Bonsai Care

Well, you have got the watering and feeding of your Bonsai down. Think you home free. Not a chance.

There are still things you need to do successfully to realize the full beauty of these little Japanese wonders. Since the care of the root system is essential to the survival of the trees you need to know the how and when of re-potting your bonsai. This is one of the many steps to proper Bonsai Care.

The young bonsai trees grow quicker and need to be repotted about once a year. The older trees not so often and eventually get to a point where repotting every 5 years is sufficient. Repotting should be done in the late winter or early spring. This is when the buds begin to swell. First, you should prune your bonsai. Take away any unwanted or long branches. If your bonsai is kept outside it should be placed undercover for a few weeks before repotting. This will help dry the soil.

You need to carefully remove the Bonsai tree from its original pot. Check the root carefully. If they are bound then it is definitely time to transfer it to another pot. If the roots still have some space to grow (a few inches is sufficient) then it does not need repotting. Remember, repotting at the correct time is essential for Bonsai Care.

It has been said that Watering your bonsai is almost an art in itself, making improper watering a main reason many Bonsai trees die. The key is achieving the right balance. Over watering can flood the root system. This can cause fungi to grow eventually shutting the system down and killing the tree. Under watering can cause the root system to dry out. This dehydrates the plant again, eventually killing it.

When taking up Bonsai, one of the most important things to learn is the type of tree species you have. Your care instructions are going to vary according to the type of tree you have. Some species of Bonsai can tolerate relative dryness while with others the opposite is true. Watering your Bonsai is essential so know your species.

Once that is established, you need to decide if you will be keeping your trees indoors or outdoors. There are advantages and disadvantages to both but you cannot escape care and constant monitoring whichever direction you go in.

With most species of Bonsai, the soil should be in a constant state of dampness. This is true whether the plants are kept indoors or out. If the plants are kept indoors, you should water you bonsai from a can with a fine nozzle. The tree and the soil need a thorough soak. It is best to do this in the morning and again before midday. Check the soil again in the afternoon but watering your Bonsai again should only occur if the soil is dry. Remember, these trees are delicate and over watering is easy to do. You're aiming for dampness, not wetness.