How to Look After a Bonsai Tree

You can train your bonsai tree into almost any shape.

Size really does not matter, especially when it comes to bonsai trees. Bonsai, which actually means to "plant in a tray," allows gardeners to train miniature trees that look like a wild tree. Bonsai trees frequently take years to develop and can live to be 100 years old it properly cared for. Although bonsai training dates back to the year 220, it was not introduced to the United States until the early twentieth century.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Tree seedling
• Small paintbrush
• Bowl of water
• Spray bottle of water
• Small pruners
• Cooper wire
• Wire cutters
• 4-inch container
• Small gravel
• Soil
• Balanced tree fertilizer
• Sunny location

Planting the Bonsai

1. Purchase a seedling plant, such as a red maple, river birch or juniper.

2. Remove the seedling from the original pot and brush the roots with a dry paintbrush. Remove all the soil from the roots. Dip the roots in a bowl of water, and clean them with the paintbrush until the roots are completely bare. Spray the roots with the bottled water to keep them moist through the cleaning process.

3. Trim the roots, shoots and branches of the seedling, keeping a ratio of 1 root to 1 shoot.

4. Wrap the coil wire around the tree from where the roots meet the trunk, all the way up to the top of the tree. Cut the wire, and wrap the excess around the main branch.

5. Bend the seedling into the shape you want the bonsai tree to take on. Wrap wire around any branches and position them to your liking.

6. Line the bottom of the container with ½ inch gravel, then ½ inch of soil. Spread the roots over the soil, so that the roots point in different directions, and add more soil until the roots are covered. Press the soil down with your fingers to pack it down to about ½ inch away from the top of the planter. Apply a thin layer of BB-sized gravel.

7. Fertilize the seedling with a balanced tree fertilizer, and place it in a sunny location inside or outdoors.

Basic Bonsai Care

1. Water the tree thoroughly every day, or twice a day in especially hot climates or if the tree is in full sun.

2. Fertilize the bonsai every two to three weeks with a diluted liquid balanced tree fertilizer.

3. Prune or pinch back branches that do not fit into your overall plant design. Keep new growth at bay, by removing extra leaf growth and pinching buds at the shoots.

4. Adjust and loosen the copper wire for new trunk growth.

5. Repot the plant every two to three years into a slightly larger pot. Follow the original planting instructions, and repot during the late winter or early spring when the plant has slowed growth. Adjust the wire around the tree trunk and wrap some wires around the roots and through the drainage holes of the pot to keep the plant from becoming too top-heavy.

Tips & Warnings

• Bonsai trees grow better outside where humidity levels and light is better; however, keep the it away from excessive heat or rain and strong winds.

• Due to the limited soil in the planter, bonsai need extra watering and fertilizing than other container plants.

References

• University of Georgia College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences: Bonsai, An Ancient Art
• Washington State University: Garden Mastery Tips- Bonsai