Bonsai spruce: how to do it yourself, possible problems and how long the tree will live

Bonsai is an ancient Japanese art that focuses on the cultivation of small trees. Its task is to accurately copy plants that occur naturally. Spruce bonsai is considered one of the most attractive plants. At the same time, its cultivation has certain features. In order for a culture to have a decorative appearance, it must be properly formed.

Description of the art of bonsai

This term refers to the Japanese art of growing small trees that exactly replicate large counterparts growing in natural conditions.Spruce bonsai has the most decorative properties. However, growing this variety requires more patience and attention.

The art of bonsai includes many styles and directions. All of them are characterized by common rules and features that relate to the formation of the crown. The following should be taken into account:

1. A coniferous plant should have branches that have small and lush needles.
2. Trees should be conical or tiered.

In most cases, Canadian spruce - ordinary or blue - is used for growing bonsai. This task can be more difficult than it seems at first glance, especially when planting a tree with seeds.

Bonsai sizes vary. The smallest varieties are usually no more than 10 centimeters. When growing large species of spruce, you can get a plant measuring 1.5 meters.At the same time, small and large crops may differ in age. Compact trees grow for many years, while large trees reach their size in just 2 years.

It is possible to determine the size of a bonsai even at the initial stage of tree formation. Most often, the rudiments of skeletal branches are present on the plant. The style in which the bonsai will be performed depends on this.

Usually its size is determined by the size of the foliage. From trees with small leaves create small compositions of different sizes. Bonsai with long needles should be of such proportions that the tree looks harmonious. So, some varieties of conifers grow up to 1 meter or even more. From spruce, as a rule, form a bonsai no larger than 30 centimeters.

How to make a spruce bonsai

Spruce bonsai has a truly fabulous appearance. Such a plant can become a real decoration of the veranda or patio. To get an attractive ornamental crop, you need to do the following:

• put the seedling in a special container;
• systematically pinch buds and new shoots - this will help to avoid tree growth;
• cut shoots;
• shaping the silhouette - this is done by tying a tree or using wire;
• systematically transplant the crop.

You can grow a compact plant from a spruce seedling taken in the wild, or a culture purchased in special nurseries. However, finding a variety of the required age can be very difficult. Therefore, bonsai masters use seeds to obtain a crop.

Besides this, the choice of spruce species is of great importance. Bonsai can be obtained from the following crops:

1. Common spruce - such a plant can have not only the usual conical shape, but also a tiered crown placement.
2. Blue spruce - characterized by an unusual bluish color of the needles. In addition, it is characterized by a beautiful conical crown.
3. Canadian spruce or Konika - differs in rather slow growth. For 1 year, it increases by a maximum of 2 centimeters. This simplifies the care of the culture at home.

Firs in the style of bonsai can be grown directly in the summer cottage. Thanks to this, it is possible to create attractive ensembles from plants. It is important to consider that such a plant is considered rather capricious and needs specific care. This is especially true in winter.

Choosing a landing site

When growing bonsai from spruce with your own hands, it is very important to choose the right place for planting. In order for the composition to always look decorative, it needs to provide full lighting. With insufficient light, the bonsai will lose its attractive color and uniqueness.

Dwarf spruce should be provided with at least 6 hours of light per day. However, it is important to ensure that direct sunlight does not fall on it. Otherwise, the plant may be burned.

Bonsai is recommended to be placed on the right side of the western window sill. It is also permissible to put it on the left side of the southern window sill. An excellent solution would be a coffee table near the window.

Trees that grow outdoors are able to withstand both low and high temperatures. Therefore, it is not required to create a special regime for the plant. However, experts still recommend that the tree is not at a temperature of less than -10 degrees.

Preparation and sowing of seeds

You can even grow bonsai with your own hands using seeds. This is also possible for beginner gardeners. To begin with, it is recommended to soak the seed material for a day in a non-concentrated solution of potassium permanganate. For its preparation, it is recommended to use 3 crystals of the substance per 1 liter of water. Then the water needs to be drained, and the seeds should be moved to a container with ordinary water for another day.

The next step is to prepare a container of sand. In the substrate, you need to make holes 2 centimeters in size and place the seeds in them. The interval between them should be at least 4 centimeters. Plantings should be watered systematically, waiting for the first sprouts to appear.

Tara with planting material is required to be placed in a cool place for 60-65 days. After the end of the specified period, the container must be brought into the house and placed near the window. Thanks to this, future plants will receive a sufficient amount of light. Already after 3 weeks, small sprouts will appear.

When the bushes grow to a few centimeters in height, it is recommended to leave 2-4 of the strongest crops. It is important to consider that by the third year, approximately 50% of the seedlings will die.

For the first two years spruce must be grown in the same container. At the same time, it must be watered in a timely manner and systematically fertilized. After the specified time, the seedling must be moved to a special container and pinched the crown. This will help stop the growth of the culture.

Correction of growth direction

In multi-stem bonsai, the growth direction and shape of some of the stems can be corrected and corrected through the use of brackets.It takes a lot of effort to do this kind of work. At the same time, it is important to systematically assess the situation so that the wire does not grow into the bark. Be sure to move the staples regularly.

In order not to provoke damage to the bark with metal objects, it is required to put pieces of leather under them. It is possible to change the direction of growth through the use of staples in those places where it is not possible to lay a wire.

Growing needles

Ayanskaya and other types of firs need to be grown using the bonsai technique correctly. At the same time, maintaining a certain size of needles in conifers is of great importance. To get the desired result, it is recommended to break out the tops of young branches. Spruces are allowed to grow a little, after which they are cut by 50% or two-thirds.

Carrying out such a procedure helps to awaken new kidneys. The next year they are transformed into branches.At the end of September, it is recommended to remove old needles that are 3 years old. If you neglect this event, the needles will become too long. This will negatively affect the appearance of the bonsai and impair its decorative characteristics.

How to water a tree

Spruce Konik, like other varieties of conifers, it is important to water in a timely manner. This is to be done as needed. It is important to evaluate the parameters of the dryness of the soil in the pot. Bonsai should be watered sparingly. In this matter, it is worth focusing on the type of plant. Some varieties prefer high humidity, while others make it sick.

In this case, it should be borne in mind that bonsai tolerate drying out worse. This is due to the small amount of soil in the pot. This means that liquids, in fact, have nowhere to linger. Each subsequent watering is carried out as the top layer of the earth in the pot dries up. At the same time, in winter, the amount of watering is recommended to be minimized.An exception is considered to be increased dryness and air temperature.

Systematic hydration is also required for the green part of the tree. Plants that receive such irrigation always feel great.

Formation

Already at the initial stage of growing blue or common spruce, it is important to figure out what shape you want to get. It is usually recommended to form the crown with wire.

Today there are many options for growing bonsai. However, in this matter, there are several recommendations for crown formation:

1. Spruce must have a conical shape of the crown or it is divided into horizontally arranged tiers.
2. The tree should have fairly dense needles.

It all has to do with the key rules of natural growth.The implementation of the basic recommendations helps to ensure the full ventilation of each tier of the conifer. In addition, each shoot receives the right amount of light. A unique microclimate is created on all tiers, which ensures the active development of culture. This helps spruce develop normally.

It takes a lot of effort to form the crown of dwarf varieties. After placing the spruce in the container, the top part needs to be cut off. It is important to think about the shape and style of the plant in advance, as the first haircut lays the foundation for the culture. When pruning, it is recommended to get rid of excess branches. As a result of the procedure, only those shoots that are suitable for the texture should remain.

With the help of aluminum wire, it is required to form the frame of the future trunk. It also helps to give the branches the desired appearance and direct their development in the right direction.

Shaped spruce is recommended to be cut regularly. Thanks to this procedure, it is possible to maintain an attractive appearance of the culture.Trimming also helps to redistribute the flow of energy, directing it from powerful branches on top to weaker shoots below.

In the first year, spruce needs to be cut in the spring - it is during this period that the active development of culture begins. After that, the need for trimming is explained by the intensity of the development of culture and the need to get rid of shoots that violate the overall silhouette of the culture.

The rules for performing a haircut for each variety are significantly different. During such manipulation, it is worth removing dry and injured shoots. To speed up the healing process of cuts, it is recommended to seal these areas with plasticine.

The formation of the direction of development of shoots must be de alt with in a timely manner. This is done when the branches are still malleable. Also in the first half of summer it is worth removing the needles. This procedure contributes to the rejuvenation of the crop crown.

When forming a tree, it is important to observe the following recommendations:

1. Aggressive pruning is recommended in late autumn or early winter when the tree is dormant.
2. When cutting branches, you need to leave a few centimeters near the trunk. This will help energize new development through the inner parts of the tree.
3. After a month, you need to remove the candles to keep the vertical growth of the tree under control.
4. Crop viability suffers when excess branches and leaves are removed.
5. Don't pinch the buds at the ends of the shoots as this will cause them to overgrow and make the bonsai look bad.

Shaping with wire helps to direct the growth of spruce horizontally or down. In this case, it is required to fix one end of the material in a pot, and wrap the other around the trunk or branch.This will help move the escape a little. After some time, the tension should be increased. This will help to achieve the desired growth angle.

Cutting

After moving a seedling into a pot, it needs to be carefully looked after. In this case, it is recommended to systematically trim the crown. This manipulation is carried out throughout the life of the tree, since every year a new tier appears on it.

Experts recommend not only cutting off extra branches that develop in the wrong direction, but also systematically pulling back soft young shoots. Such branches are quite malleable, because they manage to give the desired shape.

Every year it is recommended to clean the bonsai from dry shoots. This procedure should be carried out in the spring. Thanks to this, it will be possible to give the tree a neater appearance and make it more decorative.

To avoid the development of infection in injured areas, it is recommended to treat them with a solution of garden pitch.To prepare such a composition with your own hands, it is recommended to mix vegetable oil, paraffin and rosin. This should be done in a ratio of 1:2:1.5. The resulting composition must be boiled, cooled and used if necessary. The mixture is generously applied to cut areas. When removing branches, keep in mind that if you cut them in a very large number, the tree will dry out.

Transfer

Experts say that spruce bonsai should be transplanted in spring or autumn. In the first case, this procedure takes place in March or April, in the second case, it is carried out in September or October. To successfully transplant bonsai, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. Prepare a new spruce pot in advance. It should be larger than the previous one.
2. Prepare the soil. Spruces grow well in a poor substrate. Peat and clay should be used for planting a crop.
3. Fill a new container with soil.
4. Carefully pull the tree out of the old container and remove excess soil.
5. Try not to trim the roots too much.
6. Plant the crop in a new container and water it.

Reproduction

The easiest way to propagate spruce seedlings. You can buy quality material for planting in a good nursery. After planting in a special container, you can begin to form a crown.

However, many gardeners prefer to grow their own bonsai using seeds. Moreover, finding planting material is not difficult. At the same time, cuttings, which are most often used for propagating ordinary spruce trees, are not recommended in this case.

So, experienced flower growers can grow a tree from cones. To do this, you need to do the following:

1. At the end of January or at the beginning of February, collect fir cones. It is recommended to do this in frosty weather.
2. Open the buds in a warm place and pour the seeds out of them.
3. Sow the seeds in a container and water. It is important to consider that the seedlings will be uneven. Some plants will sprout in a few days, others only after a month.
4. After a year, reject the seedlings. At the same time, it is recommended to leave the strongest crops that have an attractive color of needles.
5. In 2-3 years, plant seedlings in special pots for bonsai.

After the plants reach a height of 10-12 centimeters, it is recommended to start forming the crown.

Possible pests and their control

When growing bonsai from spruce, there is a risk of various problems. Parasites are the biggest problem. Among them, it is worth highlighting sawflies, bark beetles, horntails. Also, the culture may suffer from attacks by large pine weevils.

To deal with parasites, you should follow the following rules:

• delete damaged fragments;
• treat plantings with oil emulsion;
• spray the tree with insecticide with the arrival of spring;
• apply combined top dressings.

Preparing for winter

Spruce bonsai should not winter in the apartment. In winter, he needs to provide the following conditions:

1. Young plants should be placed in a greenhouse or covered with foil.
2. He althy adults can overwinter outside.
3. In regions with a harsh climate, spruce bonsai should be kept in a greenhouse or placed on a glazed balcony.

Watering the crop in the winter season is not recommended. This will negatively affect the spruce root system.

How long will such a tree live

The lifespan of a culture directly depends on its variety and variety. Some gardeners carry out the procedure of artificial aging of spruce. For this, various methods can be used. The easiest way to remove the bark and branches is with a sharp knife. However, this procedure is considered quite complex and requires practical skills.

Growing bonsai from spruce has a number of features. In order for the culture to develop normally and retain its decorative appearance, it needs to provide competent care. Of no small importance is the systematic pruning and crown formation.

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