When is the best time to shape Podocarpus? How to shape Podocarpus to look good?

Podocarpus is a common ornamental plant in China. It is loved by people because it is easy to plant and has good meanings of prosperity, health, auspiciousness and wealth. So when is the best time to shape Podocarpus? How to shape Podocarpus beautifully? Let's take a look.

When is the best time to shape Podocarpus

When the main stem is 1 cm in diameter, that is, when the seedling is about 5 years old and a little thicker than chopsticks, you can use iron wire or copper wire to shape it.

How to shape Podocarpus to look good

The first stage, seedling state shaping: (diameter less than 1 cm, overall bonsai height less than 45 cm)

Select healthy Podocarpus, twist and bend the main stem of Podocarpus by wrapping it with aluminum wire. The branches of Podocarpus are soft and can be shaped as you like. You can plant it on a cliff, near the water, or cut it into a dwarf or big tree.

When winding the aluminum wire, insert one end of the aluminum wire obliquely into the soil, and then wind it on the aluminum wire net, with the angle between the aluminum wires being 45 degrees. Then twist and bend the main pole.

The second stage is the aluminum wire pulling shaping of medium and large bonsai.

For medium and large bonsai, examine the tree shape, preset the outline required by the bonsai, and pull the branches to a more suitable position. When winding the aluminum wire, the aluminum wire should be about half the size of the branch. Fix a section of aluminum wire on the main trunk and wind it along the main branch to the top, with the aluminum wire angle at 45 degrees. Press the main branch down to form an angle of about 90 degrees with the main stem. After positioning, adjust the angle, the main branches are clearly layered and distributed to the west. Do not block the sunlight from each other. Appropriately shorten the branches to promote germination and form cloud-like branches.

How to care for Podocarpus

1. Podocarpus is green all year round. If it grows outdoors for a long time, it can grow to more than 10 meters. If it is grown in a potted plant at home, its leaves may turn yellow, fall off, and grow slowly.

2. For small Podocarpus trees, you should choose a flowerpot made of clay, which is suitable for the cultivation of Podocarpus due to its good air permeability and water seepage performance.

3. Potted flowers should be selected according to the shape of the flowers, the size of the plants, the number of roots, the depth, etc. If the flower box is too large, it will not only appear "top-heavy" in appearance, but also be detrimental to the root breathing. If the flower pot is too small, it will not only appear "top-heavy" in appearance, but also affect the development of the root system due to the small volume of the pot soil, which is not conducive to the growth of the plant. Podocarpus should also choose a flower pot according to its own situation.

4. Choose humus soil, peat soil, garden soil, and mix loose, fertile, and well-breathable soil, which is more beneficial to the growth of Podocarpus.

5. Although Podocarpus has good drought resistance, it is afraid of waterlogging if watered too much, so you need to control watering, keep it 30% wet and 70% dry, and apply liquid fertilizer 2 to 3 times a month to ensure growth needs.

6. Podocarpus likes sunlight, but avoids direct sunlight. Reasonable sunlight will accelerate its growth. It usually likes a temperature of 15 to 28 degrees and is afraid of cold. Even in winter, the temperature must be kept above 10 degrees to allow Podocarpus to thrive.