How to grow a Cannabis bonsai?
A Cannabis bonsai is a miniature Cannabis plant that has been conditioned to stay unnaturally small even when fully matured. The term bonsai does not refer to a particular variety of Cannabis but rather to the growing technique that keeps plants small.
When growing Cannabis bonsai, the first step is to drill the border of the upper portion of your pot and insert a wire in the holes. Then, select Cannabis cutting to plant. When choosing a Cannabis cutting from the mother plant, you have to choose those healthy and sturdy, especially if you plan to utilize your Cannabis bonsai tree for clone clippings in the future. Once you have selected, plant the Cannabis cutting and then stick it to the wooden stake by tying it with a wire.
The next step is training the Cannabis bonsai branches. Training is the process of force shaping your bonsai according to what you want them to look as they grow. If you decide the growth structure of your Cannabis bonsai, bind them with wire and connect them with the holes in the pot. If you prefer that the branches grow horizontally, tie them slightly tighter than you typically do. Tie them down more loosely if you want them to be more vertical.
After some time, your Cannabis will develop more branches, and that is the time to prune or cut those offshoot branches. Be careful not to remove those old branches because they can hinder your plant’s growth.
How to grow a Cannabis bonsai?
What is a Cannabis Bonsai tree?
A bonsai tree is cultivated to make a miniature size of a tree. It is a growing technique that will keep any plants in a small size. Growing a bonsai tree aims to develop a healthy and mature plant that will grow to a fraction of its natural size. Like any bonsai tree, a Cannabis Bonsai tree is a miniature tree-like structure that develops less than 4 feet (1.22 meters).
Most growers cultivate Cannabis Bonsai as a source of clone clippings. Since the mother plant remains in its dwarfed version, Cannabis bonsai will only occupy less space than full-grown mother Cannabis plants.
If you are a grower with a limited growing area and are growing a few Cannabis plants, growing Cannabis bonsai might be a great option for you. Cannabis bonsai in the broader growing space can provide you with a wider variety of genetics in your entire garden. Thus, making the utility of these plants more apparent. Cultivating several mother Cannabis bonsai for clone clipping is the best way to keep the diversity in your garden without depending on seeds.
What are the materials needed?
Growing Cannabis bonsai is easy, and it only involves several easy steps. Of course, there are things that you need to prepare before you make your Cannabis bonsai tree:
- Small Container/Pot
- Young Cannabis plant
- Growing medium or soil
- Anodized aluminum or annealed copper wire
- Electric drill
- A wooden stake that is barely larger in diameter than the stem of your Cannabis plants
Four Easy Steps on How to Bonsai
Step 1: Preparing a Pot
Drill several wire-sized holes in the border of the upper portion of your pot. These holes are where your string or wire is inserted. You can choose between anodized aluminum or annealed copper wire to insert into the holes. You must ensure that holes are perfect enough to insert the wires to facilitate training of your Cannabis bonsai. Otherwise, it will have a bad outcome.
Step 2: Planting Cannabis Cutting
After selecting your Cannabis cutting, you need to put soil in your pot but add space on the surface for the holes to keep wired. Then, you plant your budding Cannabis in the soil.
Afterward, use wire to tie the stem of your Cannabis plant to the wooden stake. As much as possible, tie it gently and do not use too much force. Otherwise, it will damage your Cannabis plant, causing it not to develop at all.
Step 3: Training Cannabis Branches
The process of training branches is the same as training stem. If you decide the growth structure of your Cannabis bonsai, bind them with wire and connect them with the holes in the pot. If you prefer that the branches grow horizontally, tie them slightly tighter than you typically do. On the other hand, tie them down more loosely if you want them to be more vertical. When tying them, leave enough space so the branches can grow without interruption.
Step 4: Pruning Branches
Cutting important branches like a big trunk can restrain the growth of your Cannabis bonsai. One sign of important branches is when many offshoot branches grow on them. Make sure to remove those newly developed branches only and save the old ones.
What strains are best for growing Cannabis Bonsai trees?
Growers have to select the best strain when cultivating Cannabis bonsai trees. Here are some known Cannabis strains that are perfect for bonsai.
Critical Kush
Critical Kush is an indica-dominant hybrid. This strain grows to be short and bushy. It has dense foliage, and it grows sideward that will help you plan the design of your Cannabis bonsai.
Aside from that, it has 19-25% THC content, providing relaxing and soothing properties. This strain also has a earthy, pine-like, and spicy aroma.
White Widow
White widow Cannabis strain is a well-balanced hybrid of qualities and growth patterns of indica and sativa. It has fussy, growing mint-green vegetation at a vigorous rate. This strain can be easily controlled when you prune and install wire on them.
On top of that, the THC level of this strain are between 18–25%, causing a happy, sleepy, comfortable feeling. The white widow has an earthy, woody, herby scent and aroma.
Big Bud
Big bud is an indica-dominant strain that produces excellent harvests. One of the best things about this strain is that it is robust, stable, and can fight against mold, pests, and disease.
It is perfect for a minimal Cannabis bonsai design with light leaves and several bud sites. Since it has robust branches, it can easily adjust when wires are attached and undergo low-stress training.
This strain has a 15-20% THC content level that will make you feel happy, creative, and calm. It has fruity, spicy, and earthy scents and aromas.
Somango
Somango is an indica-dominant hybrid cannabis strain suitable for bonsai since it can efficiently respond to training and pruning. It has malleable branches that make it easy to shape according to your preference.
This strain grows in most climates, thus making it easy to deal with common cultivation issues. Also, it rarely grows up to three feet (0.91 meters) that will save your time from trimming them too often.
Somango has a 16-21% THC level that will make you feel creative, uplifted, and relaxed. Its aroma includes tropical, mango and incense.
What are the essential things you need to remember in growing Cannabis Bonsai?
Growing Cannabis bonsai needs several things to consider. It is to ensure the optimal growth of your Cannabis bonsai. Here are some tips that you need to remember when growing Cannabis bonsai.
- Choosing the Right Genetics. Cannabis strains vary, and they are versatile. Some grow to be tall, while others are stout and bushy. Growers opt for an Indica-dominant or hybrid strain since they easily control to make a bonsai.
- Grow them Slowly. A slow and gradual growth process can yield an excellent quality of buds. That is why it is advisable to slow things down. Training and pruning involve a slow process to get the aesthetic design you prefer.
- Be Patient when Cultivating. Cultivating Cannabis bonsai is the art of styling and shaping your Cannabis plants. Thus, you have to be patient when cultivating them. Let every growing stage perform its work for your plants every day.
- Select Appropriate Pot. The key to restricting the Cannabis plant growth to make it a bonsai tree is to choose a small container.
How to take good care of your Cannabis Bonsai?
Cannabis bonsai can live for about two years with no problem at all. However, proper maintenance is needed to make your Cannabis bonsai thrive ideally. The only problem with keeping your mother plants for a more extended period is that the stem gradually becomes woody as time goes by. It makes the rooting process more time-consuming and difficult. The following will help you take good care of your Cannabis bonsai.
- Thorough irrigation is a must in the root system of your Cannabis bonsai. It will help the root develop more and avoid diseases like Phytium, which will probably happen when the substrate is too soaked.
- Use a photoperiod of 18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness since we want our Cannabis plant to grow instead of bloom.
- Do not relocate your plant when Cannabis bonsai is already formed. It can cause stress when you reposition them due to possible changes in environmental conditions.