How to make a bonsai from beads with your own hands - master classes step by step

Bonsai is a gardening art whose purpose is to grow a decorative miniature tree. Imagine pine, cedar or maple growing in a small pot on the windowsill!

The hundred year old maple and scarlet begonias look amazing!

This art appeared in Japan more than 2 thousand years ago, then migrated to China, and about a century ago it became popular throughout the world. Let's talk about how to grow bonsai, how to choose a plant, soil, pot, how to form a crown, etc.

Sakura bonsai from beads: master class

Sakura bonsai looks very tender and romantic. Making branches very quickly, knowing a simpler version of the weaving pattern.

Sakura bonsai material:

• Pink beads of several shades;
• Duct tape;
• Thick wire;
• Scissors and nippers;
• Wire 0.3 mm;
• Gypsum;
• Stand;
• Threads;
• PVA glue;
• Brush;
• Acrylic brown paint.

You can paint the trunk in several colors, highlighting the hollows of the bark with a darker shade.

Tree with LED garland

The manufacturing process begins with a frame, for which aluminum wire is best suited. It easily bends at any angle, giving the future structure any configuration. A more realistic color is achieved by wrapping the white insulation of the wire with black electrical tape.

• Then, the finished frame is evenly wrapped with a garland, secured to the wire with black electrical tape. If desired, you can create additional decorations for LEDs in the form of decorative nozzles made of transparent plastic. Upon completion of the work, the manufactured tree just needs to be connected to the electrical network and checked for its functionality.

Thus, the question of how to make an LED tree with your own hands can be considered resolved.

• The main advantage of this method is considered to be ease of manufacture. The main disadvantage is the impossibility of producing large-sized wood. This is due to the standard length of the garland, which is not enough to fit on the entire tree. Therefore, this method is most suitable for the manufacture of miniature products, which are also very popular.

Painting and decor

This is the most creative stage, where you can realize your full potential.

Decorate the stand as you wish or use our tips:

• use acrylic paint to make a green clearing at the foot of the sakura;
• when pouring plaster, leave space for the lake, paint it blue and cover it with stones;
• using the French weaving technique, make a large sakura flower and decorate the stand with it;
• the pot can be filled with coffee beans or glass stones;
• using decorative figures, create a whole “world” around the tree;
• spread “moment-crystal” glue on the stand and sprinkle pink beads (there will be an effect of fallen flowers);
• decorate with artificial grass;
• using epoxy resin you can achieve the effect of a transparent, clean lake;
• decorate with mother-of-pearl beads.

Satin ribbons

This tree will be a wonderful decoration for a wedding celebration. It's very easy to make. It is enough to show a little patience and imagination. The only difficulty that can arise is making flowers from satin ribbons.

So, to create a topiary you will need:

• About seven meters of satin ribbons.
• Threads, beads, yarn, lace for decoration.
• Glue.
• Wooden stick or plastic pipe.
• Flower pot.
• Crumpled newspaper or papier-mâché.
• Earth, decorative stones, shells.

Progress:

1. According to the photo above, flowers are made from ribbons. On average, one topiary will require 15-19 roses.
2. Now the crown is made. You can take ready-made papier-mâché, or you can crumple newspaper into a ball shape. The workpiece should be wrapped with yarn for greater density.
3. The trunk is made from a branch or plastic pipe. Then it is wrapped with ribbon or decorated with lace.
4. Next, using glue, the trunk is glued to the crown of the tree. The bottom of the trunk is placed in a pot and covered with earth and pebbles to make it heavier.
5. Using threads, satin roses are sewn to the crown. In order for the flowers to hold more firmly, the workpiece is additionally fixed with glue.
6. The pot is decorated with bows, lace and yarn. Flowers should be carefully straightened and, if necessary, decorated with decorative ribbons and rhinestones.

Something about sakura: interesting facts

This plant is so popular among the Japanese that you can collect many interesting facts about it:

• - the 100 yen coin features a sakura design;
• - the image of Japanese sakura is also found on military headdresses, as an indicator of rank;
• - now sakura can be seen on the emblems of the Japanese police and armed forces;
• — today in Japan there are up to 300 types of sakura, but only 10 of them are considered natural;
• — cherry blossoms are very beautiful at night (it is illuminated by many “right-appu” and “washi” lanterns);
• - sakura with pale pink flowers is called “shidarezakura”, with white flowers - “someishino”;
• — the oldest sakura grows on the territory of a Buddhist temple in the city of Hokuto. It is estimated that it could be up to 2000 years old. Today this tree is recognized as a national natural monument. The trunk circumference reaches 13.5 meters;
• — During the Hanami celebration, the Japanese drink sake. According to ancient belief, flower pollen dropped into a glass of drink should bring strength and health;
• - one of the signs of the peasants is that abundant flowering is a sign of a good rice harvest;
• — Sakura is one of the most common names among Japanese girls;
• - sakura can often be seen as a pattern on a kimono;
• — poets, writers, artists, animators and filmmakers quite often use the image of sakura;
• - During World War II, cherry blossoms were depicted on kamikaze planes. As previously thought, this should have inspired the pilots.

Basic recommendations for choosing a bonsai pot

Bonsai pots are often compared to a painting frame by bonsai artists. They should emphasize the grace and aesthetics of the composition, frame, and not distract attention to themselves. The correct product must meet certain criteria. The condition and health of the composition depends on the quality of the container.

1. The pot must be large so that the tree's roots can grow freely. The ends of the roots absorb moisture and nutrients. Therefore, they should have enough free space.
2. Replanting a tree does not mean increasing the size of the container. If the bonsai has already been formed and regular pruning of the roots and crown is carried out, you can replant the plant in the same bowl, simply replacing the soil.
3. The larger the pot, the less often the composition is watered.
4. Ideally, the length of a bonsai should be approximately 2/3 of the height of the tree. If its height is shorter than its width, the length of the pot should be 2/3 of the width of the plant.
5. The shape should match the bonsai style. For compositions with straight trunks, rectangular containers are better suited. Curved barrels look best in round, oval or rectangular bowls. It is better to plant a strong and powerful tree in a container with right angles.

Bead products

Growing a real bonsai tree is a long process. You will have to wait at least four years until the seed germinates and a strong trunk forms. Master craftsmen have found a simple way out of the situation - instead of many years of waiting and painstaking care - simply make a beautiful miniature model of a bonsai tree with your own hands from beads, using available material.

Materials

Before starting work you should prepare:

• ordinary copper wire or a special base for decorative work;
• brown and green beads, preferably in different shades;
• glue and threads;
• scissors and nippers;
• small containers and plaster;
• paint and brush;
• decorative details to the taste of the master.

Making a miniature consists of several stages. Let's look at each of them.

Leaf

Depending on what kind of tree you are going to make, the color of the beads for the inflorescences depends. So, for maple you will need red and yellow tones of the material, for birch earrings you will need brown and golden, and for sakura - pinkish tones.

There are many ways to weave, but for beginning craftsmen it is best to use the simplest types of work, for example, the looped version of making crafts. Simple does not mean primitive; in this way you can decorate a luxurious tree crown.

The steps for making the leaves will be as follows:

• string eight green beads onto one end of a half-meter wire;
• scroll the base a couple of times and make a loop;
• We carry out a similar operation at the other end of the wire;
• the result should be eight loops;
• the ends of the wire are twisted;
• leave the ends - about ten centimeters, and cut off the excess.

We have formed a leaf; for the entire tree it will be necessary to make a hundred or one and a half similar blanks.

Branch

We continue to consider the pattern of weaving a bonsai tree from beads. Take three leaves and roll them into one piece. In total, it will be necessary to make up to fifty buds from leaves. The resulting bundles are wrapped with threads to form the bases of the branches.

We connect two branches and wrap them with thread again. We attach all the made branches to the larger one.

Crown

The small branches produced are woven into thick wire up to fifteen centimeters long.

By connecting two or three “bundles” of leaves, we form a large branch. In total, you will need to make four to five branches, which will then be attached to the trunk. It is necessary that the shapes of the branches be different (this can be easily achieved by bending the wire in one direction or another) and that a different number of leaves be placed on them. This will give maximum naturalness to the wood being produced.

The number of branches, their shape and location on the trunk depends on the taste of the master and how lush the crown of the tree he wants to get in the end.

Trunk

The formation of the tree should begin from the top. The trunk should thicken downwards. This will make the entire structure stable. A thicker wire is woven into a thin wire, which gives a natural look to the wood. Thickening is also facilitated by covering the wire with floral tape.

Covering the trunk with gypsum mortar will make it even more in keeping with nature. We should not forget about the design - add bends, knots, hollows.

The plaster must dry thoroughly, and then it must be covered with paint and varnish.

The soil

You will have to prepare the soil for growing a bonsai tree yourself. The recipe depends on the type of plant. For tropical species, take the following composition:

• river sand (coarse) - 40%;
• garden soil - 30%;
• organic fertilizer - 20%;
• crushed peat - 10%.

Soil is important for normal growth.
For plants in our climate zone , we take 3 parts of garden soil, 1 part each of sand and peat. These are approximate proportions that can be adjusted. For example, for those plants that grow best in sandy soils, use more sand than garden soil.

Making a beaded bonsai with your own hands

It should be understood that bead weaving is a delicate and painstaking work that requires certain skills. For those who are turning to this art form for the first time, there are many easy master classes for beginners.

The whole process is divided into several main parts: weaving branches, assembling and installing the tree itself, decorating the composition.

Preparing tree branches for interior use

Before you start creating, you need to prepare the branches and prepare the required number of different wooden fragments. All other actions are aimed at long-term preservation of the composition. The following sequence of actions is suggested:

All selected branches must be free of contamination. Remove any remaining bark and damaged wood.

All wood that was harvested during walks in the park must be inspected for pest infestation. Forethought will not hurt, so treat it with special mixtures in advance.

The time-tested method of impregnation with vegetable oil to which herbs have been added has proven itself well.

After drying, the wood changes size and shape, and has such a feature as deformation. In order to avoid disruption of the composition, the wood material must be dried before production. This process occurs quickly under sunlight with good access to fresh air.

In order to avoid the appearance of fungus on the product, pre-treat the wood with antifungal compounds.

In order for the finished product to have a stunning look, it is better to coat it with varnish. But this process remains at the discretion of the author of the composition.

The tree branches used are taken into the interior composition as they are used in nature, pre-treated with disinfectants. Varnishing adds charm and style.

But the most expressive result is obtained when making a composition painted in one color.

It would be good if it was a contrasting tone to the interior. In this case, it will easily fit into any style. The most widely used colors are white and black, as well as silver and golden colors.

The birth of bonsai

Detailed instructions with step-by-step photos will help you create a beaded bonsai with your own hands. Before doing the work, select a suitable sketch or draw it yourself. Take a look at the variety of forms traditional Japanese art offers:

Having decided on the style of the miniature, you can start working. First, form the branches according to the pattern described above. Form a loop of 8 beads on the bead wire. Their number can be arbitrary, it depends solely on your imagination. Place the beads again on the free end and form the next loop. There should be a total of 8 green loops at the top of the branch. Twist the ends of the wire and shorten the length to 10 cm using wire cutters.

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To create a bonsai you will need at least 150 of these branches. Form them into larger branches by connecting bunches of three. Make branches according to the chosen sketch.

After connecting the wire pieces, wrap the surface with floral tape or yarn. You should end up with several large branches that should be tied to the trunk using thick wire.

The creation of a miniature does not end there.

Techniques (methods) for growing them

Next, we decide on the start. There are three techniques for growing bonsai trees:

1. from seeds (it will take 12-15 years to form a bonsai-like plant);
2. from seedlings (minimum period - 5-7 years);
3. cuttings (some species will look like bonsai after 4-5 years).

Advice for beginners: form one or two seedlings, and grow another ten, twenty or thirty.
With any growing method, the plant in the “starter” pot is grown to the desired height. The formation of the crown and bending of the trunk occurs while the “blank” is growing. A ready-made mini-tree that has finished growing is transferred to an “adult” pot.

What to do with the seeds

If you decide to germinate from seeds, place them in a container with moss for the cold season and place them on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator. Until spring. Cold temperatures prepare the seed to grow as the weather warms. This process is called stratification. In the spring, plant the seeds in the ground, keep the soil slightly moist, but do not let it sour. Sprouts will quickly appear and immediately begin to grow.

Seeds can be germinated in egg trays

Stratification is necessary for plants in our climate zone. Germinate tropical tree seeds after soaking them in water for 24 hours.

The hatched seeds are watered and left to grow. When they are more than 10 cm high, you can transfer each one to its own pot, wait a couple of months until they take root, and begin formation.

Choosing seedlings

Grow a bonsai from a seedling faster. They are planted in the fall. It will be much easier if you buy a selected and prepared plant in a specialized store or garden center.

In general, seedlings can be found in the forest, but it is better on a roof, on a rock or a fence. Where there is not enough soil. The plant should be no more than 15-20 cm high. It is desirable that it already has enough lateral branches.

Seedlings can be bought at a specialty store or found in the forest. To make it clearer what to choose, the right one at the plate is simply perfect. Cut off the excess during the formation process and get a decorative crown

If you dig, grab some of the “native” soil - adaptation will be easier. Allow the plant to take root in the pot until spring.

Bonsai cuttings

You will have to take cuttings for exotic plants such as ficus, figs, tea tree, etc. They are cut off in the spring from mature plants (before young buds appear) from the trunk itself. The length of the cutting is about 25 cm. Ideally, there should be several side branches. We cut off the upper, too soft part of the cutting parallel to the ground. We also cut off the lower one, which is too hard, but at an angle. We remove the lower leaves; if there are large ones, cut off most of them, leaving half a leaf.

Cuttings must be strong

Dip the bottom cut into the rooting agent.

Phytoclon - an effective gel for rooting plant cuttings

The cuttings can be kept in water until roots appear or immediately planted in a clay pot (regular) with ordinary garden soil. The cut should be deepened by 5-7 cm. Place the pot/jar with cuttings in the shade and water regularly. When new leaves appear, gradually move the pot to a more illuminated place, but not into open sun. Feed once a month. Grow the seedling for a year or two until it reaches the desired height.

Formation and installation of the trunk

The next part of the master class on making bonsai from beads will help you assemble the structure into a single whole and install it:

1. In order for the trunk to expand like a real tree, assembly should begin from the top.
2. To the thin wire base you need to gradually add pieces of thicker wire while strengthening the barrel.
3. The structure must be wrapped with tape, braid or thick cord.
4. The formed tree must be fixed on a special plaster or alabaster base.
5. The pot is lined with cellophane film, the tree is placed in it and filled with solution.
6. You can coat the trunk with the remaining solution, forming an imitation of bark.

The finished structure must be left for a day to harden. Afterwards you can start decorating.

Transplantation: rules, root pruning, pot preparation

Bonsai replanting is needed to replace depleted soil and trim roots, remove rotten and diseased fragments. It is required once every 2-3 years. In this case, we change the pot only once - when we transfer the tree from the “children’s” pot to a permanent one. It will not be changed in the future.

When transplanting, the pot is washed inside and disinfected. It is heated to 90-95°C with boiled water, changing it several times. To keep a tree with rhizomes almost flat in shape, wire is threaded through the holes to drain excess moisture. It will also hold the mesh.

Trimming roots when replanting and preparing the pot

Take out the plant, shake off the soil and trim the roots. When transplanting from a children's pot, remove up to 2/3 of the roots. Cut off those that point downwards, leaving those running horizontally. An example of such root pruning is shown in the figure above.

If the root system looks more like a sponge and there is no way to isolate the roots, take a thin wooden stick (skewer) and pierce the lump from top to bottom. In this case, part of the roots breaks off, while others straighten. When you can already understand what is where, you pull it out with your fingers and start trimming.

When replanting a bonsai, cut off the roots and change the soil, but not the pot.

Place the prepared plant in a pot, thread a wire through the roots and secure the bonsai. Fill 3/4 of the pot volume with the prepared soil mixture. After transplanting, keep it in the shade for a couple of weeks, water regularly, but make sure that the soil does not become acidic. Gradually move the pot to the place where it should be.

This is a short guide to growing bonsai. A formed plant requires feeding and care that this species needs. The difference from their “ordinary” counterparts is pruning and replanting.

Making your own wood for the street

When making wood with LEDs for outdoor use, you must take into account the aggressive influence of the environment. Therefore, before you start making an LED tree for the street with your own hands, you need to determine the entire procedure in advance.

The general scheme of work will be approximately the same as for conventional structures intended for indoors. In the outdoor version, it is recommended to pay attention to a more thorough coating of the trunk and branches with high-quality materials.

It is also necessary to take care of good insulation of the LEDs after soldering them with resistors.

The heat shrink tubing should completely cover each pair. If necessary, all unreliable areas can be additionally insulated with black electrical tape. The same goes for wire connections in the plus and minus areas. Decorative items should be secured more efficiently so that they are not torn off by strong gusts of wind.

Crown shapes

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Shapes (styles) of crowns for bonsai:

• fan;
• formal vertical;
• informal vertical;
• inclined;
• cascade;
• semi-cascade;
• Bohemian;
• tree bent by the wind;
• double barrel;
• multi-barreled;
• grove or group planting;
• roots on a rock;
• tree on stone;
• fallen tree;
• dead wood.