Taking a knife to your bonsai tree for the first time can be a daunting prospect. The fear is that something will go wrong and your tree will end up looking ghastly, or you might even kill it. However proper pruning is an essential component in the care of bonsai trees
Pruning is necessary to give your tree its desired shape, then maintain that silhouette. Bonsai masters have, over centuries, devised stringent rules to provide growers with guidelines on the proper shaping and care of bonsai trees. For instance, the first branch should be about one third up the height of the trunk. If the first limb branches to the right, the second should grow from the opposite side with the pattern repeating as branches rise up the tree. They should also reduce in size as they ascend and there should be plenty of space between them.
The best time to prune depends largely on the type of bonsai you have. Some varieties prefer spring when the tree is about to undergo its most vigorous growth. Other varieties thrive better if pruned in the fall. You will probably need to do a little research on the maintenance and care of bonsai trees to determine the most suitable time for pruning your particular plant.
Your next step is to determine which branches detract from the appeal of your tree and earmark them for removal. That will mean taking out any that cross over the trunk or each other, as well as any that are growing on the wrong side or are too close to another.
Proper care of bonsai trees means it is usually necessary to prune hardest at the top of your tree where the growth is the most vigorous. If left alone, this top growth will pull nutrients from weaker, lower branches and spoil the look of your tree. Conversely, heavily pruning in one area will encourage growth in a weaker area.
When pruning branches it is best to cut them back to a bud that is pointing in the same direction in which you wish the tree to grow. This means any new growth will branch in that direction. A word of warning though – think carefully before making a cut and don’t get too carried away. You can’t put a branch back once it has been removed.
The best tools to use are secateurs or scissors,but make sure they are sharp enough to give a clean cut. Also ensure they have been cleaned first to minimise the risk of the wound becoming infected. A protective coat of suitable paste should be applied to any large cuts to minimise the risk of pests or diseases getting into the wound. Your pruning instruments should always be sharp and clean as blunt tools will leave a ragged cut more likely to lead to trouble in this regard.
Proper care of bonsai trees also involves pruning the roots. This is generally done every two to three years. Ideally you remove around a third of the root ball, snipping off the larger thicker roots. The mass of finer, hair-like roots left behind will be much more efficient at absorbing water.Very importantly, once you have repotted your bonsai after root pruning, you should give it a good soaking.
Once your tree is the desired shape you may still need to do what’s called maintenance pruning. This is a simple procedure able to be done using a finger and thumb to pinch off unwanted new growth.
As I stated in the beginning, pruning is essential for the proper maintenance and care of bonsai trees, and it can be scary wondering whether you are doing the right thing. However it’s this act which determines the shape of your tree, creating its unique appeal and thus providing the most satisfying aspect of this hobby. You simply need to think carefully, plan your moves and do your homework first.
To find more information on pruning and all aspects of the care of bonsai trees care of bonsai trees
Some gardeners confuse the concept of dwarfing with the practice of bonsai tree growing. Dwarfing is when a tree is genetically breed over time and over generations to reflect a specific attribute. For example, dogs might be breed over time so that they are faster for racing. A similar concept happens with dwarfing except the tree is breed to be smaller over successive generations. Bonsai tree growing on the other hand is when the bonsai is genetically the same as any other tree and is not breed to be smaller. Instead, by controlling its environment the owners can restrict its size and control its shape.
This is done through the techniques of wiring, pruning, clamping, defoliation, root reduction, grafting and by other means. These techniques take years to master and learning them is said to produce a calming effect on your life. In fact many spiritual and holy men from East Asian countries practice bonsai tree growing as it is said to be similar to meditative practice. This may be because whilst your everyday life is fast and busy, growing bonsai trees is said to be a slow, time consuming process so this helps to contrast and put things in perspective. Also the rewards from watching your tree grow over the years can be very powerful.
When you’re growing a bonsai tree you can start out by choosing a seedling. You can get this from a local gardening store along with a pot, soil and a few other tools to start yourself off. You can also take a cutting from an existing tree, which will slowly grow into its own separate tree. Both of these methods require quite a bit of time for a beginner and so new owner might instead want to pick a young, small premade bonsai that is ready to be styled for the future.
Most people would think of bonsai trees as indoor plants and that most of their time is spent on the windowsill. Actually, Bonsai trees are usually grown outdoors although there are some species that require inside care. This perception of the trees as normally indoors is probably because during exhibitions and competitions the trees are normally displayed indoors. However, in practice most bonsais are grown outdoors as long as the species is suited to the climate in which they are growing.
There are many differences between bonsai tree species and so great care must be taken when choosing the correct plant for your climate. But because of misinformation, bonsai trees are often badly cared for and unfortunately sometimes end up dieing. However, by following the correct instruction and techniques, bonsai tree care doesn’t have to be difficult and can be a very rewarding experience to be had over years of your life.
Tim Green has been looking after bonsai trees for many years and loves helping others do the same. For more information on bonsai tree care visit his website at www.bonsaitreecarecenter.com
Coniferous trees can be used to make lovely bonsai specimens, and among the most popular of conifers for bonsai is the juniper. The hugely popular juniper tree has over 50 varieties that can be found all over the world. Juniper are also one of the easiest bonsai trees to take care of, hence their popularity, particularly among novice bonsai growers. The juniper bonsai tree can be grown both indoors and outdoors, nonetheless, poor humidity, lack of decent light, and lack of a dormant period will ultimately kill them. A Juniper bonsai tree will tolerate short periods of being inside but if you really want it to thrive then keep it outside.
Juniper trees have two distinctive types of foliage that they display at different stages of their life. Young juniper trees have foliage that is like needles, and when they mature the foliage is more scale-like. Foliage will range in color from blue-greens to light-greens, even showing silver or gold hues on occassion.
A traditional juniper for bonsai is at times referred to as a Chinese Juniper. Another very popular species for bonsai is the Needle Juniper. The Needle Juniper gets it name from it’s very sharply pointed needles.
Watering Your Juniper
With most bonsai trees it would not be a good idea to let them dry out between waterings – not true with the juniper, it likes to dry out. Test the soil everyday to determine when it is time to water your juniper tree. If the soil in the pot looks and feels dry on the surface it is time to water it again. Put your finger into the soil to a depth of about one half to one inch. If the soil feels dry then you have to water your bonsai. Never allow your bonsai to go completely dry or it may suffer damage and die. Set your bonsai in the sink or in a container of water, practically up to the rim, for 15-30 minutes or until all the air bubbles stop rising and the soil is saturated. After watering using this suggestion you want to make certain that you allow it to drain completely because junipers are vulnerable to root rot if the roots sit in water. If you can’t soak your plants using this method then water thoroughly from the top, wait a few minutes, and then water again. You may need to do this a few times until the soil has been thoroughly soaked. A complete water cycle will go from the soil being completely soaked to being sort of dry.
A frequent spraying of your juniper bonsai’s foliage will help keep them free of dust and help them to breathe. This is particularly important for trees that have recently been repotted. Your bonsai is at risk of becoming dehydratred until the roots have recovered from the repotting and can bring water to the whole tree. A good spraying will also cut excess transpiration from the juniper’s foliage.
Make Sure Your Juniper Gets the Right Amount of Sunlight
Outdoors are where most Juniper bonsai trees are typically grown. A juniper bonsai tree will tolerate full sun, but the ideal circumstance would be to allow it to get low strength morning sunlight with afternoon shade. Alternatively, filtered or shaded sunlight all day would be fine.
Humidity
Almost all trees and plants love humid growing conditions. You can use a humidity tray beneath your potted juniper bonsai to maintain a higher level of humidity. Place your bonsai pot on top of the stones in the tray. After you’ve given your bonsai a good watering from the top the tray can also serve as a collection area for excess water. Again, a good spraying should be done in between waterings.
Fertilizing
Use a high nitrogen fertilizer in the spring and fertilize every three weeks, then use a more balanced fertilizer during the summer months, and then reduce the nitrogen for fall fertilizing. A diluted, half strength fertilizer will keep your roots from being damaged if you are using a chemical fertilizer.
Mike Andrews is a gardener and author and has been a devoted enthusiast of the art of bonsai for many years. Read his additional articles relating to the Juniper bonsai tree on his website at www.myjapanesebonsai.com. Please visit and sign up for his FREE 7-part mini-course on how to grow and train miniature bonsai trees. Peace.
Ever looked in awe at the stunning, miniaturized beauty of a Bonsai tree and wondered how hard Bonsai trees care is? Or, like me, have you had one, and it died? Well let me let you into a secret – care of bonsai trees is not hard. All you need is a little knowledge.
Bonsai is the art of growing trees and shrubs in miniature – and training them into beautiful art forms. Growers use special techniques to help create those aesthetic shapes. You do not need much in the way of special tools – just a basic tree, a small pot and the know how. That makes it a relatively inexpensive and very satisfying occupation.
Did you know the oldest living bonsai tree is around 500 years old? It is a five-needle pine first posted around 1610. It’s now housed in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. How has it survived so long, and could you start a bonsai that can be handed down from generation to generation within your family for hundreds of years? Of course you can. You just need a few clues on bonsai trees care.
The easiest way to start is to buy a bonsai from a garden centre or specialist. There’s a huge variety to choose from as almost any woody-stemmed tree or shrub can be turned into a bonsai.
The trick of bonsai tree care is getting the right one for your climate and knowing when to keep it inside or put it outside. Choice will come down to which sculptured silhouette you find most pleasing.
If you have an already-potted bonsai, it can stay in the pot for many years – but eventually is going to need repotting. Again you need to know when and choosing the right pot can also be critical.
But like any plant , basic bonsai tree care comes down to watering, soil, temperature and light.
It is crucial to know just how much water. The bonsai’s whole world is bound in one little pot. Too much water and it’s suffering a flood – too little and it’s a drought, and going from one to another is a vicious cycle will quickly kill your treasured plant.
To care properly for bonsai trees, you also need to ensure they are checked regularly for pests and diseases. Indoor trees tend to suffer most of these, as insects also love the shelter provided by being indoors. The leaves and branches of your tree will also benefit from gentle cleaning.
It’s vital you choose the right soil and also that you apply just the right amount of fertilizer and in the right season. Pruning is another crucial element to correct care of bonsai trees. Pruning of a bonsai involves not only the branches, but also the roots. You need to know how much root to cut off and how to select the right roots to keep. Pruning branches must be done carefully and thoughtfully to ensure you end up with the your desired, and most aesthetically pleasing shape.
It might seem like a lot to consider, but once you have mastered the techniques of bonsai trees care, it takes very little time especially when you consider the hours of pleasure your bonsai trees will give you, your friends and generations of your family to come.
There is a five needle miniature pine bonsai tree in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, which is known as the Sandai-Shogun-No Matsu. It is one of the country’s national treasures and it was first trimmed and potted in 1610, just a few years after Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the British Parliament and a few years before William Shakespeare died. It’s still thriving today because its keepers have known the secrets of bonsai trees care.
Bonsai is, as I’m sure you know, the art of growing miniature trees. But just because they’re tiny doesn’t mean they’re less hardy than their full sized cousins nor does it mean they do not live as long.In fact, many of these dwarfs often outlive their fully grown counterparts.
There is something extremely therapeutic about creating bonsai trees, and at the same time it is an art which requires little in the way of expensive or specialist tools. The trees are a living art – with no two exactly alike – and they can change with the seasons and the years. Deciduous bonsai grown outdoors, for instance, lose their leaves in winter just as normal trees do, then they grow them back in spring. For added visual effect you can choose bonsai trees that flower such as azalea or white star jasmine.
The easiest way to start is to buy a tree already trimmed and in a pot. It has usually already been shaped, often with the sculptor using wire to give it a unique, twisted appearance. But it is up to the keeper of the tree to trim leaves and branches as the years go by, deciding which to keep and which to cut. Bonsai masters, those that are involved with bonsai trees care, attempt to create not just an aesthetically pleasing shape, but a spiritual sense of age, beauty and timeless endurance.
You will need to know how to prune the trunk and roots of your tree as well as the branches. It may sound rather daunting but, as I have said before, all that’s needed is the right knowledge to know what to trim and what to leave.
Another very vital factor for bonsai trees care is watering. Because they are in shallow pots and have less roots than normal , bonsai trees are particularly vulnerable to dehydration. But give them too much water all at once and it’s like subjecting them to a 100 year flood! Watering needs depend on the humidity, type of soil, size and shape of the pot, the type of tree you have and whether it’s inside or outside.
Bonsai do need to be re-potted and the roots pruned but when depends entirely on your particular type of tree and how vigorously it is growing, but it is most often done, as with normal gardening, just before spring when the plant is in a reasonably dormant state.
Bonsai generally need a loose fast-draining soil – but again it depends on the type of tree, its pot and where it’s sited. Pots come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes. The pot should complement the tree in both colour and shape and is considered as much a part of the art-form as the tree itself.
Bonsai trees care is not particularly onerous if you have the right knowledge. They don’t require a lot of effort or expense, neither are they particularly time consuming. Bonsai trees can die very quickly – it they do not have the proper care.
With the right knowledge you will not only create something that will give you hours of pleasure but also a treasure your family can pass down from generation to generation. By understanding the principles of bonsai trees care, you can grow a living treasure to pass on to your grandchildren, which in turn, they can pass on to their children with the duty of care for bonsai trees handed down through countless generations, outlasting most other forms of legacy.
A hotly debated topic among bonsai followers is about soil. While watering is vital to the care of bonsai trees, so too is the type of soil as the soil is involved in delivering nutrients to the tree.
With the care of bonsai trees, we are trying to keep the tree small and the root system shallow, so we need to use a different composition of soil than that of an ordinary house plant.
We want our house plants to grow larger and to do this, they require their root systems to become deeply established so that they can retain as much water as possible for growth. Potting soil is heavy and can stay damp for a long time. If we were to use this ‘heavy’, water retaining, soil for our small trees with their shallow roots, rot will start to set in.
There are so many types of soil specially for bonsai trees. Bonsai generally need a loose fast-draining soil – but again it depends on your type of tree, its pot and where it is sited.
With bonsai soil, you must look for two things. The first is whether it will retain water properly and absorb nutrients from the air around it. Bonsai trees are very sensitive towards moisture and need gases in order to survive.
The second most important quality that you should look for in bonsai soil is that it will drain water quickly. If the soil retains too much moisture then the roots will be subject to rot which will kill your tree very quickly.
While all bonsai soil will do essentially the same thing, some soil mixtures differ in their composition which will have an effect on the way that they work. Some will have more nutrients and some will have less. Again it is important to know what type of tree you have to you can ensure it’s potted in the right soil for your specific plant so you should investigate the needs of your individual bonsai before making a choice.
Generally speaking, experts on the care of bonsai trees recommend a mix of around 30 percent sandy grit and 70 percent humus for deciduous trees and vice verse for evergreen needle plants.
There are many premixed soil solutions that you can purchase that will cater to the needs of your tree.
To make sure that I was getting relevant information for my particular plant, I took a visit the nursery where my plant had come from to ask for some help on the proper care of bonsai trees. I was told that due to the shallow root system of a bonsai, it is important that the tree receives adequate amounts of air circulation via free drainage, while at the same time retains enough moisture and nutrients necessary for growth and good health.
They told me that the secret in the care of bonsai trees is in providing the right amount of water, air, nutrients and light. Bonsai comes in several varieties and each has different requirements in terms of these vital ingredients.
So for the present time, I decided that I am staying with the pre-mix solution from my local nursery. After all, the tree has remained alive and well in their care – up to the time I got it. They seem to be a decent quality and its saves me from having to work out the percentages and materials required to mix my own.
When I have learnt more about more about the care of bonsai trees, I intend to take a more “hands on” approach and mix my own.
But for the present – the pre-mix will be fine for my bonsai tree.
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When I started out on my journey on the care of bonsai trees, a mistake that I made early in my learning period was about watering. I thought it was just watering. How hard could it be? With my first bonsai, I treated it just like my other house plants and along with it being located inside with them, it meant that I was watering my bonsai when I “remembered” to water the house plants. I was about to find out the hard way, when my tree started to look ill, that this simple step in the care of bonsai trees was not as easy as I thought
I did some research and found out that there was a lot of differences between the care of bonsai trees and house plants and in particular – watering.
I found out that dehydration is generally the most frequent cause of death in bonsai trees in a new owner’s care. If a tree is under watered and there is not enough moisture left in the soil, leaves can die very quickly – and this can be within hours!
Watering a bonsai tree correctly is not so much about quantity but about frequency.
A bonsai’s whole world is bound in one little pot. Because they are in shallow pots and have less roots than normal , bonsai trees are particularly vulnerable to dehydration so knowing just how much to water is crucial. Not enough water and the tree could be quickly fighting drought conditions.
Proper care of bonsai trees involves a careful watch on the soil to make sure it hasn’t dried out – A definite no-no is overwatering as it can damage plants almost as quickly. But I was also to discover that if you give it too much water it will be at risk from root rot and fungal infections.
So it seems that too much water and it’s suffering a flood – too little and it’s a drought, and going from one to another is a vicious cycle will quickly kill a bonsai. Too wet for long periods could mean rot and infections and not wet enough for too long can mean dehydration, both extremes can lead to the ill health and eventual death of the bonsai tree.
From different sources, I found that there are many and varied ‘rules’ for watering and that watering depends on a number of variables, such as, soil, the tree’s position, light, temperatures, and the time of the year.
Different soils dry out at different rates, different shaped pots also lose water at different rates, and different varietals of trees will have varying watering requirements. The trick is finding the right balance for your individual tree and its unique requirements when planning your care of bonsai trees. Getting the watering just right will help develop a healthy root system to ensure your bonsai remains healthy.
To establish this, a moisture meter is a handy tool, but you may not want to go to the expense of buying one of these until you decide if you are going to continue to invest money and time into your new hobby. I found that as a beginner to the care of bonsai trees, the best way to test if my tree needed water, was to simply dig my finger into the soil up to about an inch depth and to see what state it was in. Of course, the trick here is to feel if the soil is damp without disturbing the roots.
Watering is only one of the steps to take into account in the care of bonsai trees. We must bear in mind that we are keeping our trees to miniature proportions by artifical means when we keep them in pots. This is not their natural state, so it is up to us to maintain the appropriate conditions for them to grow in this controlled environment.
I now have a greater appreciation of the importance of watering and the effects it has on my individual tree. I still have a number of things to understand about how, when and the type of water to use and I am working on this.
There are many steps yet for me to master in my care of bonsai trees.
To discover everything you really need to know about the care of bonsai trees bonsai trees care
When you are taking care of bonsai trees, don’t forget that just like you, they like to be fed. Despite what some people think, you do not starve a bonsai in order to stunt its growth. In fact, you can control how your tree grows by correct feeding.
As bonsai have a relatively small amount of soil, their small pots can quickly be drained of nutrients which means that it is easy for a bonsai tree to become deficient if not fertilized adequately. To take care of bonsai trees, we need to add fertilizer to help ‘feed’ them. Feeding will help keep your bonsai healthy so we need to know about how often it should be done, what nutrients it supplies and what form it comes in.
Fertilizing is most important in the growing seasons of mid-spring to early-summer and again from late- summer to early fall. These are times when the tree is active and needs extra nourishment to help it carry out the extra energy converting, growth activity at this time but the temperatures are moderate and not too extreme.
When you purchase fertilizer for the care of bonsai trees, it will be a form of liquid fish or seaweed mixtures or as pellets/granules. Check the label to see what the composition is and watch how your tree responds to that particular brand. You may want to change brands from time to time to expose the tree to different amounts. By watching the progress of your tree, you will be able to assess if you’re adding the correct amount at the appropriate time.
These chemical and mineral elements nutrients are required to keep your tree healthy and help it to grow.
Nitrogen: It helps determine the size and amount of new growth through cell division and protein manufacturing.
Phosphorus: It is necessary for cell division and assists with good root growth and flowering.
Potassium: Also known as potash. This activates cell enzymes and helps to regulate the water balance in and outside of cells.
The manufacturer’s will have recommendations as to how much and how often to use the fertilizer for the care of bonsai trees. These are often over generous, so until you see how your tree responds, it’s a good idea to use only half their recommended amount and then you can amend as required.
The pellet/granule forms of fertilizers are usually in this form to provide a slow release of the fertilizer into the soil each time the plant is watered. Some bonsai owners like to use granules as they can be worked into the soil and left to gradually release their nutrients over a period of time. Others prefer adding the soluble powder a couple of times a month as the liquid is a quick acting nutrient that you use to water the tree.
An important thing to consider in the care of bonsai trees is that fertilizer provides nutrition to a bonsai tree but it is not medicine. The role of fertilizing is to enhance the soil to help the tree to grow in the active season. If your tree does not look well, you should see if there are other ways to take care of your tree to restore its health. For example, if the leaves are dry and brittle or it is losing its leaves, it may need a change in the watering rather than a dose of fertilizer which may only stress the tree even further, making it work harder and suffer more.
When it comes to the type and frequency of fertilization another item to take into account for the successful care of bonsai trees is the amount of growth that is required. A young tree may need heavy feeding so that it grows vigorously, while a well developed bonsai should be fed sparingly so that it does not become thick and woody.
As with the other elements in the care of bonsai trees, you need to work with the requirements of your individual tree, taking into consideration its variety, stage of development, growth and health.
One tip that I must pass on is:
Always make sure that the soil is wet before you add the fertilizer. It must not be dry.
Your bonsai will like the additional nutrients that you provide through fertilization – just don’t over do it and kill it with kindness. Start feeding your tree slowly and see how it responds and then amend it accordingly. Your tree will thank you for it and thrive, allowing you to experience the joy of being a success with the care of bonsai trees.
Make sure that you don’t kill your tree with kindness. To learn how to care of bonsai trees bonsai trees care”