Building & Home Articles Garden & Landscaping Articles Beginner Bonsai Care
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Bonsai care is a meditative and rewarding process, one which can be easy even for beginners. Through bonsai care, you will enjoy an appreciation for nature and humanity's ability to skillfully produce even more amazing artistry.
Bonsai care is a meditative and rewarding process, one which can be easy even for beginners. Through bonsai care, you will enjoy an appreciation for nature and humanity's ability to skillfully produce even more amazing artistry. As a beginning bonsai gardener, you may have many questions about appropriate bonsai care. By understanding the fundamentals, you can build a firm foundation upon which you can confidently grow your skills and expertise, right along with your new bonsai garden! Bonsai Care: The Basics The Basics of any garden is the appropriate combination of the right soil, the correct amount of light and right amount of water. There are, however a few things that differentiates bonsai trees from other plants. Most people starting out with their first tree don't know that most bonsai are bred to be outdoors. There are certain species that could survive indoors, so if that is your plan make sure to do some research on the ideal species for your conditions and also but be prepared to give it around 12 hours a day of fluorescent light. It is important to use the right soil for your bonsai tree. In the "wild" your tree's roots will grow deeply into the earth resulting in your tree growing tall. Since your bonsai will grow in a shallow container, you are forcing it's root system to grow shallow and wide. This is largely why the tree will stay small. Since the roots are very shallow, standard potting soil is to dense, trapping to much water which will slowly make the root system rot and your tree to die. This is why using a special bonsai soil mix is important. Bonsai soil is usually a mix of sand, loam, and organic leaf mold or peat moss. The climate you live in determines what exact soil to use. I suggest to ask your local nursery, bonsai shop or local bonsai enthusiast what soil is the right one for your tree. Food and Water for your bonsai One of the questions that people just starting out with their bonsai is "how often should I water my bonsai?" It is hard to give one answer to that question because it depends on so many factors, the species of your bonsai, the climate were you live, humidity, seasons and other factors. You want to find that balance between too much water and too little. It can be a bit confusing at first. If you are using tap water it can be good to let the water sit overnight to get rid of the chlorine and let other chemicals oxidize. Do not use cold or warm water to water your plant, room temperature is best to not shock your tree. Wet the soil first, which will increase the bonsai's ability to take in more water. Afterwards, soak the soil until water runs out of the drainage holes in your training tray. Make sure that the entire soil mass gets wet. Watering is best done daily in the early morning, before the plant begins its daily photosynthesis cycle. You can also mist your bonsai on a daily basis to help it retain its necessary humidity levels. The fertilizer used for most bonsai is a so called balanced fertilizer, which means equal part potassium, nitrogen and phosphorous. You can use this fertilizer every second week or so, but remember to water your plant generously first otherwise it might go into shock and die. Don't fertilize a sick or dry tree either for the same reason. Now you have the skills to grow your bonsai tree into a fabulous piece of art. Just stick to the basic bonsai care fundamentals. The right soil, the appropriate amount of light and water, and using the right fertilizer. About the Author: |
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