How to Keep Bonsai Plants Alive
The chief goal of growing bonsai plants for many is to create works of art in the world of horticulture. With their roots in Japanese culture, bonsai plants have been linked to Zen Buddhism. Artistic work on the bonsai actually represented a popular form of meditation and expression of the spirit. In modern western culture, these types of plants are relatively easy to maintain and can produce a garden feel in a room or add a creative touch to your garden. Multiple steps can help you to keep a bonsai plant alive. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Ceramic bonsai pots or containers
- Bonsai soil
- Watering can
- Tomato feed
- Fish emulsion
- Seaweed fertilizer
- Bonsai shears
- Bonsai wire
Instructions
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Select a well-drained area for your bonsai plant. If using a ceramic bonsai pot or container, make sure it has holes in the bottom that allow water to drain away from the plant. Choose a pot that is a little more than 2/3 the height of the bonsai tree. If planting the bonsai plant outside, make sure the area is not at the base of a hill or another location that experiences standing water.
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2
Place your bonsai plant in bonsai soil, which is different from regular soil because it is created to be loose and quick-draining. Bonsai soil is a combination of 2 parts granite grit, 1 part loam and 2 parts sphagnum peat moss. This type of soil, available at your local gardening center, will prevent you from drowning the plant and rotting the roots as the bonsai plant grows.
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3
Place your bonsai plant in non-harsh, direct sunlight during the morning. Put it in a shady location during the afternoon to prevent the leaves from drying out and burning.
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Water your bonsai plant every day using a watering can with a fine nozzle. Place your finger about 1/2 to 1 inch down into the soil surrounding the plant to see if the soil is dry before watering. Giving your plant enough water will provide it with the essential nutrients it needs to thrive.
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Apply tomato feed or other bonsai-specific fertilizers onto the bonsai plant, following the manufacturer's instructions. Also, consider using an organic fertilizer such as fish emulsion or a seaweed fertilizer. Do this once a month during the winter and once a week during the summer. Applying too much fertilizer to your plant can burn the plant roots and kill the bonsai plant.
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Prune the bonsai plant's leaves to shape the plant as you wish and to allow the inner branches and leaves to be exposed to adequate sunlight. Apply wire around the branches and trunks of a bonsai tree while it is still young to shape these parts as you would like. Repot your bonsai plant in the spring or fall every two years if it is less than six years old and every three to four years if it is older than six years.
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References
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