How To Care For Your Bonsai Tree


Gardening:

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.

A rough rule of thumb is that approximately 75% of water gets taken up via the root system and 25% via the leaves. Because the leaves are an important water absorption surface, you should ensure that you keep them soil and dust free.

Make sure that you don't use excessive pressure when watering your bonsai. A fine mist will generally be adequate. You can get watering bottles that expel water in a vapour form which are excellent for this purpose. Tap water is fine for watering bonsai just ensure that it's of a medium temperature, neither too hot nor too cold.

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?

Before attempting to prune the above ground aspects of your bonsai tree you should have a vivid image in your mind's eye of the tree shape you're looking to achieve. If you can do this and imagine a line around the tree in this shape you will be able to prune away everything that sticks out from this imaginary line.

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.

Caring for bonsai takes lots of patience, knowledge and learned skills. It involves continuous work, but the results are more than worth the effort.

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 gift info you should check it out today.
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