Bonsai Garden Tips » Bonsai Care

Caring For Your Japanese Maple Bonsai Plant

Ava Conner — Wed, 14 May 2008 23:25:18 +0000

Caring For Your Japanese Maple Bonsai Plant

The Japanese maple bonsai plant is one of the most popular trees found in bonsai cultivation. One of the reasons why this particular tree is used is the beautiful colors that the foliage turns to during the seasons. The deep purple and bright red leaves that the Japanese maple bonsai plant acquires is breathtaking. Not only is the Japanese maple bonsai a beautiful tree, it is also hardy, easy to grow and easy to maintain.

Tips To Grow Japanese Maple Bonsai

Choosing your Japanese maple plant should be limited to one that has a four inch diameter trunk. This shows that the tree is already ready to be trained for cascading and other lower poses. Whereas for apex style bonsai, you will need a Japanese maple bonsai that has around one or two trunk chops.

The Japanese maple bonsai tree has a slow growth pattern that ensures the changing colors of the foliage will be thoroughly enjoyed. The changing of the foliage colors is gradual and sometimes truly amazing. In spring you can expect the leaves to be a bright red color while in summer; they have a sort of bronze red hue. In the fall, the leaves become a dark pink and then finally a deep purple or deep red.

The Japanese maple bonsai may be a hardy tree but they do need to be sheltered from sharp winds. During most of the year, these beautiful bonsai trees will enjoy being put under the full sun but during the warm summer months, you might like to put it in a semi-shaded part of your garden. It does well during the winter months as an outdoor plant but will still need to be placed in a not so exposed area of the garden to protect it from severe chills.

Watering the Japanese maple bonsai tree requires that you keep the soil mostly damp and not allow it to dry. Over drying may cause leaf burn which does not look good for the tree. Experts suggest trimming or pruning the Japanese maple bonsai tree around the end of spring. As with other bonsai trees, pinching or killing of new nodes and sprouts may be necessary to maintain the pose that it is trained to do. The Japanese maple bonsai is prone to growths in the nodes so you will need to be vigilant regarding those.

The Japanese maple bonsai is a very pretty plant that can be used for indoor decoration as well as outdoors. They add life and color to any area that you put them in and also can be a conversational piece for visitors.

Looking For A Japanese Maple?

Purplish-red becoming green in late summer, deeply lobed. Red fall color. Insignificant small reddish-purple flowers in May-June. Deciduous. Keep outdoors. Available 12 months a year. Will have no foliage during winter months.

7 years old
14″ tall
Flowering Bonsai Tree

Click here for more information on this Japanese Maple Bonsai

Tropical Bonsai: Growing Exotic Bonsai Species At Home

Ava Conner — Mon, 05 May 2008 02:57:31 +0000

Growing exotic tropical bonsai plants at home can be quite a challenge even for those who have been growing bonsai plants for years. Tropical bonsai plants are very sensitive to cold weather and if you live in Boston when the weather can be really cold during the winter, it may not really be easy for you to keep your bonsai plants alive and healthy during the cold seasons. To save yourself from the heartaches of seeing your tropic bonsai plants freeze to death during the winter season, here are some tips for you.

Selecting Tropical Bonsai Plant Species

If you want your tropical bonsai plants to survive the changes in the weather, you should choose strong bonsai plant species. Note that pants are just like any other living things in the plant. Some plants are strong and can survive extreme weather changes and there are some plants that are very sensitive to weather changes. Pay close attention to the general characteristics of some tropical plant species and how they adapt to the environment.

Keeping Your Tropical Bonsai Plant Alive

To keep your tropical bonsai plant throughout the winter season, create a warm and sunny environment inside your home and then keep your plants indoors. You can create a sunny and warm environment indoors by setting up a small greenhouse and equip it with UV lights and a heating system. There are a lot of greenhouse heating systems available in the market today so can just pick out a model that is best suited for your needs.

Bonsai Money Tree – Good Luck and Good Fortune

Ava Conner — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:22:19 +0000

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The Bonsai Money Tree:

A great starter plant! The Bonsai Money Tree is extremely hardy and requires minimal attention. A great tree to “get your feet wet”. Is the perfect indoor bonsai.

The Bonsai Money Tree is considered a lucky plant, the more leaves per stem the luckier. For this reason it makes a great gift.

The Bonsai Money Tree is the most popular tree for Feng Shui, as it creates Positive Energy.

Get information on how to obtain a Bonsai Money Tree for yourself or a loved one.

Tree for Luck

Bonsai money trees are perfect gifts for people who are superstitious by nature because in Eastern legends, bonsai money trees are symbols of luck especially when you acquire them not by purchase but by way of gifts from other people. Make sure that you inform the recipient of course that luck won’t knock on their doorstep if they don’t take special care of their plant.

The luck of bonsai money trees depend on the number of leaves it has on each stem. It’s typical for bonsai money trees to have four or five leaves on each stem. Make sure then that you don’t give anything less than this as it could cause your more superstitious recipients to think that you don’t wish for them to fully prosper.

The luckiest among all bonsai money trees are those with seven leaves on each stem. If you find a bonsai money tree of this kind, do make sure that you give it to someone who’s extremely dear to you. A special bonsai money tree, after all, is meant for a special person!

A Great Starter Plant

Bonsai money trees are ideal gifts for people with very light green thumbs or are still starting out in gardening. Unlike other species of bonsai trees, the bonsai money tree is easy and simple to grow.

The bonsai money tree requires minimal care and attention, so you don’t necessarily have to spend the whole day monitoring its growth. Of course, be sure to advise your recipient that even bonsai money trees need to be shown TLC once in a while to grow properly.

How Often Should I Water My Bonsai Tree?

Ava Conner — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 02:13:05 +0000

The most important aspect of bonsai care is proper watering. How much water and how ofter will depend on the variety of bonsai you chose and whether it is kept indoors or outdoors.

How Much Water Does My Bonsai Need?

The first factor to keep in mind is the time of year. More water will be needed during warmer months. The size of the bonsai tree as well as the number of leaves are also a deciding factor. A bonsai tree with a high number of leaves is going to require, and create, more food. Leaf size is also going to determine how much water. Remember, more leaves and larger leaves require additional water and nutrients to create more food.

You will want to pay a little more attention to the state of the soil if your bonsai is an indoor bonsai tree. For most varieties you will not want to let the soil get to a state where it is dry and dusty. A bonsai tree with soil in this state desperately needs water and could be on the verge of dying!

Soil is not the only consideration for indoor bonsai trees. The higher the humidity in the area of your bonsai, the longer it will be able to go without watering. A humidity tray is especially helpful here. Misting your bonsai regularly is a good idea as well. Regular misting will allow your tree to go longer without watering. These techniques are commonly used with tropical varieties of bonsai trees that require a humid, rainforest atmosphere.

Understanding watering techniques is crucial if you intend on expanding your bonsai tree collection to multiple plants. Not only does each variety have different needs, but depending on your shaping preferences, each tree will be different. Be sure that you know your trees’ needs and they will reward you with years of peace and beauty!

Bald Cypress Bonsai Care Tips

Ava Conner — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:32:10 +0000

For the beginning bonsai gardener, nothing beats the bald cypress bonsai as a tree to start with. Making the decision to purchase the bald cypress bonsai is the easy part. You have two options when selecting your bonsai. Start from a seedling or choose an already grown tree. Bald cypress bonsai trees are found in the southeast typically in swampy areas, and can also be purchased from garden centers online and in your local area.

* Did you know? The bald cypress is the official tree of the state of Louisiana!

Caring for Your Bald Cypress Bonsai

The bald cypress bonsai tree needs lots of water, light, and room to grow. A tip to keep in mind is that unlike most bonsai trees that prefer soil that drains water quickly, bald cypress bonsai are swamp natives and like a wet, humid environment. Now, this doesn’t mean that you have to hook up a constant watering system to your tree. Daily watering should suffice.

You will want to place your tree outdoors in a location that will receive the benefit of full sunlight throughout the day. While you can grow the bald cypress bonsai indoors, it is recommended as an outdoor bonsai tree. If you do choose to grown indoors, select a location near a window that takes advantage of sunlight for most of the day.

* Did you know? The bald cypress bonsai is a great choice for beginners! Sunlight and lots of water are all you need to begin!

Bald Cypress Bonsai Maintenance

Shaping tools will be required immediately if you chose to start with a grown tree. These tools are required to cultivate and shape your tree to your desired form. There is a pattern that you should adhere to when shaping your bald cypress bonsai. Height should be equal to base width times six (H = Wx6). Regular pruning will be necessary to maintain your desired form.

With the right amount of care and devotion, you will achieve a beautiful bald cypress bonsai tree. Remember though, mastering the art of bonsai is not an overnight process. Experience is only gained by making that first cut. Don’t be afraid, time will heal all wounds!

Caring for An Indoor Bonsai Tree

Ava Conner — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:23:28 +0000

The beauty, peacefulness, and serenity of the bonsai tree is one of the main reasons that so many people opt to care for an indoor bonsai plant. There are a few points to keep in mind if you feel that an indoor bonsai is the choice for you. An indoor bonsai plant needs additional care. They will not receive as much sunlight and natural weather as their outdoor counterparts. It is also worth noting that some variety of bonsai are not as hardy as others and may have special needs regarding light and water.

Indoor Bonsai Water and Lighting

An indoor bonsai plant will require some sort of light to simulate sunlight. Careful monitoring for watering is also essential. A well ventilated area to place your bonsai plant should also be a priority. The species of bonsai plant you choose will determine the amount of water needed and how you should maintain the soil. There are species that can thrive through a a drought, while others require constant monitoring.

Reproducing a rain forest type of humidity by misting your plant is a wonderful idea. You could also consider a humidity tray, however care should be taken to make sure that it is not exposed to the water. Try placing it on a bed of pebbles or on a stand.

Pruning and Cutting

Regular pruning and cutting is very important to an indoor bonsai plant. Remember, your bonsai plant is a living and growing being! If you wish to maintain size and style, you will need to care for your plant properly. Repotting will be necessary once every one to three years depending on the variety of bonsai tree you have chosen.

Did you know that some species of bonsai trees hibernate during winter season? Some species require fewer nutrients during winter and will not require as much fertilizer as they would during the spring and summer months. Keep in mind though, an indoor bonsai will not experience the seasons the same way an outdoor plant would.

Watch for signs of pest contamination or disease. Mites and spiders love an indoor bonsai as it brings the outdoors in to them! Don’t hesitate to clean your bonsai’s leaves and branches with a brush or damp cloth.

Hopefully this is enough to get you started with your indoor bonsai garden. Remember, the hard work you put into your bonsai now will reward for years to come with a peaceful and serene companion.

Care and Maintenance of Your Bonsai

Ava Conner — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 03:09:49 +0000

Bonsai is an art form that has been practiced and refined over thousands of years. Whether you consider yourself a gardener who simply delights in the presence of you Bonsai, or if you are a Bonsai artist, learning proper care and maintenance of your Bonsai will enhance your, and your Bonsai’s experience.

A Journey of a Thousand Miles …

Begins with one step. This old proverb certainly holds true when it comes to Bonsai care and maintenance! You can not properly care for your Bonsai until you understand the basics of plant care.

Watering – will depend on the variety of tree you chose for your Bonsai. Try to maintain and environment where the soil is always damp, however avoid over-watering as it will lead to a situation where your plant can start to grow fungus which in turn will cause it’s roots to rot. Damp is good, puddle is bad!
Planting – gravel and clay work potting work very well for Bonsai trees and will help with water drainage.
Sunlight – as with many plants, sunlight is a very important factor in Bonsai care. Growing your tree outdoors is ideal, however you can easily grow it indoors as well. Try to place your Bonsai tree in a place where it will receive sunlight for at least half the day.

My, What Lovely Curves You Have …

Mastering the basics of Bonsai care is not too difficult. It is shaping that sets this ancient art form apart from your typical gardening. You must learn how to trim and shape your bonsai tree. This is an ancient practice that takes skill and patience. It takes months and years of trimming and shaping little by little with a series of handheld tools in order to achieve the proper shape. It is wise to have different sizes of shears in order to take care of your plant properly, so it may take a little investment on your part, but once you have a beautiful bonsai tree, it will be worth it.

Nothing worth having is achieved overnight. Be patient with your new craft. Bonsai is more than a hobby, it is a wonderful adventure that will enchant you for years to come.