Dasha is an avid gardener. She loves growing organic fruits and vegetables to live a fit and healthy lifestyle.

Bonsai is not just a green decoration in the house; it is a miniature tree that is quite temperamental. Caring for them will take some work and time, but the result well exceeds all expectations. Bonsai will create a whole new world in your home

Even if you are not already a professional in dealing with this little miracle of Japan and its culture, the love of this beautiful and unusual plant will help to overcome the difficulties that will come up in the first years of getting to know the bonsai. A few years later, your world will be filled with unusually spectacular views of the miniature landscape.

The prototype for a bonsai tree was taken from regular trees, which grow in subtropical climates, tropical forests, and coniferous places. Naturally, the first problem relates to the climate to which the original is used to. If you are buying a bonsai, then try to buy the ones that are closer to your habitat zone.

Temperature

When it comes to indoor bonsai tree care, it is important to reproduce the temperature that is necessary for the plant. Pomegranate, olive, and myrtle bonsai all perfectly adapt to room conditions, and this applies to all versions of the subtropical bonsai. A summer garden, a balcony, or just an open window will bring enormous benefits to the bonsai. Fresh air has a positive effect on the growth and development of this unique house plant.

Surviving the winter is better in a fairly cool room where the temperature ranges around 15°C. For this, a well-equipped and closed balcony would be perfect. The window sill can be used instead of the balcony if you fence it off so that the bonsai receives as little heat as possible.

Lighting

Before setting up the lighting for the bonsai, you must be very well acquainted with the natural conditions in which the tree grows. The most optimal position of the light will be on the east and west sides, so you need to focus on these windows. The west window means that the plant will have to be on the right side. If you place it on the east window, a more favorable effect would be if the plant is on the left side.

A lack of light is bad for the growth of the bonsai. To avoid this, it is necessary to raise the curtains and blinds during daylight hours. And when the right lamp is chosen, it is placed at a height of not more than 50 cm above the plant. This will help give the plant the necessary light and increase daylight to half a day.

Watering

When watering, the frequency and amount will depend on the soil, tank, where it grows, evaporation, and absorption of fluid. For this reason, many believe the correct procedure for watering is not possible. The most optimal option for indoor bonsai tree care is watering in small portions but more frequently. Unfortunately, this option is not available to most gardeners.

A common irrigation method is immersion. For this, you would need to take another container and place your bonsai inside it. It can be removed only when no more air bubbles rise to the surface. That is a signal that the soil no longer needs moisture. But before putting the bonsai in its place, it is necessary to drain the excess water from the container.

In summer, the fresh air washes over the leaves of your tree, and the moisture evaporates from the soil much faster. During this period, the bonsai should be watered at least two times a day. In the winter months, watering is changed to a frequency of once a week.

Before you water the plant, you must be completely sure that the earth is dry. Bright soil color indicates that the bonsai needs watering. For the most experienced people who have dedicated their lives to bonsai trees, the need for water is determined by the weight of the pot or pan and where it is planted.

Fertilizer

Fertilizing bonsai trees requires serious knowledge or a time-consuming process. The most well-known mineral supplements that are suitable for indoor plants—when used at least once a month—will feed the bonsai with the most necessary nutrients. With the coming of winter months, the additional fertilization is stopped, except for the tropical species (if their daylight hours are equivalent to half a day).

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Questions & Answers

Question: Why do leaves fall off of bonsai trees?

Answer: It's hard to answer this question without knowing more about this problem. It could be because of a few different things: not enough watering, too much watering, infrequent watering, not enough sunlight comes to mind.

Question: How much fertilizer do you use for a small bonsai tree?

Answer: It all really depends on the size of the tree, but I would use a handful for a smaller tree, maybe once a month during the spring and summer and not too much during the autumn and winter months.

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