1. Tree species selection
There are many materials suitable for making tree bonsai. It is generally better to interweave, with dense branches and thin leaves, beautiful posture and gorgeous flowers and fruits. At the same time, it requires biological characteristics such as strong germination, pruning resistance and long life.
In China, the materials of tree bonsai have a long history and tradition. During the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty (1796 ~ 1820), there were many bonsai trees written by Wuxi Su Ling. The bonsai plants were divided into four great masters, seven sages, eight bachelors and four elegant flowers.
Four people: goldfinch, boxwood, Yingchun and Sabina chinensis.
Seven sages: Pinus taiwanensis, cypress, elm, maple, holly, ginkgo, Bromus inermis.
Eighteen bachelor's degree: plum, peach, tiger thorn, Qing Ji, wolfberry, rhododendron, cypress, papaya, wintersweet, Phyllostachys pubescens, camellia, arhat pine, begonia Xifu, Phyllanthus urinaria, Lagerstroemia indica, pomegranate and gardenia in the snow.
Four elegant flowers and plants: orchid, chrysanthemum, narcissus and calamus.
Many of the tree species selected for the above-mentioned ancient tree bonsai are still commonly used materials for making bonsai. But at present, there are one or two hundred kinds of materials suitable for making tree bonsai, which can usually be divided into the following categories:
Conifers and cypresses: Japanese pine, Pinus taiwanensis, Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Pinus tabulaeformis, Sabina vulgaris, Sabina vulgaris, Sabina vulgaris, Sabina vulgaris, Sabina vulgaris, Sabina vulgaris, Sabina vulgaris, Taxus chinensis, etc.
Miscellaneous trees: elm, boxwood, Bromus inermis, Runnan, Cedar, Murraya murraya, Pu Shu, Fujian tea, Tamarix, Ligustrum lucidum, etc. Leafy trees: Acer truncatum, Acer truncatum, Ginkgo biloba, Holly, Phyllostachys pubescens, Arhat Bamboo, Phyllostachys pubescens, Phyllostachys bambusa, cycads, etc.
Flowers and trees: camellia, camellia, Caragana, begonia, plum blossom, peach blossom, crape myrtle, begonia pendula, begonia Xifu, Yingchun, osmanthus fragrans, rhododendron, willow in the snow, Tanchun, etc.
Fruit trees: pomegranate, pyracantha fortunei, nandina domestica, kumquat, bergamot, hawthorn, holly, golden marble, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Ardisia japonica, persimmon, wolfberry, coral cherry, etc. Lianas: Lingxiao, Ivy, Trachelospermum, Euonymus fortunei, Wisteria, honeysuckle, etc.
2. Stump excavation and cultivation
The material of tree bonsai mainly comes from two aspects: propagation and seedling raising and stump excavation. The former adopts propagation methods such as sowing, cutting, layering, grafting and rameting. And it was cultivated in the early years, with freer shape and more symmetrical branches, but for a long time; The latter has been digging stumps from Shan Ye for many years, and the time can be greatly shortened through processing and cultivation. You can often choose natural and beautiful old stumps to make bonsai. The disadvantage is that due to the limitation of the inherent shape of the stump, the thickness ratio of the trunk and the lateral branches is not easy to be symmetrical. In addition, some precious tree species, such as pine needles, flail rafters and red maple, cannot be harvested in Shan Ye, so they have to rely on artificial propagation to obtain seedlings.
Propagation and seedling raising techniques are introduced in many gardening books, but they are not introduced in detail in this book. This paper introduces the methods of stump excavation and cultivation.
It is necessary to master certain scientific methods to dig stumps, otherwise it is difficult to survive, and it is even more difficult to complete products, which is a waste of time and human and natural resources.
The selection of digging stumps should be comprehensively considered from the aspects of tree species, age, shape and development prospect. The selection of tree species has been introduced before. As for the age of the tree, it is more expensive to pile up old people for a long time, but it must also grow vigorously. Stump modeling should not blindly pursue strangeness and pictogram (pictogram is not the selection standard of bonsai art), but it is better to have the characteristics of quaint, vigorous and tortuous, especially pay attention to the modeling of roots. Generally speaking, the stump should not be too high and too big, which is conducive to survival and processing, and is also suitable for pots and furnishings. Although some stumps have some defects, they can still be used from the development point of view as long as they can be processed to make up for them.
The time for digging stumps is generally appropriate after the trees enter dormancy, and it is appropriate to thaw in early spring before the trees germinate. Mining in late autumn and early winter is also possible, but winter maintenance is more troublesome, especially in the north, and it must be maintained in greenhouse. As for the cold winter, because the soil layer is frozen, it is difficult to dig and the roots are easily damaged, so it is not suitable. The time for digging stumps should be adapted to local conditions and determined according to the habits of tree species. Trees that are not hardy should be excavated in March-April to avoid freezing injury.
When excavating, the main root can be cut off, but more lateral roots and fibrous roots should be left. For conifers and some straight-rooted tree species, leave more straight roots properly, otherwise it is not easy to survive. After the stump is dug up, it can be trimmed again. Pruning should be based on the shape of the stump, and the future shape should be considered initially. Generally, some main branches are kept and cut short, and the rest are all cut off. Evergreen trees with weak germination, such as conifers and cypresses, should not be cut off. The roots of the dug stumps don't need soil, so it's better to soak them in the mud, put them in a basket and plug them with moss to protect the fibrous roots from withering due to water loss. Plant it as soon as you bring it back.
No matter how beautiful its natural form is, the stumps excavated in Shan Ye must be cultivated for a certain period of time before they can be made into bonsai, which is called "embryo cultivation". Some bonsai lovers, eager for success, plant the newly dug stumps in shallow glaze pots or purple sand pots, and even hang their roots and show their claws, trying to make bonsai at one go. In this way, it is difficult to survive and even more difficult to form. The so-called haste makes waste.
It is best to choose a place with loose and fertile soil, good drainage and abundant sunshine for embryo culture, or plant it in a pottery basin, which is convenient for the combination of modeling and processing. Planting should be properly buried, it is best to leave only buds outside the soil, and stumps with higher trunks can be wrapped with moss. After planting, water it once, and cover the stump with a little straw to keep the humidity. When it's hot in summer, you should build a shed for shade and spray water frequently. In winter, we should surround ourselves with straw curtains to prevent freezing. Usually, we should pay attention to replenishing water, especially during the vigorous growth period of trees, but we should also pay attention not to water too much to prevent root rot. When the weather is dry, it is best to spray water on the leaves often. Fertilization is very important to make the tree embryo shape as soon as possible. Newly planted stumps have tender roots, should be thin, and should be fertilized frequently. The fertilizer can be decomposed cake fertilizer or manure, and diluted before use. In the process of embryo culture, pruning, bud picking and pest control should also be done well.
Pruning mainly refers to cutting off unnecessary branches in future modeling so as not to consume nutrients. Also cut off dead branches and diseased branches, otherwise it will affect the production of new buds or lead to the spread of pests and diseases.
Bud picking mainly refers to picking off excess buds. Generally, the buds (including spare buds) needed for future modeling are reserved, and all the other buds are removed to avoid useless branches. When the buds to be preserved grow into branches, further choices can be made, such as cutting off unused branches, picking off the top buds of the remaining branches, promoting axillary buds to germinate side branches, and increasing the level and density of branches and leaves.
3. Modeling of tree embryo processing
Generally, the seedlings cultivated since childhood begin to be processed and shaped after 3 to 5 years; Most stumps excavated in Shan Ye can be processed and shaped after one year of embryo cultivation.
Before processing, you can dig out the tree embryos planted in the ground and temporarily plant them in pots of basically suitable size for operation and modeling. Big tree embryos can also be processed and shaped on site.
The processing and production should follow a series of artistic techniques of bonsai creation. First, carefully observe and scrutinize the tree embryo materials, and decide what theme to show and how to shape them according to the characteristics of the materials, that is, "treating them according to their materials". The skeleton of the radicle, stem and branch of the tree is arranged according to the law of bonsai art, making it a well-balanced and harmonious living bonsai art work with beautiful lines and far-reaching artistic conception. If pine is selected as the material, it is suitable to show the vitality and straightness of its main roots, and its branches and leaves are flat and scattered like clouds; Cypress is suitable for displaying its strange trunk, Gu Zhuo, and leafy; Plum blossom modeling should be sparse and oblique; Spring is suitable for hanging branch arches; ..... This is considered from the natural characteristics of tree species. In addition, the inherent shape of the stump should be considered. For example, if the trunks of some stumps are straight, they can be straightened and dried. Some stumps naturally bend, suitable for bending dry or cliff-like; Some stumps are dry and bald, so they should be made into withered peaks ... because wood treatment can make bonsai production both labor-saving and natural fun. If you let it be completely natural, you can't talk about bonsai art, but there are too many artificial traces, but you lose the natural beauty. Therefore, for the modeling of stumps, we must not stick to the rules and apply patterns.
There is also a certain procedure for modeling treatment, which is usually dry first and then branch. According to the needs of tree species and modeling, climbing, pruning or carving can be determined from bottom to top. Due to different habits in different regions, their processing methods are also different. Generally speaking, for conifers and trees with weak germination ability, climbing is the main method. For elm, bromeliad, Fujian tea, triangle maple and other tree species with strong germination, pruning can be the main method. The stumps made by climbing and binding method are free in shape, tortuous and changeable, and fast in forming; The stump treated by pruning method is vigorous and natural, but its forming is slow. The climate in the south is warm and the trees grow fast, which is suitable for climbing modeling; The climate in the north is cold and the trees grow slowly, which is suitable for climbing modeling. Of course, these are generally speaking, the styles and genres of bonsai vary from place to place, and the modeling methods are also very different. For example, Lingnan School adopts the pruning modeling method of "keeping branches and cutting them off"; Yang school adopted the climbing modeling method of "one inch and three bends"; Su school adopts the modeling method of "coarse binding and fine shearing"; Huizhou school adopts the "zigzag bending" modeling method; Sichuan school adopts the shape of "square turn" or "off turn" and so on. We master the most basic methods of pruning and climbing, and we can often produce ideal results if we master them flexibly according to specific conditions.
(1) Climbing method: use climbing materials such as brown silk, hemp skin or metal wire to bend the branches of trees into various shapes.
Metal wire binding method: this method is simple and easy to bend and stretch freely, but it is a bit troublesome to disassemble. It is best to use burnt iron wire, but usually lead wire, and choose the iron wire with moderate thickness according to the thickness of the branch to be climbed. Generally, the model of 12 ~ 24 is selected for metal wires, and the corresponding numbers are used. Steel wire thickness selection table
Tie Si 12 12 16 18 No.20 No.22 No.24
The branch diameter is15mm10mm 6mm 4mm 3mm 2mm1A5mm.
When climbing, first fix one end of the wire at the base or intersection of the branches, and then slowly wind it near the bark, so that the wire forms an angle of about 45 with the branches. If you want to twist the branch to the right and bend it downward, the wire will wind clockwise; Otherwise, winding counterclockwise. Pay attention to twisting, so that the wire can cling to the bark and the branches are not easy to break. Don't use too much force to avoid damaging the bark or breaking branches. For pomegranate, red maple and other tree species with thin skin and easy to be damaged, you can first wrap the branches in sacks and then climb the metal wire. If there is repeated winding on a branch, pay attention to the consistency of winding direction and try to avoid crossing.
Brown silk climbing is a traditional modeling method of bonsai in China. Its advantages are: the colors of brown silk and branches are coordinated, and it can be enjoyed after processing, and it is not easy to damage the bark, and it is convenient to dismantle, but it is not easy to climb and knot. Generally, the brown silk is twisted into brown ropes with different thicknesses, the middle part of the brown rope is tied to the lower end of the trunk to be bent (or knotted), the two ends are twisted a few times, placed on the upper end of the branch to be bent, and a slipknot is tied, then the branch is slowly bent to the required radian, and then the brown rope is tightened to form a dead knot, that is, one bending is completed. Generally, bending should not be excessive, otherwise it is easy to lose its natural form. The key to climbing brown silk lies in mastering the stress point and choosing the position of brown knot according to the needs of modeling.
The order of climbing and tying brown silk: first tie the trunk, then tie the branches and leaves; When tying branches and leaves, tie the top first and then the bottom; When each part is tied, first tie the big branches, and then tie the small branches; When tying the trunk, it should be from the bottom to the top.
In the long-term practice, old bonsai artists from all over the world have summed up many methods of climbing brown silk, which are called brown method. This brown method is slightly different due to different regions or schools, but the basic principle is the same. The purpose is to tie the branches of trees into the required shapes with brown silk. Brown method is a means, not an end. After mastering the basic principles, it can be handled flexibly according to the needs of modeling.
Branches with thick bends can be wrapped with hemp skin first, and a hemp tendon is lined on the outside of the bend to enhance the toughness of the trunk. If the branches are too thick to bend, you can also use the "cutting method", that is, cut a deep mouth 3 ~ 5 cm long with a sharp knife at the bend of the trunk, and then wrap the cut surface with hemp skin according to the above method, which is convenient for bending and not easy to break. In order to facilitate the healing of the incision, it is best to make the section perpendicular to the plane where the bend is located.