BasicBonsaiCare(1).pdf

What is Bonsai?

Quite simply, bonsai (pronounced ʻbone sighʼ) is the

practice of growing trees in pots. It combines both horti-

cultural and artistic skills. The bonsai is intended to be a

miniature of a fully-grown, mature tree. The translation of

the Japanese word ʻbonsaiʼ is literally ʻtree in a potʼ. There

is good evidence that many cultures – Egyptian, Indian,

Chinese, Japanese - began doing this long ago, but the

Japanese are credited with refining this activity to the art

form it is today. Virtually every country in the world has

practitioners of this ancient art. Many public gardens and

arboretums have displays of bonsai, and most major cities

have a local bonsai club. The same word ʻbonsaiʼ is used

both for singular and plural, similar to our English words

ʻsheepʼ and ʻfishʼ. Contrary to what many people think,

bonsai is not a specific tree species. Bonsai can be created

from many varieties of trees, shrubs, and vines.

Sunlight

Sunlight is critical for a treeʼs good health, but how much

is best? For most conifers – spruces, pines, junipers, tama-

rack, etc. – full sun is best. For many broadleaf, deciduous

trees full morning sun and partial afternoon sun is best. In

general trees with thick coarse leaves will tolerate more

sun than those with thin, delicate leaves. As an example of

the later, the Japanese maple, full sun can desiccate the leaf

margins, so these grow best in filtered sunlight.

Watering

Watering is the single most important factor in keeping

your trees alive. It is also the hardest skill to learn. This

is because various species of trees have different water

demands. Some trees tolerate dry conditions better than

others. Some trees will ʻtell youʼ they are thirsty when their

leaves look limp. For other trees limp leaves mean the tree

has already died. So where do we start? All bonsai trees are

grown in special bonsai potting mix – not dirt, not potting

soil, and not garden soil. This special bonsai soil is coarse

and granular, and should allow for water to freely run

through it. All bonsai pots have holes for drainage. When

bonsai are watered, most of the water runs out the bottom

of the pot, and only a small amount is retained in the pot.

If a bonsai is growing in a free draining soil mix, during

the active growing period (spring to fall) they are usually

watered once a day. Water your bonsai with a watering can,

or with an attachment to your garden hose that will deliver

a gentle spray of water. Be careful you do not blast the soil

from the pot with too strong a spray. Water until water runs

from the bottom of the pot. Watering is best done in the

morning so the tree and soil are fully hydrated during the

hottest part of the day. It is often said that it is impossible to

over-water a bonsai if it is in a good potting mix. However,

outside. Bonsai need the daily temperature variations, the

intensity of the sun, and seasonal variations in temperature

to remain strong and vigorous. The surest way to kill a

bonsai is to keep it on top of the television, or on the coffee

table. Bonsai are not houseplants.

as the roots grow, and as the potting mix starts to break

down and become more compacted, the pot will not drain as

freely as it once did. So some trees may require water today

and others not. You should check to see if your bonsai need

water by gently probing with your finger slightly below

the soil surface to check for moisture. Do not water if the

soil is still moist. However, do not let the soil become bone

dry. Some bonsai growers insert a short section of wooden

chopstick near the edge of the pot. To check moisture sim-

ply withdraw the chopstick and examine it for moisture.

Then replace it again. Most conifers generally donʼt like

their roots to be wet all the time and tolerate dry conditions

better than broadleaf trees. Smaller pots will require more

frequent watering than larger pots. Wind, humidity, pot

size, temperature, and soil compaction all are factors in how

often you should water. When you go on vacation have a

reliable neighbor water your trees.

One of the great pleasures of growing bonsai is to watch

them go through all the seasonal changes that they would

go through in the ʻwildʼ. Deciduous trees will have their

leaves turn colors in the fall, and then lose their leaves, just

as their full sized cousins do. These same trees will sprout

a new crop of leaves the following spring.

Most bonsai owners display their trees in their backyards

on benches that are three or four feet high. Bonsai should

be viewed at, or near, eye level. Placing your trees on a

bench or table will allow you to see and appreciate your

bonsai more fully. Apartment dwellers can keep their trees

on a balcony, taking extra care that they donʼt fall off or get

blown off. Do not place your trees directly on the ground.

Doing so makes them more likely to be attacked by slugs,

insects, chipmunks, and the neighborʼs dog.

General Information

If you have just acquired your first bonsai, you must

now learn how to care for it. It is impossible to give care

instructions for every type of bonsai and for every climate

in a short brochure like this, but this will help you to get

started. In general, your bonsai will grow best if it experi-

ences the same or similar environmental conditions as it

would experience had it been growing ʻwildʼ. This means

that almost all bonsai must be grown OUTDOORS. (A few

varieties of tropical plants can be grown as indoor bonsai,

but even these will do best if they are grown outside during

the summer). Bonsai can be brought indoors for display for

a day or two without suffering, but they really prefer being

Fertilizing

Fertilizer is important for your treeʼs health and vigor, and

its ability to withstand stress. During the active growing

year – spring to fall - your tree should be fertilized. You

may either use time release fertilizer applied properly in the

spring, or use water-soluble fertilizer and water with your

watering can. During the growing year, if you do not use

time-release fertilizer, fertilize ʻweekly weaklyʼ. A fertilizer

such as 10,10,10 applied at half or quarter strength once a

week works well. Too much fertilizer creates rapid growth

with large leaves – a phenomenon we want to avoid. Trees

that are dormant should not be fertilized.

Join your local bonsai club. Experienced growers of bonsai

in your area are your best source of information on which

trees grow best in your region.

Caring for your bonsai involves careful watering, pruning,

re-potting, insect and pest control, pinching, winter storage,

fertilizing, and perhaps wiring. With proper care most bon-

sai should outlive their owners.

Pruning and Trimming

As your tree grows it will be necessary to trim and prune it

to maintain its bonsai shape and size. Severe pruning is gen-

erally done in the spring. Lesser pruning is done throughout

the growing year. Pruning is also done to equalize the vigor

in different portions of the tree. The ʻstrongʼ areas – usually

the top of the tree and the ends of the branches, are pruned

more than ʻweakʼ areas of the tree – the inner branches and

the lower branches.

of your house; a root cellar; by healing them into a flower

bed; by carefully burying them in light snow. Wherever you

store your bonsai, they should not be subjected to repeated

cycles of freeze-thaw. A sun porch that gets warm during

the day and freezing at night would not be a favorable loca-

tion. Also check periodically during the winter months to

see if the tree needs to be watered. Other bonsai growers

in your area are a good source of information regarding

winter care.

Basic

Bonsai

Care

Wiring

Your bonsai may have wire applied to the trunk and branch-

es. This wire is to hold the branches in a particular position

and is not meant to remain on the tree forever. Typically the

wire remains on the tree anywhere from a few months up to

a year. Do not let the wire cut into the bark of the tree as this

will permanently scar your tree. Any wire that needs to be

removed can be cut off with a special wire cutter designed

for bonsai. Cutting the wire is preferable to unwrapping it.

If when the wire is removed the branch springs back to its

original position, wire will need to be re-applied.

Indoor Bonsai

Tropical and sub-tropical trees can be grown as indoor

bonsai. A few hobbyists grow these indoors all year long

with supplemental lighting. But even these trees will do

best if they are grown outdoors during the normal growing

season. When night temperatures drop below 50 degrees

Fahrenheit, these trees need to be brought indoors. Tropical

environments receive about 12 hours of daylight all year

long. Indoors, give your bonsai as much light as possible,

perhaps supplemented with grow lights set on a timer to

mimic natural conditions.

will fit back into the same pot. Replace the soil with new

bonsai potting mix. Secure the tree in its pot with wire to

anchor it in place. A tree that wiggles in its pot will have

difficulty growing new roots. Newly repotted trees should

not be exposed to full sun and drying winds until the roots

are actively taking up water.

Repotting

Repotting must be done periodically to keep your bonsai

healthy. Trimming the roots prevents the tree from becom-

ing pot bound and also stimulates new root growth. For

almost all varieties of bonsai, repotting is best done in the

spring just as the plant is awaking from dormancy. Most

bonsai need to have this done every two or three or four

years. Older trees require less frequent potting than younger

trees; conifers require repotting less often than broadleaf

deciduous trees.

Insects and Diseases

Many, if not most, insects are not harmful to your bonsai.

Some are beneficial in that they prey on insects that will do

damage to your trees. If you find that harmful insects have

taken up residence on your bonsai, you need to take action.

Many of these can be washed or picked off. Many are small

and difficult to see. Red spider mites are frequently a prob-

lem with junipers, and can be discerned by holding a white

piece of paper below a branch and tapping on the branch. If

you see what looks like moving red paprika, you have a spi-

der mite problem. Treat with an appropriate insecticide. Be

sure to read all labels and application instructions for any

pesticide. To do otherwise is a violation of federal law.

Most of our homes have a low relative humidity during the

winter. Misting the foliage, or grouping your plants togeth-

er, or placing pans of gravel and water under, or near, your

bonsai will help raise the humidity. Remember, however,

your bonsai pot must never be sitting in water deeper than

the feet on the pot. The water level must never be above the

bottom of the pot.

During the winter months your indoor trees will need to be

watered less often. Whether this is every other day, or once

a week depends entirely on your specific conditions. The

rule-of-thumb is, if the soil is still wet – donʼt water.

To repot a bonsai the tree is carefully removed from its pot

(there may be a wire anchoring it in place. Cut this wire

and remove it.). The roots are then carefully combed out

with a root hook. Trim off the root ends enough so that it

For more complete care information, or to find a bonsai

club in your area, log on to the Bonsai Clubs International

website:

Winter Care – Temperate Trees

A dormant period is necessary for all temperate trees, and

trees that are not given this period of rest will die. This does

not apply to tropical or sub-tropical varieties, which are

described on the next page. The type of winter protection

needed by your trees depends on the type of tree that you

have and the severity of winter in your area. If you live in

an area where the coldest night temperatures in the winter

are no colder than about mid twenties Fahrenheit – typi-

cally the deep south - your trees will not need any special

protection, and can remain on their benches all winter. But

for most regions of the United States your trees will require

winter protection of some sort. This can be accomplished

by placing your tree in an unheated garage; an unheated

shed; a cold frame; a window well on the north facing side

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Sketches Courtesy of Willi Benz

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