Initial Shaping and Maintenance of Fargesia Bashanensis Bonsai
Sharing knowledge about Fargesia bashanensis bonsai making, focusing on the initial shaping and maintenance of Fargesia bashanensis bonsai. Details are as follows:
One, Botanical Characteristics of Fargesia bashanensis
Fargesia bashanensis belongs to the Oleaceae family, Fraxinus genus. It is native to western Hubei, Jing Mountain, and is a deciduous tree that can grow over 30 meters tall. The bark of young and middle-aged trees is smooth and light grayish green, while the bark of old trees has longitudinal deep gray wrinkles. The tree has strong sprouting ability and is tolerant to pruning. It is drought-resistant, moisture-resistant, and heat-tolerant, and prefers fertilizer and sunlight. It can be cultivated in the open in areas south of Beijing. It is suitable for neutral and slightly acidic soil with a pH value of 5-7 and is propagated by seeding and cutting.
Two, Processing and Cutting Propagation of Fargesia bashanensis Wild Stakes
Fargesia bashanensis stakes purchased from distant places are usually dug by local mountain people in winter and early spring. Local cultivation digging time is allowed except from mid-June to mid-August. Due to poor protective measures during digging and transportation, although this species has strong vitality, attention should be paid to its varying degrees of dehydration to achieve a higher survival rate.
Firstly, the cutting of the stake should be done in one go. The species easily produces roots, and even saw cuts with a root diameter of 200mm can still produce fibrous roots, so any roots and branches that hinder future potting and shaping should be cut decisively.
Secondly, the roots should absorb enough water. It is best to place the roots upright in water containing rooting agents (such as rooting powder, Vitamin B12) for soaking treatment, with the treatment time according to the instructions of the rooting agent. Alternatively, the whole stake can be soaked in clean water for 24 hours, then planted in a sand bed for maintenance. The buried root depth should be over 20cm, and for old stakes with a diameter greater than 20cm, the depth should be increased appropriately. The spacing between stakes should be greater than 0.5m for medium-sized stakes and greater than 1m for large stakes to facilitate branch extension, otherwise, the branches will overlap and hinder growth and pruning shaping operations.
Thirdly, after planting, water should be fully灌溉ed to ensure close contact between the sand and the tree roots. The sand bed should be kept moist, and the trunk should be watered regularly. Using a 30%-50% shade net for protection will yield better results. Under general conditions, sprouting will occur by late spring to early summer. The shade net can be removed after August 1st, allowing it to enjoy full sunlight. From late April to early May, if there are still stakes that have not sprouted, scrape the bark at the top with a knife. If the bark is still green rather than yellowish-brown, the stake can be pulled out from the sand bed, soaked in clean water for 24 hours, then planted in a semi-shaded and semi-sunny area for maintenance, which can promote sprouting and survival.
In order to protect the ecological environment,播种 (seeding) and cutting propagation are now advocated. Seeding is suitable for large-scale breeding and can be referred to in landscape technical materials. Bonsai enthusiasts find cutting propagation more convenient and feasible, carried out in winter and spring. Use one-year-old strong branches, cut to 10cm-15cm before sprouting, insert into the sand bed, provide appropriate shading, and keep the sand bed moist. Roots can be formed in over 30 days. By mid-May, they can be transplanted to the field for cultivation, or summer and autumn cuttings can be done, but they must be shaded and the sand bed kept moist, with slightly higher management difficulty.
Three, Branch Shaping of Fargesia bashanensis Stakes
New buds that sprout in the first year should be handled based on the growth strength of each stake.
For strong trees, generally after the beginning of August, when most branches have grown to over 40cm, branch shaping should be done. Leave branches that match the shaping direction, keep 1-2 branches from the growing branches, and remove the rest. If there are no branches in the required positions, branches from the lower part of the trunk can be grafted to the missing branch positions. The lower part of the shaping should be pulled into place with rope or aluminum wire, and it's best not to use the wrapping method for shaping. Since Fargesia bashanensis branches thicken quickly, care must be taken not to let the wire sink into the branches, which would affect the appearance and growth of the primary branches. After shaping, apply urea fertilizer at a rate of 10g-20g per square meter of planting area every week to promote the thickening of new branches.
Since Fargesia bashanensis can grow when the average daily temperature is above 15℃, with sufficient water, fertilizer, and sunlight, the base diameter of strong branches can reach over 20mm by frost. Therefore, for terminal branches, pinching should be done first to control growth (for commercial stakes that require rapid shaping, the primary branches can be cut, and the secondary branches can be cut by the end of the year). Branches that need to thicken at the bottom and other parts should be allowed to grow freely. During management, observe at all times and promptly remove any extra branches that sprout from the trunk base, as they will consume nutrients and affect the growth and thickening of the shaping branches.
After frost and leaf fall, the stakes can be potted. Dig the stakes from the sand bed, shake off the sand, trim the long rootlets, shape the branches, match the pot size according to the shape of the stake, fill with nutritious soil, make a border for shallow pots to prevent rootlets from showing above the soil surface, water thoroughly, and strengthen winter management. If the sand bed is not急需 (urgent) to be used, pruning can be done in winter, and potting can be done before sprouting in spring, which is even better.
For weak trees, although they have sprouted and produced branches, if the roots are not long or are scarce, they should continue to be cultivated in the sand bed until the second year when the roots and branches are strong enough for potting. It is important not to rush to prune and pot, as it can affect the survival rate.
Four, Shaping of Fargesia bashanensis Branches
Fargesia bashanensis is a fast-growing species. After one year of base branch cultivation and shaping, most branches can be pruned and thinned in the second year, except for a few specially retained long transition branches, pendulous branches, and drooping branches. Initially, the first and second-level branches are mainly tied (pulled) with cutting as a secondary measure. When the branches are basically shaped, cutting becomes the main measure with tying as a secondary measure, generally using the pruning technique of 'top first, bottom later' and 'suppressing the strong, supporting the weak'. 'Top first, bottom later' means pruning the upper part of the tree first, then the middle branches after a period, and then the lower branches after several days. For the same branchlet, the upward branches are pruned first, and the horizontal and downward branches are pruned when they are thicker than the upper branches. 'Suppressing the strong, supporting the weak' means pruning the strong branches first and waiting for the weaker branches to reach a certain thickness before pruning. The purpose is to match the thickness of the branches with their positions.
For trees that grow especially vigorously, in addition to controlling them during the growing season, leaves can be pruned to shape the branches.
After the first frost in autumn, when the leaves have fallen and the branch shapes are exposed, it is very convenient to observe the trend and direction of the branches, their front and back interlacing, their height and position, and their shape. At this time, a careful pruning and tying of the branches can be done. Use pruning shears where possible, and use aluminum wire to wrap and pull into place where pruning shears cannot reach; for branches that are too upward or in poor direction or position, use aluminum wire or rope to pull them into place. Pay special attention to the opposite branches and frog leg branches of Fargesia bashanensis; opposite branches should be cut alternately on the trunk and the first and second-level branches; frog leg branches can be allowed to grow on one side and cut short on the other, or changed into drooping branches.
Five, Fertilization and Pest Control of Fargesia bashanensis Bonsai
The management and maintenance of Fargesia bashanensis bonsai can be summarized as 'plenty of water, plenty of fertilizer, plenty of sun'. Plenty of water: it needs sufficient water, slightly moist is better than dry; plenty of fertilizer: apply thin fertilizer frequently during the growing season, and it is best to apply fertilizer every 5-7 days for easy absorption by the tree and to avoid fertilizer waste. Fertilizing is generally done in the afternoon on sunny days when the potting soil is slightly dry, and water should be浇ed after fertilizing to rinse the leaves. On rainy days, the potting soil is wet, and the roots have poor ventilation, making it difficult for the roots to absorb fertilizer. Even in the severe heat of summer, as long as there is enough water, the high temperature of 38℃-40℃ and strong sunlight can still see it sprouting and growing, with few self-pruning phenomena at the branch tips, showing its strong adaptability. The simplest way to judge whether it lacks water, fertilizer, or sunlight is to observe the new shoot growth: when there is sufficient fertilizer, water, and sunlight, the branches are strong and the tender branches and leaves are purplish-red, gradually turning green; when insufficient, the branches are weak and the tender leaves are light green.
Five to seven days before defoliating and shaping the branches, a cake fertilizer solution must be applied once. During the growing season, new buds will appear three days after strong pruning. After the new buds appear, another cake fertilizer solution should be applied, with a water-fertilizer ratio of 8:1. The more丰满 the branchlets become, the more pruning can be done.
Other than soil alkalinity and long-term喷灌 with tap water causing leaf yellowing, there are currently no other diseases found to harm Fargesia bashanensis. For yellowing disease, use iron sulfate dissolved in water at a ratio of 1:400 and water the roots every week for 3-5 times to cure.
The main pests that attack Fargesia bashanensis have not been found in the first few years, but in recent years, two species have been discovered: one is the flower thrips, with larvae about 1.5mm long, commonly harming the new leaves that have opened in spring, causing the leaf edges to curl outward and the new buds to shrink into a ball, unable to stretch out, and the heart leaves to wither gradually. This should be promptly sprayed with a 1,000-1,500-fold solution of dichlorvos, 80% emulsion of dichlorvos, or a 1,000-2,000-fold solution of latrines to kill; or after the larvae have finished harming, remove the curled sick leaves and fallen leaves to promote new leaf growth, which will return to normal. The other is the cottony wax scale and red wax scale, which often harm trees with insufficient sunlight and weak growth on the branches,吸取 tree sap. In May to June and September to November, when the larvae are hatching, spray with a 20% cypermethrin solution at a concentration of 2,000 times to kill. It is best to remove pests manually when they first appear.
The above sharing of the initial shaping and maintenance of Fargesia bashanensis bonsai is for everyone to learn and understand!