Indoor bonsai care can be quite a difficult process to say the least. Without proper care and attention bonsai trees are prone to dying which is a rather unfortunate for the grower and the tree itself. Many people have different views on the proper way to care for bonsai trees and today I am going to tell you the five top indoor bonsai care tips around. By using the advice provided you will be able to grow great looking bonsai trees and prevent yourself from becoming a “bonsai gardening statistic”. The tips I am about to share with you are of course reasonably basic, however, they are extremely effective at encouraging the growth of bonsai trees. Without using the five tips it is nearly impossible to grow a good tree as they are the basic things every bonsai tree requires in order to develop. In a way indoor bonsai care is a bit like building a house – you need firm foundations before you can complete the rest of the construction. The following five indoor bonsai care tips are a firm foundation for growing great trees.
Tip 1 – How To Water A Bonsai Tree
Watering is easily one of the most important elements in indoor bonsai care. Too little water and the tree will dehydrate and die, too much water and you will literally drown the tree. After many years experience of growing bonsai trees I have found that watering is the number one problem most people (especially beginners face) To ensure that you are correctly watering your bonsai tree you should wait for the soil to start drying out (don’t let it completely dry though!) Next, water the plant until excess water seeps out of the bottom of the pot. Don’t water the bonsai again until the soil starts to dry out. I have found that this is easily the best way to water a bonsai tree as it is nearly impossible to either over-water or under-water the tree.
Tip 2 – Picking The Right Soil
Picking the right soil is vital for indoor bonsai care – after all, half of the tree is covered by soil. To pick the right type of soil you should visit your nearest garden centre (or bonsai specialist if there’s one in your area) and tell them what exact type of bonsai tree you have. They will help you find the right soil for your needs. Also, remember to buy the highest quality soil you can as this makes a massive difference. Spending an extra $5 a bag on higher quality soil is definitely worth it in the long run!
Tip 3 – How To Apply Fertilizer Correctly
Incorrect application of fertilizer is quite a big problem for those new to indoor bonsai care. On many occasions I have even seen beginner bonsai growers pick insoluble fertilizers and then wonder why their tree wound up dying a few weeks down the track. Bonsai trees need to be given a water soluble fertilizer either once or twice a month during the growing season only. Also, the fertilizer must only be applied when the soil is wet or you will see no result from the fertilizer. Buying a high quality fertilizer is also worth the extra cost so visit your local gardening centre and inquire about the various types of water soluble fertilizer they have. If you try one type of fertilizer and it doesn’t work then wait until the next growing season to try a different fertilizer – don’t mix and match unless it is absolutely neccessary.
Tip 4 – How To Prune A Bonsai Tree
Pruning is another vital part of indoor bonsai care. The process of pruning is done in two different ways (“branch pruning” and “root pruning”) You should branch prune at the start of spring and carefully remove all the branches on the tree except those that you wish to keep. Root pruning is similar but should only occur when the bonsai’s roots have bound themselves inside the pot. It is absolutely critical to learn the basic process of bonsai tree pruning before you try and sculpt your tree into various shapes so make sure you get this basic stuff right!
Tip 5 – Choosing The Right Environment To Encourage Growth
This final tip is one of the most important factors in correct indoor bonsai care. You should place your bonsai in an area that receives plenty of sunlight (by a window is a natural choice for most but ensure that the windowsill is wide enough to hold the pot properly so that it doesn’t get knocked over by mistake) Make sure that the room is neither too warm nor too cold (room temperature works well if the tree is given a good source of light but this can vary species to species) Also, make sure that the room is reasonably humid so the soil doesn’t dry out too quickly.
In this article I have covered the five most basic aspects of indoor bonsai care – how to water the tree, how to pick the right soil, how to properly apply fertilizer, how to prune the tree for optimum growth and how to get the growing environment/conditions just right. Follow this advice and you’ll be well on your way to growing great bonsai trees and being an indoor bonsai care master!
About the Author
Samuel Phillipson has been a keen bonsai grower for over 30 years and has a large collection of bonsai trees that have won numerous awards. If you found these tips on bonsai gardening useful you can find out a lot more on how “Growing Bonsai Revealed – Step – By – Step” can help you grow amazing bonsai trees at http://www.squidoo.com/indoor-bonsai-care
Thanks for the advice. I’m new to all of this and the question of when to water is the biggest one I have at the moment.
hi i have just brought a bonsai tree but i dont know what kind it is as it does not say on the box it does have white small flowers on it. I am new at looking after a bonsai tree please help me.
Hi sophie, sounds a bit like a serissa foetida. Theres a lot of info on the net about them but I’m afraid a serissa is one of the more difficult trees to take care of… Any chance of some photos?
I bought an indoor bonsai tree and I don’t know they how often to water it. Could you please tell me, and is it true that indoor bonsaio like to go outside in Summer?
It can depend on the type of tree that you’ve got how often you should water it but generally about every 2-3 days. The Japanese test whether it needs water by putting a chopstick into the soil, if it comes out very dry then it needs watering.
Hi. My bonsai is sitting in a sunny position but on a heated floor. I’m sure this isnt doing it any good. Are you aware of any kinds of protective mat or anything I can buy to stop direct heat going from the floor to the pot? The floor more or less is 21 degrees C.
bought a few bonsai trees indoor ones, watered them then went a way to work for about 5 weeks come back and they dont look well, infact i think they are dieing what can i do. ty lynn
A good tip for determining when to water is to push the pads of your fingers into the soil near the trunk of the tree. If it feels cool, damp, or spongy then you should wait to water. If it feels warm, dry, and crumbly it is time to water.
Hi. I have an indoor bonsai for only few weeks so I´m really not experienced with this. Time to time there appear some yellow leaves on the tree, falling out. Is it natural process or is there something wrong? I water it every 2 or 3 days, but we have problems with humidity in our flat, so might be it…?
You will naturally get leaves falling off sometimes but it’s probably a bit stressed out at the moment from the move. Keep it in one place bright but not in direct sun and away from radiators. Water every couple of days and DON’T PANIC!
Hi. I am also new to bonsai growing. My tree is indoors and lost all its leaves in May -thought it was dead but kept watering. To my delight new leaves appeared!! but are now turning yellow again and falling off. Its in a window with late evening sun and I am keeping it moist – don’t think I’m over or under watering. Can you help? many thanks.
what type of tree is it Jenny?
i have a indoor bonsai tree name on the box says bonsai carmona ihave followed the maintinance information on the box but all the leaves are going brown and dropping off even the new ones that are coming through can someone help me please
I agree with you that watering is the number one problem for most beginners. I’m glad you shared some tips on proper watering of the bonsai – not too little, not too much.
maxine the tree you have is also known as a fukien tea. It is unfortunately rather difficult to take care of especially if you are just starting out with bonsai. I would recommend a ficus instead which is much easier
Hi, I purchased a Chinese elm from a local gardening store yesterday. Looks in good health but today I noticed tiny White insects crawling around the soil. They are smaller than a pin head and quite fast. What are they and how do I get rid of them?
This doesn’t sound like any pest you need to worry about unless they have red heads which are vine weevils the number one insect to worry about with bonsai. If you are worried you can spray the soil and leaves with insecticide which you can find at the garden centre
my wife has just bought me a ficus ginseng about 5 days ago, it is well established and stands about 4 foot tall and i am really pleased to receive such a gift however there seems to be alot of the leaves falling off, is this normal on a new move and if not how can i remedy this, thank you.
robert – Yes this is normal after a move just make sure it is in a good position – not too hot not too cold and not too much sun on it and it should return to normal soon.
Hi there, I bought my son a Chinese Elm Bonsai for Christmas but like many people on here I too am new to all this. He is keeping the tree in his room on a desk but not in direct sunlight, should he be keeping it in the window? He is watering it about every 3 days and there are some leaves which are falling off. We just want to know if he should be pruning at all yet? And how far back/how often do you trim the branches?
hi i have a indoor bonsie i have had it 3 mths was xmas presant how do i water it when i am away i am going away for 2 weeks thanks
john – Obviously the best option is to ask someone to come round and water it but you’ve probably thought of that! What you can try is to put a bowl full of water next to the pot and a strip of foam leading from the bowl into the soil of the pot. Keep them at the same level and the water will naturally slowly soak through the foam into the pot.
Hi there, I recently acquired a bonsai as a gift and I’m worried about killing it! I have always kept house plants though I believe bonsai are a bit more specialised. I have watered it by putting it in a shallow bowl of water for a couple of hours to allow water to be absorbed but the leaves appear to be “crispy” and fall off. I don’t want to water it too much though I feel it needs watering again…any suggestions would be very much appreciated! Thanks
Emily I have always struggled with indoor bonsai they really are hard to look after. Outdoor bonsai are much easier as they are just native trees to your region. With indoor trees they shouldn’t need water more than ever few days but they need to be kept out of direct sunlight and away from radiators and electrical appliances. It is a very fine balance keeping them indoors. good luck
Hello! I am interested in beginning to grow my first bonsai tree however my house becomes very cold in winter and the central heating barely works, is it worth it at the moment or should I wait until the heating is corrected? The type of tree I am interested in is a Canadian Maple
A Canadian maple is not a good bonsai to grow indoors as it comes from a place which gets cold in the winter. Normally the only trees suited to indoors are from tropical areas. However because your house gets cold it might be ok to keep it in your house. I would recommend keeping it in the garden outside though.