Page 164 - Tài liệu cây cảnh Bonsai4me Bonsai Basics

Chapter 21 Propagation

One of the most satisfying ways of creating bonsai is by using plants
propagated by yourself. There are many different ways of reproducing a parent
plant. Deciding which technique to use is largely dependent on an individual
species' suitability and also the material you have available to use. You may
have a large garden tree or shrub that offers a number of possibilities for
propagation or you may only have a bonsai from which you wish to create new
plants without having its appearance being spoilt by the removal of too many
branches. You also need to consider the length of time you wish to wait before
your new plant will be ready for training as bonsai.
For a good quality bonsai, it is important to acquire a plant with a reasonably
thick trunk before starting on the process of planting the tree in a bonsai pot and
commencing bonsai training. The thicker the trunk of a newly propagated plant

is, the less time that will need to be spent growing on before bonsai training can
begin.
There are techniques for propagating that leave you with plants that will
require years of growing in the ground before they become suitable as good
bonsai material and there are other techniques that produce new plants that once
established can be immediately trained as bonsai.
For an individual species suitability to different propagation techniques, it is
important to refer to Species Guides for plants and trees. Most propagation
techniques rely on tapping into a plants natural growth and reproductive
characteristics and these characteristics can vary from species to species. It is
also important to take note of the seasonal timing of many of these propagation
techniques as most will only work at certain times of the year.
The most basic propagation techniques that can be used for creating new

plants suitable for bonsai are sowing and germinating new plants from seed and
by striking cuttings.

Propagating From Seed

Seed can be very easily obtained from many species of tree that can be found
growing in fields, gardens and by the roadside. Many species of tree such as
Oaks, Maples and Beech have instantly recognizable seed pods that once opened
reveal large quantities of seed that can be used to create large numbers of new