Today, many plants are grown at home. Some of them look really exotic. Such plants allow you to decorate any interior. They make the room cozy. It is nice to be here both for the owners and their guests. One of the spectacular plants is for bonsai ficus. How to care for him will be discussed in detail in the article.
What is bonsai?
Bonsai is an unusual and very interesting art of growing real trees in miniature form. It originated in China more than 2 thousand years ago. From there, this type of crop production came to Japan, and even the Japanese became recognized masters of this art, masterfully using dwarf trees in landscape design.
In the art of bonsai traditionally use different plants - pomegranate, olives, oleander, bougainvillea. It turns out very well bonsai from ficus Benjamin. Although in the classic Japanese version, this plant has never been used. Recently, however, ficus has become one of the most popular plants among bonsaiists due to its plasticity and responsiveness to care.
A feature of the cultivation of this plant is the interweaving of its root system, which is located on the surface, in certain forms, shapes, as well as the formation of a beautiful magnificent crown.
Creating bonsai plants is a real art. It requires certain knowledge from the grower. However, even novice growers will be able to create a spectacular image. In this case, it will be possible to create an unusual interweaving of roots and stems. Such a plant will look especially. It is important to adhere to all the rules for the care of ficus, creating the necessary conditions for it to develop.
Microcarp Bonsai
Under natural conditions, ficus lives in tropical rainforests and reaches a height of more than 25 m. At home, it grows up to a maximum of 3 m. Bonsai from the ficus of Microcarpus looks like an adult, but a miniature tree with a height of only 30 to 60 cm. The word microcarp is translated from Greek means a small fruit.
Under natural conditions, ficus forms small yellow fruits, which, when ripe, change color to burgundy. For bonsai art, the plant provides a ton of new possibilities. This is an unpretentious tree that can grow even with small deviations from the required conditions.
Ficus bonsai, whose photo can be viewed above, has oval wide leaves curved at the end. They are attached to branches on short petioles. The foliage is plain, painted in dark green. Its surface is smooth, as if waxed.
Reasons for the popularity of the plant
In vivo, ficuses are often epiphytes. They grow on other trees, taking aerial roots for this. This feature is one of the reasons for the frequent use of Benjamin's ficus in the art of growing dwarf trees.
In addition, the presented plant perfectly and quickly heals wounds on the trunk, forms new branches instead of cut ones, it can be formed with twine and wire.
It is hard to imagine that even a beginner will be able to independently create a beautiful miniature ficus in just a few years, even from a plant that has grown to standard sizes. However, in order to achieve certain successes in this art, first of all, it is necessary to create suitable conditions for the plant, providing it with proper care.
Temperature and lighting
The plant prefers moderate light. Avoid direct sunlight. One of the conditions for the development of the plant is proper care at home. Ficus bonsai does not tolerate exposure to hot air from batteries in the winter, as well as drafts. Their plant does not tolerate.
Comfortable temperature for this species is 18-25 ° C. The main thing is that there should not be sharp temperature drops of 5-7 ° . The tree does not tolerate cooling below 15 ° C, because in cool, moist soil its roots can rot. This will lead to the death of the plant.
An increase in temperature over the optimal ficus of Benjamin will easily transfer, provided that comfortable humidity is provided.
Watering and humidity
In the hot season, a special approach to ficus bonsai is required. Care includes constant spraying (1-2 times a day). To do this, use settled water just above room temperature. Spray should not be the trunk, namely the leaves. In addition, they can be regularly cleaned with a damp cloth. To combat the increased dryness of the air in the room it is worth installing a humidifier.
The frequency of watering depends on the condition of the soil. Watering should be as soon as its top layer dries. It is better to use soft or rain water at room temperature or slightly above temperature. Excess liquid from the sump should be poured out, preventing its stagnation.
Pot and soil
The capacity for planting ficus for bonsai needs a shallow, flat, fairly heavy and wide. Such a container allows to avoid the growth of roots and, as a result, the increase of the crown and leaves. The pot should have legs 9-14 mm high, large drainage holes and preferably a drip tray to collect excess water.
A mesh with a 3 mm cell is laid at the bottom of the tank, onto which a layer of coarse sand with a grain size of 4 mm is poured, and on top is a layer of the main soil.
You can buy ready-made soil for palm trees. Also, the substrate can be prepared independently. The composition of the soil includes fine sand, dive ground (humus) and clay, taken in equal proportions. For the cultivation of bonsai, traditional types of clays are traditionally used, the most suitable of which is the granular composition of Akadam.
Top dressing
The plant requires regular top dressing from spring to autumn. For bonsai from ficus, home care involves the use of suitable compounds. To do this, in specialized stores acquire mineral and organic fertilizers for palm plants.
There are special top dressings for bonsai plants. They are introduced with an interval of 15-20 days a month after transplantation before watering the plants. Fertilizers can be added both to water for irrigation, and for spraying. In winter, during dormancy, ficus does not need fertilizer.
Breeding
How to make ficus bonsai? It propagates by cuttings. To obtain planting material, the top is cut with a sharp knife and placed in a vessel with water in a well-lit place until the roots appear on it. Every 2-3 days you need to change the water to fresh. After rooting, the young shoot is planted in the ground and regularly transplanted every year for 3-4 years. Subsequent transplants are performed every three years.
You can make cut shoots immediately into the soil, made up of equal parts of sand, leafy soil and peat.
Root formation
How to grow bonsai from ficus? To do this, in a strict sequence, first form the roots, then the trunk and finally the crown of the plant.
A small stone is placed in a container with a drainage and substrate prepared for planting the stem, a plant is placed on it and the roots are gently distributed over the surface. Sprinkle them lightly with soil to make a small slide, and ram it. The root neck should be at the level of the substrate.
The plant is carefully watered. After 20 minutes, drain the water from the pan. Then, for four months, the usual care procedures described above are carried out. During this time, the ficus will take root well. Now you can gradually expose the roots, scooping up the soil from them. Because of this, they will begin to increase rapidly in size and lignify. After that, you can begin the formation of the trunk.
Trunk and crown
There are two ways to create ficus bonsai. The first of these is tying. A branch or its top is fixed on the base of the plant, achieving a beautiful curved shape. This method is most common due to its simplicity and safety.
The second method of forming the trunk is to use a wire structure. The tree is wrapped with insulating wire, gradually moving from the roots to the apex. The frame is fixed and left for 1.5-2 months, during which the plant gets used to the new form and learns to maintain it independently. Then the structure is removed, carefully cutting the wire so as not to damage the branches (in no case unwind). With this method of formation, it is impossible to wrap the trunk and branches too tightly with wire, otherwise the ficus will begin to dry out. Do not apply this method immediately after trimming the plant, otherwise it will begin to deform.
When forming a plant, a technique such as weaving is often used. Several seedlings are planted in one pot and, until they are roughened, carefully bind them and tie them with a rope for fixing. In order for the stems to grow together, in the places of their contact, the bark is removed and the wood is treated with a special composition.
When the trunk and root system are formed, you can proceed to the design of the crown. To do this, you need to constantly trim the extra branches and pinch the upper kidney. Since ficuses grow rapidly, pruning should be carried out according to the scheme - cut from four leaves 4. Do this from the bottom, gradually moving to the crown of the plant. Sharp tools are used for trimming - garden shears, pruning shears, a well-sharpened knife or a razor. At the end of the procedure, each slice is sprinkled with crushed charcoal.
Pruning is best done in spring. If necessary, you can do this in summer or autumn. In winter, during the period of slowing down all life processes, it is strictly forbidden to cut the plant.
Following the advice of experienced plant growers, you can create a beautiful ficus bonsai with your own hands. It will delight the owners and guests of the house with its unusual spectacular appearance. This is a real work of art that can decorate any interior. Growing miniature trees is a fascinating process, which even beginner gardeners can do.