Growing and Caring For Your Own Bonsai Trees, and Free eBook

Style: Decide what style you prefer for your tree. There are various styles of bonsai and you can select a specimen based on the style you prefer. Moreover, one single type of tree can be pruned and shaped into several different styles of bonsai offering dramatically different looks.

Soil: Avoid trees with compacted, airless or waterlogged soil.

Pots: Ensure that the pot has adequate drainage holes and see to it that it does not have a glazed interior.

Roots: Select a tree or seedling (or Bonsai if you are purchasing a developed tree) that has well established roots. Gently tap the tree in its pot and if it seems loose, the root structure may not be well-established.

Trunk: An evenly-tapered trunk line is desirable. The trunk should appear proportional to other parts of the tree. Avoid trunks that have scars or swellings.

Branches: The lower branches should be the heaviest, and branches should be distributed evenly around the trunk. All branches should look natural as they emerge from the trunk. Trunks and branches should not have any scars from training wires.

Infestation check: Check to see if the trees are healthy. Avoid trees that have discolored foliage, stunted branches and infestations of mites or scale insects.

Indoor or Outdoor: If you plan to grow the Bonsai tree indoors, then tropical and semitropical trees are ideal. If you plan to grow the tree outdoors, you can choose any of the temperate trees too. Ideal Bonsai starter trees are Japanese Red Maple, Semi-tropical Sea Grape and Chinese Elm. In South Africa a perfect species is the Acacia family with their tiny leaves and hardy disposition. They are also a lot easier to obtain. Another is the ficus family (fig) which are also relatively easy to grow in South African conditions.

Apart from those mentioned above, adaptability and affordability are the other factors that influence the choice of a Bonsai tree. The picture above shows my nursery of acacia trees, all still in their growing bags. They are all almost ready to be vigorously pruned and combed and thereafter transplanted into their training pots after which they will be placed in their bonsai pots.

However the proper tools are still needed to shape and mold the bonsai into the desired shape. Although special tools are not required for Bonsai gardening, one needs to have a few basic tools. The traditional trimming shears and branch cutters are absolutely essential tools that everyone must have.

Many additional and specialized tools have been produced specifically for the art of bonsai.

The basic specialized Bonsai tools that everyone should have are:

1. Bonsai Wire Cutter: It is designed specifically for cutting and removing bonsai wire.

2. Traditional Bonsai Trimming Shear: It is designed for pruning roots, branches and twigs with ease.

3. Concave Branch Cutter: It is designed to head back and remove branches very close to the trunk or main branch. The Concave Cutter is the single most important tool for bonsai use and for which there is no substitute.

4. Spherical Knob Cutter: It is designed for removing stubs, knobs, and other protrusions from trunks and branches.

5. Bud Trimming (Satsuki) Shears: It is designed for trimming buds by getting through to the bud with minimum disturbance to the surrounding foliage.

6. Root Hook or Root Rake: It is a designed to disentangle the roots of a larger bonsai without causing damage.

Bonsai pots also have specific shapes and varying sizes depending on the size and style of the bonsai you are going to create. While I for example will create a tree and take care of it and love it, in Japan where Bonsai crafting is in some instances a way of life, dimensions of trees and pots need to be absolutely proportionate. There is little margin for error. A seasoned bonsai crafter will immediately be able to appraise the value and quality of a tree and the crafter who created the masterpiece simply by looking at the tree, container, condition and sizes.

Here are a few pots I have. They are easier to come by than days gone by but still horrendously expensive :( Each pot will suit a specific TYPE of tree; SIZE of tree and STYLE of tree. Not every pot suits every size, shape or style of tree.