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Send
a Bonsai Tree
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Practiced for centuries
in China and Japan,
bonsai is the reproduction
of natural tree forms
in miniature. Bonsai
trees are living miniature
trees which increase
in beauty and value
as they mature over
the years.
How often should I water
my bonsai tree?
Unlike a houseplant,
bonsai trees use a "free
draining" type of soil
because their roots
cannot tolerate "wet
feet". In addition,
they are grown in significantly
less soil and, therefore
require more watering.
Factors such as tree
location, temperature,
lighting conditions,
quantity of soil used,
and the changing seasons
will determine the frequency
of watering. You can
get to know when your
tree needs to be watered
by observing the foliage,
testing the soil with
your index finger just
below the surface, or
just by the weight of
the pot. (The drier
the tree, the lighter
it will feel.) To take
the guesswork out of
watering, we recommend
an inexpensive moisture
meter which works very
much like a thermometer.
Insert it into the soil
and the movement of
the needle will tell
you if it is time to
water.
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How often should I fertilize my
bonsai tree?
Because bonsai trees are cultivated
in limited amounts of soil, adequate
feed is very important. As a general
rule, a small amount of feed is
given in the spring and a larger
amount in the fall. Feed for bonsai
should contain three principle ingredients;
nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash.
It is also a good idea to use a
fertilizer containing "chelated"
iron. Water before fertilizing your
tree and then apply at half the
strength recommended by the brand's
manufacturer. We rotate the use
of brands since different manufacturers
add different amounts of trace elements
and minerals. We also add Superthrive
which is a vitamin supplement to
our fertilizer mix. You may find
it simpler and easier to use slow
release fertilizer granules (placed
over the soil) whose nutrients are
released with each watering.
How often should I mist my bonsai
tree?
All trees grow in more humid conditions
than our homes, offices and dormitories.
So what can we do to provide this
essential humidity ? Misting the
tree is only beneficial for a short
time, so what we recommend is to
place the tree on a humidity tray
and add water to the tray. As the
water in the tray evaporates it
creates a humid environment around
the tree 24 hours a day. When the
water in the tray is gone, add more
water. It's a good idea to separate
the pot from the water in the tray
by adding some pebbles to the bottom
of the tray. This will prevent any
roots from sitting in the water.
How much sunlight is required for
my bonsai tree?
Sunlight, especially the ultra-violet
ray, affects the growth of trees.
Therefore, except in special cases
such as immediately after repotting,
extensive trimming, etc, bonsai
should be placed in a sunny location.
Bright light will also work well
but the tree should not be placed
more than 12" away from the direct
light source. An east, west or southern
exposure works best. A northern
exposure will require the use of
"grow lights" which should remain
on up to 16 hours each day and the
lamp should not be more than 2 inches
from the top of the tree. Incandescent
light is too hot and will not provide
the various spectrum of light that
is required to maintain your bonsai
tree. If you do not have a window
or light source that provides an
east, west or southern exposure,
be sure to select a bonsai tree
that does well in lower lighting
conditions.
How is miniaturizing a tree possible?
No one single technique is adequate
to make a tree small. The fact that
the tree is grown in a container,
the trimming, pruning, repotting
and other care given the tree --
all contribute to the final result
of limited growth. Dwarf trees are
often found in a natural environment,
but in bonsai this environment is
provided artificially. Bonsai are
grown in shallow containers the
size of which determines the amount
of soil the roots are able to grow
in. This environment definitely
restricts the growth of the roots
and its functions.
How do I trim and prune my bonsai?
The main objective of trimming and
pruning is to shape the bonsai into
the desired form and to reduce growth
above ground in order to maintain
a balance with root growth. The
process of shaping begins when the
tree is very young and is on-going
as it continues its growth. Trimming
is accomplished by using a sharp
scissors or shears. This traditional
tool is called butterfly shears
or bonsai shears and is used for
removing foliage and light branches.
When heavier branches are removed,
we call it pruning and the tool
to use is the concave cutter, for
which there is no substitute. The
concave cutter allows you to remove
small, medium and even large branches
without leaving any visible scars.
Some trees such as the Juniper should
be trimmed by using the thumb and
index finger to remove new growth
and to prevent browning and a "sheared"
appearance.
How do I prevent diseases and insects
from infecting my bonsai?
As living trees, bonsai are susceptible
to insect attacks and disease. Preventive
and corrective measures include
(a) keeping your bonsai in good
health, since insects and bacteria
tend to attack weak trees, (b) giving
your tree ample light, fresh air
and ventilation, (c) keeping the
soil free of spent blooms and fallen
leaves etc. You may also use an
insecticidal soap spray which is
not harmful to humans or animals.
This soap derivative, however, may
require more than one application
to control the insect population.
It's also a good idea to use this
spray weekly to prevent any attacks.
How do I train my bonsai?
Wiring, a relatively modern method
of training bonsai trunks and branches
into the desired forms, has become
commonly accepted. It is often used
in place of, or in conjunction with
the traditional methods of long-term
pruning and hemp-rope binding. Copper
wire that has first been annealed
in a low-temperature fire is preferred.
After it has cooled, it is wrapped
around the branches in the direction
the branch is to be bent. The branch
should be bent once into its final
position so as not to harm the cambium
layer under the bark. The wire should
be wrapped taut, but not too tight,
and should be removed just before
it bites into the branch -- between
6 and 12 months. The wire is removed
with a bonsai wire cutter by snipping
the wire at each turn, thereby allowing
the cut pieces to fall to the ground.
Never unwind the wire or use pliers
to cut the wire, since this will
damage the branches.
What is bonsai soil and why is it
used for bonsai?
As noted previously, potted trees
do not do well in soil that is always
wet. Potting soil and top soil are
heavy soils that can remain wet
for weeks. Bonsai soil is a mixture
of ingredients which allows the
water to drain freely and at the
same time, retain moisture. In addition,
the ingredients allow the roots
to breathe air and prevent compaction.
There are two basic types of bonsai
soil -- a conifer mix and a tropical/sub/tropical
mix. Before adding any soil mixture,
be sure to cover the drainage hole(s)
with screening to prevent the soil
from washing out of the pot. When
re-potting, it is always best to
use the soil mixture in its dry
state.
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How often should I re-pot
my bonsai tree?
All potted plants will
eventually outgrow their
containers. While houseplants
need to be "up-potted",
that is, placed in larger
and larger containers,
we maintain the miniaturization
of a bonsai tree by
keeping the roots confined
to the small container.
On average, repotting
will be necessary every
3-5 years, but the tree
should be removed from
its container and its
root system inspected
once a year. If the
roots form a circular
ball around the perimeter
of the pot, it is time
to trim the roots and
repot. When repotting
remember to (a) use
only bonsai soil (b)
remove air pockets by
working the soil down
through the roots (c)
do not remove more that
20% of the root system
(d) repot during the
appropriate repotting
season (e) water well
and keep out of the
sun for a week or two.
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