Over time, the fat woman, which the people call the money tree, can become naked and frail. To prevent this, you need to know how to form the money tree correctly. Some of the recommendations below may help. To complement your floral design with an exotic element by competent pruning - even an inexperienced grower can do it.
How to shape a money tree: pinching and pruning
First you need to decide what you want to get as a result from your plant, and then, in accordance with this, proceed with the necessary manipulations. If you need to make the trunk thicker, and its crown is thicker, then you need to pinch and trim the tips of the shoots. When the branches on the fat girl become too long, you should not be afraid to cut them. To do this, you need to make a small incision 2.5 cm below the place where new leaves will grow. Before you create a money tree, you need to take note of the fact that pruning on a regular basis contributes to the transfer of excess energy to the trunk, as a result of which it begins to thicken over time.
How to prune a plant to grow into a stem
In order for the money tree to grow into the stem, it is necessary to cut it directly above one of the brown ringlets near the trunk, which is called a leaf scar. This procedure must be done with a sharp knife or secateurs. As a rule, new shoots grow on the site of such a cut, this should be taken into account before determining the stem that needs to be cut. The choice will be based on the exact period in which you want to make the trunk of the crassula wider and thicker the foliage. This pruning method is good for those plants that have a fairly developed stem, as well as a small amount of foliage.
If you are interested in how to form a money tree in this way (so that it directs its nutrients into the stem), then you should cut off the bulky branches with small scissors or secateurs until you reach the desired shape of the fat. Everything needs to be done in stages. If necessary, it is also recommended to give the plant the opportunity to rest for a short time between trimmings.
Large leaf removal
It should be noted that it is mandatory to remove large leaves so that access to the light is opened on the inner regions of the crown, where new leaf plates will grow. Incisions should be made neat and straight. Scars and pits sometimes cause decay.
How to form a money tree in a pot? It should be noted that it is also necessary to produce a light haircut once or twice a week to control the growth, size and density of new kidneys. In this case, too large sheet plates or eyes that grow in undesirable places, for example, on the lower part of the trunk, should be pinched off. To remove the cut parts, you can use a long tweezers. More clearly decorated money tree can be seen in the photo.
Forming a money tree, in no case should you use a garden var. It is recommended that the trimmed parts dry and create their own film. Various pathogenic bacteria can penetrate through the garden var into the plant, causing decay. During trimming, it is also imperative that the blades of all tools must be sterilized. Moreover, sterilization is also carried out after circumcision. For this you can use ordinary alcohol. Thus, it will be possible to prevent the development of various diseases, especially for those cases when work is carried out on several indoor plants at once.
Pinching features
How to form a crown of a money tree? To do this, properly pinch the ends of the stem. This is done with the index and thumb to remove the end of the branch. However, before that you need to decide how you want the money tree to look in the future, in order to choose the right site. As a rule, after pinching, two new stems form in this place. This method is very effective for short twigs or young plants, if you want the fat woman to have a thicker crown.
Location after trimming
After the pruning procedure, the plant is best placed in a sunny place. For this, the southern window sill is ideal, where the fat girl will receive at least 4 hours of sunlight at least daily. As for the air temperature, during the day in the room it should be from 18 to 23 degrees. At night, the air temperature in the room should be between 10 and 13 degrees. Also, the money tree must be protected from drafts. The leaves should never touch the window frame and glass. If the fat woman is provided with such conditions, then her crown will quickly become thick and beautiful.
Soil selection
Money tree should grow in well-drained soil. Also, holes must be present in the pot. A fat woman should be transplanted once every several years, if necessary. Sometimes these plants are not transplanted at all. This is due to the fact that a change of place significantly slows down the growth of the money tree due to the adaptation process.
Features of watering
Quite often, plants should be watered in the summer and spring so that the soil in the pot is moist, but not wet. Otherwise, the root system may begin to rot. In winter, the soil should be allowed to dry between watering procedures. The soil is moistened so that water does not fall on the leaf plates of the plant. If proper, regular watering is ensured, the branches and trunk will thicken much faster.
Money tree bonsai
If we talk about how to properly form a money tree, then the most effective option for it will be pruning using the bonsai technique. First you need to carefully study the plant, and then remove the branches that do not correspond to the selected form. Consider how to properly form a money tree, step by step:
- You must first remove the small branches. In this case, slices are made close to the stem or along the trunk.
- Do not leave open places, as well as make concave cuts. In such holes can rot. They need to be treated immediately with activated carbon.
- Next, you need to determine the branches that will form the bonsai. To do this, the buds and greens are plucked along the stem.
- In this case, small leaves are left to grow at the ends, the remaining leaf plates should be removed.
Another important point - how to form a flower - the money tree likes repetitive pruning, it contributes to the development of more closely located buds. Thus, a houseplant with each procedure becomes more and more like a bonsai. The cuts should dry and tighten. You do not need to lubricate them with garden var, as this can cause the development of rot.
Cut leaves and branches are removed very carefully from the inside of the crown of the plant with long forceps or tweezers. The use of a special tool provides a great overview, as well as better control during the trimming process in small spaces.
Before forming the trunk of the money tree in bonsai, the grower should be prepared for the fact that pruning will have to be done weekly. But it's worth it. As a rule, with each such successful procedure, the leaf plates become smaller and the tree begins to take on a chic look.
Features of care during the formation of bonsai
In no case should a plant be deficient in nutrients. This is necessary so that the fat woman retains its small shape. To do this, you need to regularly fertilize and water the money tree, and prune its roots and branches. Thanks to this, its shape is preserved. By trimming during transplantation, the formation of thinner root processes will be stimulated.
As a rule, the roots after pruning grow more densely to each other, and can also receive, even in the smallest container, the necessary amount of substances for full development. Only thick roots are trimmed. Due to this, a fibrous root system can be formed .
As for the pruning itself, this procedure is performed during the transplant. In a money tree, the roots are very sensitive to circumcision, therefore, at a young age, the fat woman should be transplanted only once every 2 years for the first time, and then once every 3-5 years. In this case, do not remove more than a third of the root system, as well as disturb the newly formed roots.
Wire winding
To accustom long branches to the necessary shape and direction, you can use soft copper wire for this. Such stem twisting should not be too dense. This is done carefully, throughout the week, so that the tree gradually takes its shape. As a rule, the plant responds to such winding quite quickly, as a result of which it is possible to achieve the necessary configuration in 3 weeks.
If the copper wire leaves traces on the branches, then after a while they will disappear as soon as moisture fills their tissue after it is removed.
Possible problems
The root system of bonsai, which were formed from a thick fat, can begin to decay if there is no good drainage layer in the pot, and the soil will not allow water to pass through well. Such a problem can cause the death of the entire plant. Too much moisture from the soil displaces the air, causing the roots to die. If there are any pathogenic bacteria in the soil, then they can get into the dead root system and harm the whole tree. During transplantation, if soft, dark roots are found, they must be cut off and the soil in the pot replaced.
If the trees do not grow at night, you need to find out the reason, make sure that the fat woman is well watered, fed, and also grows in a pot of the appropriate size. Fulfilling all the recommendations of experienced gardeners, you will provide your plant with proper care.