How to Make a Bonsai Tree More Fertile

Growing and trimming bonsai trees has been a fine art for centuries. Many still enjoy the art for the Zen-like relaxing qualities provided by the task of caring for the small trees. Purchase bare root bonsai trees and improve the fertility of the trees.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bare root Bonsai tree
• Planting pot with bottom drainage hole
• Filter to cover the drainage hole in the planting pot
• Fertilizer
• Goat manure
• Volcanic sand
• Un-hulled paddy
• Pruning sheers
• Water

1. Sterilize the planting pot to prevent bacteria from attacking the bonsai tree's roots.

2. Cover the drainage hole in the planting pot with a filter so that small grains of fertile planting material don't wash out of the pot.

3. Spread a thin layer of sand directly on the filter in the planting pot.

4. Top the sandy layer with a thin layer of softer sand.

5. Mix one part goat manure with one part un-hulled paddy (rice plants).

6. Spread a layer of the manure-paddy mixture on top of the soft sand layer in the planting pot.

7. Mix one part potting soil, two parts fertilizer and one part volcanic sand, such as Malang sand.

8. Fill the rest of the space in the planting pot with the mixture created in Step 7.

9. Prune the bonsai. Cut away the branches from the stalk.

10. Clean the packing soil from the bare roots of the bonsai tree.

11. Cut back any oversized tree roots.

12. Plant the bonsai tree in the planting pot and water the tree.

13. Allow the bonsai tree to settle in a shaded place.