Bonsai from Seed
There are many different methods of growing bonsai trees. These include buying a ready-made mature bonsai, creating your own from garden centre stock, taking cuttings and air layering. However, if you have the patience it is possible to grow a bonsai from seed.
It can be a very rewarding experience to create a bonsai tree from a tiny seed. Remember it will take many years for the tree to develop to the stage where it can be styled as a bonsai.
To grow from seed you will need to follow basic horticultural practice. Firstly, do some research to ensure that you choose seeds from species that are suitable for bonsai. Buy your seed from reputable seed merchants.
Clean the seeds and plant them in fine compost, well spaced out. Over-layer with compost but don’t apply any pressure as this will prevent the seeds from breathing. Hard seeds should be cracked to help them germinate. Water with a spray, cover and leave outdoors with the ventilation holes open.
It is possible to germinate seeds indoors but if you do this with hardy varieties you should place them in the refrigerator. This will mimic the cold effect of winter which is important for germination of hardy species.
Hopefully the seeds will germinate and the seedlings will grow and develop leaves. At that stage gently lift them out of the seed tray – but be careful not to damage the young growth.
It takes many years to grow bonsai from seed
You will now need to start training the roots – a key element in bonsai. Cut off the tap root – use sterile equipment to prevent infection. Then plant the seedling in a growing pot with the roots spreading in all directions. Gently place some bonsai soil over the roots, water and provide shelter for the seedlings as they are left to grow.
The next few years will be devoted to growing the tree, firstly in containers, then in open ground before transferring to a training pot and eventually to a bonsai pot. The aim of this process is to develop a thick mature trunk, plenty of strong branches and well spread roots.
Your patience will then be rewarded and you can develop and style your bonsai tree.
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