Trees for bonsai: mulberry and apple

Mulberry (Lat. Morus)

Mulberries are deciduous trees, or occasionally shrubs. Two species of mulberry grow in Georgia: the white mulberry (Morus alba) and the black mulberry (Morus nigra). It is a light-loving, drought-tolerant plant that grows well in fertile soil. It lives 200–300 years; a young tree grows quickly, then its growth gradually slows, and it rarely grows taller than 10–15 m. The leaves are large, and the fruit is white or black Bonsai styles for mulberry: Shakan (斜幹), Moyogi (模様木), Hokidachi (箒立ち), Sokan (双幹), Bankan (蟠幹) An article on bonsai styles

Location: Mulberry is a light-loving plant. Keep the tree in a well-lit spot, but be sure to shield it from the scorching summer sun. It is quite frost-hardy. Watering: Water regularly in spring and summer; the soil in the pot should always be moist. In winter it needs watering only occasionally. Fertilizer: Once every two weeks, from spring to the end of summer. After May, the fertilizer should contain only a minimal amount of nitrogen. Pruning: In the early stages of styling, strong new growth is pruned in early spring, or in autumn after leaf fall. An already established tree is pruned during the growing season. Maintenance pruning is needed as required throughout the growing season. A young plant grows quite fast. It tolerates full defoliation well. Repotting: Mulberry roots grow quite fast, so the tree needs repotting at least once every 2 years. Trees under 10 years old must be repotted every year. Repot in spring, before the buds open, or in late autumn. Wiring: Can be done at any time of year. Propagation: From cuttings and by layering. Seed is sown as soon as the fruit ripens, in summer. Plant the whole ripe fruit in the soil. The seeds begin to germinate within a few weeks. Mulberry is one of those plants whose seed sprouts in the same season. Note: In summer, be sure to keep it out of the sun. If watering is late even once, the leaves get damaged.

Apple (Lat. Malus)

A deciduous fruit tree or shrub. More than 10,000 varieties are known worldwide, and about 200 are grown in Georgia. Bonsai styles for apple: Sokan (双幹), Moyogi (模様木) Location: Keep apple in a sunny spot. Most of the varieties grown in Georgia tolerate frost well. If the tree is growing in a very shallow pot, it is best to protect it from frost when temperatures drop below -5°C. Watering: While fruiting it needs plenty of water. In winter, water as needed. If the soil dries out completely, it can damage the roots and kill the tree. Fertilizer: Start in early spring, once every two weeks, until it flowers. If you fertilize after flowering, the nutrients all go into feeding the leaves, which hinders the development of the fruit. So stop fertilizing after flowering and resume once the fruit has properly set. Repotting: Repot a young tree every year, in early spring before the buds open. A tree more than 10 years old needs repotting once every 2 years. Pruning: While styling is still at an early stage, prune in early spring before the buds open, to encourage stronger new growth, or in autumn after leaf fall. Prune a well-developed fruiting tree in late spring. If you prune in summer, the following year’s shoots will be weaker, but the tree will produce more flowers and therefore more fruit. To maintain the shape, it is best to shorten the new shoots two or three times a year. Propagation: By layering in early spring, and from cuttings in autumn.