Bonsai trees make very interesting and attractive conversation
pieces and growing and caring for your bonsai will quickly
become a passion! They offer a wonderful hobby and a great
stress reliever and can even help purify the air in your home.
Light:
Good daylight is necessary to keep your tree healthy. In the
summer, when the sun is hot, and the soil dries out quicker,
keep your tree in a partly shaded area. This will help the tree
retain moisture. In the winter, do the opposite. Place the tree in
a bright and sunny window that can help prevent it from staying
too wet. Never place your plant in the direct flow of a heater or
air conditioner, this will cause it to dry out very quickly.
Water:
The bonsai tree should be watered by placing the pot in a bowl
of water (or a humidity tray). When all of the soil has absorbed
water, bubbles will stop forming in the water, and the tree
should be removed. This should be done about once a week, or
as needed. Bonsai soil should never be soaking wet as this can
rot the roots, but it should not be dry and crumbly either.
Feeding:
We always recommend feeding your bonsai. Please feed with
a bonsai fertiliser – other general plant foods can be too strong
for the bonsai and may scorch the roots. If using a liquid
bonsai feed we would recommend feeding once a week to once
a fortnight during the spring, summer and autumn. Reduce
the feeding to approximately once a month in mid-winter
when it is barely growing. It is particularly important to feed
flowering bonsai.
Compost:
Bonsai trees require a special bonsai compost which is
available at Perrywood.
Trimming:
The trimming of a bonsai plant is very important so that it grows
correctly into the desired shape. Leaves and branches can be
trimmed to help the plant grow the way you want it to. Spring
is the best time to hard prune – remove all the straggly shoots.
If the wrong leaf or branch is trimmed, the shape of the tree
can be altered severely. Sharp scissors should be used to avoid
causing damage to the tree. Sharp tools will make a clean cut
and leave the tree healthy.
Potting:
A bonsai tree will not be healthy or grow well if the pot is not the
proper size. As a general rule, the width of the pot should be 1/3
of the height of the tree and the depth of the pot should be about
the same height as the trunk of the tree. Your tree will need to be
re-potted to a larger pot annually if it is growing properly.
Top Tip:
Never let them dry out! This will ensure a healthy and vibrant bonsai.
