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Indoor bonsai care can be quite a hard process to say the least. Without proper care & attention bonsai trees are prone to dying which is a rather unfortunate for the grower & the tree itself… Many people have different views on the proper way to care for bonsai trees & today I’m going to tell you the five top indoor bonsai care tips around. By using the advice provided you’ll be easily able to grow great looking bonsai trees & stop yourself from becoming a “bonsai gardening statistic”. The tips I’m about to share with you’re of course reasonably basic, however, they’re very effective at encouraging the growth of bonsai trees. Right. Without using the five tips it’s nearly impossible to grow a good tree as they’re the basic things every bonsai tree requires in order to develop. In a way indoor bonsai care is a bit like building a house - you need firm foundations before you can complete the rest of the construction. The following five indoor bonsai care tips are a firm foundation for growing great trees.

Tip 1 - How To Water A Bonsai Tree

Watering is easily one of the most important elements in indoor bonsai care. Too little water & the tree will dehydrate & die, too much water & you’ll literally drown the tree. After many years experience of growing bonsai trees I have found that watering is the number one problem most people (especially beginners face) To ensure that you’re correctly watering your bonsai tree you should wait for the soil to start drying out (don’t let it completely dry though!) Next, water the plant until excess water seeps out of the bottom of the pot. Do not water the bonsai again until the soil starts to dry out. I have found that this is easily the best way to water a bonsai tree as it’s nearly impossible to either over-water or under-water the tree.

Tip 2 - Picking The Right Soil

Picking the right soil is vital for indoor bonsai care - after all, ½ of the tree is covered by soil. To pick the right type of soil you should visit your nearest garden centre (or bonsai specialist if there’s one in your area) & tell them what exact type of bonsai tree you have. They will often help you find the right soil for your needs. Also, remember to buy the highest quality soil you can as this makes a massive difference. Spending an extra $5 a bag on higher quality soil is definitely worth it in the long run!

Tip 3 - How To Apply Fertilizer Correctly

Incorrect application of fertilizer is quite a big problem for all those new to indoor bonsai care. On many occasions I have even seen beginner bonsai growers pick insoluble fertilizers & then wonder why their tree wound up dying a few weeks down the track. Bonsai trees need to be given a water soluble fertilizer either once or twice or two times a month during the growing season only. Also, the fertilizer must only be applied when the soil is wet or you’ll see no result from the fertilizer. Buying a high quality fertilizer is also worth the extra cost so visit your local gardening centre & inquire about the various types of water soluble fertilizer they have. If you attempt one type of fertilizer & it does not work then wait until the next growing season to attempt a different fertilizer - do not mix & match unless it’s absolutely neccessary.

Tip 4 - How To Prune A Bonsai Tree

Pruning is another vital part of indoor bonsai care. The process of pruning is done in two different ways (”branch pruning” & “root pruning”) You should branch prune at the start of spring & carefully get rid of all the branches on the tree except those that you wish to keep. Root pruning is similar but should only occur when the bonsai’s roots have bound themselves inside the pot. It’s absolutely critical to learn the basic process of bonsai tree pruning before you attempt & sculpt your tree into various shapes so make certain you get this basic stuff right!

Tip 5 - Choosing The Right Environment To Encourage Growth

This final tip is one of the most important factors in correct indoor bonsai care. You should place your bonsai in an area that receives plenty of sunlight (by a window is a natural choice for most but ensure that the windowsill is wide enough to hold the pot properly so that it does not get knocked over by mistake) Make sure that the room is neither too warm nor too cold (room temperature works well if the tree is given a good source of light but this can vary species to species) Also, make certain that the room is reasonably humid so the soil does not dry out too quickly.

In this article I have covered the five most basic aspects of indoor bonsai care - how to water the tree, how to pick the right soil, how to properly apply fertilizer, how to prune the tree for optimum growth & how to get the growing environment/conditions just right. Follow this advice & you will be well on your way to growing great bonsai trees & being an indoor bonsai care master!

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Samuel Phillipson has been a keen bonsai grower for over 30 years & has a large collection of bonsai trees that have won numerous awards. If you found these tips on bonsai gardening useful you can find out a lot more on how “Growing Bonsai Revealed - Step - By - Step” can help you grow amazing bonsai trees at http://www.squidoo.com/indoor-bonsai-care