How to make a bonsai from a seed

One of the most frequently asked questions in the world of miniature trees is, without a doubt, that of how to make a bonsai from a seed. That is, how to go from a single seed to a work of art like the one you can see in the image that heads the article. Well… it's not easy and it will take us a long time. But what I can tell you is that it is an experience that every fan should have.

Do you dare to take the step?

Sow the seed

The first thing to do is get seeds as fresh as possible of the plant from which we want to make a bonsai. For this we will take those that are ripe and still on the tree in question. Next, we will put them in a glass of water to check their viability, something that we will be able to see quickly as some sink and others remain on the surface. In a seedbed with a porous substrate such as akadama with a little peat, we will sow them in a location in full sun. The ideal sowing time will depend on the species: generally deciduous and coniferous trees are planted in the fall to germinate in spring, while evergreens are planted after the risk of frost.

First pruning

When our little tree has 3 to 4 pairs of true leaves, it will be time to prune the taproot. You will see that this root is the thickest of all, since it has the function of anchoring the plant well in the ground. This is a problem for a bonsai, as it could get the plant out of the tray where we have the tree planted.

Sapling stage in normal pot

After the taproot has been trimmed, it must be allowed to grow freely for two to four years so that the trunk is thickening. If you see that it grows a lot in height, it should be trimmed leaving it with about 50cm from the base of the trunk to the highest branch. When your trunk has a thickness of at least one centimeter we can start to think about the design that we want to give to our future bonsai, pruning it accordingly. This is my favorite stage, since it is when the plant is worked the most: wiring, pruning, pinching ... in short, everything that we are seeing in the step by step of bonsai design once a month.

Prebonsai

Un prebonsai It is a tree that has undergone at least three transplants since it was planted, always in a shallow pot, and the design is already beginning to be seen clearly but without being finished. Taking this into account, your tree to reach this stage has to be about five to ten years old and even more if it is very slow growing, and you must have worked to get a bonsai project to start seeing.

Finally, after more than ten years of work, you can move your tree to the tray, now yes, bonsai proper, preparing him to be admired.