Growing and Caring for the Bonsai

Bonsai trees are perhaps the most curious looking plants in the horticultural world with their petite appearance. For beginners, growing and caring for a bonsai tree may seem like a steep mountain to climb, but if one has the right guide, chooses a species wisely and devotes the appropriate amount of attention to the tree, caring for a bonsai is a very fulfilling experience.

As a beginner, one must be careful to select a good starter species. The most commonly used starter tree is the Chinese Elm because of their adaptability. The Japanese Garden Juniper is another adaptable tree and is a common choice for bonsai beginners as well as enthusiasts because of their strength and their ability to live for such a long time.

Watering a Bonsai

Watering a bonsai is different than watering most plants because it is kept in such a small pot with a relatively small amount of soil. Different species will require different watering patterns.

A good rule of thumb is to feel the soil with your finger. If the top half-inch of soil is dry, then you will need to water. If it is moist, then you should not water the tree. When watering, it is best to apply the water from the top of the soil and let it soak down throughout the plant. Do this a few times to ensure that it is watered throughout the pot.

Junipers will do well in full sun, as do Chinese Elms. However, with the Elms be sure to acclimate it to the sun slowly if it is not used to full exposure to sunlight. Both trees may be kept outdoors, but ensure that they are exposed to the outdoors slowly if they are not acclimated to such conditions yet.

Bonsai and Fertilizer

As far as fertilization goes, fertilize your tree in growing season, but not in winter dormancy season. Only begin to fertilize when your tree is sprouting fresh leaves and do not fertilize your tree if it is weak or dying as this will only hurt the tree further.

Training and shaping a Bonsai
The trick to keeping a bonsai small is accomplished through pruning the leaves and roots. Prune the roots after the winter dormancy stage prior to a new growing cycle. The leaves should be kept pruned as well, but be sure not to prune your leaves and roots too much as this will cause the tree to grow weak and even die.

Copper or aluminum wiring is used to shape branches to the desired style. There are several different styles bonsai may take, formal upright (as its name implies, it stands straight up right), informal upright (same was formal upright except for a slight bend in some branches), cascade (the apex of the tree reaches below the lip of the pot) and windblown (given the effect of wind blowing through the tree) to name a few. Through careful wiring and shaping of the branches, the bonsai tree may be given the desired style when the branches grow strong enough to stand alone.

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