Greenhouse products in Japan. Japanese and Chinese method of growing tomato seedlings Japanese growing technology

The primary meaning of the word "bonsai" in Japanese is "that which is grown on a tray (platter)" or "on a platter or tray." In modern realities, the word “bonsai” means a miniature tree, an exact copy of an ordinary one or plant. In the article you will learn what Japanese food is and how to use it at home.

Bonsai art

Usually, when people hear about bonsai, they immediately think of Japan. But this art is rooted in the cultural heritage of a completely different country - China.

Did you know? In Chinese culture, this art was called "pencai" and arose around 231 BC.

Historically, the Japanese were introduced to the art of working with miniature trees by Buddhist monks who spent their entire lives wandering. For them, this art was part of a religious tradition. They called it quite poetically - "The path to Heaven is covered with greenery."

The new art spread throughout Japan like wildfire. The system of canons, decorating rules, the appearance of plants, its compatibility with others decorative elements- all this was developed by the Japanese. They identified and perfected the styles that ultimately formed the basis of modern, classic bonsai. The most famous are the broom, rock tree, cascade, calligraphic tree, twisting trunk, stump, bamboo and stones and many others.

The number of bonsai styles reaches over thirty. First of all, you should consider classic styles, which lie at the heart of art. They focus mainly on the external component in order to bring miniatures as close as possible to their natural counterparts. What bonsai is can best be understood from this photo.

Refers to formal vertical styles. Their features include a straight trunk: wide at the base and tapering closer to the top. The style suits most species and types of trees, because it is classic. Tekkan is a symbol of indestructible vitality and proud loneliness.

Also applies to representatives of the vertical form. It is extremely popular with most bonsai gardeners. Such broad interest is due to the fact that the structure of style is not limited by rules or certain canons. The shape of the branches is not controlled by a clear design. The only condition- the top, which should grow perpendicular to the ground. As a rule, such a bonsai has the shape of the letter S. At each new bend there are many branches. Style is a symbol of refined simplicity, unbending resistance to various circumstances, and also a symbol of freedom.

Refers to the slanted style. Its difference is the trees growing at an angle towards the ground. This style is a good solution for many types. It is a symbol of resistance to the wind or the pull of a tree towards the sun when it grows in the shade.

Did you know? With proper care, a bonsai can grow for centuries, remaining just as tiny.

Refers to cascading styles. Its peculiarity is expressed in creating the illusion of a tree that grows on a steep cliff and resists circumstances with all its might, adapting to the conditions. To do this, choose flexible rocks whose trunk bends well and is easily formed. You can choose between or Is a very simple symbol, demonstrating the plasticity of plants in different conditions

He is a representative of old styles that are incredibly complex. Externally, such a dwarf looks like this: it is devoid of lower branches, and the curved long trunk itself ends at the top with a crown. Its branches are formed in the shape of a calligraphic sign. Symbolizes aerial elevation in the Japanese tradition. For miniatures of this format, coniferous and broad-leaved trees are used.

Are all plants suitable for growing?

Experienced gardeners find ways to adapt and grow successfully various plants in room conditions. Therefore, out of a sense of excitement and interest, they grow bonsai from small seeds. Enthusiasts are not even afraid that this is a long and painstaking process. For beginners, it’s better to take ready-made copies and simply maintain their appearance. This is due to the fact that not everyone knows how to grow a bonsai tree from a seed. However, both of them are faced with the question of choosing a plant.

Leafy

In the case of leaf trees, gardeners mainly choose beech, sometimes

Fruit

If you want to grow bonsai using fruit trees, then either

Conifers

Among coniferous trees you can expect a decent variety. As a rule, the ones chosen are Himalayan cedar, Japanese cryptomeria, common or folded thuja, Japanese and European larches.

Features of seed selection

There are some features when choosing seeds. Firstly, seeds must be fresh, no more than two years old. Ideally, they are about a year old. Secondly, the seeds must have the proper level of germination. At home, you can easily create natural ripening conditions. To do this, you need to freeze the seeds in the refrigerator at winter period time. Then, with the first warming, the seeds need to be immersed in warm water and kept for six hours. Next, they are put into a bag and stored at room temperature for three days.

Suitable soil

For proper cultivation Bonsai use a special - heavy, moisture-retaining substrate. The soil is divided into tiny fractions of only 5 mm. Such soil is perfectly breathable and contains a colossal amount of nutrients that are so necessary for tree growth. This substrate is called akadama. That's just in pure form it is used extremely rarely.

As a rule, a mixture is created on its basis, to which sand, clay are added and the soil is placed in small ceramic containers with a large diameter. This form is well suited for growing miniature plants. This is due to the fact that the roots located outside feel great in open space and easily absorb minerals from the air.

Basic landing rules

After three days of “rest”, by the fourth the seeds will swell. This will prove their viability and readiness for planting. Empty copies must be selected and thrown away.

Sprouted seeds must be placed in special pots. They must be completed as follows:

• a mixture of sand and humus in a ratio of 1:2;
• 1 cm akadama.

After all procedures, the seedlings are covered with film, thereby creating Greenhouse effect. Optimal temperature air is about 15 °C.

How to slow down tree growth

Bonsai formation begins approximately in the second or third year from the moment of planting (depending on the circumstances).

However, the question arises - how to slow down the growth process of a new tree.

First of all, the plant needs to be transplanted into a bowl and cut off the roots that grow straight. Priority is given to horizontal roots. Along with straight roots, sick and weak ones are also cut out. In the future, during the next replanting, it will be necessary to trim the roots again.

Another option would be to transplant into soil that is poorly saturated with nutrients. The composition of such soil is quite uniform: loam and rotten leaves. Often coarse sand or small pebbles are added there. Considering that such a substrate provides the minimum needs of the plant, it significantly helps slow growth.

You can also tie the barrel with wire to slow it down and thicken it. They do not wrap the entire length, but only a certain section. Then, when it begins to interfere with the development of your plant, you can remove it and bandage another area. A similar technique can be used when forming side branches. In this case, the wire plays the role of a retainer.

Also, as an option, you can reduce the flow of juices. To do this, you need to cut the wood in different places from time to time. To heal and tighten its wounds, the plant will flood the cuts with juice. As a bonus, beautiful swells may appear on the bark.

The last method is not suitable for everyone. It involves pruning branches. It should be done for the first time immediately after the buds appear. in early spring. Cut at the level of two rosettes from the trunk itself. Branches that interfere with each other are also removed. There should be no flowers on the tree during the pruning period. Otherwise, postpone the procedure until flowering is complete.

Important! Only by using any of these techniques will you be able to achieve the famous miniatureness that is inherent in this art.

When the seeds have already been planted and the first shoots have appeared, they need to be carefully looked after.

Proper care

Bonsai is a tree that needs in care and proper cultivation. First of all, you need to ensure that the soil is moist at all times. Another condition is good air circulation in the soil. This can be achieved in two ways: from time to time, open the film slightly or make holes in it. As soon as the first leaves appear, the young seedlings are immediately opened. Then you need to continue to care for it until the number of leaves increases to four. When they reach this mark, the seedlings can be safely transplanted into a ceramic container.

The next step is to trim the main root - leaving only one third of it. needs to be done regularly. The first time the procedure is carried out a month and a half after the picking. Then you need to feed weekly. At the initial stage, low nitrogen content is used for this. Subsequently, its percentage is increased. Closer to the beginning of winter, they usually switch to feeding, which is more balanced.

Important! If the plant is sick, its feeding must be stopped.

One more important point when caring for dwarf tree is lighting. To satisfy his need, you need to keep the blinds or curtains constantly open. But this may not be enough. To increase the amount of light, use halogen or fluorescent lamp. Under no circumstances use an incandescent fluorescent lamp for this purpose. The lamp should be placed at a height of about half a meter.

Direct sunlight is harmful to the plant. It should also be protected from radiators and drafts. Excess heat or gusts of air can negatively affect it. If you adhere to these rules, then problems and difficulties should not arise.

Possible difficulties during cultivation

Bonsai requires enormous efforts and painstaking work. Those who encounter this plant for the first time may encounter some difficulties. The first problem is dehydration. At first it is difficult to adjust how much water your tree needs, but if its leaves suddenly turn yellow and begin to fall off, first of all, water it from above, as usual, and then place it in a small container of water for about ten minutes. The plant itself will make up for the deficiency.

The opposite effect may also occur. With this problem, the soil is oversaturated with moisture and covered with moss. In this case, simply move it to another soil and water more sparingly. If you find dead roots when replanting, be sure to cut them off.

Sometimes the following problem arises: for some reason the tree does not absorb water, and it remains on the surface of the soil. This can happen if you have chosen the wrong substrate or if it has become infested. First of all, you need to remove the plant and change the soil. Be careful: you must not disturb the roots! If the substrate remains on the roots, everything is fine, it’s better than breaking something. Then place the bonsai in a bowl of water that has been treated. After these measures, it should recover.

Today, every gardener has a huge selection of various ornamental plants, among which you can find the ideal option for your site. Flowering deciduous ornamental trees and shrubs are among the most important landscape elements, around which the overall composition is built. That is why it is so important to find exactly the culture that will simultaneously have a bright appearance and ease of care. All these qualities can be attributed to Japanese kerria - a plant of simply incredible beauty, which during flowering can outshine any flower crops.

Kerria Japanese double or simple has an incredible golden hue of its flowers, which, like small roses, open their buds and fill the garden with sunlight.

In order to decide on the choice of Japanese kerria and plant this plant correctly, in this article we will consider the features and description of Japanese kerria, as well as the characteristics of popular varieties ornamental shrub. Here are the important rules for planting and caring for this variety of kerria.

Features and description of Japanese kerria

Planting Japanese kerria on your site is considered a sign of excellent taste, since this shrub has great decorative value at any time of the year. Its lush golden-yellow flowers, so similar to roses, delight with long-lasting flowering and delicate appearance. If you have your own personal plot, it’s worth thinking about such an ornamental plant, since planting and caring for Japanese kerria shrubs is quite simple and will not require additional investment or effort from you.

Kerria japonica is a perennial deciduous, ornamental, flowering shrub that belongs to the large Rosaceae family and is the only representative of its genus. However, despite this, this plant cannot be called boring and uninteresting, since breeders have done a great job of breeding large quantity forms and varieties of Japanese kerria, which will certainly decorate any area. The natural habitat is quite narrow - in nature, these shrubs are widespread only in Japan and China. Since ancient times, one could find bright yellow bushes of Kerria japonica in the mountainous areas and sparse forests of these countries.

This shrub received its name “kerria” or Kerria in honor of the name of the famous first gardener who worked in the popular Royal botanical garden in Ceylon by William Kerr, who was also involved in collecting rare and unusual plants. It was he who first described the Japanese Kerria bush. In addition to the generally accepted scientific name, Kerria japonica has a number of folk names, which accurately convey the beauty and vibrancy of the culture. Among the most popular are the following: “Japanese rose” and “Easter rose”. The last name is associated with the flowering time of kerria, which falls on the main Orthodox holiday— Easter, and also with the shape of flowers that resemble a small rose.

Description of Japanese Kerry:

• Kerria japonica is a deciduous, dicotyledonous plant that grows in the form of a fairly large shrub. It is considered an ornamental-leaved and ornamental-flowering shrub.
• The root system of Kerria japonica is quite branched and located relatively deep.
• Kerria is a compact deciduous shrub with a regular and neat crown, which consists of thin and straight shoots. At the very beginning of growth, kerria shoots form a strict pyramidal shape. They are straight and green and have no permanent bark.
• With age, the shoots become more branched and begin to bend to the sides, which radically changes the shape of the bush, making it more curly and lacy.
• The height of Japanese kerria can reach approximately 1.5-2 m, and if all growing conditions are met, this ornamental plant can grow up to 3 meters. If you want to get such a lush and large bush, just plant it in an open, spacious area.
• This plant has the excellent ability to quickly grow shoots immediately after spring planting.
• The Kerria japonica shrub also quickly grows in width; the diameter of the plant can be approximately 2-2.5 meters.
• All shoots are covered with leaves, which in their structure resemble raspberry leaves. They reach a length of approximately 10 cm. The leaves are lanceolate in shape, pointed at the ends and jagged along the edge. The leaf blade is smooth and glossy in the upper part, and slightly pubescent on the lower side.
• In spring and summer, the leaves have a delicate light green tint, and in the fall they acquire a bright golden color, which makes the shrub especially bright and festive. Leaves may begin to appear after flowering.

• Flowering of kerria begins in spring in April or in May if the plant grows in an area with a more severe climate. Kerria japonica will delight you with quite long flowering, which can last up to 25-35 days. Most often, flowering repeats in late summer or autumn. Sometimes individual flowers may appear throughout the summer.
• Kerria japonica flowers are single, have a simple or double shape, consist of petals and a fluffy center of stamens.
• Simple kerria flowers resemble buttercup flowers, and double flowers resemble small roses.
• The vast majority of Japanese kerria varieties have flowers of a rich golden hue, but there are varieties with snow-white flowers, for example, Japanese kerria Albaflora.
• The flowers bloom at the ends of the shoots or in the axils of the leaves and emit a rather pungent odor that is somewhat reminiscent of the smell of dandelions.
• The size of the flowers may vary depending on the variety of Kerria japonica, but on average it is approximately 3.5-6 cm.
• After the inflorescences of Kerria japonica fade in regions with warmer climates, fruits in the form of black, sphere-like drupes ripen on the plant.
• Kerria japonica is distinguished by good frost resistance and hardiness due to its powerful root system, so even if the shoots freeze slightly, the shrub can recover.
• This crop is often used in European landscape design. The Kerria japonica shrub can be planted next to the same flowering ornamental bushes.
• The kerria bush is considered a very easy-to-care plant that grows quickly and can stay in one place for about 10-15 years.
• One of the features of the plant is its resistance to air pollution, so Japanese kerria can be planted in urban environments.

Popular varieties of Japanese kerria

Kerria japonica is the only representative of this genus, but this ornamental shrub is represented by a large number bright varieties, which differ in appearance and cultivation characteristics. On sale you can find a wide variety of Japanese kerrias, among which every gardener can choose a variety depending on the structure of the bush, the color of the inflorescences, the height of the plant and winter hardiness. Let's consider the characteristics of the most popular varieties of Japanese kerria.

• Kerria japonica Pleniflora. This variety of ornamental shrub is distinguished by beautiful double flowers that are very reminiscent of small rose buds. The variety is a lush, neat shrub formed by erect, thin shoots. The height of a shrub of this variety can reach 2 meters, while its diameter grows up to 1.5 meters. Flowering begins around mid-May and lasts on average one month. The variety of Japanese kerria Pleniflora is distinguished by beautiful double flowers, which can be approximately 3-3.5 cm in diameter. The winter hardiness of Japanese kerria pleniflora is not very good, so the plant needs shelter. The shoots bend to the surface and are covered with spruce branches and covering material.
• Kerria japonica Aureovarigata. Another variety of shrub with double flowers, which are distinguished by a more complex structure and a bright golden-yellow hue of the petals. At proper care a plant of this variety can bloom for up to 3 months in a row.

• Kerry japonica Pict. This is a fairly low-growing shrub plant that can grow only 1 meter in height. The bush is compact and neat, has a regular cone-shaped shape, which is formed with the help of thin, erect shoots. The variety is distinguished by its spectacular green foliage, which has uneven white spots on its surface and a white border along the edges of the leaves. Often in garden centers You can find this variety under another name - Kerria japonica variegata. The flowers of this plant are simple, consisting of 6 bright yellow petals.
• Kerria japonica Golden Guinea. Another very spectacular variety of Japanese kerria, which is distinguished by beautiful flowers. The shrub has a compact and correct form, can reach a height of about 2 m. Flowering is very abundant, the flowers themselves are simple, consist of 5 petals, which have a bright dark lemon hue. According to many sources, this color resembles the color of old, out of circulation, British gold guinea coins, so this variety may have a slightly different name - Kerria Japanese golden guinea or guinea. The diameter of the flowers is approximately 6 cm, which also corresponds to the size of an ancient coin.
• Kerria japonica Albomarginata. It is a rather inconspicuous bush, which is also characterized by rather slow growth. The leaves of this variety are asymmetrical with a white border along the edge of the leaf blade. Flowers simple structure and yellow tint.

• Kerria japonica Argenteomarginata. This variety of kerria is very similar to the previous variety, which is distinguished by its taller growth. The bush can grow up to 2 meters. The leaves are asymmetrical and have a thinner whitish-cream border along the edge.
• Kerria japonica Captivity. This variety is often grown in nurseries, where workers call the plant buttercup bush for their simple yellow flowers, which are a striking shade of yellow. The bush is characterized by rapid growth and is perfect for creating hedges, since the plant of this variety produces a lot of young shoots.
• Japanese kerria variety "Kin Kan". The variety is a beautiful and compact bush that can reach a height of about 1.5 meters. Characterized by simple yellow flowers, which consist of 6 petals. Flowering is very abundant.
• Japanese kerria variety Albiflora. A rather exotic variety of kerria that pleases the eye with snow-white flowers. The flowers are quite large and double. The shrub reaches a height of 2 meters, the shoots are densely strewn with leaves of rich green color.

Reproduction of Japanese kerria: the most common methods

Japanese Kerria will delight gardeners with its unpretentiousness and ease of cultivation. It is quite easy to grow this ornamental plant with your own hands on the site. To do this, it is important to know the basic methods of reproduction, as well as their characteristics and rules. Kerria japonica only reproduces by vegetative means, among which the following can be distinguished: cuttings, dividing the bush, propagation by layering and offspring. Let's consider the features of all options for breeding kerria.

Reproduction of Japanese kerria by cuttings

• This method of propagating Japanese kerria is used most often, since it has a fairly high percentage of seedlings rooting and is simple, since it does not require a large number of actions and a lot of time from the gardener.
• It is recommended to propagate this plant by cuttings in the spring after pruning the crown of the bush.
• Both lignified cuttings and green ones, which are cut in early summer, can be used as planting material.
• On a Japanese kerria bush, strong and healthy shoots are selected, from which cuttings 6-7 cm long are cut, which must have at least two buds.
• The bottom cut must be made at an angle, which will facilitate rooting.
• Next, you need to take care of the rooting site. This must be done in greenhouses or in special containers, which are then covered with film or glass.
• It is important to choose a suitable soil composition, which should consist of turf soil, deciduous soil, humus and sand.
• The cuttings are rooted into the prepared soil at an angle, after which the greenhouse is closed or the container is covered tightly with glass. The greenhouse should be in the shade so that it is not exposed to direct sunlight.
• Rooting takes quite a long time, during which it is important to regularly water the cuttings and ventilate them.
• After the first shoots appear, the cover can be removed. The cuttings remain overwintering in a greenhouse or created shelter.
• Only in May can young seedlings be transplanted into open ground for growing. After a year, fairly strong cuttings are planted in a permanent place.

Reproduction of Japanese kerria by dividing the bush

• This is another fairly simple method of propagating Japanese kerria, which is often used by experienced gardeners.
• The division of an adult bush is often accompanied by plant transplantation or rejuvenation. To do this, carefully dig up the bush and lightly shake off the soil from the roots.
• Then, using a sharp pruner or an ax, the rhizome is divided into several parts so that each division has healthy and strong roots and shoots.
• After this, the young seedlings are planted in pre-prepared planting holes.
• To propagate Japanese kerria by division, it is not necessary to dig up the entire bush. It is enough to slightly dig up the bush on one side and carefully use a shovel to remove part of the growth that appears on the plant.
• After this, the resulting young plants must be rooted in the shade.

Reproduction of Japanese kerria by layering

• The method of propagating kerria by horizontal layering is also used quite often.
• It is recommended to carry out such propagation in the spring before the start of sap flow and active growing season.
• To do this, on an adult bush you need to select strong and healthy shoots without damage and carefully tilt them to the surface of the earth, where you first need to dig small grooves 7 cm deep.
• It is important to fix the layers with special staples or wire so that they do not return to their original position.
• Layers are not covered with soil.
• In about a month, young shoots and first leaves will begin to appear from healthy buds. When the shoots reach a height of 10-15 cm, the layering is sprinkled with soil, leaving only the top.
• It is regularly necessary to moisten the soil and loosen the surface of the earth.
• By autumn, the shoots will have strong roots, so next spring they are separated from the mother bush and planted in a permanent place.

Preparation before planting Japanese kerria

Kerria japonica is a beautiful and unusual deciduous plant, which, despite its bright appearance, is not difficult to plant and care for. Even the most inexperienced gardener can easily cope with planting this plant in open ground. However, for the successful completion of this process and ultimately obtaining a lush flowering shrub, it is important to carry out the preparatory work correctly and competently.

Stage 1. Selection and purchase of Japanese Kerria seedlings

• First of all, you need to purchase Japanese kerria seedlings if you don’t have an adult plant on your site from which you can get planting material.
• You can buy Japanese kerria in specialized garden centers and nurseries that professionally breed plants.
• Before purchasing, be sure to think about your future garden composition, since all varieties of Japanese kerria have different heights bush.
• Many varieties of this plant can be purchased at garden stores and nurseries. However, if you buy Kerria japonica seedlings from a nursery, you can be sure that they will be successfully acclimatized to the climate of your region.
• Before purchasing seedlings, be sure to thoroughly inspect their upper part, as well as the root system or soil in the container. Shoots and foliage should have a healthy and fresh appearance, there should be no damage or yellowed areas. The exposed root system should be resilient and healthy, free of rot. The soil in the container is clean and moist.

Stage 2. Choosing a place to plant Japanese kerria

• Kerria japonica feels great in areas with very different lighting conditions. On sunny open places, in light partial shade or in diffused light, this bush will delight you with bright flowering. Everything is due to the fact that the flowering of kerria begins long before the active growth of other crops.
• However, it is worth considering that under straight lines sun rays bright golden flowers are prone to fading, and in heavily shaded areas flowering may be sparse.
• Kerria japonica does not take root well in very open places where the wind often blows. Therefore, it is important to find a closed and quiet place on your site.
• For kerria, you can choose a place against the lawn, in a hedge, in garden compositions, as well as in pots and containers.
• This plant prefers fertile garden soil with good drainage. The soil must be loose and light, loamy or sandy loam.

Japanese kerria planting technology

• Japanese kerria is planted both in spring and autumn. However, for the middle band it is still recommended spring planting, since the plant has time to get stronger and take root before the onset of cold weather.
• First of all, it is necessary to prepare planting holes in the previously selected area. The size of one planting hole should be approximately 60 cm in width and length, and 60 cm in depth. If you are planting several seedlings nearby, it is important to maintain the distance between the holes. On average, it should be at least 1 meter, but when forming a hedge, it is better to leave about 50 cm.
• Next, at the bottom of each hole you need to lay a layer of drainage made of broken bricks or small stones.
• It is important to mix the soil with humus, a glass wood ash and 80 grams of complex mineral fertilizer.
• Next, Kerria japonica seedlings are placed in the planting pits so that the root collar is flush with the surface.
• Gently sprinkle the seedlings with soil and press down with your hands.
• After planting, young plants are watered abundantly, and the tree trunk circle is mulched with peat or humus.

Agricultural technology for growing Japanese kerria: secrets and nuances of care

Caring for Japanese kerria is quite simple and will not cause any difficulties for gardeners.

• Watering. For the full growth and flowering of the kerria bush, it is important not to forget about regular watering, but you should not overdo it, as too much moisture can be harmful. The bush needs to be watered when the top layer of soil dries out, and the frequency of watering increases in dry summers and during flowering. In this case, it is imperative to use settled water, which has previously been heated in the sun.
• Loosening and mulching. It is also important to regularly loosen the top layer of soil to ensure the flow of oxygen to the roots. At the same time, all weeds are removed and the tree trunk circle is covered with a layer of peat or humus mulch.
• Top dressing. In order for the plant to please you with abundant and lush flowering, it is important to fertilize Japanese kerria. One feeding in the spring after pruning and after flowering is enough. As a fertilizer, you can take mullein infusion or wood ash.
• Trimming. In the spring, before the start of active growing season, it is important to carry out sanitary pruning of Japanese kerria, during which all damaged and broken shoots are removed, as well as old branches are removed, thereby thinning out the bush. In the fall, after flowering has completed, it is necessary to carry out formative pruning, during which 1/4 of the shoot where the flower was was removed.
• Preparing for winter. The winter hardiness of Japanese kerria directly depends on the place of its cultivation. If you bought seedlings from a nursery, then these plants will be adapted to climatic conditions your region. However, in any case, it is important to cover this plant for the winter. On average, this crop can withstand frosts down to minus 20 degrees, but the shelter is built already at minus 10. To do this, you need to bend the branches to the surface of the ground, fix them, then sprinkle them with leaves or spruce branches and cover with covering material.

Kerria japonica - photo

Kerria japonica - reviews

Ekaterina Vasilievna, Moscow:

“Quite recently I decided to start landscaping my small area and still couldn’t decide on plants. Until I saw my friend’s kerria. She simply amazed me with her appearance. When I planted a seedling of this bush, I was afraid that the care would be too much, but everything is just fine. The plant grows quickly and requires virtually no care. We have already observed bright sunny blooms twice.”

Mikhail, Bryansk:

“I planted Kerria japonica on my plot a couple of years ago. The first year the seedling grew weakly, I thought that it would not survive. However, a year later, the growth of the plant noticeably accelerated and the first flowers appeared, which reappeared on the shoots in the fall. This plant looks amazing when it blooms.”

Kerria japonica - bright plant, which will be an excellent decoration for any area or terrace, without requiring a lot of time and effort for personal care.

Translation - Maxim Zinchenko

Although Japan has a very large indoor growing industry, only a small part of it uses hydroponic systems, and grow factories are just beginning to take shape. Report from Mike Nichols and Bruce Christie.

In January 2007 we were invited to talk about organic hydroponics at the 24th SHITA conference in Tokyo, Japan. It was a very short visit, but we tried to take advantage of the opportunity to look at Japan's achievements in greenhouse farming and the achievements of their hydroponic factories where plants grow. This article is only about greenhouse products, a separate article will be published about hydroponic factories.

In Japan, about 52,000 hectares are covered with greenhouses and 14,000 have rain shelters. Most of The greenhouses are covered with film and only 5% with glass. 69% of the entire greenhouse industry is used for the production of vegetables, 17% for flowers and 14% for fruit trees.

It was a surprise for us to discover that in such a high-tech country as Japan, only 1500 hectares of greenhouse farms use soilless growing technology (this is approximately 3% of all greenhouse farms).

These greenhouses use various hydroponic systems and methods, with mineral wool growing the most prevalent, followed by deep water technology and, by the way, three-quarters of the crops grown hydroponically are vegetables. In Japan, melon, strawberries and watermelons are classified as vegetables and occupy up to 30% of all vegetable greenhouses.
Our visit was at the end of January, in the middle of the northern hemisphere this time is called winter and our estimates should take this into account since we came from the New Zealand summer. It's too easy to criticize products made during a difficult time of year.

In fact, it would be fair to say that we were amazed by what we were shown. We had time to see some sights in Chiba Province (north of Tokyo). Chiba Province is at 36 degrees northern latitude, the winter climate here turned out to be much more pleasant than one might expect. Winter in Chiba is a dry and partly cloudy season.

The presentation and freshness of the produce was great at this farmers market.

We visited the farmers' market, located in a purpose-built building, where a variety of various types fruits and vegetables domestic production. The presentation and freshness of the products was simply amazing and local farmers sell such products to local consumers. All products are grown on minimal areas and, if possible, with low energy consumption. Of course, off-season products are mainly still imported from southern regions countries where production costs are lower.

Our first visit was to a strawberry grower's greenhouse. Producing ripe strawberries in the middle of winter requires a lot of attention to detail and we were very impressed with this harvest. She was raised in mats of mineral wool, which were on raised gutters. Was a used recirculating hydroponic system. Surprisingly, they were also used for pollination. honey bees and bumblebees, and the prices in the stores were even more amazing. We estimate the price to be around NZ$20-25 per basket or NZ$200 per kilo!

Honeybees and bumblebees are used for pollination

In Japan, strawberries are a vegetable.

Strawberries growing in rockwool mats in raised troughs

The harvest, of course, could not be compared with the greenhouse strawberries that we saw in Belgium (Nichols, 2006), but keep in mind that we were in Belgium in the middle of summer.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the entire production was the production of runners - a key component of any out-of-season strawberry production.

We used whisker tips at Massey University (2002), but in this case the whiskers were rooted into individual pots placed below rockwool mats. This must be a very time consuming and tedious task than working on the ends of your mustache.
Our next visit was to a greenhouse tomato producer. Here we were slightly disappointed, because the technology used for producing greenhouse tomatoes was 20 years old and this visit was more like a visit to the past. Key points in efficient production these days it is high spreaders and hangers, but in this greenhouse they still used low spreaders and hangers, so that the fruit was literally lying on the floor.

Seedlings are grafted onto resistant rootstocks

Due to the low suspension, the fruits literally lie on the floor

This is a small family business

Of course, not everything is so bad, the next time the cuttings were grafted onto resistant rootstocks, the quality of the resulting fruits was remarkable and the small room that was used for packing the crop turned out to be very useful.

DFT hydroponic systems using floating rafts are something we are very little familiar with in New Zealand. One of the main reasons to visit Japan during this time is to see and touch the aquaponics systems used to grow leafy vegetables.

Soilless cultivation accounts for only 3%

Our third visit was to farmer Mitsudamo, who, using a very sophisticated floating platform, produces about 250 tons per year in a 0.8 hectare greenhouse. This is a continuous year-round farm that begins by sowing five or six seeds per cell, which are automatically planted on a block of foam cells. After the seeds germinate in the seedling room, in which both temperature and humidity are controlled, the plants continue to grow there for some time; after a while, each cell is automatically transplanted by machine into the holes on wide polystyrene floating rafts and they are moved to the DFT system.

At first, the plants on the rafts grow very close to each other. As the plants grow, they are replanted special machine already into other rafts, where the cells are already more thinned out and there are more holes. The only difference in the rafts is the number of holes in them.

Seeds are germinated in small nurseries

sprouts whose roots are immersed in solution

Sprouts are automatically transplanted into rafts

Typical DFT system

Machine for automatic transfer to rafts with sparser holes

Harvesting is still a manual job

Small packing room - small but efficient

Ready to sell product

In order for the transplantation of small plants to be successful, it is necessary to make sure that all the roots of the seedlings go into the hole in the raft; for this purpose, special streams of water are used during transplantation.

Next interesting point Our visit included seeing how spinach is grown in a hybrid floating raft-NFT system. A similar cultivation technology is used by Mitsudamo farmers. Since spinach is very sensitive to various root diseases (for example, late blight), a separate tray is used for each planting to prevent them.

Overheating the roots can also increase the risk of disease, so each tank has a heat exchanger built into it to help cool the nutrient solution in the summer. Between harvests, this heat exchanger can be used to pasteurize the nutrient solution by circulating hot water (80 degrees), which is very effective in fighting diseases.

Spinach growing in a hybrid system

This is what the system looks like inside

Healthy spinach harvest

Spinach root system

Sooner or later, everyone who has at least one hundred square meters of free land begins to grow tomatoes. Everyone tries to grow seedlings on time, to make them strong and disease-resistant. During the selection of this crop, many different ways- Moscow, landless, in boiling water, etc. But it’s worth mentioning separately chinese way growing tomato seedlings, the essence of which is to cut the sprout onto the cotyledon leaves and plant it as a cutting under a film. How effective and justified this method is is in our article.

Why is the Eastern method interesting?

Let us immediately emphasize that this method has nothing to do with the Chinese, as well as with the Celestial Empire itself. And why this is precisely the Chinese, and not the Japanese method of cultivation or some other, is unknown. A similar cutting method was practiced more than half a century ago in all countries, including the USSR, when seedlings simply outgrew and stretched out. In order not to lose the sprout, it was cut off at the height of the cotyledon leaves, and the sprout was sent into water until roots appeared. Then they planted it in a pot or on the beds, covered it with film or a jar and waited for it to take root.

You can immediately bury the cuttings in the ground, but be sure to cover them with a jar to ensure greenhouse conditions and place the box under lamps. As a result, the seedlings will be lower than others from the same variety, but the amount of harvest will be the same.

This method has several advantages:

• saving stretched seedlings;
• no diving is required - the cuttings are already planted in separate containers, and not sown as seeds;
• The sprouts no longer stretch out and completely go into the formation of clusters and subsequently fruits.

But the most important advantage for which the pseudo is famous Chinese method cultivation, these are developed thick stems of the crop that do not require excessive deepening. The first row of clusters is only 20 cm away from the ground, which contributes to faster growth of the ovaries, although according to experience, the number of fruits remains unchanged.

How to grow tomatoes in Chinese

Like any other method of growing tomato seedlings, this one also starts with preparing the seeds.

The method is based on sowing in the waning phase of the Moon in Scorpio and picking 28 days later in the same phase and zodiac sign.

Why exactly the waning moon? It is believed that during this period plants take root well and seedlings become stronger. Even ancient farmers when determining optimal timing sowing and caring for plants have always been oriented towards this satellite of the Earth.

So, the sequence of work:

1. Calibration, processing and preparation of seeds for planting.
2. Sowing.
3. Dive.
4. Transfer to beds or greenhouse.

Preparation of seed material

If the seeds were purchased in a store, you can skip this step. Only those that were collected personally from last year’s harvests or purchased from private owners are processed.

Calibration consists of selecting viable large seeds. To begin with, they are manually sorted and then soaked in water for an hour. The floating grains are thrown away, those that have sunk to the bottom are soaked in an aqueous solution of wood ash.

To disinfect, soak in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate for 15-20 minutes.

“Epin” will help stimulate growth, for which the seeds are soaked in the solution for 30-40 minutes.

IN middle lane In Russia and more northern regions, vernalization is mandatory - the grains are sent to the refrigerator for two days, soaked in water and wrapped in a napkin. This allows you to increase the cold resistance and immunity of the plant.

How to prepare a solution of wood ash

To do this take:

• 0.5 liters of boiling water;
• 1 tbsp wood ash.

Leave for 24 hours, then strain through a sieve or cheesecloth and use as directed (see above).

Sowing rules

As is attributed to the wise Chinese, seeds are planted in the soil cold - as soon as they are taken out of the refrigerator and immediately into the soil. Sprinkle with soil to completely cover the seeds. The container is wrapped in polyethylene or covered with glass and placed in a warm, dark place for germination. Within 5 days, the first loops of sprouts appear, after which the film or glass is removed, and the boxes with seedlings are moved under fluorescent lamps.

For best sprout Day and night temperatures should differ significantly. To do this, during the day the plants stand on the table and under the lamp, and at night they are lowered to the floor under the radiator.

VIDEO: How to use bags when growing

Dive

An interesting method of growing tomato seedlings is by picking, in which the stalk is cut at the level of the cotyledon leaves. That is, this is not a traditional picking, in which the sprout is removed along with the root and transplanted into a separate container, but it is cut off top part and takes root in the ground.

1. Cut along the line of cotyledon leaves.
2. Without placing them in water, the cuttings were planted in already prepared cups with soil.
3. Covered with a regular plastic bag.
4. Move to a warm, unlit place for 5-7 days. Periodically watering and airing for 5-10 minutes.
5. Then they are rearranged under lamps and grown in the usual manner for this crop.

Care - temperature, watering, fertilizer

The optimal temperature is 16-17°C at night and 20-22°C during the day. When growing, the seedlings will stretch out excessively and lose vitality. With a decrease, on the contrary, growth is slow and there is a delay in the development of sprouts.

One sprout requires 1 tablespoon of water per day. With this regime, the crop will never get blackleg.

Fertilize for the first time a week after transplanting into open beds, for which organic matter is used (mullein diluted with water, or bird droppings). You can purchase the Baikal composition and use it if you do not want to breed manure.

For the second time, boron-based compositions (MagBor, etc.) are added - this stage occurs when the 3rd brush of the bush is formed.

VIDEO: Secrets of caring for tomato seedlings

Transshipment into open or greenhouse soil

You can start transshipment already in the first ten days of March, for which you dig holes in advance, pour half a liter of organic matter into them, and pour in a liter of warm water just before planting. The bushes are immediately covered with lutrasil for 4-5 days for adaptation, and then grown and cared for as usual.

As you can see, the Chinese method is notable for its ability to put overgrown seedlings to work, but the Japanese method differs in the method of planting.

Japanese growing method

Interesting in an original way planting and the fact that tying up bushes takes a minimum of time. From experience, this is the most tedious stage when you need to carefully and correctly make a garter.

Growing tomato seedlings using this method is no different from the classic ones, including the picking stage. Here, too, individual sprouts are taken into account and each one is transplanted into pots in order to later move them to open soil.

The difference lies in the planting method, which takes a minimum of time, but which requires serious preparation.

1. At a distance of 100-120 cm, dig holes in a linear or checkerboard pattern.
2. The soil from the holes is laid out in a heap nearby.
3. With a pitchfork, hoe or rake, the bottom of the holes is strongly loosened so that the soil is fluffy.

The looser the soil, the deeper the plant’s roots will go and receive more moisture and nutrients.

1. A stake 2 meters high for medium and low-growing varieties, 3 meters high for tall ones, is driven into the center of each hole.
2. A composition prepared from:

• turf land;
• rotted compost;
• humus

Mix in equal parts, add sand and wood. Ash at the rate of 0.5 cups for every 5 kg of mixture.

1. The soil from the same hole is thrown on top and watered with a solution of nitroammophosphate and a solution of wood ash.
2. Use a pitchfork to loosen the filling of the holes and make it like a side so that the hole can be conveniently watered.
3. In the spring, after the tomato seedlings have grown, make holes in the holes with a stake 10 cm in diameter and lower the seedlings there.
4. Use a stream of water or buckets to knock down the soil so that it compacts the sprout.
5. In the future, all that remains is to tie the bushes to the support.

Thanks to these methods, you can greatly simplify your work and get an excellent tomato harvest. If you still have questions on the topic, ask them in the comments and catch the answers from experienced agronomists.

VIDEO: Chinese way of growing tomato seedlings

59 beds - the garden is not small. And it does not require any weeding or pest control. And the yields cannot be compared with conventional farming. And most importantly - nothing complicated! Why do we have only one or two such vegetable gardens and gardeners? Why does everything new find its way to our dachas with such difficulty? Maybe we just don’t want to make life easier for ourselves?..

What is “Vegetable Growing According to Jevons”

Let me offer you a new high-yield technology for growing vegetables in summer cottages. It is based on the discoveries of scientists: aerobic and anaerobic microbes, biointensive method of American farmer John Jevons, described in the book “How to grow more vegetables than you can imagine, and on a much smaller plot than you think”, the work of Japanese and Russian scientists using microbes and, of course, personal observations and conclusions.

I will only give conclusions, omitting the whole process of how I arrived at them. I was surprised and amazed by the harvest figures obtained by scientists who reproduced biointensive technology of D. Jevons. Judge for yourself. The first digit is average, the second is maximum.

Potatoes - 450-3540 kg per hundred square meters, watermelon - 450-1450 kg, barley - 45-110 kg, zucchini - 440-370 kg, late cabbage - 870-1740 kg, onions - 910-2450 kg, carrots - 680- 4900 kg, cucumber - 540-2170 kg, tomato - 880-1900 kg, beets - 500-1200 kg, fodder beets - 1810-4300 kg, garlic - 550-1100 kg.

The plants were planted at the same time as recommended by domestic agronomy, either with seeds or seedlings. As for the landing scheme, for the purpose best use The area of ​​the plant was placed in a checkerboard pattern so that the distances from stem to stem or from center to center of the hole were the same. For common vegetable crops it is as follows: eggplant - 45 cm, beans - 20 cm, watermelon, pumpkin, tomato - 46 cm, cabbage, zucchini, melon, sweet corn - 38 cm, peas - 7.5 cm, beans - 15 cm , carrots -8 cm, parsley - 13 cm, onions, garlic, beet -10 cm, potatoes - 23 cm, radish - 5 cm, cucumber, sweet pepper - 30 cm.

The Japanese in Buryatia, and then in Barvikha near Moscow, received a cucumber harvest 1.7 times greater than in the Russian control area. Moreover, the consumption of microorganisms was from 1 tsp. up to 1 tbsp. for 10 liters of water. My eyes lit up: how will other vegetables behave? What kind of microbes are these? And I found the answer to this in the article “Microbes against Diseases.” It turns out that this is a regular mullein solution (1/3 of a bucket of mullein, the rest is water). After everything has fermented, which is 5-7 days (it all depends on the temperature environment), add whey, buttermilk, skim milk - dairy waste, rotted hay (2/3 bucket + water). These microbes destroy powdery mildew, anthracnose, late blight, various rots, etc.

The entire area is divided into beds and paths. The width of the beds is up to 1.2 m, the length is arbitrary, the width of the paths is 0.3-0.5 m. We walk only along the paths, we do not step on the beds at any time of the year. Everything is planted across the beds. In D. Jevons' technology, soil preparation consists of double digging using humus or compost in a layer of 5-7 cm, i.e. They poured a 5-7 cm layer of humus onto the bed, dug it up with a bayonet, took out the dug up soil, poured 5-7 cm of humus again, again dug up what they had dug up before, and returned it back to the bed.

Mysterious phenomena or microbes in the soil

Let's look at soil preparation from today's perspective. Aerobic microbes are situated in top layer soil: 0-5 cm. Classic example: a wooden stake driven into the ground begins to rot after a few years from the surface of the earth to a depth of 5 cm. In the depths, the wood of the stake does not change over time. What role does humus or compost play in the second digging according to D. Jevons, agronomic science has no answer.

Every gardener knows the role a handful of compost and humus plays in the spring when planting. Plowworms and all the inhabitants of the aerobic layer of soil begin their work: they destroy rot, late blight, powdery mildew, anthracnose, etc. The plant does not waste its energy on this, it grows quickly.

During the soil liming stage, I encountered another phenomenon that has not been described by science. We are accustomed to the fact that once we lime, it means we achieve a change in soil pH. But it turns out that by liming the soil we not only change the pH, we change the composition of the soil. Therefore, weeds grow poorly or disappear for a long time (for example, woodlice). The soil is being loosened to a considerable depth. If we adhere to the values ​​​​provided by science, then the depth of loosening during liming is 90-120 cm.

Has anyone read about this in technical literature? I've never met. Loose soil after liming allows air and water to pass through without restrictions, the soil does not stick together, does not clump, and remains loose for 4-5 years. Everyone is familiar with the phenomenon of dew, when, upon reaching certain temperature moisture vapor from the air passes into liquid state, settle on objects, grass, soil, which is saturated with moisture.

But scientists have also discovered this phenomenon: if a small amount of water is introduced under the root of a plant to a depth of 15-20 cm, this water will provoke moisture from the depths of the soil to rise up to the surface! As a result, our plant will receive the same amount of moisture as with regular watering. Which is no longer necessary.

Invisible helpers in the garden

In the fall, he limed the entire soil, and in the spring he divided it into beds and paths. I haven’t been digging for nine years! Who loosens the soil and makes it suitable for planting vegetables? Autumn wets the soil with rain, and freezes with ice. When water freezes, it expands, but it is contained in the soil. In spring the frosts disappear and the soil is loose. No unit will create such finely dispersed loose soil.

It is also loosened by underground inhabitants - aerobic microbes, worms, etc. When liming, the soil is loosened to a depth of 90-120 cm for up to 5-6 years. Why dig? I straightened the edges of the beds with a rake and retained the moisture. I also took microbes as my assistant, and I do all the work with their help: processing seeds, planting seedlings, preparing compost.

The working solution of microbes is unchanged - from 1 tsp. up to 1 tbsp. microbes per 10 liters of water. I have given above three microbial compositions (mullein, dairy industry waste, rotted hay). At the end of the article I will give another recipe that I use. I plant the same way as D. Jevons.

From spring to autumn I prepare compost from all organic residues. For mass, I mow the grass that is adjacent to the end of the garden on the side of the river. Previously, I sprayed the grass layer by layer with a purchased preparation made from sugar production waste, then I began to use working microbial solutions, and then I stopped processing it altogether. When the grass dries out, it rots (it rots) - the seed is ready. By autumn I get compost in the depths of the heaps, and next year Almost all grass is processed into compost. I use it when planting and spread it into the beds.

Watering: add 1 tsp to a bucket of water (10 l). up to 1 tbsp. l. microbes and I water them with this working solution, spray the bushes and plants to prevent the disease and treat the disease itself, if any. For 9 years, not a single plant got sick.

Microbes are stored and obtained in glass, wooden, plastic dishes, but not in a metal one, even if it is a stainless steel container. Microbes are afraid of ultraviolet radiation and die from it - they cannot be stored in the light. Microbes die from solutions of salts, acids, alkalis (this is for those gardeners who want to combine watering with a microbial solution with fertilizer). Microbes work in a humid environment.

Without chemical fertilizers it's difficult to grow vegetables. If I apply fertilizer like this. as it is written in the instructions, and water at the root or on a piece of land, I will destroy my helpers - aerobic microbes. I have only one way out - through the leaves, i.e. foliar feeding. And in order not to scorch or burn the leaves of plants, the dose of fertilizers must be reduced several times compared to root dressings. I used 0.5 liters per 10 liters of water as a basis. And here two more discoveries awaited me.

The first is everything that blooms, sets and bears fruit. Not a single flower fell or disappeared! Secondly, plants develop more intensively, become taller and more productive.

I used all this when growing vegetables. Please note: fertilizers do not contaminate the soil. do not accumulate in plants. Plants develop harmoniously and energetically. Taste, aroma, storage - everything is on top level. I didn't notice anything negative. I will give a number of examples of growing vegetables.

Method of application of Jevons technology in vegetable growing

Garlic

I plant prepared and processed garlic in September according to the lunar calendar. In the spring I loosen the row spacing with a flat cutter and feed foliar feeding 3-4 times with complete complex fertilizer with an interval of 3 days.

Garlic is growing rapidly. The soil is moist, I water it with a working microbial solution - the microbes work at full capacity. Then I water as needed, but still with germs. A week before the deadline, or even earlier, I dig up the garlic, dry it in the shade, cut off the tops and roots.

Potato

I process the planting material and germinate it. I plant 23?23 cm, I also planted according to the 23?10-11 cm scheme - the results are still excellent. I throw a handful of compost into the planting hole, 1 tbsp. l. wood ash. If the potatoes are large, I cut them into pieces so that there are 2-3 sprouts. If it’s small, I make a cut, but not all the way, so that there are more sprouts. I throw it into the hole and onion skins, I also treat it with a purchased preparation for pre-planting treatment - everything that is at hand. All results were good.

After planting the potatoes, the entire surface was treated with a working microbial solution. With a row spacing of 10-12 cm, I used a plow-shaped hiller to simultaneously hill up and make a ditch for irrigation.

I don’t do any more work on the ground before digging. I dig from the narrow end towards the unexcavated part. If you dig the old fashioned way, you cut a lot of potatoes. Colorado potato beetle We collect it manually with a broom into a container.

This year, from two beds 4.9 m long and 1.2 m high, we received 7-8 full 10-liter buckets of potatoes. They planted everything that was left after the winter and was not used for food. According to my calculations, the harvest is from 980 to 1100 kg per hundred square meters.

Shrubs

Under each bush in the fall I scatter 1 bucket of compost and a glass of wood ash. In the spring I treated from powdery mildew. All shrubs received foliar feeding before buds bloomed, and then again after blooming.

And here I observed again: everything that bloomed began to bloom and gave a harvest. Not a single flower was dropped onto the soil!

Strawberry

I fed it with foliar fertilizers three times: immediately after the snow melted, before flowering, and during flowering. Although the plantation was planted in the fall, the harvest is surprisingly abundant; with foliar feeding, I do not observe gray rot on strawberries at all.

9 years without weeding and weed control

My helpers, microbes, grew my crops. There is an opportunity to receive a second, and even a third!

I grow green manure. I settled on mustard as a crop. Garlic beds are cleared first, then onion beds, etc. And in those beds where tomatoes and peppers grow, I scatter mustard seeds between the plants.

Here I do two things: first, I add green manure, and second, I leave it until spring.

Then green manure, or rather what remains of them, retains snow in winter, and in spring it slows down the melting, the soil is saturated with healing melt water. In the spring, the remains are removed with a rake and either sent to the compost pile, or shredded and returned to the bed for processing by microbes and worms. All beds receive compost from a common heap. And I have 59 beds.

I haven’t dug the soil in my garden beds for nine years. The question arises: what about weeding and weed control? There are no or virtually no weeds in the beds. Weeds are found only on the paths, and even then they are vagrant: wild purslane and galinsoga, imported from South America.

During the full and new moons, I remove weeds with a flat cutter, and very little time is spent on this work.

And here is the promised microbial composition that I work with – the basic one. 1 liter of whey, dissolve 1 tsp in it. sour cream (priming).

In 1 liter of water (pond, snow, spring, etc., but not from the tap!) I dissolve 1 tbsp. l. honey (neither molasses, nor sugar, nor candied jam are suitable - chemical processing products). This is food for microbes.

I combine both solutions and increase the volume to 10 liters. Dishes should be glass, wood, plastic. You can add 10 g of yeast - this will only expand the range of microbial work. I store it in places where there is no light. When opening a hermetically sealed container where microbes are stored, a popping noise is heard. This suggests that there are microbes and they are working.