Bonsai: home care
Bonsai is a small ornamental tree that does not even reach one meter in length during its life. These mini-trees look very beautiful, but they require special care. However, if you are armed with the necessary information about bonsai, caring for it is not difficult.
Before proceeding directly to the rules of care, the owners of the ornamental plant should be warned about mistakes that can lead to the death of the bonsai. Often people place houseplants on the windowsill, but this location is dangerous for bonsai. Indeed, in this case, direct sunlight can fall on the tree. In addition, it must be protected from heating appliances and drafts.
Caring for bonsai at home takes a lot of time and patience.
Bonsai care includes the following steps:
- watering;
- pruning;
- feeding.
Now let’s look at these points in more detail.
It is better to moisten the soil on which the bonsai grows with melt or rain water. In the warm season, the plant can be watered daily, in winter – once a week. Bonsai can be moistened by irrigation or immersion.
The most important part of caring for a mini-tree is pruning. It must be produced regularly, otherwise the crown will become scarce, and the trunk will be ugly stretched upwards. When trimming the top of the plant, one should focus on the appearance of a bud, which should be removed immediately. After that, you need to cut off the shoots.
When caring for bonsai, do not forget about feeding. Both organic and inorganic fertilizers are suitable for this. The procedure should be carried out weekly.
In the first seven years of a tree’s life, it is necessary to transplant it annually. Upon reaching the agreed age, the tree is transplanted once every two years. The best time for the procedure is the beginning of spring. For a transplant, you must perform the following algorithm:
- Remove the plant from the pot along with the earthy clod.
- Cut off diseased and dried roots, and shorten the healthy part a little.
- Cover the bottom of the new pot with fresh soil and dip the root of the tree into it.
- Add the remaining soil to the pot.
After the procedure, water the plant abundantly. An ideal place for a pot would be a windowsill on the southeast side.
If you grow bonsai on your own, then do not neglect the above tips. After all, it is not difficult at all, and the result will delight you for many years.