How to properly look after a bonsai tree
Bonsai trees require constant attention, so here is a five-step guide to ensure you have the best looking bonsai in town.
Bonsai trees are very cool features to have in your home. They are a talking point for when guests are over, and they are said to promote a calmer atmosphere in your house.
Just like any other plant, bonsai trees need love and care. They are actually quite needy plants, so if you are the type of person who forgets to turn lights off or leaves windows open at night, you can stop reading now.
Here is a five-step guide to ensure you have the best looking bonsai in town.
1 - Glorious light
Bonsai trees require lots of light to keep them in perfect form. Keeping your bonsai in dark areas of your home is not going to do anything but harm it. Make sure your bonsai is left where natural light can work its magic, but refrain from leaving it in direct sunlight or anywhere near hot appliances. Too much heat will hurt your little guy (we all know how hot it gets in South Africa), so find the perfect spot where daylight is accessible, and heat is avoided.
2 - Create a humid environment
Bonsai trees thrive on humidity. While you don't want your entire house to be hot and humid, there is a way to isolate humidity just for your bonsai. Simply place the pot your bonsai is in on a humidity tray. The tray will catch excess water and through evaporation will create the humidity the tree requires.
3 - Water me please!
Some people believe that bonsai trees do not require constant watering. Nonsense! A bonsai is not a cactus! Bonsais require constant attention when it comes to their water levels. If the soil around your bonsai is dark brown and a bit moist, you do not need to water it. However, as soon as the soil turns light brown and feels dry to the touch, give the guy some water - you DO NOT want to dry the soil out. To avoid drowning your bonsai, simply water it until you can see water filling up your humidity tray underneath. You will need to check when you wake up and before you go to bed whether your bonsai needs water. Always keep the soil moist, your bonsai will return the favour by looking its best.
4 - Feed your bonsai
While water is vital, food for your bonsai promotes a stronger tree. However, using any old plant food is not going to work here, as they are often far too strong for your bonsai to handle. You will need to buy proper bonsai food, which should be available from all good nurseries and hardware stores. Follow the instructions on the packet, as there are different types of bonsai foods and they work in different ways.
5 - Time for a groom
Yes, the correct term is prune, but we are trying to give the bonsai human characteristics so you don't forget about him! There is nothing wrong with giving your bonsai a prune regularly, both in order to keep the shape of the leaves you want and to remove old shoots. When Spring comes around, that is when you give your bonsai a full-on prune, in order to promote proper regrowth, but during the other periods of the year, be gentle and kind to ensure a green look. Also don't stress if you take too much off the tree, because if you are looking after it properly, then regrowth will not be an issue. Kind of like shaving off your eyebrows by mistake...
Take a look at some of the bonsai trees from the Cape Bonsai Kai Show held in 2010 at Cape Town's Kirstenbosch Gardens:
Do you own a bonsai tree? Do you have any hints or tips we may have missed? Let us know in the comments section below.