Banyan Tree Cultivation Methods and Precautions
This article answers questions netizens have about growing banyan trees at home, including cultivation methods and precautions. Let's learn together.
Banyan tree bonsais have become a popular choice among gardening enthusiasts in recent years, appreciated for their simple and elegant, antique, and robust style. However, many people do not know how to care for banyan trees, and some face difficulties that lead to their demise. Now, I am telling you that the best place to care for a banyan tree is in a well-ventilated area.
Soil Requirements: The cultivation soil for banyan tree bonsais generally needs to be loose, breathable, slightly acidic, such as black stone powder clay, river sand, construction stone powder, coal slag, etc., and these growing mediums are relatively easy to obtain.
Watering Requirements: For banyan tree bonsais, the growing soil should just cover the roots, and the trees should be planted about 3 inches deep. After watering the roots, place them in a shaded and windless area for care, and for ground planting, use coverings to provide shade. Watering should depend on the weather conditions, keeping the growing medium moist but not waterlogged, as excessive waterlogging can cause root rot and necrosis. If the banyan tree is waterlogged for too long after it has survived, it will grow more roots than branches. During the hottest days of summer, not watering for two to three days will not kill the tree, but as soon as water is given, the leaves will turn yellow and fall off, affecting growth. Therefore, water management should alternate between dry and wet.
Fertilizing Requirements: Banyan trees are species that enjoy plenty of water and fertilizer, and can tolerate both drought and humidity. After the tree trunk enters normal care, use decomposed animal manure or matured cake fertilizer as top dressing, applying it one to two times a day. When transplanting or repotting, you can also mix matured chicken manure, soybean cake, and bone meal into the growing medium as a base fertilizer. Sufficient fertilizer will make the branches grow faster and thicker, allowing for more pruning and shortening the cultivation period.
Light Environment: Banyan tree bonsais should generally be placed in a well-ventilated and well-lit area with some humidity. Insufficient sunlight, poor ventilation, and lack of humidity can cause the plant to turn yellow and dry, leading to diseases and pests, and ultimately death.
Pruning Tips: Do not prune branches blindly; let them grow first. For old stakes that have just been planted, it's best not to prune in the first year. If there are too many branches, pruning should be done between March and April. Remove a small number of disorderly branches each time, and do it in multiple sessions. Pruning too much will affect the roots and the growth of the entire tree trunk.
Pruning Tips: For banyan stakes to become banyan bonsais, pruning is a very important process. In the first year, focus on developing the root system and nurturing its vitality, only removing buds that are not in the right position. Only after the branches have grown thick and lignified in the second year can you start pruning. Pruning should be the main method, with binding as auxiliary, and pruning once a year is ideal. For strong-growing trees, you can prune twice, and after the pruned branches grow new sturdy branches, prune again. If pruning is done correctly, a good bonsai will appear in front of you within four years.
Disease and Pest Control: Root damage or rot can easily cause leaf drop, but it is hard to detect since the roots are in the soil. It is common for烂根 to occur due to long-term lack of potting or improper fertilization. It's best to check the roots without causing damage, pruning dead, weak, and injured roots, and then dipping them in a growth hormone before planting them in the pot. Additionally, the roots of banyan trees are prone to root rot or root nodule diseases caused by various bacteria and fungi, so appropriate measures should be taken to spray pesticides for prevention. The main pests affecting banyan trees include aphids, spider mites, and scale insects. Spray the leaves with 500PPM of dimethoate or 50% wettable powder of diammonium phosphate at a concentration of 1000 times. Solutions of 0.1% laundry detergent or eucalyptus oil are also effective.
Precautions for Banyan Tree Cultivation
1. Improper watering: When watering banyan trees, adhere to the principle of not watering until the surface of the potting soil is dry, and when watering, water thoroughly. The dryness here refers to the surface of the potting soil, not the soil being completely dry. Even if it is completely dry, it will not cause significant harm to the banyan tree in a short time, as the leaves are thick and small, having some drought resistance.
2. Improper fertilizing: Fertilizing banyan trees should be done with a thin and frequent application method, avoiding high-concentration chemical fertilizers or unfermented organic fertilizers, as this can cause fertilizer damage, leading to leaf drop or death.
3. Insufficient light: Banyan trees grow well in environments with plenty of light. If they can be shaded by 30-50% during the high temperatures of summer, the leaves will appear greener. However, it's best not to shade them when the temperature is below 32°C, to avoid leaf drop.
4. Pests: The main pests that cause leaf drop in banyan trees are red spider mites and scale insects. Although "thrips" can also cause harm by rolling leaves and absorbing sap, they are less harmful than the previous two, and it is easier to control them by removing the rolled leaves. Red spider mites are small and usually affect the back of the leaves, caused by poor ventilation and dry air. You can rinse the entire plant with water and then spray a miticide, such as mitacide or kelthane. Scale insects are commonly found on stems and petioles, varying in size and color, and do not move, but they are highly harmful and require timely control. You can use a toothbrush to brush them off or a cloth to wipe them clean, or spray a solution of 0.2% laundry detergent or eucalyptus oil, or use pesticides like fenvalerate, which are all effective.
Tip: Banyan trees are typical strong positive trees. Insufficient sunlight during cultivation can lead to leaf drop.
The specific content of the cultivation methods and precautions for banyan trees shared in this article is for everyone's reference and operation.