Bonsai Care
By Jim Robinson, 1977

The care of Bonsai is different than house plants and will require different techniques.

1. Bonsai generally is not a house plant. It is kept outdoors and on occasion can be brought indoors for enjoyment for about three days. However, tropical or subtropical bonsai do well indoors if given proper humidity and light.

2. Watering outdoor bonsai is different than an indoor plant. Bonsai containers limit the volume of soil and require daily watering during the hot summer days or more frequently for small containers. The holes in the bottom of the container provide drainage but also cause drying of the soil area in the center and bottom directly under the tree. Soaking the tree in a pan of water, up to the soil line, for 15 to 20 minutes every other week will insure that the entire soil area is receiving adequate water. Bonsai planted in well draining soil can withstand frequent watering but never leave standing in water.

3. Conifers and some junipers can withstand sub zero temperatures and can be wintered outdoors with the container buried in sand, gravel, or in the garden. This will keep the container from cracking and will keep from burning the roots that are nest to the surfaces of the container. It is best to store deciduous and less hardy trees in an unheated garage or cold frame. Water requirements are less during the winter but be certain the soil is kept moist.

4. Slow release fertilizer or a weak solution of liquid fertilizer applied once a month during the early spring and summer is recommended for all bonsai.

5. Bonsai trimming should be done yearly to maintain its desired shape and condition.

6. Repotting as part of the bonsai care program is vital in maintaining healthy trees. This operation should be done whenever the trees become root bound.