Beginner's guide to bonsai: quickly master the techniques of making bonsai as a novice.

This article guide:

Choosing the right materials for bonsai, mastering pruning techniques, learning watering skills, mastering fertilizing techniques, and understanding bonsai shaping skills.

Bonsai, as a traditional Chinese art form, combines the harmony of nature and artificiality. In recent years, with the pursuit of people's life quality, bonsai has gradually entered thousands of households. For bonsai enthusiasts, mastering some bonsai making skills is essential. This article will introduce you to the basic skills of making bonsai, helping you to easily get started.

Choosing the right materials for bonsai

1. Pot: The pot of a bonsai is the foundation that supports the plant, and materials with good breathability and drainage should be chosen, such as purple sand, ceramics, etc.

2. Plant materials: Choose plants with strong vitality and easy survival, such as pine, cypress, plum, orchid, etc.

3. Soil: Choose soil with good breathability and moderate water retention, such as peat soil, decomposed leaf soil, etc.

Mastering pruning techniques

1. Pruning timing: Pruning during the plant's vigorous growth period is beneficial for the plant's growth and shaping.

2. Pruning methods: Prune using methods such as cutting, sawing, and bending according to the plant's growth habits.

3. Pruning principles: Follow the principle of "removing the weak and retaining the strong, removing the diseased and retaining the healthy" to maintain the overall aesthetic of the plant.

Learning watering skills

1. Watering timing: Choose the appropriate watering time based on the plant's growth habits, such as in the morning or evening.

2. Watering methods: Use methods like sprinkling or immersion to water, avoiding direct water flow that can wash away the roots.

3. Watering principles: Follow the principle of "water when dry, do not water when not dry", keeping the soil moist.

Mastering fertilizing techniques

1. Fertilizing timing: Fertilize during the plant's vigorous growth period, which is beneficial for the plant's growth and flowering.

2. Fertilizing methods: Use methods such as applying base fertilizer and topdressing, paying attention to the control of the amount of fertilizer.

3. Fertilizing principles: Follow the principle of "apply thin fertilizer frequently, a little at a time", avoiding excessive fertilization that can cause root burn.

Understanding bonsai shaping skills

1. Shaping principles: Follow the principles of "natural, harmonious, and simple" to showcase the natural beauty of the plant.

2. Shaping methods: Use methods like wrapping, pruning, and tying to shape, creating a unique bonsai style.

3. Shaping skills: Flexibly apply various shaping techniques based on the plant's growth habits, such as curves, straights, slopes, and hanging, etc.

Mastering bonsai making skills not only enhances the artistic value of the bonsai but also cultivates one's temperament and enjoys the fun that bonsai brings. I hope that the skills for beginning bonsai introduced in this article will be helpful to you, and I wish you a long journey on the path of bonsai art.