How to Graft a Branch On Bonsai tree

 Grafting

Its a magic word. Many of us garden lovers feel like doing grafting on our plants and creating a different varieties. Usually many gardeners do grafting to enhance the plant by creating a new look to the plant and to produce new varieties of plants,. Another importance of grafting is to make the plant to produce more and quality fruits at a early stage. Some times grafting method gives new life to that plant by repairing a damaged area or side of the plant with a graft.

There are different methods of Grafting is there. Each method is having a specific name depending on the type of grafting. Grafting is also horticulture science perfect cut and union plants gives success. 

When we are doing Grafting we have to remember there are two parts one is root stock and second is scion. Root stock is the plant which is undergoing graft and scion may be a branch of the same plant or another plant which is going to have union with root stock.

Root stock and scion plays a main role in grafting. 

There is a lots of difference between air layering and grafting, In air layering from one plant we are getting two plants. but in Grafting two plants are merging together to become one plant.

In this chapter we are going to learn about Inarching grafting and learning step by step of connecting a  branch on root stock of the same plant. usually this procedure is followed by most of the Bonsai

 enthusiast. This method helps the plant to have a branch where it is needed.

Usually Bonsai artists use this method , where the trunk line is long and not having any branches and needs a branch. First select the place where we want to graft the branch. mark that place.

With a sharp knife remove the bark where it marked  on trunk and the branch. and join them with a tape as shown in the video.

And bring both together and join them with a tape.

The region where graft is done should place to gather with out any air gaps and seal two branch and trunk line together with insulation or graft tape. 

Seal the graft with glue gun or wax or m seal , so that wont allow water or air enter in to the graft.

Keep this plant in a shade to protect from direct sunlight. Merging or uniting branch to the trunk takes one season, wait till that time. 

     

Then remove the  tape gently without hurting the grafted area. Now cut the branch below where grating has  done and separate it.

Now our plant is having a new branch on the trunk line. this is the beauty of Grafting , it changes the look of the entire plant.

Entire video of grafting is available on link below

https://youtu.be/KmCjy5-9wTw

After Six months new branch is added to the trunk line

This is top branch is merged with main trunk .

Second branch is also a joined with main trunk line

This type of grafting helps to create new branches on trunk line wherever they needed.

Easy Home Made Insecticides for our Bonsai Plants

Dear friends, now the weather is changing . It is going to be winter now in the next few months that is December and January. There are many chances of insects and flies attacking the plants. We have to keep our plants away from insects. today we speak about common insects which attack our Bonsai plants.

Small home remedies for our small Bonsai gardens makes a lot of difference to keep all the pests away and our Bonsai will  be Happy with a big smile.

Many of our friends are having Ficus nuda/ benjamina as a bonsai.First we will see the insects that attack our ficus plant. The most common insect which attacks the leaves of this plant is thrips. It is transparent. This insect attacks the new leaves of the plant, then the leaves of the plant will be sticky and will be folded inside.

If leave them like tat it effects the entire plant and plant can die back completely. First and foremost thing is to remove infected leaves  and branches.

To get rid off these thrips spray insecticide oil or the smell of lasun (Garlic) juice made from grinded lasun cloves keep these insects away from the leaves, they cant survive. This juice can be sprayed above the leaves and below the leaves twice in a week  for two weeks depending on the spread of the disease and to be controlled completely.

Second option is neem oil insecticide. This can be used in dilute quantity when we are using for the first time. check the plant response by spraying only on infected areas not on complete plant, if the plant is responding well after one week, second time spray can be done. we can continue till the bugs can disappeared from the plant. Neem oil insecticide can be made by mixing one table spoon neem oil , half table spoon mild liquid detergent mix them in one liter water and spray it on the leaves and below the leaves.

Second one insect is White flies and mealy bugs, they look like cotton balls spreading mostly at the nodes of the leaves and below the leaves. But White flies. Mealy bugs stays on plant .  They Mostly attacks fruiting and flowering plants and sucks juice from the plant. and the plant becomes weak. One more danger is if ants are there on the plant they start spreading white flies on the entire plant.

White Flies     

The best remedy is mild liquid detergent .water. When we spray on it, the outer body of the insect which white fluffy like a cotton ball will be damaged with soap water. The insect becomes dehydrated and dies because of soap water. First clean white flies affected area of the plant with a brush. and spray soap water twice in a week.

Red spider is very minute and hosts underneath the leaves and destroys the leaves by sucking juice leaf and mostly chlorophyll. 

  Red Spider

The first Home remedy is separate the plant and give a bath to the plant like jet spray and remove topsoil and fill with fresh garden soil. They lay eggs in soil, that is the reason we have to remove top soil and fill with fresh soil Then spray neem oil mixed with water. Neem oil prevents the insect eggs  from maturing and it closes the breathing holes of the spider and makes them die..

Some other homemade pesticides are take neem leaves, adarak and lasun mix them in grider and spray juice on the leaves of the plants and below the leaves. twice in a week. it helps the plant to keep away most of the insects.

Still some crawling insects and some fugus are there , we can talk about them in next chapter. we follow these methods nothing can damage our Bonsai plant.

Normal other Home made insecticides are water made with turmeric powder or spraying pepper powder also keeps all the bugs beyond our Bonsai plants.

Happy Bonsai Growing.

How To Make Fringe flower in to Bonsai

 Fringe flower is also called as chemise fringe flower, Its scientific name is Loropetalum. it is also called as purple Dimond plant because of its purple leaves. it can be made in to Beautiful Bonsai. 

Main characters of the plant

Chinese fringe flower is a ornamental shrub grows up to  5to 6 feet. It can be pruned and can be given a shape. During the sunlight  a  chemical called anthocyanin is produced that gives a pleasant purple color to the leaves. The flowers of this plant will be hanging beautifully with pleasant pinkish purple color which highlights the plant when its in full bloom.

Sunlight

This plant grows well in full sunlight ,but the afternoon sunlight burns the leaves if the temperatures high and more than 35 degree centigrade, it prefers afternoon shade. Other wise plant grows well in full sunlight. Some of Bonsai artists  prefers as a indoor Bonsai by placing the plant on western direction window where you get full proper sunlight. If there no proper sunlight color of the leaves of the plant changes they wont be having that stunning bright purple colour, 

Soil

Loropetalum need good drainage ,organic soil for its proper growth. Fringe flowers likes acidic soil. To make soil acidic at least one third quantity peat moss to be added to your Bonsai soil. This plant needs lots of moisture in the soil , so peat moss helps to keep the moisture level constant.  here i will share my Bonsai soil ingredients .My Bonsai soil consist of three parts manure one part of garden soil, one part pumice stones of 1 to 2 mm . This is normally used for all my medium size Bonsai plants. 

Then for the plants like acidic soil loving plants I will add two parts of peat moss to Bonsai soil and mix them well. This is a good soil for loropetalum. 

Watering

The main and important point is while growing Fringe flowers the soil should be moist all the time. During summer months water the plant morning and evening, If the temperature is high keep the plant in shady place and give a shower to the plant. 

Care, Cutting and Pruning 

This plant responds well to cutting and pruning. perfect time for cutting is early spring. It starts flowering during spring. Usually the plants flowers two to three times a year , before winter, spring and during summer season. 

once the flowering season is over  cut and prune the branches and give a shape to the plant and make it ready for next flowering season by providing it with organic fertilizers and slow releasing fertilizes. This plant can be grown from branches also . that is the advantage we can make a branch cutting to rooting during late summer before rainy season.

The main important thing to keep Loropetalum healthy is give proper sunlight. too much afternoon sunlight or too much shade makes the plant to loose its bright purple color of leaves.

Then the plant  looses its vigor  and becomes weak , then there are chances of dyeing back of the plant. Too much sunlight burns leaves and there wont be proper flowering.

Take care of these then your Loropetalum will be a beautiful Bonsai of your collection.

Demonstration of  Loropetallum plant in to a Bonsai tree at Sinhgad College Students Council