Friday, October 5, 2007

3 Top Indoor Bonsai Tree Care Tips

3 Top Indoor Bonsai Tree Care Tips
Because indoor bonsai tree care can be such a difficult process I have decided to share my three best bonsai gardening tips. These tips are absolutely vital if you ever want to grow great looking, healthy bonsai trees that will be a source of enjoyment and fun rather than a source of anger and frustration. Most beginners I have seen fail to properly follow these indoor bonsai tree care tips and because of that they achieve virtually no success at all. By following these tips you will give yourself a firm grouding in the proper care of indoor bonsai trees and you will be well on your way to becoming a "master" of bonsai.
Tip 1 - Don't Over-water and Don't Under-water
Watering is easily one of the most difficult (and one of the most vital) parts of indoor bonsai tree care. Under-watering your bonsai will of course lead to the dehydration and eventual death of the tree whereas over-watering will lead to the tree "drowning". To properly water your bonsai you should wait until the soil in the pot/container begins to dry out on top. Next, water until excess liquid comes out of the bottom of the pot/container. Don't water the bonsai again until the soil begins to dry out. By following this process you will find that the tree is neither dehydrated or over-hydrated which are two of the leading reasons why bonsai trees die.
Tip 2 - Root Pruning and Branch Pruning
To master the art of indoor bonsai tree care you must be able to prune properly. Pruning is done two different ways - "root pruning" and "branch pruning". Root pruning should be done at the start of spring and only when the bonsai's roots have become grounded in the pot. Simply select the roots you want to keep and get rid of the bad ones. Branch pruning should also occur near the start of spring. Pick the branches that you wish to keep and careful remove the others. Proper pruning is one of the most important factors in indoor bonsai tree care and without properly mastering this you won't be able to progress onto things like sculpting your bonsai tree into different shapes.
Tip 3 - Applying Fertilizer and Soil
Another problem many beginners face with indoor bonsai tree care is picking and applying correct fertilizers and soil. In order to pick the right soil you should head down to your local gardening centre (or bonsai centre if you're lucky enough to have one nearby) and tell the staff exactly what type of bonsai you have. They will then direct you to the correct type of soil. Please note that it is definitely worth buying the most expensive soil possible as higher quality soils absorb nutrients from fertilizers more effectively and therefore provide a better living environment for yout bonsai tree. To correctly pick fertilizer you should ensure that you purchase a high quality, water-soluble fertilizer that contains a good variety of nutrients. Fertilizers should only be applied during the growing season and must be applied only when the soil is wet or they loose their effect.
By following these three vital indoor bonsai tree care tips you will be able to grow amazing bonsai trees and avoid annoyances like having your trees die. I must stress that these are the foundations of proper indoor bonsai tree care - you cannot progress to any of the "fun stuff" (sculpting etc.) without first mastering these three basic principles!
Thanks for reading and good luck with your bonsai gardening!
by Samuel Phillipson

No comments: