Bonsai Care
An Introduction

Be sure your bonsai care instructions are specific to your tree.

Since these small trees are created from many different kinds of plants, they often require different cultivation.

To properly care for your bonsai, it is important to know what type (species) of plant you have.

It is much easier to find help, when you know.

Whether you buy your tree from a nursery, garden center, plant shop or a bonsai artist ...

always ask for the scientific name and bonsai care information!

Bonsai Pots Do Not Create Magic!

Once you know what kind of plant you have, find out what that particular plant likes. Sun? Shade? Lots of water? Little water?

The basics of growing a bonsai are no different than growing any container plant.

Remember bonsai is two part - art and horticulture.

Shaping and styling is the art part; keeping them alive is horticulture.

Growing a plant in a bonsai pot is no different than growing it in a clay or ceramic pot of equal size.

Azalea - Bonsai West, Littleton, MA

Some questions to ask about your bonsai tree care:

• How much water, light and fertilizer does my bonsai tree need?
• What kinds of pests and diseases is it susceptible to?
• How do I maintain the shape?
• Will it tolerate winter outdoors?
• Can I grow it indoors all year?

If you start with a green thumb, you have a distinct advantage. If you are a plant killer, you have a lot of work to do.

Sometimes the best lessons are learned from experience. Hopefully, you can learn from other people's bonsai care experience!

Start with an inexpensive bonsai, ask lots of questions and do your best to follow the instructions you receive.

Watering Your Bonsai

Watering is considered one of the most misunderstood aspects of any plant care. Bonsai care is no exception, and it's no wonder.

General directions such as water your bonsai every day, or every three days or even once a week are not adequate instructions and confuse the issue even more!

See more about this on the Watering Bonsai page.

Plant Pests

What's eating your bonsai trees?

All plants are susceptible to pests; however, healthy plants have fewer problems.

Each species has its own set of potential pests. Bonsai care includes watching out for them.

Although they are plant eaters ... it's unlikely giraffes will be your problem.

Having bonsai indoors, does not protect them, sometimes quite the opposite.

To learn more about pests, go to the Plant Pests and Bonsai page.

Light

"Light" can mean indoors or out. Not all plants require full sun, some even prefer shade. Here again, it will depend upon the species of plant you have.

I know hearing that over and over again can be frustrating; however, it just may be one of the most important lessons in bonsai.

No one can accurately give you bonsai tree care answers unless they know what type of tree you have..

If you are growing bonsai trees indoors (even part of the year), there is good information on artificial lighting on the Indoor Bonsai page

Indoor Bonsai

All plants do best outdoors, however, there are some tropicals and subtropicals which can be considered "indoor bonsai."

To keep any plant healthy indoors, the more you duplicate its natural environment, the happier it will be.

There are a many ways to accomplish this. See Bonsai Indoors.

Fertilizer

Fertilizer is somewhat like plant food. Plants in the ground draw their nutrition from nature.

In the case of container plants, such as bonsai, we need to help them out.

Learn about the important basics of Bonsai Tree Fertilizer here.

Winter Care

No matter where you live, winter care is a serious concern.

All container plants need special consideration during winter - bonsai included. See the page on winter care.

Bonsai Pruning

Bonsai are never finished. To maintain a desirable shape, you will always have to trim new growth as well as roots.

Even bonsai pruning will depend on the type of tree you have.

Plants with leaves are trimmed with sharp shears, juniper needles are often pulled or "pinched".

Learn More

To learn more about growing plants in general, consider buying a basic high school horticulture book. Try to find a used one online. You may find bonsai care becomes much easier to understand.

And speaking of online, don't be surprised if you get conflicting information about your bonsai from internet sites.

Sometimes, it is a matter of opinion and experience. Other times, it is a total lack of knowledge.

With a little research, you will learn the best people and best sites to trust.

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Where to Go from Here

If you haven't used the many links on this page, consider

starting with the detailed watering bonsai page.

Also take a look at Bonsai Plant pests.