Many people think that the art of bonsai is the stunting of the tree's growth, but actually it is the ability to grow trees in very confined spaces. Depending upon your own preferences, they can feature certain environmental conditions such as age, extreme weathering and contorted shapes. The essence of growing bonsai is to recreate some of nature's brilliance on trees of less magnitude. Growing bonsai trees indoors is quite a challenge since most trees prefer outdoor living. Many factors come into play including pruning, fertilizer and light. And, there are so many types of bonsai trees, each one requiring different treatment. Bonsai trees can basically be divided into three categories: Tropical, Sub-Tropical and Temperate. These groups are then divided between deciduous and coniferous. A deciduous bonsai is one that loses all its leaves during one season of the year, usually winter. These mainly consist of broad-leafed trees like cherry, maple and oak. A coniferous bonsai usually keeps its leaves throughout the year. These are mainly pines, firs, junipers and the like. They are distinctive in that they have more of a needle-like leaf. The coniferous trees are often referred to as evergreens, and although they consistently have leaves, they do shed old leaves as the new leaves emerge. Beginners should know that most tree and shrub types are suitable for bonsai training, but it is the deciduous trees that can have their leaf sized reduced. Some coniferous trees can also be reduced in size with some knowledge and effort. The flower of a tree cannot be reduced in size, although trees which bear a flower, then a fruit can sometimes be reduced.
There are many different types of light bulbs available for purchase but fluorescent bulbs work the best. Traditional bulbs, and even special growing bulbs, give off heat when they burn and can dry out your tree. Since fluorescent bulbs don't give off heat, they are perfect for the bonsai. Although there is quite a variety of fluorescents from which to choose, try to select one that is advertised as "full spectrum". Then, set the lights up on a 24 hour timer. To give the tree a sense of the different seasons, reduce the light 15 minutes a week from the cycle until late December, then add 15 minutes a week until late June. If you will be taking the bonsai outdoors during nice weather, take them out as early in the spring as your climate allows. If they go from artificial light to intense summer sun, they will develop bigger, thicker, fuller leaves, which will deter what you are trying to accomplish.
After potting your bonsai with compost, it is not necessary to fertilize for several weeks. After that time passes, you'll fertilize with a weak mixture once or twice a month, discontinuing in winter months. Fertilizers are available specifically for the bonsai, but if unavailable in your area, houseplant fertilizer is sufficient.
Indoor bonsai trees should be properly watered at all times. During the growing season, they should be kept moist, including the root ball, but in winter the amount of water can be diminished. Never allow the tree to become extremely dry.
One way to water bonsai trees is to immerse them up to the rim of the pot in a bowl of water that has been standing overnight and settled at room temperature. It's also helpful if you spray a mist on the upper portion of the tree during summer months.
When pruning the tree, great care must be taken to reduce the risk of damage to the tree. Normally, trees with broad leaves can develop 6 or 7 leaves before being cut back to the 2nd leaf. Evergreens, such as junipers, should be pruned by pinching. Don't cut the green growth of these trees. They only need to be cut when the growth has hardened. Trees with needle-like growth have small buds at the base of some of the needles. These must be pinched off or carefully snipped. Since the care of assorted varieties requires different treatment for each, become expert at your particular type of tree by reading and studying as much as possible about the specific variety. Generally, heavy branch pruning is done when the tree is semi-dormant. General pruning is carried out throughout the growing season. If you naturally have a green thumb, you'll probably do well when it comes to growing bonsai, but don't fret if one of your trees doesn't fare well. Try to determine what caused the death, make adjustments in your techniques and try, try again.
