Care Of Bonsai Trees: Watering – Who Would Have Thought It Would Be Difficult?

bonsai trees

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.

Tags: Bonsai, care, Difficult, Thought, Trees, Watering, Would

Artificial Bonsai Trees Would Suit Any Environment

bonsai trees

The bonsai tree is very unique and has its origin in Japan. It is unique because of the look it has, as the vines and the leaves are very delicate looking and uniquely designed. They are very intricately made as well, as it is known that a lot of natural vines are used to create artificial bonsai trees. Because of its unique beauty, many people would love to use them in their homes or offices.

If they cannot grow real ones, then artificial ones are the best option. Those buying these trees will have to understand that these are very much like the real ones. So much care and effort is taken to prepare these trees, because one small difference can be easily noted by someone. The species as well as style are all available in the artificial format, and there is no need to look hard for any variety.

One amazing fact that any bonsai tree lover will know is that there is a variety that is created with metal. This is a permanent creation, and it can be used as a great showpiece. A lot of people choose the pine tree, because they love the look and this tree may be a little larger than the others. The next popular tree is the cherry tree, which is a flowering tree.

Most of the time, clay containers are used to house these plants, and they get a very authentic look because of this. Artificial bonsai trees come in a variety of sizes, and they will look good in many places. You can even place them on windowsills and piano tops, as they have a very gentle look. They are designed in a way that it would suit any purpose.

What makes these trees different from the others is the fact that you can use a variety of lighting options. Since they are exotic in nature, there would be a touch of mysticism to it if light is added. Using the light effects, you can even keep it on the whole night to touch up the look of the place. The foliage that is used is chosen with a lot of care, just as the trunks are.

Some trunks will look very good because they will taper, and they give a different look to the tree. The height of these trees will begin at about eight inches and normally will be about eleven inches. You can keep these trees for many years, as the colors and texture will not lose any of its charm.

The maintenance however is just like the other artificial trees. All you need to do is keep dusting them whenever they get dirty. And this means that there is no real expense for maintaining the trees. These trees are truly a great way to decorate any place exclusively, as they are of less cost as well. You can even get trees for as less as ten dollars. Besides cost they would blend in with any environment.

Tags: Artificial, Bonsai, Environment, Suit, Trees, Would