Indoor Bonsai Care

Image by miki via Flickr

Properly caring for your indoor bonsai tree is essential. But by following just a few simple growing instructions, you can grow really beautiful bonsai trees.

Before beginning, make sure the tree you choose is one that will do well indoors. Some trees just need too much light to grow well indoors.

Once you are sure that your bonsai plant can be grown indoors, you are all set. By following these few basic tip, you should have no problem growing healthy indoor bonsai trees.

Growing Environment

The first thing to keep in mind when growing the indoor bonsai tree is choosing the right growing environment. Your bonsai tree should be kept in a room that has plenty of light and just the right temperature, not too hot and not too cold.

The room must have a good source of natural light. You will want to keep your indoor bonsai tree large windows to allow your tree to receive as much indirect sunlight as possible.

The farther north you live, the more likely you will need those windows to face south to get enough light in the winter (or the opposite, in the Southern Hemisphere).

Rich Soil

Another important factor to growing the indoor bonsai Tree is using the correct soil. Not only do you want the highest quality soil available, but also you may need to use different types of soil for the various bonsai Trees.

The best way to determine which soil is right for the type of indoor bonsai Tree that you intend to grow is to visit a gardening store and ask them. Make sure that you inform them exactly which type of bonsai Tree you need the soil for.

Fertilizer

Not applying fertilizer correctly can be devastating to your indoor bonsai tree. This is a common mistake for beginners.

An indoor bonsai tree needs to be given a water-soluble fertilizer at various times. It is also important that the fertilizer be applied only when the soil is wet.

In addition, it is recommended that you use the highest quality fertilizer available, but use it sparingly. Too much fertilizer is much worse than not enough.

Watering

Watering your indoor bonsai tree correctly is easily one of the most important elements of growing the tree successfully. If you do not water enough, the tree becomes dehydrated and soon dies. Watering too much drowns the tree, with a similar result.

A good rule to follow when watering your indoor bonsai tree is to wait until the soil begins to dry out but is not completely dry. Then add just enough water to saturate the soil and seep out the bottom.

Do not water again until the soil begins to dry out.

Pruning

Pruning the indoor bonsai tree is also important to successfully growing these trees. There are two different steps to pruning the bonsai Tree.

In the spring the branches of the trees should be trimmed, leaving only those branches you wish to keep. Root pruning should be done when the roots have bound up in the pot.

Once you have learned the basics of caring for them, you will find bonsai trees to be wonderful plants for your home.