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Bonsai Tree Care
First and foremost think about the
conditions the tree will be in. Indoor
Bonsai will generally need to be close to
a window or be supplemented with
artificial light. A small tray with
gravel and a little bit of water under
the tree will add humidity around the
tree. It may not need to be watered every
day but it should be checked daily as the
small pots can dry out rather quickly.
Steps in bonsai care
Watering
Watering is the most important part in
bonsai care. This is the crux of the art
of bonsai. Most Bonsai tree that die are
lost due to dehydration, either from lack
of watering or from being kept in a low
humidity environment (indoors) for too
long. How often you should water is a
common question people ask about bonsai
trees. There is no hard and fast rule
prescribed for the same. When the soil
begins to dry out water your plant
thoroughly until the excess water runs
out of the bottom of the pot, signifying
you're done. Remember, over-watering is
as bad as under-watering, thus all the
fuss about getting it just right.
Pots and soil
The soil you use affects rooting,
feeding, watering and transpiration, it
is where half your tree lives so this is
the second biggest consideration in
maintaining your bonsai. While the needs
of individual species vary greatly a good
rule of thumb is 30% grit, 70% humus for
deciduous trees, and 70% grit with 30%
humus for evergreen-needled plants.
Bonsai trees should be fertilized with a
water-soluble fertilizer once or twice
per month during the growing season.
However the choice of fertilizer may vary
depending on the species you've chosen to
miniaturize. Always apply fertilizer when
the soil is wet. Bonsai trees are
intentionally allowed to become
root-bound in their containers, and the
roots too, are pruned.
Pruning
A bonsai plant is pruned in two ways viz.
branch pruning and root pruning. Pruning
of branches is performed in spring. Much,
but not all of the new growth is removed.
Branches are selected early on as the
only branches to be allowed to prosper,
while the excess branches are mercilessly
pruned off. The main factor in
maintaining bonsai is the removal of all
but the most important parts of the
plant. Bonsai is all about the reduction
of everything just to the essential
elements. Also Bonsai trees are
intentionally allowed to become
root-bound in their containers, and the
roots too, are pruned. But root-bound
plants won't thrive forever in that
condition and, indeed, bonsai trees must
be re-potted every two or three years to
furnish the roots with fresh soil.
Changing the shape of the tree
Bonsai tree wiring is an advanced skill
to grow the bonsai into an art form.
Desirable branches are wired to control
the direction in which they grow. Wiring
can do a great deal to change the shape
of the plant, but it can also do a great
deal of damage to the plant if done
incorrectly.
To sum up
This may seem like a lot to do to just to
buy a little tree, but it's no different
than any other informed purchase, just as
you wouldn't buy a fish without having a
special home for it you should have a
special home for your Bonsai tree.
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