the base is tightly tied with wire, but not to such an extent as to break it, but so that only the upper tissues are squeezed, and the sap flow is not disturbed. When the trunk thickens above the constricted place, the wire is removed. Another technique is suitable when the barrel is too long. The bark is cut in the right place, i.e.

How to care for bonsai?

remove a circular strip of bark (cambium) about 1-1.5 cm, and plant the tree in a deep pot so that the place with the cut is underground. After a while, roots form in this place. Then the trunk below these roots is cut off and the plant is transplanted into a bonsai container. It can take up to a year for new roots to develop.

Another difference between bonsai are the roots that rise above the surface of the earth. This is achieved by the fact that during transplantation, the roots are raised higher and not covered with earth. You can also form the desired shape of the roots with the help of a wire.

In nature, as a rule, the main branches can be distinguished on a tree, which do not grow strictly upwards, but obliquely or almost horizontally. When forming a bonsai, this is achieved by pruning, when two or three main branches are left on the trunk, and the direction is given to them with the help of a wire. In addition, the outlines of these main branches should be clearly visible, so excessive foliage interferes, the foliage is thinned out, and new shoots and leaves are removed from the base of the main branches.

The final look of the bonsai is given by covering the soil with natural elements. It is either covered with moss, or sprinkled with sand or gravel. How to cover the soil depends on the type of plant. So coniferous trees will look more natural on white sand, deciduous trees on moss-covered soil. Succulents look beautiful on gravel.

Very often, the bonsai composition is supplemented with various figures representing a Chinese peasant, a Chinese girl, a house in Chinese or Japanese style etc.

Bonsai Shaping and Planting

I repeat - there can be only two options for obtaining a bonsai - if you bought an already formed bonsai, then you just have to continue to care for it, maintain the created style, and if you yourself form a bonsai from a suitable houseplant or specially grown seedlings.
In any case, only healthy plants with a strong and well-developed root system, with a well-defined line of branches, are suitable for growing bonsai. You can start the formation of a plant from two or three years. All actions begin in the spring, when buds appear on the tree.

First you need to determine the style of bonsai, which depends on the appearance of the plant. Sometimes difficulties with the formation of the appearance are due to the fact that a person has a poor idea of ​​which branches and in which direction they will begin to grow after pruning. Therefore, it is worth remembering one simple rule: shoots from the uppermost buds on the shoots grow stronger and more actively. Those. on the plant as a whole, the tip stretches and bushes faster and the tree grows in height faster than in width. The same applies to the lateral branches of the buds at the ends of the shoots grow more actively than the lower ones. If you cut off the upper kidney, then the one that remains below will begin to grow more actively.
All this is due to the fact that the outer buds and leaves around them get more light. That is why buds develop more actively on the shoot, which are located on the upper side of the branch and grow upwards, and if we talk about the plant as a whole, then the side facing the light grows thicker and faster.

Bonsai step by step

1 step. First, inspect the tree and remove all dry branches. As well as branches at the bottom of the trunk. We select three main branches on the crown of the tree, usually those three branches are left, the tops of which form an equilateral triangle. Now you need to delete all branches between the selected three.

2 step. If you want to grow a slanting tree, you'll need wire that's soft enough to be bent by hand, but strong enough not to bend under the weight of the branches and trunk.

3 step. Now I need to free upper part roots off the ground and gently tilt the trunk to the required degree. One end of the wire is buried and fixed in the soil at the base of the trunk with inside bending. If the tree is not just slanted, but made in a cascading style, then the trunk will be bent quite strongly.

Holding the tree trunk firmly, we wrap it with wire, which should fit quite tightly, but without injuring or peeling off the bark. The coils should lie down not too rarely, so that the bent trunk does not crawl out of the coils. Thus, the trunk is wrapped around to the base of the left branches. So that the crown of an inclined tree does not hang down like a broom, the wire must also support them in the right direction.

4 step. Making a coil of wire around the branch, carefully straighten the thin and fragile shoots so as not to break them off. Moreover, more pieces of wire will have to be wound to the main wire, creating a frame of the desired bonsai shape. The ends of the wire can be bent down or put on pieces of an ordinary eraser so that they do not scratch your hands and do not damage the plant.
The length of the wire should be at least one and a half times the area to be wrapped. The angle of the wire in relation to the line of the shoot or trunk determines the frequency of turns - ideally it should be 45 °. Note that when forming a tree or bush with thin and delicate bark, or with fragile leaves, as well as bonsai with thorny shoots, the wire is not wrapped around the stems and trunk, but simply applied to it and fastened or tied (with woolen threads or pieces of wire in winding).

5 step. A tree bent in a wire should be at least 1.5-2 years old. If you remove the wire earlier, the barrel can return to its original position. The wire on the branches is removed earlier than from the trunk - 6-8 months is enough for it. When forming the direction of thin and delicate branches, you cannot use ordinary wire, but you can use braided wire - the one that is usually used to connect cords of household appliances and computers.
Some are quite complex forms bonsai, in addition to the trunk and branches, the direction and shape of the roots are also formed with the help of a wire, usually if they bizarrely protrude above the soil surface.

6 step. When the desired shape of the plant is achieved, you can transplant it from a pot into a bowl.

First, the drainage holes are closed with clay shards, convex side up. Then a layer of moss or chopped fern roots is laid on the bottom.

Then a small layer of prepared soil mixture.

7 step. Now you need to cut the roots. To do this, first inspect the root system, determining whether the roots are healthy - healthy roots have a light cut (white or light yellow). Cut off damaged roots. Your task is to form the root system in such a way that it is evenly distributed in all directions.

If the root system is fibrous, i.e. has a weakly expressed central root and many small roots, then it is simply cut evenly and cut. If there is a long tap root and weak side shoots, additional steps are required. Trimmed first Bottom part root, and the rest is formed. To do this, you can use the same wire, or U-shaped wire brackets - for plants with soft and plastic roots. The root is fixed in the soil with a bracket from the edge of the bowl, then it bends horizontally to the center of the bowl.

The prepared plant must be carefully placed in a container, straighten the roots and fall asleep. soil mixture. If there is a possibility that the stem of the plant is not firmly held in the ground and can move and stagger, then additional fixation is required. With the help of a peg, as with ordinary houseplants, this is difficult to do, because. the depth of the bowl is small, so the most painless way is to fix the trunk after transplantation with heavy pebbles.

After transplanting, the plant is carefully watered. Plants that have many roots removed at first are watered with great care so as not to cause decay. Perhaps the earth will settle and compact and it will have to be topped up. When the earth settles, it will compact enough and the stones holding the tree can be removed.

Bonsai crown formation

The main techniques that ensure the giving and preservation of the desired shape to miniature trees are pruning and pinching.

The main thing you need to know: pruning and pinching lead not just to branching, but to the growth of new, thinner shoots with small leaves.

Pruning is the removal of large branches and shoots, it is carried out annually, usually in the middle or end of winter. Before cutting off the branches, you need to imagine the final shape of the plant, because the shoots will no longer grow back in the old place like the hair on the head of a person. The real art of bonsai involves a long contemplation, the study of the appearance of a plant, the presentation of its form. Each leaf or twig deserves reflection "to be or not to be."

An important rule is that a flowering plant is pruned only after flowering has ended, most often this happens in the fall at the end of September - October. Accuracy in everything related to pruning - a sharply ground and disinfected tool is a guarantee of health. The cut points should dry out and scar, so it is best if a garden var is prepared. thin layer it is not worn at the place of the cut. It disinfects and dries, and in addition, the cut remains almost invisible on the bark, which allows you not to spoil the appearance. If there is no garden pitch, then the cut point can be sealed with a medical plaster until it heals.

Pruning is simply trimming or shortening elongated shoots in order to maintain shape throughout the entire growth period. Pinching is carried out in the spring, with the growth of new shoots, it allows the crown to branch and form the plant in the desired style.

Giving a miniature head start to plants is provided precisely by the annual pinching of new shoots. The frequency of pinching and its expediency depend on the type of plant grown. For some trees, only spring pinching is enough, for others, you will need to repeatedly pinch the tops of the shoots to give the desired shape over the summer, or even throughout the year. The more often the bonsai is cut and pinched, the smaller and thicker the crown is formed.

Stages of formation of bonsai (potensai)

Pavel Karpenkov (beomaster) gives a brief instruction for beginners on the formation of bonsai using the example of ficus benjamin:

1. Rooting

We need to get 2 main things:

• flat root system. Initially, a plant is selected that can really be transplanted into a wide, but low dish, without causing fatal injuries to the plant. Therefore, we exclude those who live by taproot and taken from nature, since I consider it inappropriate to waste time on their resuscitation after extraction. It is recommended to stop at ZKS, potted plants.
• Beautiful thick lateral roots, evenly extending from the base of the trunk with a star and visible above the soil surface (nebari). Initially, when choosing a plant, you should pay attention to the presence of those or those that can become them. Therefore, plants with a washcloth of roots are undesirable - from hydroponics. Typically, such roots are formed in plants growing in the ground, former cuttings or allotted.

2. The base of the trunk

Beautiful thick lateral roots cannot move away from a thin stick.

The base should have a pronounced taper at the transition from the roots to the trunk itself, I'm talking about the first 2-3cm above the surface. Having initially chosen the right plant, in the future this most important place for visual perception will only be improved.

3. Actually the trunk

You should pay attention to the following:

• Escape. The trunk should be evenly and pronouncedly thinned from the base to the top, while the height should not be large, approximately 15 base diameters will be normal for the beginning, while forming it is worth bringing this ratio to 10.
• The form. Natural curves, slopes, twists and turns are always welcome and provide a lot of imagination when shaping, unless our goal is originally an upright style or a broomstick.
• Texture. We aim to form a small but old looking plant. Therefore, rough bark, wrinkled, flaky, forming sagging, traces of overgrowth of long-cut branches, natural hollows, etc. very good. In short, light gentle smooth not ice. Unless we clean it specifically for contrast, but more on that later.

4. Skeletal branches

After the acquisition, your hands will immediately itch, and you will want to highlight the future frame with pruning. When buying, you should immediately estimate which branches will become a skeleton, they should alternate evenly, have a uniformly decreasing thickness from bottom to top, and the thickness should be commensurate with the thickness of the trunk. In short, the lower branch is the thickest and not equal in thickness to the trunk (pay attention to the forks) and it is not higher than a third of the estimated height of the plant. Highly important point, then it will be difficult to fix.

5. Branch structure

The selected skeletal branches should branch well so that we can select the second order branches we need, so that they do not look bald, so that the internodes are short. Then, by simple pruning, you can quickly give the desired shape to the crown of each skeletal branch and the crown of the plant as a whole.

• Under all other conditions, size plays an important role sheet plate. Our tree will never look like an adult if the leaves are large, comparable to the diameter of a branch or, God forbid, a trunk. In nature, old trees do not have this. There are ways to reduce the size of the leaves, but for different plants the reduction factor is different and there is always a limit, it is better to initially lay down on small ones.

Density of leafing. The leaves may be small, but rarely grow. Then the plant will always look bald.

7. The shape of the crown as a whole

This refers to the tendency to grow upward or in breadth. Of course, it is better for us in breadth - a small spreading tree always looks more profitable than a tree with a small span of skeletal branches. And no ligature will change this trend, so all the time it will be under wire or stretch marks, which is not good.

8. Growth rate

Subject to the above wishes, the plant itself must be fast-growing, otherwise the results of the formation can be expected until Japanese Easter. In this case, the trunk should be well thickened. For this reason, myrtle is not suitable.

Watering time

Proper watering of a bonsai tree is just as important as temperature and sufficient light. different types Bonsai need different amounts of water. For example, succulents can go longer without water than ligistrum. But the rule for all bonsai for watering is the same: you need to water the tree as the soil dries out, with the exception of succulents, which can be allowed to dry out completely. The need for watering can be determined by touch by the condition of the soil. If it dries up, the plant needs to be watered immediately.

If the soil is firmly attached to the bonsai and easily removed from the pot, we can take it out and check for moisture.

Before the next watering of the bonsai, the soil should dry slightly. If the soil in the pot is sufficiently moist, or if there is constant water in the pot base of a thick-leaved bonsai, the plant's roots may rot. That part of the roots that survives often cannot fully fulfill its function of nourishing the leaves, and they dry out.

After complete drying of the soil, the plant throws off the leaves or they dry up.

This is the natural defense of bonsai, which tries to protect its important organs (sleeping buds, roots), and, when favorable conditions occur, continue to grow. Subsequent access to effective light for dormant buds, moderate watering (because fewer leaves evaporate less water), and fertilization will induce new leaf growth within one month. Branches that have dried up and under the bark are no longer green, but Brown, will no longer grow and must be removed.

If the soil remains wet for a long time, this means that the ability of the roots to receive water is impaired and something has happened to them. Immediately remove such a plant from the pot, check its roots, cut them off and transplant the bonsai into another porous substrate.

It doesn't really matter what time you water your bonsai. Some experts recommend avoiding watering very cold water in the afternoon, when the soil is heated by the sun's rays. The soil will cool very quickly and this can negatively affect the plant. This must be taken into account. But it should always be very clear that it is necessary to water the bonsai despite the time, as soon as the soil dries up.

How to water Bonsai

Before watering dry soil, first moisten it well with a sprinkler, and then continue to water it with a hose or watering can.

In order for the water to completely wet the soil, we water the plants very slowly and with a small pressure of water and intermittently. We water so much that the water would quietly flow out of the drainage holes in the pot. If the soil is too dry, water will flow out of the drainage holes as soon as we start watering, without soaking the plants with moisture.

In this case, it is better to immerse the bonsai in a container of water and leave it until the soil is completely wet. It is recommended to periodically (2-3 times a month) use this type of watering for bonsai. But daily soaking of bonsai is not recommended, as nutrients from the soil may be washed out. Since the water that flows out of the drainage slots of the pot can damage the furniture in the house, pot stands are often used. They are always low, not only for aesthetic reasons, but also in order to a large number of there was no water left in the stand and the water never stagnated. Sometimes they use wooden decorative coasters with a plastic pallet into which expanded clay is poured. If you have a small bonsai in a pot with a volume of about 0.1 liters in your apartment, it is placed in a dry apartment, good decision will use about 2 liters of wet expanded clay per stand to maintain humidity. Sometimes young roots seep through drainage holes and grow into expanded clay. It must be remembered that they must be cut before wooding (after 2-5 weeks). If this is not done, these roots become support roots and there will be no young roots left after cutting them.

Watering with a wick- very convenient method, especially for a short break or weekend when you can't follow up proper watering plants. As a wick, we can use a knitted rope 40 cm long, which is inserted into the drainage slots with a large needle. We fill a waterproof (glazed on both sides) deeper pan with sand or fine expanded clay, place a wick in it and fill the pan halfway with water. But this convenient method of watering can lead to bonsai overflow. Therefore, we recommend using it only in emergency conditions (short vacation). When we dip the wick into a deeper container filled with water or moist peat, the plant can survive without water for up to 3 weeks.

Most indoor bonsai do not tolerate dry air from central heating which results in a lack of moisture. For bonsai, the required air humidity is 40-60%, which is also optimal for humans. In winter, it is recommended to place humidifiers or to humidify the air by manual methods.

What water to use for watering bonsai?

Water for irrigation should not be too cold. Use room temperature water to water your bonsai. The ideal option is to use water that has been standing for several hours, which will allow the water to heat up, and also allow the chlorine to evaporate from the water.

How to properly care for bonsai at home?

From the cooled soil, the plant cannot receive either moisture or nutrients. For heat-loving plants, such as ficuses, watering at 40 ° C is favorable. It was noted that too "heavy" water forms white coating at the base of the trunk and on the rims of the pot. This is a sign that you need to soften the water. You can boil it and let it cool or add rain water into water for irrigation.

will return

Indoor bonsai - Sagittarius plant

Influence on the atmosphere at home

In Japanese, bonsai means not only a dwarf plant, but also the culture of its cultivation on a tray or in a shallow pot, dish, pallet, and like many other things, came to Japan from China. The first images of miniature landscapes date back to the time of the Han Dynasty - 200 BC. Actually, Chinese monks brought bonsai - along with Buddhism, and as in China, this occupation has become the privilege of the rich. The Japanese adopted from the Chinese their methods of creating bonsai, using bamboo sticks, twine and iron rings. Over time, the popularity of bonsai grew: Japan created its own methods and styles, and the cultivation of bonsai became an integral part of Japanese culture.

Many plants can become indoor bonsai, the properties of which in their natural form vary greatly. But all bonsai, based on the rules of their cultivation and final sizes, have common properties, seemingly contradicting the character of Sagittarius, who took bonsai under his wing: self-restraint is unusual for this sign, and bonsai are of dwarf size. But by reducing the size of the body, the florist increases the spiritual meaning of the life of the plant. It is good to have bonsai in homes where people are overly reverent about material goods, exalt them above other values ​​​​of life. Bonsai - for materialists who tend to exaggerate the importance of matter and material wealth.

Bonsai absorb the energy of any thoughts, words and feelings of people about anything material that enters the atmosphere of the house, freeing up space for thoughts and speeches about the spiritual, about the eternal.

At the same time, bonsai of a symmetrical shape relieve the atmosphere of the energy of such materialists who, considering money and material goods as their main support, nevertheless allow the existence of other values.

How to care for bonsai

Bonsai of an asymmetrical shape are good for materialists who do not at all allow the existence of any other values ​​​​except material ones. Bonsai of a cascade or semi-cascade form are able to clear the atmosphere of the energy of people who are mired in worldly fuss, looking at whom it seems that they are striving not for the Sun, but for the Earth's core, somewhere down.

But bonsai of absolutely any form will help reduce the energy of people's dependence on earthly goods in the atmosphere of the house, introducing a ringing note of spirituality into it, thanks to which the atmosphere itself will incline people to thoughts of the imperishable. This property makes bonsai useful in a place where sacred, religious ceremonies take place, where people gather for spiritual conversations - wherever it is necessary to reduce the degree of concern with worldly problems.

Indoor bonsai - influence on the emotional state

By reducing the size of the body of plants, we have strengthened the spiritual meaning of their existence, so bonsai help us see the spiritual, invisible meaning of any phenomena. Bonsai develop in a person a vision of subtle patterns in the phenomena of life. Thanks to the presence of such plants in the house, people begin to pay attention to the clue signs sent by life. It can be said that bonsai expand the worldview, helping to notice the presence of the subtle, spiritual world in earthly events.

Bonsai make a person's heart wiser, and the mind more sensitive, developing the ability to foresee the events of one's life. This property makes these plants useful for extremely mundane people who do not recognize a form of life other than material.

Even if, under the subtle influence of bonsai, a person does not learn to see the manifestations of the spirit in matter, then he will certainly become more value give to your feelings and sensations, which will gradually lead to the development of intuition.

Bonsai can lead a person to think that all our problems arise from spiritual imperfection, that diseases of the physical body do not come from harmful food, but from harmful thoughts and desires. Materialism is melting under the influence of bonsai, opening up new horizons for human consciousness, so bonsai can be a great gift for a conservative pragmatist. If you have already begun to feel that not everything in earthly life comes down to matter, plant bonsai next to you - and you will begin to see confirmation of your intuitive guesses.

Opening the spiritual world to a person, bonsai can also help in deciphering dreams. And if you want to develop the ability to understand dreams, plant bonsai with a straight stem. Such a plant has a direct, perpendicular connection with the subtle world, from where dreams come to us.

It is also good to have bonsai if you want to accurately determine the characters of the people with whom you communicate. Bonsai are taught not to be deceived by looking at clothes, but to read the qualities of the soul of another person in the eyes. Thus, bonsai can be a wonderful gift for a psychologist, a doctor, a teacher, and for everyone who is tired of making mistakes in people.

All bonsai need high humidity and constantly moist soil. According to astrological correspondences, moisture is associated with the planets of the water element and, above all, with the Moon. The moon is in charge of the spiritual plan of a person, his emotionality, impressionability, therefore bonsai develop lunar qualities in a person. As bonsai themselves need moisture, so a person in their presence begins to feel the need for emotional contact with the outside world.

Someone will have a desire to have a heart-to-heart talk with a friend, others will begin to look closely at the views of animals and try to understand their mood, still others will gently talk to plants. Bon-ai awakens sincerity and sincerity in a person. Many begin to feel something moving in their chest when they approach the bonsai. But, looking at bonsai, you cannot say that these plants are saturated with moisture, so they will not make a person weak, overly impressionable and emotional, they will only open up a world of new sensations, a world of not rational, but spiritual communication.

It is impossible to list all the properties of bonsai, but one more thing needs to be said.

There is a cycle of two years in the life of bonsai, because every two years you need to cut their roots. Two years is the cycle of Mars, the ruler of the first fire sign, Aries. Sagittarius and Aries are “relatives”, united by one element, but the quality of Sagittarius fire is much higher than Aries fire.

Being the third fire sign, Sagittarius has a subtle fire, similar to the fire of a candle. The fire of Aries is indomitable and violent, like a fire. The two-year bonsai cycle speaks of the presence in the nature of these plants of a violent, Aries fire, the burning of passions and strong desires, which are difficult to resist, but the belonging of plants to Sagittarius refines the quality of their fire. Therefore, bonsai, being present in our homes, help us pacify our desires, calm passions, and people who have always acted on their first desire, without thinking, begin to give up desires, the fulfillment of which can harm others. Bonsai calms the most passionate people, unrestrained in words and deeds gradually begin to control themselves more and more.

Indoor bonsai - impact on health

Thanks to the great spiritual meaning inherent in bonsai, these plants help a person to find the causes of their illnesses in their own character, behavior, thoughts and feelings. Bonsai helps a person to change himself, his attitude to the world, which as a result leads to physical healing. Bonsai not only gives you a sense of which people or situations are bad for your health, but can also act directly on the physical body. These plants, having a strong body, increase immunity, strengthen the human body.

Growing bonsai mix at home

What is a bonsai mix and how to properly care for it? Bonsai is an ancient Chinese art of growing small replica trees that dates back to 231 BC. In ancient times, bonsai adorned houses and gardens in Japan. The Japanese believe that this art began with Buddhist monasteries. The monks sought solitude with nature and tried to emphasize its perfection by growing plants in pots. Then she did it to know. And now it has gained popularity among the entire population in the west and east. Small trees are becoming more common. buy bonsai this moment quite easy. However, it requires careful care. Next, we will talk in more detail about caring for bonsai at home.

The art of bonsai originated in ancient japan and is still popular today.

It takes a lot of time to grow a bonsai from seed. For growing a small tree, it is desirable to choose trees that have a beautiful structure and no foliage. These trees include:

• birch;
• hornbeam;
• alder;

From conifers suitable trees such as:

• juniper;
• pine;
• larch.

Bonsai soil and tree planting

Bonsai crown formation styles.

Recommended to give preference clay soil in the form of balls, which are obtained by the method of weak firing of the source. Such soil will retain the structure for 1-2 years. The peat substrate has a different structure. Coarse fiber substrate will not be suitable for growing bonsai.

A plant that is transplanted into a container for the first time often loses a lot of roots. Losses of 2/3 of the roots are acceptable, provided that the crown is also cut off. During pruning, you must first shorten, and then completely cut off the roots growing under the trunk. Adventitious and lateral roots must be left. So you can form a flat root system, which is very convenient when planting bonsai. Drainage holes at the bottom of the container must be covered with a plastic mesh. It is attached with wire and will prevent the substrate from washing out. Then a little coarse-grained material is poured into the container and bonsai is planted. Next, you need to fill the container to the middle, lightly tamp it, then pour the bonsai substrate.

Let's try to consider the main criteria and take them into service so that after some time the plant does not become a standard flower on the windowsill, but remains a true bonsai, a miniature miracle that is nice to look at at any moment.

Bonsai care (video)

Light mode for bonsai

The length of daylight hours in our countries is slightly different from the length of the day in the subtropics and tropics, and therefore plants may experience a lack of light. When placing bonsai indoors, these and the following factors should be considered:

• the location of the plant in the room;
• distance from the source of sunlight - placement on the windowsill, stool, coffee table, stand, etc.;
• correct definition and placement on the side (North, South, East, West);
• the angle of the sun's rays falling on the plant;
• obstacles to sunlight - trees outside the window, buildings.

It is important to provide bonsai with a constant intake of sunlight, this will only benefit. You should also remember such moments as the angle of incidence of light on the plant. Bonsai will grow more intensively and gain strength faster if the plant is located with right side on the west window, go to the left, on the east. To allow light to reach the plant, you also need to monitor the curtains, move them away or raise them in time.

In any case, no matter what you do, the plant will experience some lack of light, this is due to the geographical location. Therefore, it will be necessary to compensate this shortcoming using artificial lighting. We do not recommend using these "tricks" year-round, it can Negative influence on a plant, but in cloudy weather, in late autumn or winter, such lighting is simply necessary. Use of halogen lamps, mercury, fluorescent lamps daylight. Do not use standard incandescent lamps, they do not illuminate enough, but at the same time they have a detrimental effect on heat rays. The most suitable for artificial illumination of bonsai is a fluorescent lamp. It is quite easy to use and has a good efficiency. Buying this lamp will not be difficult.

Humidity in the room

In addition to the fact that many beginners do not know how to care for bonsai, they also do not know what humidity should be in the room. But we are here for this and will tell everyone what and how. As a rule, in urban areas, the humidity is insufficient and it should be tried to equalize to the required level. You can do this with a humidifier. The device is quite effective, but a quality one costs a lot, and a cheap one cannot do the required work well enough, so here only at your own peril and risk ... An easier way is to install the bonsai in a small vessel that is filled with water, such as a deep spread or a small basin . Thus, the evaporated water from the tank will supply the air above, and hence the bonsai, with moisture. The effect can be increased if this capacity is set above heating system, evaporation will then be a little more intense.

Also, in the simplest and cheapest way, you can choose a direct spraying with water, but this procedure gives a short-term result, so it will have to be repeated often. It is desirable to spray the plants in the morning so that it dries up until the evening.

How to grow a bonsai tree (video)

The temperature of the bonsai

Sufficient for each plant important criterion the correct content is the temperature. Some plants like a cooler environment, while others gravitate towards the sun and warmth. So, subtropical types of bonsai, such as pomegranate, olive, rosemary, myrtle, are kept at temperatures from +7 to +15 degrees Celsius in winter, while in summer it is recommended to keep bonsai outdoors, for example, on a terrace or balcony. Tropical bonsai species, at one time, prefer temperatures from +16 to +25 degrees Celsius, all year round. Data plants are not advised to be installed on cold surfaces, stone or concrete. The content depends on the temperature and the consumption of light, water and nutrients by the plant.

Bonsai master class (video)

How to water a bonsai

Every person who decides to have such whimsical plants in his home should know how to care for a bonsai tree. This collection of rules also includes a small item, which is called very simply - watering. A lot depends on irrigation.

So let's start with what the soil in the pot should always be moist, that is, not wet and not overdried, namely wet. From this it follows that watering should be moderate, but constant. If the soil in the pot is very compacted and the water does not reach the bottom, then it is necessary to repeat the watering, since the water must necessarily moisten the entire earth. In the summer, bonsai requires a little more moisture, since all vital processes are accelerated during this period. The best water melt water is considered to be watering bonsai. You can use ordinary water, but before watering it should be defended for several hours. At this time, everything superfluous will settle and the water will acquire room temperature.

I would like to note that these criteria and recommendations are general and can be greatly modified in relation to one or the other. individual plant. It is impossible to apply all the rules equally for all plants and if any questions arise, they must be asked. Only in this case, if a qualified answer is given to the correctly posed question “how to care for a bonsai flower” or “how to care for a ficus bonsai”, your plant will get a chance to live a long and healthy life.

Bonsai is an exact copy of a bonsai tree in miniature. The art of growing bonsai requires certain skills and is very different from breeding other houseplants. The article will give some recommendations that will allow novice flower growers to avoid many mistakes in caring for miniatures, they will tell you how and with what water to water bonsai. This issue remains relevant throughout the entire growing season of plant growth, since non-compliance with the water regime can destroy the miniature.

The main rule is moderate watering.

Bonsai Watering Rules

There are 2 types of watering: watering on the soil surface and by immersing the container in water.

Watering on the soil surface

Traditionally, it is customary to water with a watering can with a narrow spout over the surface of the soil. However, this method cannot be applied if the earthen lump has dried out to a great depth. In this case, the water will begin to roll down and spill down the pot without saturating the ground. To regulate the process, you will first need to moisten the surface of the soil in a pot with a fine spray gun, and only then pour it from a watering can. In this case, the water will be evenly absorbed into the earthen lump. A bonsai pot must have good drainage and drainage holes through which excess water will drain. Miniatures do not like it when their "legs" are constantly in the water. If excess water does not drain into the pan, the root system will rot and the plant will die.

When top watering, you need to make sure that the water passes through the entire pot and its excess flows into the pan. If the substrate is not completely moistened, the root system at the bottom of the pot will not receive enough nutrition and, as a result, the bonsai will die.

Irrigation method for bonsai by immersing a container in water

Perhaps this is the most acceptable way not only for the grower, but also preferred by the plant itself. It is comfortable in every way. To moisten the soil, you will need to immerse the bonsai container in another container with water poured into it. This procedure helps to evenly saturate the soil with moisture, and, with this method, the earthen ball with the root system is not damaged.

March Madness - this is how the first is perceived calendar month spring, those who grow seedlings of their favorite vegetables themselves. In March, they sow their favorite tomatoes and peppers, carry out the first crops in the greenhouse and even sow vegetables in the beds. Growing seedlings require not only timely diving, but also considerable care. But only her efforts are not limited. It is worth continuing to sow in greenhouses and on window sills, because fresh herbs from the beds will appear not so soon.

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