Originally from China and Japan, indoor bonsai trees are miniature trees that need to be pruned and cared for on a regular basis. Properly cared for bonsais will thrive and remain miniature and beautiful for years. In fact bonsai trees will outlive the grower when well cared for.

Keep in mind that a bonsai tree is also a plant, and just like all other plants, needs sunlight in order to grow. Read the instructions for the growth of your particular tree and you can find exactly how much it needs. The information can be found on the internet if you do not have it available.

During the summertime, when temperatures are above forty degrees Fahrenheit, remember to put your bonsai out on the porch where it can receive a lot of the morning sun’s rays and the afternoon sun as well. The fresh air will do it good.

In the winter time, always keep bonsai indoors. This needs to be done gradually, a few hours at a time until it gets acclimated to being put indoors. Ideally, place it on a south-facing window sill so that it gets some kind of light exposure. Five hours of sunshine per day is okay, but more is better.

Remember to water your bonsai whenever you start seeing the soil becoming dry. Check with a toothpick if there is moisture beneath the surface. If the toothpick comes out dry, then this is a sign that your plant vitally needs some water. It is not good to leave your bonsai bone dry for days.

You may need to water your bonsai everyday if it is getting adequate sunlight. Depending on what your climate is, the size of the pot and soil type, water your bonsai in such a way that it is neither parched nor drowning.

To keep your indoor bonsai trees in their miniature size, you need to pinch or trim back new leaves to the safest point. Leave a bit of new growth to keep your tree healthy.

Sub-tropical or tropical indoor trees will require periods of trimming or pinching as the years go by. Since every tree grows differently, you need to evaluate how fast your tree is growing so that you can pinch and trim it accordingly.

For healthy indoor bonsai trees, add fertilizer and nutrient-rich topsoil once in a while. Fertilizers can be purchased at any garden supply store. Select a general purpose fertilizer and remember you will only need a small amount. Use half of the amount of the recommended amount since bonsai of course grow much smaller than their wild counterparts. Apply fertilizer a minimum of once each month except in the wintertime. Spray a fertilizer that is water-soluble every other month and use foliar feeding for optimal results.

When the roots have filled the pots to your indoor bonsai trees, you will need to trim them back a little bit and repot your plant. Get a bonsai pot with a hole on each side for excess water to spill out and a pot big enough to accommodate the new root growth.

Supply new soil as you repot, since this encourages the roots to grow in a compact way. A good rule of thumb would be to repot evergreens every four years and to repot deciduous trees every two and a half years.

This indoor bonsai information is generic. For even better results and for the safety of your plant see instructions for your particular species.