Tips for Raising and Caring for Miniature Trees or Bonsai

Raising Bonsai Trees Can be Rewarding and Fun!

Bonsai can be raised and enjoyed by anyone nowadays. This unique art of miniaturizing trees for decoration in the home and garden was started by the Japanese centuries ago. They originally collected small trees that had been naturally dwarfed by nature. These little trees pleased the Japanese so much that they soon experimented with their own trees and started cultivating them. Today the art of Bonsai is practiced all over the world with many devoted clubs and shows. Most of the mysteries regarding this ancient craft have turned out to be basic, common-sense gardening. And the specialization of miniaturizing trees is now known throughout the world.

There really is something magical, incredible and beautiful when viewing a bonsai tree. It's hard to imagine a 100 or 200 year old tree growing and thriving happily in a couple of inches of soil in a shallow pot. The magic of bonsai comes down to a common-sense understanding of plant growth habits.

After you buy your first bonsai tree you should give it the proper care it needs and deserves. You will be rewarded by a miniature tree that will increase in beauty and even value as it grows and matures over the years. Watering your tree is especially important. Your bonsai has come to you planted in a special "free draining" type of soil, processed especially for bonsai trees. These little trees grow in small pots and cannot tolerate "wet feet", and therefore will not grow well in common household potting soil, because it holds too much water. Since your tree grows in less soil than a regular houseplant, it will need to be watered more often. Test the soil to see if it needs to be watered by placing your finger about ¾ of an inch into it. If the soil is dry, it's time to water.

Fertilizing your bonsai is also important since it grows in such limited soil. I fertilize my trees with an ordinary houseplant fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. I use the kind of fertilizer that you add to the water so you can fertilize while watering about once a week or so with very little effort. I also dilute the fertilizer to half the strength recommended by the brand's manufacturer.

Since trees grow in more humid conditions then that are in our homes, we must provide humidity for them for optimum growth. Misting the trees is okay, but it is only beneficial to the tree for a short period. The best was to give the tree the humidity it needs, is by placing small pebbles or gravel in a "humidity" tray and placing the pot on top. Keep the tray filled with water and it will create a humid environment 24 hours a day.

Miniature trees enjoy sunlight and should be placed in a sunny location. Just make sure that it is not placed more than 12 inches from a direct light source. The best sunlight exposure is from the east, west or south. If you do not have access to such a window and prefer not to use artificial "grow lights", make sure that you pick a species that will do well in low light situations.

As far as diseases and insects go, there are many corrective measures to prevent these pests from attacking your bonsai. Since they are living plants, bonsai are susceptible to these problems. The most important way to combat insects and diseases is to keep your tree in good health. Proper watering, feeding and sunlight exposure will keep it healthy and happy. Also, give your tree ample air and ventilation and keep the soil free of any fallen leaves or spent blooms as these can attract insects. You can also use an insecticidal soap spray that's not harmful to people or pets once a week to prevent insect attacks.

After you have cared for your bonsai and have used these basic tips for properly caring for the tree, you will probably get interested in shaping, training and pruning it to transform your young tree into a work of art. Re-potting and trimming also helps to keep the tree beautiful by keeping it miniature. Using the same pot after re-potting and root trimming is recommended since you want the tree to stay miniature and not grow big as it would try to in a larger pot.

After you buy your first bonsai and care for it for a while you'll probably become hooked on this wonderful, ancient art. Your family may soon notice Bonsai books lying around the house and more miniature trees mysteriously appearing! As you grow with experience in this hobby, you will soon learn how to cultivate your own trees and create beautiful, living works of art called bonsai.