August 22, 2012
How To Care For Bonsai Trees
Bonsai, translated from Japanese as “tray planting,” is a millennia-old tradition that still thrives with plant enthusiasts today. Bonsai is an art, where tree and pot form a harmonious unit with synchronized shape, texture, and color. Many different types of bonsai trees exist today. Bonsai tree care includes pruning and trimming, while others can grow more freely.
With the basics of bonsai tree care that follow, you can enjoy the grace and elegance of bonsai in your home or office. These tips will help you ensure that your bonsai plant lasts, making your bonsai gift a new hobby, too!
Water and Humidity
Bonsai tree care includes proper watering. Once a week, immerse your bonsai in water until the bubbles stop reaching the surface. Doing so, assures top to bottom watering and lets the pot and soil soak up their maximum holding capacity.
Do not use too much water pressure (like a hose) as this can blast soil out of pots; be sure to get an adjustable spray nozzle to allow for different needs or simply use a watering can.
Don’t just water the soil. All parts of a bonsai plant absorb water to some degree; 35% of the water intake for a plant doesn’t involve the root system at all. Washing off the foliage is important as it keeps dust and pollutants from clogging stomata or breathing holes in the plant’s leaves.
Soil
Using the correct soil is a crucial step in bonsai tree care and ensures your bonsai stays strong and healthy. When looking for bonsai soil, you must look for two things. First you must check that the soil you choose will retain water properly and absorb nutrients from the air around it. The second quality that you should look for in bonsai soil is drainage – if the soil retains too much moisture then the roots will be prone to rotting.
Housing your bonsai
The ideal proportions for a standard bonsai pot should be 2/3 to 3/4 as wide as the tree is high and 1/2 as deep as the tree is high. The height of the pot should be roughly the same as the diameter of the trunk; please allow for some growth before you apply the height of the pot.
Pruning
The tree and the pot form a single harmonious unit where the shape, texture, and color of one compliments the other. It is not enough just to plant a tree in a pot and allow nature to take its course – the result would look nothing like the traditional bonsai tree. The tree must be shaped.
Remove any branches that clutter the chosen style and obstruct the basic design. Then, prune to redirect growth – pruning of branches is usually performed in spring and a lot of the new growth is removed.
Light
All bonsai trees need light. The amount of natural or artificial light required to produce optimal results varies with each species of bonsai. If your bonsai flourishes better outdoors, pick a spot that provides six or more hours of sunlight. Indoor bonsai need two to four hours of natural light near a window, or artificial light. Always check your bonsai care sheets for details on the ideal places for your bonsai to thrive.
When you send flowers or bonsai trees as your next gift, your recipient will know your gift was sent carefully. Go an extra step and share your bonsai care knowledge with your loved one and help them with a tradition that lasts.
Other Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonsai