Bonsai - the ancient Chinese art of growing miniature copies of these trees, the first mention of the cat found in sources more than 2000 years ago. Later this technique was borrowed by the Japanese, who learned to create whole landscape compositions using such dwarf trees.
To create bonsai, ordinary trees are used with the use of constant pruning, lapping and other methods. Most often for these purposes are used garnet, olive, oleander , buginvillia. At home, bonsai is best grown from the ficus of Benjamin - an evergreen shrub, quite unpretentious in content. It should be noted that this plant is not used in classical Japanese bonsai, but is widespread in the world due to rapid growth and ease of care.
A miniature tree is an original detail of the interior. Of course, the easiest way is to buy it or order it in specialized studios. But his appointment, like any other art, is much deeper than just an element of decor. Bonsai is a way of achieving harmony through laborious work, unity with nature, creation of one's own microcosm. But often in order to grow the composition, it takes more than a dozen years, so the best option for those who want to touch the ancient art and soon enjoy the result is to grow bonsai from the fig tree of Benjamin with their own hands.
How to grow bonsai from a ficus?
So, as already mentioned above, the creation of bonsai - the process is difficult and time consuming. Consider the main points - how to make bonsai from the ficus, habitual to our eye of the plant.
The first, with which to begin the formation of bonsai from the ficus of Benjamin, is the choice of suitable dishes. The container in its essence resembles a usual flower pot, but its area considerably exceeds the depth. So, for a tree, about 30 cm high, it will be enough to have a depth of 3-5 cm. At the corners of the dishes there should be legs 8-15 mm high. Another prerequisite is the presence of drainage holes. For every 10 cm² of area there must be one hole with a diameter of 10 mm.
How to plant a bonsai ficus?
Drainage holes of the container before planting should be covered with a mesh with cells 2-3 mm in diameter. Then a layer of coarse sand is poured onto the bottom, and a layer of soil is poured onto it. For the cultivation of the ficus, any mixture from healthy soil is suitable. A plant with previously cut roots is placed on it and again covered with soil. After that, the ground should be slightly tampered with. Its level in the container should be about 1 cm below the edge.
How to care for a bonsai ficus?
When watering a bonsai from a fig tree, water should leak through the drainage holes almost immediately. If this does not happen, then the soil is not light enough and it needs a special baking powder, an alternative to which can be sand. Watering follows a diffused stream according to the principle - not often, but abundantly. Do not water the plant if the top layer of the soil is clearly wet. Also, do not allow water to stagnate at the bottom of the container.
During the vegetative period of the ficus, it is useful for lighting, for this purpose any fluorescent lamp is suitable.
Features of growing bonsai with their own hands from the ficus of Benjamin
The main task in the formation of bonsai, in addition to providing proper care to the plant - giving it the right shape. The main thing for the ficus in this case is to achieve the maximum thickness of the trunk. The crown should be in the form of a cone, and the branches in it should move away from the outer sides of the trunk. Ficus Benjamin is fragile enough, therefore for him practically do not use tension devices, only occasionally for young shoots.
Trimming bonsai from ficus
Ficus Benjamin carries pruning very well, in addition, he often gives shoots, including those from sleeping buds. When pruning, do not leave long straight sections of branches, it is better to cut them to 1-2 internodes.