How to Care for a Gardenia Japonica Bonsai
Bonsai trees come in all the same varieties as standard-size trees and shrubs, but their small pots stunt their growth. The Gardenia japonica bonsai looks like a tiny bush or tree and develops the same white, highly fragrant flowers in the summer as the larger version. Caring for a Gardenia japonica bonsai is similar to caring for a full-size gardenia plant. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Place the gardenia bonsai in a location that receives bright sunlight, but not in direct sun. When temperatures are warm, you can place the plant outdoors on a patio.
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Fill a sink with 2 inches of warm but not hot water. The temperature should be slightly warmer than room temperature. Place the gardenia bonsai into the sink and allow it to soak for five to 10 minutes. Apply additional water every two to three days as soon as the top of the soil dries out.
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Fill a spray bottle with distilled water and mist the leaves of the gardenia bonsai once every two or three days to increase the humidity. Do not use tap water since it may have lime in it and spots will develop on the leaves.
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Apply a balanced, liquid plant fertilizer to the soil once per month starting in spring and repeating monthly. Stop fertilizing when you see white blooms develop in the summer and resume when they fade.
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Wait until the gardenia flowers stop blooming and prune the bonsai. Use hand pruners to cut the ends off of each horizontal branch until it has only two or three sets of leaves on each.
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Examine the gardenia bonsai once per week for signs of insects, the most prevalent of which are scale, aphids, thrips and spider mites. If you see these insects, place the bonsai outdoors and spray all leaves and bark with an insecticide. Move the tree back indoors if the temperatures are cold. Otherwise, leave them outdoors until the insects are eradicated.
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