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How To Care For Your Bonsai Tree

The first thing to consider when looking after a bonsai tree is watering. Watering is the most important aspect of bonsai tree care. This is especially true if the bonsai tree is kept indoors for prolonged periods. How much water you need to give will depend primarily on two things: the type of soil and the species of bonsai. Different types of soils absorb and retain water at differing rates. You will also find that different bonsai tree species need differing amounts of water to thrive.

As a rule of thumb, about 75 per cent of water is taken up by the root system of the bonsai, but you should also remember to water the leaves. To help the bonsai take up water through the leaves you should ensure that you keep the leaves clean by wiping away dust and dirt at regular intervals.

Use gentle water pressure when watering your bonsai. If you use too strong a water pressure, you might wash away the topsoil and expose the roots. Use a misting hose or a spray hose with an adjustable spray nozzle and be careful of the water temperature. Good tap water is fine, just take care that the water that comes out of the hose isn't too cold or too warm.

Soil choice is also critical to the health and longevity of your bonsai tree. You should match the soil type to the tree species. A rough and ready guide is that 30 per cent humus and 70 per cent grit should be used for needled evergreen bonsai trees and 70 per cent humus mixed with 30 per cent grit for deciduous trees. You will need to ask advice or get a good book to help you with soil choice for the rarer species.

Pruning - Pruning involves leaves, branches and roots. Bonsai lovers know that what you do to the bottom, you do to the top. Remember that less foliage means less for the roots to support. But where to start and what to cut?

The first thing you should do before starting to prune is consider the style that you're trying to train your bonsai tree into. You have to sort of imagine a line around your tree's foliage that represents the shape you're looking for and then prune anything that sticks out from this imaginary line. Another point to remember is that if you're trying to direct growth to one side of the tree you should prune the opposite side.

Remember that this tree was never meant by nature to be this small. Because of this you are going to have to exert proper discipline on the bonsai to ensure that it gets trained into the shape you want and remains the size you want. If you don't put the requisite time and effort in your bonsai will start to become unruly in no time.

You're going to have to exert a lot of loving care if you're going to achieve your objective of a beautiful bonsai tree. It's going to involve a lot of work over a long period of time, but if your heart's in it, I think you'll find it well worthwhile.

Article Source: http://www.realestate2u.net/articledirectory

Alan Allport is a long-time bonsai tree enthusiast who has had a bonsai site at www.aa-bonsai.com for several years. For the best bonsai tree wholesale info you should check it out today.
This and other unique content bonsai tree articles are available with free reprint rights.

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