Expert Bonsai Tree Care Tips for Beginners

 

Can you use a regular potting soil for growing a bonsai tree? What is the best fertilizer for bonsai and how frequently you need to water? Learn everything in detail in this article.

If you’re a beginner, these Bonsai Tree Care Tips will educate you about the most basic aspects like choosing the right soil, fertilizer, pot, watering, etc.

The ideal location for growing Bonsai depends on several factors such as climate, species of tree and time of the year. By thumb rule, the outdoor varieties should be given at least 6 hours of sun exposure daily and protection from cold winds. Indoor trees do equally well in direct sunlight location, so placing them on a South-facing window is a good idea. Ensure even temperature and humidity for indoor Bonsai.

Bonsai Soil Recommendations

1. Deciduous Bonsai

  => 50% Akadama
  => 25% Pumice

  => 25% Lava rock

2. Evergreen Bonsai

  => 33% Pumice

  => 33% Lava rock

  => 33% Akadama

Bonsai soil mixture

The right Bonsai soil mix should be nutritionally rich and well-drained to prevent root rot while holding enough water to meet the tree’s needs.

Ideally, Bonsai gardeners swear by a mixture of lava rock, pumice, and Akadama in a 1:1:2 ratio. When you want to improve drainage of your mix for a wet climate, increase the proportion of lava rock, and if you want to increase water retention during dry climate, use more Akadama.

Choosing a Pot

1. Size

When it comes to size, the thumb rule is that if the Bonsai’s height is more than its width, the container length should be at least two-thirds of the tree’s height. However, if the width is more than the height, the container length should be two-thirds or more than the tree’s width.

Also, if the tree is masculine and has dense foliage, consider a wider pot with little elevation. Flowering and fruiting bonsai have rapidly growing roots thus should be grown in deeper pots.

2. Gender

Determining whether you’re dealing with a male or female Bonsai is the first step of choosing a pot. Masculine bonsai trees are mature with thick bark, dense branches, and sturdy trunks. Feminine ones have a cascading or graceful structure with smooth bark and light colored branches.

• Feminine pots, on the other hand, are oval, or cylindrical, with a smooth texture and flat edges. They often showcase symbols and lack elevation.
• Masculine pots are square, oblong or rectangular with sharp edges. They have intricate carvings and are often covered by a lip on the rim. More often than not, they’re elevated and filled with rocks.

How Often to Water

Remember, bonsai trees have constricted root systems that need a constant supply of water. Also, the hotter the weather or the location, the more water they’ll use. As long as you keep checking the soil now and then, and allow the soil to get barely damp in-between waterings, you’re fine.

 

When to Water

Stick your fingers in the soil around one or two centimeters deep. If the soil feels dry all the way to that depth, you know it’s time to water. Don’t wait till it’s completely dry though.

If the surface appears hard on hot afternoons, consider submerging the pot in water for 10-15 minutes. That should restore the lost moisture.

When the soil looks light brown and barely wet, pour water all over the surface till it drains out the pot through the holes beneath.

Effect of Soil Mixture on Watering

The soil mixture determines how often bonsai needs watering. Mostly, a mixture of lava rock, pumice, and gravel work fine. Using a mixture with water-retentive components such as compost or Akadama is good for those who are too busy to water regularly.

Symptoms of Over-watering

1. Black tipped leaves
2. The wilted appearance of the Bonsai
3. Prolonged over-watering causes root rot, where the roots are shriveled and infected, unable to transport water

Solution: Repotting an over-watered bonsai is the only option.

Symptoms of Under-watering

1. Death due to dehydration
2. Shriveled leaves that have become papery and brittle
3. Dry leaves that tend to droop

Solution: Allow your mildly dehydrated Bonsai to sit in water for a few minutes. It will re-bud in one month or so. Do not be tempted to over-water during this time. Mist new buds to encourage growth.

How to Water Bonsai Trees?

There are two expert-recommended ways to watering Bonsai.

• Immersion Method

  The method involves dunking the entire tree into a bucket full of tap water. Make sure the water reaches one inch up to the trunk. If the root ball starts bubbling as soon as you submerge the tree, that indicates the Bonsai is water-deprived. When the bubbles reach the surface, you know it’s time to stop. Remove the Bonsai and let it drain.

• Overhead Watering

  This method involves using a hose or a watering can to supply a regulated dose of water to carefully hydrating the soil without causing damage to the Bonsai.

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Misting vs. Watering

Misting is a quick way to increase humidity for outdoor bonsai. Misting in the evening is recommended in the hot weather, but it should never be seen as a replacement for watering.

However, misting indoor bonsai is not the most effective measure to increase humidity. In addition to misting, there are other ways of creating a humid atmosphere for your Bonsai, for example, placing the pot on a shallow tray containing pebbles and water. Check out these tips to learn how to increase humidity indoors.