Bonsai is the horticultural art form of training plants to look like large, aged trees that appear in nature, but in miniature. Bonsai can be developed from seeds or cuttings, from young trees or from naturally occurring stunted trees taken from forests or elsewhere and transplanted into containers.  A bonsai is not a genetically dwarfed plant and is not kept small by cruelty in any way. In fact, given an adequate supply of water, air, light and nutrients, a properly maintained bonsai should outlive a full size tree of the same species. The techniques of Bonsai are no crueler than that of any other horticultural endeavor. It is also common belief that bonsai are only a few centimeters tall. This is untrue, although bonsai are small in comparison to their huge life-sized brothers; most are over 25 centimeters tall and up to 1 meter in height.  Most bonsai range in height from 5 centimeters (2 in) to 1 meter (3.33 ft). Bonsai are kept small and trained by pruning branches and roots, by periodic repotting, by pinching off new growth, and by wiring the branches and trunk so that they grow into the desired shape.

Trained Bonsai and Mallsai Bonsai

There are two types of bonsai you can buy - those at reputable bonsai nurseries that have been grown and trained by genuine bonsai artists; and those that are now termed as ‘mallsai’. These plants are usually sold outside of nurseries, in malls or in roadside stands. They can basically be described as non-trained starter plants. The main problem is that they are sold as genuine bonsai when they have received little training, if any, and are likely to be little more than a few years old. Ideally, you are best off owning a bonsai in the former group, but do not feel disillusioned if you do not. If you follow the right steps, you are likely to have a healthy and happy bonsai for many years to come.

Feeding Bonsai Plants

To keep your bonsai in good shape and maintain healthy growth requires regular feeding at the right time of year with the correct fertilizer. Fertilizer must be continually replenished due to a certain amount being washed out each time the plant is watered. You can get many different types of fertilizers, in a variety of forms. The most common is pellet-form (such as ‘Osmocote’). This is a slow-release fertilizer that will take care of feeding requirements for several weeks at a time and is probably the type of fertilizer most used by bonsai enthusiasts. Soluble powder and liquid feeds are also used for rapid effect over short-term periods. These are applied to the soil with a watering can and are used up relatively quickly. As a general rule, feed your bonsai from early spring to late summer. Use a balanced fertilizer with a fairly low nitrogen content year round, and one with as little (or no) nitrogen as possible in autumn to aid the tree (so the tree can retain its energy) through the winter.

Water Your Bonsai Somewhat Frequently

It is very important to water your bonsai frequently. This is mainly because the plants are grown in very small pots, with a very small root system, in a very small amount of soil, and hence can only have very small water reserves.  How frequently you water your bonsai depends on many things. A dry wind, excessive heat, or a combination of both, can quickly dry out the soil, so you must monitor moisture levels regularly. Generally if you keep your trees outside where rain can water them, you don’t need to worry much in the winter except in times of hot weather or little rain. In the summer you should endeavor to water your plants several times a week, and daily in very hot periods - where you should move the trees into the shade. You may find it is a good idea to set up a drip sprinkler system - where the bonsai are watered every day in the summer and every three days in the winter. Alternatively, you can use a watering can with a fine rose attached to water the soil and roots or a ‘watering wand’ which are available at most hardware stores and when attached to your garden hose let out a very fine mist of water - similar to rain. Using a general water sprayer to increase humidity is a good idea if your climate experiences dry periods.  On the opposite side of the spectrum, be careful not to over-water your bonsai. This is often a problem of beginners who want to take such good care of their bonsai that they water them every day - even in winter - and cause the roots to rot.

If you keep these tips in mind and give your bonsai lots of proper care, you’re likely to end up with a beautiful bonsai that you can enjoy for years to come.

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