Growing Bonsai from Cuttings


Bonsai growing originated in China some 1,000 years ago and today,
continues to be a popular hobby for many people around the world.
This style of growing and training trees to a miniature form is
both artistic and spiritual, providing a real sense of achievement.
To grow bonsai, some people choose the process of using seedlings,
which is fine but takes a long time. Other people simply choose to
buy a mature tree. However, if you want to enjoy bonsai and
experience the process from the beginning without waiting for seeds
to grow, then you could grow and train a bonsai from cuttings.

The goal in growing bonsai is to achieve a special shape, which
would depend on your preference and the tree being grown. The key
is to begin the shaping process early while the tree is still
young, which is why choosing cuttings is such a huge advantage.
Even so, training continues until the tree matures but by working
with a cutting, you will generally achieve much better results.

When using cuttings for bonsai, you need to be somewhat patient,
allowing the tree to mature. With bonsai, you have two primarily
options from which to choose. The first is hardwood and the second
softwood. Hardwood cuttings are generally taken at the end of a
current years growing season but in this case, with growth just
starting for the next season. For softwood cuttings, the tree
would be taken during the summertime from a current year's growth.
However, softwood cuttings should not be messed with until new
growth appears. During that time, the tree can then be placed in
an individual container.

Just remember that the majority of trees grown as bonsai can be
started from cuttings, which makes this a huge benefit. The only
tree that cannot be grown from cuttings is pine, which would have
to be grown from seedlings. The most important aspect of bonsai is
to know how to grow them. This means knowing the appropriate
amount of water, amount of humidity, type of soil, time to
fertilize, and the right time to repot. Again, all of these things
will vary from one type of tree to another.

Growing bonsai from cuttings is very challenging but also very
rewarding. Therefore, if you love being creative and are a patient
person, then you should consider bonsai as a rewarding hobby. Just
remember, when growing bonsai from cuttings, you will make mistakes
and have times of frustration but this is common. With
perseverance and determination, you can enjoy a magnificent hobby,
something you started from the beginning using a young,
impressionable tree.

While you could choose any number of cuttings, we recommend you
consider the Juniper, especially if you were just starting out.
Juniper are easy to find, easy to grow, and easy to train.
However, no matter which species you want, you need to look for
certain things when choosing your bonsai. For one, check the root
system. Any bonsai needs a sturdy foundation. You want the roots
of the cuttings to be spread out, which will help with stability.

After examining the root system, check out the trunk. Remember
that the quality of the trunk will depend largely on the style you
will use for the bonsai. However, the goal is to choose a cutting
with a thick base that tapers carefully to a thin apex. The
exception would be training a bonsai in a formal upright style in
which case the trunk should be straight. Then, the branch pattern
is also important. The cutting should have lower branches that are
thicker than the top branches to help form the primary structure of
the tree.