Bonsai Maintenance Tips

Bonsai trees are a very popular ancient art form. Many people are opting to have these miniaturized versions of ordinary trees as indoor or outdoor decorations for their homes. Bonsai maintenance is a big part of growing bonsai trees. Bonsai maintenance is a tad bit more complicated that maintenance of other house plants. This is because the trees are grown in shallow pots and not on the ground, and are kept small by design. This means they need extra special care for them to flourish and grow well.

Bonsai maintenance need not be such an arduous task. There are simple maintenance tasks that should be carried out regularly but on a need to basic.

One of the major tasks in bonsai maintenance is pruning. Pruning is done to ensure that the bonsai remains miniaturized and that the leaves remain small. Pruning is also done to make sure the tree grows in a particular style or shape. Pruning for most bonsai trees should be done only at specific times of the year, usually during the end of winter and in the beginning of spring for deciduous trees. There are some trees that can be pruned anytime during the year but as a general rule pruning should be done before the growing period.

Another essential task in bonsai maintenance is watering of the tree. It is crucial to keep the soil in which the bonsai tree is growing slightly damp but not water logged. The soil should never be left to completely dry up. The amount of watering required will however depend on the specific tree species and the climate in which the tree is growing. Trees need more water in the summer than in the winter and a tree with more leaves will need more water than one with few leaves.

Fertilization is also very important in bonsai maintenance. This is because the bonsai tree is growing in a pot and not in the ground, it needs more nutrients in order to thrive. There are special bonsai fertilizers available in the market but generally any fertilizer that would be used on ordinary plants can be applied. Fertilization should be done regularly.

The position of your bonsai tree is exceedingly important particularly if you are growing it indoors. Bonsai are plants and do need sunlight and the right temperatures to thrive. You should place your bonsai somewhere it can get some sunlight. The bonsai tree should be shielded from direct, hot afternoon sun as this is likely to bake the tree and the roots, with disastrous effects.

Repotting is also part of bonsai maintenance. Repotting is done to maintain the bonsai tree’s health. Repotting is not necessarily done every year but should be done at least every 2 years. The bonsai tree roots are also trimmed at this point.