What is Indoor Bonsai Care ?

Growing dwarf plants in containers was also popular, but by modern bonsai standards the container plants of this period were inappropriately large. From China, the practice of Bonsai spread to Japan around the Heian period. Bonsai is a Japanese term which in its native language translates to mean “tray gardening”. This term describes exactly what bonsai is as it is a tree which is grown in a small pot or tub enabling it to be kept indoors. These trees are not always genetically predisposed to be small and so they are kept this way through careful pruning. The ability to care for a bonsai tree keeping it small and healthy is an art form in itself. The trees are commonly pruned in to an aesthetically pleasing shape another reason why they are seen as works of art and not just as plants.

Indoor Bonsai Care Potting Tips

The second stage after using a grow box is to plant the tree in a "training box" this is often smaller and helps to create a smaller dense root mass which can be more easily moved into a final presentation pot.

There are many designs of bonsai pots which is an important aspect when it comes to creating the right tree. They are usually about 2 – 25 inches across and 1 to 10 inches in depth. Some pots are made from clay, some are glazed, but they should all have the correct drainage holes.

A particular type of bonsai would require a certain container of specific size and shape to optimize the proper growth of the plant its foliage and roots. For example the bonsai with a cascade style should be planted in a round pot. This shape is ideal as the cascade style abruptly bends down the rim of the pot. Likewise we must assure that the position of the pot or container should be correct. Again in the case of the cascade style the pot should be placed on the edge of the stand or table to provide room for the bending foliage of the bonsai.

Indoor Bonsai Care Pruning Tips

It’s all too easy to get carried away when pruning your Bonsai tree just remember that cutting branches off is easy, but putting them back on is impossible. The moral here is to only remove branches that need to go. This is why it is a good idea to follow a plan or picture. Something you can refer to when you are unsure on what to remove.

Use a Bonsai fork to comb out the roots. Do this by combing out the roots from underneath, and then use scissors to prune up to a third of the roots, and then cut out small wedges around the root base to allow fresh soil to collect and keep your Bonsai healthy. Add a layer of grit to the bottom of the pot and then add the Bonsai compost of your choice.

Only remove branches that are affecting the way your Bonsai is growing. If a branch is causing the tree to drastically differ from your design it may be appropriate to heavily prune that branch.

Indoor Bonsai Care Soil Tips

Watering methods are very important to a Bonsai Plant. If you fail to observe this aspect, the chances are that you will lose your Bonsai Plant. You must understand that watering techniques do differ. One consolation is that most Bonsai Plants do have a similar pattern of watering needs.

When providing water to Bonsai plant there are two major things to consider. One is the amount of water to give to Bonsai plants. And the other is when to water the plants. When determining the amount of water to give the Bonsai plant, bonsai artists especially those who are new to the art of Bonsai gardening must not give too much or too little water. To know the amount of water to give a Bonsai plant, the Bonsai artists must know several factors about the Bonsai plant. These are size and specie of the Bonsai, size and shape of the pot, the soil mixture used, and the weather conditions where the Bonsai plant is to be grown.

How frequently must we check on the plants for watering? Initially you will have a problem. However using a nightly check you will soon be able to determine a more accurate pattern. During hot or warm periods the frequency for watering will increase. Therefore, you would simply make the appropriate adjustments which may require you to check the soil more often to determine a new pattern. For the plant to continue to survive or to grow, the soil has to be in moist.

Indoor Bonsai Care Techniques

Next thing to consider is the proper place where the bonsai should be placed. As a general rule bonsai should not be placed in a location where it is directly hit by sunlight. Whether the bonsai is placed indoors or outdoors it should be placed in an area where there is proper circulation of air, relatively humid, and easily accessible by the owner for care and attention. The good thing is that just by looking at the bonsai one will easily notice if the plant likes its current location. Look for signs of wilting or discoloration and once it is seen that is the time when the bonsai should be transferred to a different location.

The trees are usually the same species, but a variety of heights are employed to add visual interest and to reflect the age differences encountered in mature forests.

The most interesting bonsais are created from already runty plants with considerable narrowing trunks and naturally twisty or gnarled branches. Also, using young but otherwise normal plants can be effective as well. You can find such trees in either the wild or in a nursery.

Indoor Bonsai Care Tidbits

Fact is, in Japan, a beginner may learn to prune a bonsai on the first day, but it may take him years to finally learn the skill of watering it. If you are growing your outdoor Bonsai in a pot which is the most common and sensible way to do it, then you should never bring it indoors. No matter how ill it looks it will undoubtedly not enjoy the sudden change in conditions and even the most healthy and hardy of Bonsai can only withstand a day possibly two at the very most indoors as a center piece. It is very important to remember this... do not bring an outdoor Bonsai indoors for longer than one day every season. Bringing your Bonsai in during the winter and putting it next to the blazing hot heater is undoubtedly going to scorch the leaves and the roots and your plant will probably die from dehydration. The reverse is also true bringing a Bonsai in from the heat and leaving it next to the Air Conditioning unit is the equivalent of a shock frost in summer and will also kill your Bonsai. Additionally, some pruning must be done seasonally, as most trees require a dormancy period and do not grow roots or leaves at that time; improper pruning can weaken or kill the tree.

Most Bonsai trees require several hours of direct or slightly filtered sun every day. Some people think that a bonsai is another plant or tree variety that is a genetically dwarf and that it will never grow as tall as any normal tree. But bonsai does not refer to a variety of any plant or tree. Rather it is an art of miniaturizing a plant variety. Bonsai pronounced as “bone sigh” is a Japanese word that refers to the art of growing trees or plant in a pot. The existence of bonsai was first mentioned in an 800-year old picture discovered at an ancient Chinese temple. It was then deduced that the art of bonsai originated in China. If you don't have access to a certain species of tree in your area, you could always buy some seeds of your desired species and grow them.

Water is indeed a major factor in proper bonsai plant care. These trees are grown in decorative containers and the size is maintained by pruning roots and branches regularly. Bonsai are generally repotted and root-pruned around springtime just before they break dormancy.

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