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.
