Elizabeth Raphael - Bonsai: Complete Step by Step Guide on How to Cultivate, Grow, Care and Display your Bonsai Tree

BONSAI

Complete Step by Step Guide on How to Cultivate, Grow, Care and Display your Bonsai Tree

Elizabeth Raphael

Copyright@2018

TABLE OF CONTENT

Bonsai is and ancient art and growing of Bonsai tree is more than one thousand years old

Many people are unaware that a simple potted plant means bonsai which is Potted Plants

They are abundant of different types of plants, bushes, and even trees that can be cultivated and grown and kept as a bonsai, although it is known in Japan, the bonsai tree originally cultivated in China where these wonderful trees became known with the religion of Zen Buddhism

Bonsai trees are now commonly used for recreational and decorative purposes as well as traditional uses

Bonsai trees are grown from the same seeds as trees that grow to maximum size; they are usually grown in small containers, and trimmed and trained so that they are permanently small and alluring

It is very important to learn how to grow these wonderful plants and care for them so that they remain healthy for so many years to come

The first step in growing a bonsai tree is to do the following

CHOOSE A TREE SPECIES

The type of tree you grow should be depend on the environment where you will keep it

The climate of the region and the home environment should be taken into consideration when you want to decide which species of tree you want to grow

To be important, you should select the specie that is indigenous to you country

Deciduous specie such as Japanese and Chinese elms, oaks, magnolias and crabapple tree are very good to choose from if you would like your bonsai to be grown outside

The most important thing is that the specie can be grown in your region

If you like coniferous trees

Pines

Spruces

Cedars

Are wonderful choices

If you would like to grow a tree indoors or for those that live in hot climate, you should select tropical species like

Olive trees

Snow rose

Jade

DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO PLANT THE TREE FROM SEED

Planting a bonsai tree from seed is a very slow process but rewarding task, for those that plant a tree, you will need to allow it time to take root and grow very strong before you can start trimming and training

Depending on the specie of tree you want to grow, it can take up to 5 years

It is worth the time and effort as the seeds are very cheap and the grower can control the tree at each stage of growth

The following are steps to grow the bonsai from seeds

Buy a package of bonsai tree seeds and then soak them overnight before you plant them to in soil with proper drainage and the correct nutrient composition for the specie of your tree

Then plant the tree in a training container instead of a ceramic display container which can only be used once the tree has become matured

Provide the planted tree with the right amount of sun, water and regular temperature which depends on the specie of the tree

Next allow the tree to become sturdy and strong before you can start to train

USE FORAGE FOR THE BONSAI TREE

This method of getting a bonsai tree is very valuable and because of taking care of a bonsai tree you found in the bush make use of special skill and knowledge

The following are factors to consider when choosing a bonsai tree from nature

Choose a tree that has a sturdy trunk but the one that is young, older trees find it difficult to adapt well when placed in a container

Choose a tree that has roots that spreads well in every direction, instead of one that grow entangled with the roots of other trees

Dig around the tree and remove a huge amount of soil along with the roots, this will prevent the tree from dying as a result of shock when it is moved to a container

Plant the tree in a large training container and take care of it according to the needs of the particular species and then hold on for the roots to adapt to the container before your train it

CHOOSE FROM TREE THAT HAVE BEEN PARTIALLY TRAINED

This is the easiest way to begin bonsai, but it is also the most expensive, bonsai trees that have been grown from seed and partially trained already have a lot of time and care

Go online and look in nursey and plant shops for a bonsai tree

When you buy a bonsai, you should wait for few weeks for it to adjust to the new settings before you start working on it

TAKE NOTE OF THE SEASON

Bonsai trees just like all trees and plants usually change due to change in season

If you keep the bonsai outside, it will react fast to sunlight, temperature, and the amount of rainfall in the region

In many regions, there are four different regions while in others the season changes are irregular

And thus it is important to understand how well your tree species reacts to seasonal changes in your region

*Trees are inactive during winter, they do not produce any leaves and are not growing, during this period, the only thing they need is to water them and do not trim them too much as it wont be able to replace the depleted nutrients until spring

During spring, trees start using the nutrients they store during the winter to bring new leaves and grow

The trees continue to grow during the summer using the stored nutrients and ensure that you water them very well during this period

In the fall, the growth of the tree slows down and the nutrients starts to accumulate, which is an important time for trimming and repotting

Provide the tree with shade

The light need of your bonsai tree depends on the specie and your local climate, but it will certainly grow in area that has morning sun

It is advisable to turn the tree at 90 degrees every few days so that the entire tree can receive equal amount of light

Plants indoors may require a light shade cloth over the window during hot and bright summer

PROTECT YOUR TREE FROM EXTREME TEMPERATURES

When summer comes, it is good for your tree to spend most of the time outside; you can bring it inside when the temperature drops to below 40 degrees

When you want to prepare for winter, you should adapt your tree to spending more time indoors by moving it inside for few hours at once and increase the time it spends indoors every day until you bring it inside completely

PROVIDE FOOD AND WATER

It is advisable to fertilize the tree with a special fertilizer to keep the bonsai tree healthy

When the soil starts becoming dusty or dry, ensure you water the bonsai

It depends on the specie and the season; you may need to provide a little water every day when summer comes but only water once in 3 days during very cold winter

The following are ways to train your bonsai tree

Choose a training style

There are abundant of traditional training styles you can use for your bonsai tree

There are some that looks like a tree in nature while some are stylistic

They are wonderful bonsai styles to choose from but the training container can affect your choice