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Bonsai Care Instructions

If you are considering buying a bonsai, it is recommended that you gather enough information about general horticulture and basic care for potted plants. Growing a bonsai will not be accomplished successfully unless you have gained sufficient knowledge about plants and have acquired deep understanding on the specific bonsai care instructions.

If you are in a possession of a bonsai that you do not have any idea what specific specie it belongs to, then you won’t be able to properly take care of it. Thus, before you try knowing the basic bonsai care instructions, make sure you have determined the type of plant you have. For instance, if it belongs to the deciduous bonsai type and you decide to place it indoors, then you are likely going to kill it. Likewise, a tropical bonsai placed outdoors in intensely cold temperatures will also die. If you can’t figure out the particular bonsai specie, get help from people who will be able to identify the plant for you.

Your research will probably tell you that watering is the most challenging among the bonsai care instructions. Your bonsai is more likely going to die with improper watering technique more than all the other causes combined. Check daily the moisture content of the plant’s soil by inserting a chopstick or toothpick through the soil. If the chopstick or toothpick is not wet but merely damp, it is time to water the plant thoroughly.

Light and the site where you will be putting your bonsai at, are also part of the bonsai care instructions. Bonsai needs light. However, its light requirements differ according to location, plant specie, and climate. Thus, some plants may need the sun’s full impact, while others may simply require a dose of indirect sunlight throughout growth season. If you live in places or houses where it is impossible to let your tropical bonsai get its required share of sunlight, then it should be placed outdoors all throughout its growing season. If your bonsai is seeing the sun less often than it’s supposed to, you may use artificial light to compensate for the absence of real sunlight.

There are really no specific bonsai care instructions that will work for all types of bonsai. Since various species have different needs, they all should be treated distinctly from one another. After all, no two species are ever alike. They may look the same, but they are always varied in some other way.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.