Pruning a Bonsai tree by pinching

The basics of caring for your Bonsai Tree

Bonsai trees have a name of such plants that are difficult to handle and maintain. The fact that Bonsais are plants that require maintenance and caring doesn’t mean they are difficult to grow and handle. True, this is not the kind of plant that you can just leave for months unattended and without watering or trimming it once in a while, but it’s important to understand that even a beginner gardener can have a beautiful, healthy and flourishing bonsai tree decorating your home or office by following a few simple maintenance tips.

Pruning Bonsai tree

Water

Some plants require watering more often than others. Some might require water only a couple of times a month. For Bonsais, the rule of thumb is to check the topsoil and see if it’s dry. If dry, you can put your Bonsai in a basin of water and wait for bubbles to appear. The roots will absorb the water and you won’t have to water your tree until the soil dries out again.

The quality of the water you give your trees are also important for its survival. If you won’t drink the water that comes out of your faucet where you live, don’t give it to your plant. Use filtered water.

Soil

Soil quality is also very important for the health of a Bonsai tree. You will want to use high quality soil that’s capable to quickly drain water while still retaining them and absorbs them.

It’s recommended to add fertilizers. The fertilizer is for the soil. It fills it with nutrients making it the best growing environment for your Bonsai. Make sure you use fertilizers in the right time and according to specific product instructions. 

Location

Plants and Bonsais specifically need plenty of light in order to grow and thrive. Sunlight is the best for your Bonsai. If it is growing outdoors, place it where it can get the sunlight it needs. If it is indoor, in your home or office, just place the plant where it has the most direct sunlight as possible. Remember to occasionally spray it with water to keep its humidity level and prevent it from drying.

Women pruning bonsai tree

Pruning

Pruning the bonsai tree is essential for healthy growing. You might think that pruning is strictly for aesthetic purpose, for shaping and designing it, but it is first and for most for maintenance reasons. You have to be pruning your bonsai periodically to remove dead branches and leaves and to stimulate new growth. The dead parts are keeping water and nutrients away from healthy, living parts and disturbing your tree’s growth.

 

Bonsai in a broken glass ball

So caring for a Bonsai tree might require some work and maintenance, but the satisfaction and happiness you get from the journey is something you don’t get when nurturing other kind of plants. It inspires creativity, it is beautiful and it has therapeutic and relaxing qualities.

Happy Growing! :)

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