Growing Bonsai Trees

About Bonsai Care

Proper bonsai care is vital to grow the plant well. To keep the plant healthy and beautiful, you should obtain basic knowledge of bonsai care like proper positioning and watering. Pruning of branches and roots as well as repotting of the tree is also needed and lastly, careful wiring of the plant should be learned. Follow the guidelines below for proper bonsai care:

Where to position the bonsai tree:

There are several species of bonsai trees and every one of them has its own delicate method of bonsai care. However, they should all be kept out of direct sunlight when they are placed outdoors. They should also have good and adequate air circulation, proper humidity and should also be placed where they can be maintained suitably like whenever they need to be watered, fed and trimmed.

It is actually very easy to determine if the bonsai tree likes its current position. You will see evident signs of stress like bending of branches, dryness and discoloration. Once you have noticed these things, immediately place the bonsai tree to another location.

How to water the bonsai tree:

Another element of proper bonsai care is watering. Frequency of watering always depends on the condition of the bonsai tree. Heat and dry wind often makes the soil dry and because of this you need to regularly monitor the soil’s moisture.

During summer, you need to water your bonsai tree several times a week and everyday during extremely hot conditions. It is also advisable to move the bonsai tree under a shaded area. You do not really have to worry if your bonsai tree is placed outside where they can be watered by rain during winter season.

When and what to feed the bonsai tree:

Proper bonsai care also requires proper feeding. To maintain a healthy bonsai tree, use of the correct fertilizer at the right time of the year is needed. There are several types of fertilizers that can be used for your bonsai tree but the most common is Osmocote. It is a pellet-type, slow-release fertilizer that is sufficient for one week of use. Others use powder and liquid fertilizers for fast effect over a short period of time.

Type of soil to use:

The commonly used soil is a potting mix. You can by this type of soil from bonsai nurseries. This type of soil is very cheap, convenient and easy to use. Some make their own potting mix using loam, sphagnum peat moss and granite. All of these materials are easy to obtain.

When to trim a bonsai tree:

In pruning, you should also know the type of bonsai tree that you have. New growth is pruned during the growing season while trimming of the hardwood is done during autumn.

To obtain more information about proper bonsai care, it is best that you seek advice from experts in growing a bonsai tree.

The Delicate Art of Watering Bonsai Trees

Few subjects in bonsai care are as complicated as watering. What should be the simplest task is actually the most complex. Improper watering is the most common cause of death of bonsai trees. In fact, apprentices in Japan will perform many other duties during their first few years before being trusted to water the trees.

Bonsai soil is unlike regular potting material. It is porous and allows very rapid drainage. As a result, frequent and generous watering is necessary. However, over watering is just as dangerous to the bonsai’s health. Too much water can promote the growth of harmful fungi and lead to root rot.

Both of these damaging extremes can be avoided, though. By following these tips, the complex art of bonsai watering can be converted to a healthy practice that anyone can accomplish.

The first step is testing the soil moisture content to determine how much water your bonsai needs. As a quick check, touch the surface with your thumb. If the surface feels dry, it is. Gently scrape back any ground cover, gravel, or surface dirt to better assess the soils requirements.

A more accurate test can be completed easily by using a standard moisture gauge. Appearing like an ordinary thermometer, analog or digital displays will provide an accurate reading of soil moisture content.

Moisture gauges only detect water near the tip; so as a result, only tell part of the story. Dry spots can be present within the pot. Dry spots are especially dangerous if they are near the roots. As roots spread throughout the pot over time that can be a lot of places.

To ensure that all of the soil is adequately moistened, once a month dip the pot up to the base of the tree into a container of water for a few minutes. Carefully remove by lifting by the pot, never by the tree. If the soil is correct, and the plant is not root bound, any excess water will drain out the bottom of the pot into the tray under the pot.

Only permit a small amount of water to remain in the tray. Draining excess water from the tray will ensure that any extra water in the pot has a place to go, and doesn’t collect around the roots.

Water daily, making sure that water runs all the way to the bottom, but doesn’t pool to the extent of filling up the tray. Water left standing in the tray makes it impossible for the pot to drain and encourages mold growth.

More than daily watering may be required depending on the type of soil in the pot and your climate. The amount of water necessary also varies from one species to another.

Pines and other conifers need less water and they do well with moderate drying periods. Deciduous and flowering trees require more moisture than conifers. Curled leaves on deciduous trees indicate dryness. Make sure that flowers are not wilting when they should be blooming.

Some experimentation, accompanied by careful monitoring, will be necessary to adjust to your specific tree and circumstances.

Pruning A Bonsai

How to prune bonsai trees or bonsai plants

When you are growing a bonsai tree, you may have observed that the bottom does not grow as fast as the top, a “phenomenon” known as apical dominance. This makes pruning a bonsai a necessary process in order to enhance its growth and maintain its shape.

Not all plants respond well to pruning, especially when it is done at an inappropriate time. Pruning a bonsai properly entails knowing the type of plant it is and which time of the year is best to prune it. Usually though, pruning of new growth is done within the growing season, while pruning of old growth is carried out during mid-autumn.

A bonsai which is remained unpruned for sometime will eventually look like a typical tree, and creating a bonsai means starting the whole process all over again. Thus, to prevent this from happening, pruning a bonsai should be done habitually.

Pruning a bonsai can be done in two manners: finger pruning and leaf pruning. Finger pruning is pinching the new growth that sprouted at the top or does not complement the shape of the bonsai. Pinching is done by removing the growth using your forefinger and thumb. Your other hand should be holding the branch where the growth is attached to. This pruning method for coniferous bonsai is better than using scissors because it does not create an unnatural impression on the foliage.

Leaf pruning a bonsai is mostly done during the summer. Deciduous bonsai and tropical plants are pruned by cutting around 60% to 90% of their leaves using fine scissors. The remaining leaves should be enough to supply energy to the tree.

The previously discussed pruning techniques are those which can be done above the ground. Pruning a bonsai can also be accomplished by trimming below the ground. Root pruning becomes essential when the root has grown too much to be in the same pot. Thus, you need to thin it down to make it fit more comfortably inside the pot. However, when trimming the roots, make sure that you do not cut off more than what is necessary that you will deprive the tree of enough feeding roots. Watering should be done after this process.

Pruning a bonsai is basically like giving a person a nice haircut. There are various styles and methods of achieving a particular look to choose from.