How to Grow a Bonsai Tree

Bonsai trees can be purchased but creating you own can be a fun and challenging hobby. The art of Bonsai has been practiced for thousands of years, first beginning in China and then becoming mastered by the Japanese. The miniature trees can be a lovely addition to any room in your home.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Small Juniper Tree Seedling
• Bonsai soil
• Bonsai pot
• Small scissors or shears for shaping
• Thin gauge wire for train the branches

1. Select a small Juniper tree seedling, no taller than four inches from a local nursery or garden center. Most nurseries also carry a selection of Bonsai pots and bonsai soil. These two items can be purchased online if not available locally.
2. Line the bottom of the Bonsai pot with small pebbles or river stone. Remove the juniper from the original, taking care to expose the roots from existing soil.
3. Add a thin layer of bonsai soil to cover the pebbles in the bonsai pot. Position the juniper seedling in the pot and fill around the trunk with bonsai soil. Pack the soil around the tree firmly.
4. Water the freshly planted bonsai to remove air pockets that may remain in the soil. Add more soil if necessary to become level with the top of the pot.
5. Look at the seedling tree from all angles and decide which face you wish to display.
6. Remove all but three or four of the branches on the seedling with the small scissors or shears. Cut as close to the trunk or main branch as possible.
7. Use a light gauge wire to shape the remaining branches into the desired position.

Tips & Warnings

• Bonsai trees need to be kept watered. The soil of the bonsai pot should never be dry. During the summer, water daily if needed. Bonsai trees do extremely well in bathrooms where they take advantage of the humidity from showers and baths.
• Bonsai trees rarely need fertilizer, but should it be needed try a half strength 30 – 10 – 10 application.
• Wrap the wire around the braches carefully as the wire can break or cut the tender branches.