How to Keep Bonsai Trees Healthy

To keep your bonsai in optimal health, it must be fed, watered and pruned regularly. Bonsai trees can last hundreds of years if properly cared for. Follow these steps to keep your bonsai tree healthy.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bonsai tree
• Water
• Bonsai soil
• Fertilizer
• Bonsai shears

1. Water your tree. Watering your bonsai is one of the most important things for its health and longevity. The tree should not ever be allowed to dry out. If the soil on the surface of the plant or pot seems dry, then it should be watered. Try not to get on an automatic schedule for watering; rather, water when the tree needs water. This is because there is much less soil in bonsai plants.

2. Prune your tree. Pruning is essential to keeping your tree in that bonsai shape. Most newly purchased trees do not need to be pruned, but once they have grown a little, their branches must be trimmed in order for the tree to retain its shape. Another reason to prune is to keep the balance with the root ball or root system below.

3. Find your tree a good place in the sun where it will not get burned from too much direct sunlight. Sunlight is a key factor in the growth of bonsai trees. Bonsai trees like a lot of sunlight, except immediately after pruning or repotting.

4. Use bonsai soil. The type of soil you use can determine the health of your tree. Regular soils, such as potting soil or top soil, are much heavier than bonsai soil. Bonsai soil is specially formulated to retain moisture, allow water to drain and allow the roots to breathe.

5. Fertilize your tree. Fertilization is necessary for the continued growth of your bonsai tree. There should be three components to any type of fertilizer that you use on your tree: nitrogen, phosphorus and potash. Make certain that these ingredients are in the fertilizer.

Tips & Warnings

• A moisture meter works well for watering purposes. This meter will tell you when your plant needs water.
• You can also pick up your bonsai tree to see if it needs to be watered. Dry trees weigh much less than watered trees.
• Consider misting your tree daily with a spray bottle to recreate the humid environment that makes them grow so well.
• Don't over-water your bonsai tree, or you may drown it.