How to care foracer truncatum bonsai
Today, the editor will explain how to care for acer truncatum bonsai and the green plant care and management of acer truncatum bonsai, and then take everyone to learn together.
Wandong is located between the Yangtze River and the Huai River, belonging to the hilly area with a mild climate and abundant rainfall, where plants grow vigorously and there are abundant bonsai resources, such as acer truncatum,diospyros lotus, elm, catalpa, black pine, etc. Especially the acer truncatum bonsai produced in Chuzhou (Figure 1-2) has been affirmed and praised by fellow enthusiasts and has won awards in national exhibitions multiple times.
Figure 1-2 Acer truncatum Bonsai
Acer truncatum is a deciduous large tree of the Aceraceae family, with developed roots, a straight posture, simple and strong, and is one of the excellent materials for making bonsai. Acer truncatum is heat-resistant, cold-resistant, moisture-resistant, pruning-resistant, but not drought-resistant, light-loving, fertilizer-loving, and prefers well-drained acidic sandy soil. Acer truncatum is known for its four appreciations: roots, trunk, branches, and leaves. The root system radiates in all directions, especially developed and beautiful, with a strong bone strength, like the strong claws of an eagle; the trunk is full of muscles and strength, with a masculine beauty and gentleman's demeanor; the branches are twisted and strong, very charming; the leaves are beautiful in shape and colorful. Acer truncatum also has the beauty of all seasons, with red and happy buds in spring and autumn (Figure 3), green in summer, and a strong and sturdy appearance in winter (Figure 4), which is intriguing.
Figure 3 Leaf Color Beauty Figure 4 Branch and Trunk Beauty
The following is the author's experience in cultivating, shaping, and caring for acer truncatum bonsai over the years, for everyone's reference:
1. Treatment of Acer truncatum Tree Stump Before Cultivation
The treatment of acer truncatum tree stump before cultivation includes the treatment of roots, trunks, and branches. Most of the materials purchased from the market have large roots, trunks, and branches, and it is necessary to treat them according to the material and the situation. This means that the intention comes first, and the scene comes later, treating the roots, trunks, and branches appropriately according to the artistic conception. Apply white latex paint twice to the cut surfaces of branches and trunks to prevent wood cracking and dehydration.
2. Making of Acer Truncatum Bonsai
If conditions allow, the acer truncatum tree stump should be planted in the ground first and then in a pot. Practice has proven that the initial planting of the stump must be allowed to grow branches, and pruning and binding should only be done when the key branches reach the ideal thickness. Only after the stump has formed a preliminary outline should it be potted and cared for.
Pruning after defoliation and before germination is better, as the view is clear and the creation is convenient (Figure 5-6). I mainly use the method of storing branches and cutting the trunk, with binding as an auxiliary. Methods such as supporting, pulling, and hanging can be used, or stiff branches can be adjusted with an adjusting device. When shaping, try to make the height and undulations, tension and relaxation, competition and yielding orderly, with gathering and scattering between trunks, and between branches, there should be a sense of looseness and density, originating from nature and transcending it. In late spring and early summer, strong branches, suckers, inner branches, and upright branches should be pruned to prevent the strong from oppressing the weak and maintain a good ratio for a perfect tree shape.
Figure 5-6 Pruning Before and After Defoliation
3. Methods to Improve Survival Rate
The best time for planting acer truncatum tree stumps is from mid-February to the end of March every year. It is best to soak them in clean water for 1-2 days before planting, then wash off the pests and bacteria on the stump with clean water, plant them in mountain sand or river sand, water thoroughly once, and then cover them with new plastic film. The bottom of the film is surrounded by soil, and the top is sealed with aluminum wire to keep warm and moist to promote early sprouting and improve survival rate. When the new buds are more than 25℃ in temperature, a little wind should be released at the top of the film at noon to prevent burning. After 5 p.m., seal the opening with aluminum wire to prevent low temperatures at night. In late April, remove the film during continuous rainy weather. After that, frequently spray water on the stumps and ground to increase humidity, and do not fertilize for the year. Note: Do not use last year's film, otherwise there will be temperature without humidity, and the tree stump will not survive.
4. Treatment of Local Swelling and Over-Thin Problems in Acer Truncatum
Acer truncatum has a strong germination ability, with many buds in pairs or verticillate, sometimes with seven or eight buds in a verticillate pattern. In spring, before new leaves grow, remove the excess buds according to the shaping needs (Figure 7), otherwise, if the excess buds are cut after lignification, the area will be swollen and unsmooth in autumn. For branches or trunks that are too thin or too smooth, gently hit them with a hammer a few times, and the injured part will proliferate and thicken, adding a sense of three-dimensionality. You can also use a branch cutter to open the thinnest part, fill the gap with small stones (Figure 8-9), and then seal it with cement, which will naturally heal without any trace of artificial intervention after one or two years. This method thickens quickly and effectively. Note: When hitting and clipping branches, the tree must be vigorous, and it is best to operate in late spring and early summer.
Figure 7 Wiping Buds Figure 8-9 Opening Thin Areas and Filling Stones to Thicken
5. Treatment of Missing Roots and Over-Thick Roots
The root system is one of the keys to the beauty of the bonsai. If there are missing roots or imperfections, they must be corrected. First, transplant a few small trees in spring to specifically cultivate roots, and decide on the duration of root cultivation based on the required root thickness. In the following spring, around March, dig up the soil at the missing root area, use tools to remove the bark from the missing root area, lean the specially cultivated small tree against the missing root area (Figure 10-11), secure it with iron nails or twine, fill with sand, and after two or three years, the traces of the leaning roots will not be visible.
Over-thick root pruning is also very important. In the second year after the tree stump has survived, around March, use tools to cut open the back half of the root, cut it into a three-dimensional V shape, turning one root into two, which can solve the problem of over-thick, single, and unchanging roots.
Note that when pruning the end of a single thick root into a V shape, there should be some variation, resembling a small mountain valley to enhance the sense of three-dimensionality.
Figure (10-11) Leaning Roots
6. Compensation for Local Missing Branches
A high-quality tree material, especially deciduous trees, can have poor half-sided branching, which affects the viewing experience. There are two methods to compensate for this natural deficiency: one is to pull up and down, and borrow left and right; the other is to drill holes and string branches. I often use the latter method, which looks natural without any trace of artificial intervention. In the first year, bend a branch, cut off the top of the branch to allow side branches to grow rapidly, making the branch about 90 degrees. In the following spring, around April-May, use an iron chisel to remove the outer bark of the missing branch, and the depth of the cut depends on the thickness of the leaning branch. After leaning, do the same as with the root method, securing it with iron nails or twine. Note: Do not use branches from another acer truncatum tree, as there will be a color difference.
7. Treatment of Damaged Areas Infested by Termites
The wood in areas infested by termites is hard and not easily corroded, and the termite paste has a chemical reaction that can gradually expand and corrode the water lines. This can be corrected by using a carving machine to remove all the hard dead wood infested by termites and then filling and decorating with cement, which will heal without degradation.
8. Techniques for Using a Shallow Pot on a Large Tree Shape
Bonsai pot matching is very important and should be perfect, especially for large tree shapes. If the center root is not treated early, it will be difficult to use a shallow pot after shaping, and a deep pot will not achieve the best viewing effect. After the living stump has survived, dig it out in the early spring of the second or third year, use an iron chisel to remove the central木质部 of the stump base, making a pot-shaped concave root (Figure 12-13), and then every 3 years or so, remove it again and cut off the thick roots and long roots in the concave area. This treatment of the stump base allows for more soil to be placed, ensuring a balance between the tree's supply and demand. After using a shallow pot, the surface soil is thin, but there is a lot of soil inside, and the tree remains vigorous, also showing the skill of the creator (Figure 14). Note: The pot-shaped concave root should be carved only after the plane roots are vigorous, and the depth, shallowness, size, and depth should be mastered well, otherwise it will affect the normal growth of the plant.
Figure 12-13 Carving the Stump Base into a Pot-Shaped Concave Root Figure 14 Large Tree in a Shallow Pot
9. Water and Fertilizer Management
Watering should be done when the soil is dry, looking at the soil, pot, weather, and growth condition, not watering when dry, and watering thoroughly when watering. Acer truncatum is susceptible to frostbite in winter and slightly moist is better. Acer truncatum likes fertilizer and should follow the principle of applying thin fertilizer frequently. During the growing period from March to October, except for the hot summer months of July and August, thin fertilizer can be applied frequently. Apply more for vigorous growth and less for weak growth, and do not fertilize during dormancy.
10. Pest and Disease Control
Common pests of acer truncatum in spring are aphids, in summer and autumn are red spiders, a few borers (larvae of longicorn beetles) and longicorn beetles. In early spring, spray insecticide three times, with a 10-day interval, followed by two sprays of carbendazim, with a 7-day interval. Pesticides can be purchased from local agricultural supply stores and sprayed according to the instructions. Longicorn beetle adults can be manually captured. Before winter, manually remove the old bark from the tree trunk. All branches, leaves, and weeds should be cleaned up and disposed of by professional environmental personnel.
11. Matching Pots and Changing Soil After Acer Truncatum Has Matured
Acer truncatum has a developed root system and a strong root disk. For large tree shapes, it is best to use a shallow pot with a larger surface area, and a glazed pot is even better. A shallow pot highlights the beauty of a strong root disk, while a glazed pot can set off the contrasting color beauty. During the hot summer months of July and August, a border can be added to the pot surface to hold more soil, increasing the soil layer thickness to keep the plant from dormant.
Acer truncatum has a strong vitality and grows rapidly. Small bonsai should be repotted every year, medium-sized bonsai every two years, and large-sized bonsai every 3-5 years. Choose to repot before germination in spring, pruning old roots, removing two-thirds of the old soil, and using loose, breathable, and well-drained growing soil.
The detailed explanation of how to care for acer truncatum bonsai and the management of acer truncatum bonsai care provided above, I hope this article can bring you help in green plant management!