Culturing a bonsai tree is a very good hobby. However, it will require proper knowledge and patience to grow it with very incredible results.
Choosing the best bonsai tree to grow can be a bit difficult since they have several different species. The Bamboo tree, for instance, reminds one of an authentic Japanese garden. Asians consider the Braided Monkey tree a bringer of good luck. Among different bonsai species, the Ficus bonsai tree is considered among the favorites.
The Ficus bonsai tree is a small version of the Banyan tree. This type of bonsai tree is ideal for indoors. They also come in different varieties all suitable for indoor placement. The most popular specie of the Ficus bonsai tree are the narrow-leaf Ficus, dwarf Ficus and the weeping Ficus.
The most important thing to remember when growing a Ficus bonsai tree is that the plant should be placed indoors through the entire year although fresh air and sunlight is also beneficial. Like most bonsai trees, the Ficus tree should never completely dry out for a long period of time and regular checking of the soil is recommended. To water the Ficus bonsai tree, you need to let it soak in water for at least ten minutes and then completely drain it. This will be enough to keep the soil wet for a certain amount of time.
Bonsai care also requires repotting the plant. It is advisable to repot the bonsai tree every couple of years. Trimming the roots is also needed. The Ficus tree naturally grows very slow and if you see small growths that are covering the container, do not wait for the next year but instead immediately repot the plant. The perfect time to repot a Ficus bonsai tree is during spring. Once the tree is transferred to a bigger pot, water the plant meticulously the same way as instructed above.
In feeding the soil, it is not advisable to use rapid-growth fertilizers. You only need to feed the Ficus plant when it is needed and in very moderate amounts because over use of fertilizers can also kill the plant. For pruning and trimming the branches, you need to remove most of the plant’s new growth during spring and in the first weeks of fall. Remember to be artistic enough in trimming the branches so that the shape and style of the plant will be beautiful.
The purpose for wiring ficus bonsai is to hold the branches in place in order to shape them. The bonsai wire remains around the trunk and branches until the tree can hold it’s desired shape, then the bonsai wire is removed.
Living things need more than just water to grow and live - plants included. Bonsai, regardless if they are merely the “dwarf” versions of normal trees still require some sort of food to keep them healthy and alive.
Fertilizer is considered as the plant food. And since bonsai does not differ much from other plants, they need fertilizer as well. As with any plant specie, natural bonsai plant food include sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water. These are converted into sugar and carbohydrate and will serve as food for the plants.
Fertilizer is a bonsai plant food that is capable of providing the bonsai trees with necessary vitamins and minerals. For example, in order to help with the various enzyme processes and cell division, the fertilizer supplies three elements: potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorous.
Nitrogen is an important element in the bonsai plant food. It is responsible for the tree’s green color and the elongation of its leaves. It is known to assist in the bonsai’s growth, is proven to influence internodes growth, and is vital for the production of protein.
Phosphorous is likewise necessary for the division of cells. But on top of that, this element is also required for fatty substances, DNA, and RNA, and contributes to giving the leaves a darker shade of green. Potassium works to develop cell enzymes and is responsible for making cell activities healthy.
Fertilizer is taken in by the tree through absorption via the roots. This process called osmosis points out that the bonsai plant food being absorbed has less concentration. The resulting solution consists of water and fertilizer which has the ability to move farther within the plant. Although fertilizer can be absorbed via the foliage as well, it is a given fact that major absorption happens through the plant’s roots.
Due to this fact, it is recommended that bonsai plant food be in liquid form as it is easier to absorb, and is proven to provide direct results. If you intend to use fertilizer often, diluting the solution will benefit the plant more as this lessens the salt content.
You now know that the three elements in bonsai plant food are necessary for its optimum health. So, don’t just buy the first fertilizer you see on the shelf. Before you make a purchase, ensure that it contains potassium, phosphorous, and nitrogen. Otherwise, the chosen bonsai plant food will not be of much use to the plant.
Using the right bonsai soil mix can be very beneficial for a bonsai tree. There are a lot of enthusiasts who use ready-mix bonsai soil from nurseries and garden shops but it is quite expensive. Because of frequent re-potting during spring, most bonsai hobbyists or gardeners learn mixing soils on their own.
There is a wide variety of soil ingredients to use. For starters, choosing which type of soil to use can be very difficult. It is important that the bonsai soil can hold moisture and nutrients needed by the plant because the health and beauty of the bonsai tree heavily depends on the quality of soil.
The soil should have good hold of water but excess water should also be drained quickly to avoid build up of salts. Good air intake of the soil is also vital. The soil mix should have small-sized gaps so that the roots can have enough air. A well-mixed inorganic soil allows air to continually flow into the soil while a packed down organic soil can hinder water and air flow that can cause damage to the roots.
An organic bonsai soil is comprised of dead plant substances like peat, dead leaves and barks. An inorganic bonsai soil is composed of fired clays and volcanic lava. This type of soil can be found in garden centers and nurseries.
Although most bonsai plants require soils good for water retention and draining excess water, there are species that have their own requirements for intake of nutrients and water. For example, Pine trees and Juniper trees need lesser water intake meaning they require less-water-retention type of soil. However, flowering and fruit-bearing species require soil mixes with high level of water retention.
When mixing your own bonsai potting soil, the percentage of water-holding material should depend on the specie of the tree that will be planted. For a free-draining soil, high ration of grit should be added making the soil drain all excess water while increasing the quantity of water-holding material, which also increases the retention of water in the soil.
Proper knowledge on what soil to use is very essential for a healthy and beautiful bonsai tree. It is fine for starters to use a ready-mixed bonsai soil from a nursery or garden center for the first few times. However, the use of inorganic soil is the most recommended.
