What is Bonsai?

Bonsai is actually two words, Bon (‘bone”) and Sai (“sigh”). The word “Bon” means “tray” and “Sai”, “growing” or “planting”. So, the two words together translate as “tray growing” or “tray planting”. Most people assume that bonsai is a type of tree, but in reality it is an art form, a method for growing many different species of plants and trees. A tree in a tiny pot does not a bonsai tree make: bonsai is all about an artistic effect. Also, contrary to popular belief, bonsai has its origins in China, where it began a millennium ago, not in Japan, where Chinese monks brought it. Bonsai are dwarfed by pruning roots and branches, wiring the trunk and branches, and using other techniques to make the tree look like a dwarf mature tree. Achieving a perfected bonsai is considered a great accomplishment.

Bonsai: The Art and Science

The goal is to get the shape you want while balancing the growth above ground with root growth below. Ideally, one should start shaping the tree while it is very young, then continuing along with maturity. Tree shape is controlled by applying copper wire to the trunk and branches, but before you dig, cut the wire so that actually scars the tree. The trick is to keep the entire tree proportional in size, including the fruit, needles, leaves, flowers, all the way down to its container. Size types range from miniature to average: miniature bonsai grow to just 2” tall, and mature in about five years. Small bonsai grow between 2-6”, needing about seven years to train. Medium size grow from 6-12”, and the average bonsai stretches up to 2 feet, maturing in about three years.

Grown from Seeds or Cuttings

Bonsais are grown from either seeds or cuttings. Growing from seeds is very rewarding, as you’re starting with nothing and transforming it into a glorious piece of art. Maturing from cuttings can take some time but is also rewarding. There are two types of cuttings for growing bonsais: hardwood and softwood (or semi-ripe).  Keep in mind that most trees used for bonsai, aside from pines, would be taken from cuttings.

Bonsai Pots

  • Bonsai pots serve many purposes. Aside from being decorative, they offer a secure and healthy home for a maturing bonsai plant. Here are some suggestions to help you choose the best pot for your bonsai.
  • The pot’s width should be 2/3 of the tree’s height. If the tree is short, then the pot should be about 2/3 of the tree’s spread.
  • Except for the cascade style, the pot’s depth should be equal to the trunk’s width.
  • Plant the tree in the midline section of the pot, then to the left or right of the center line.
  • Glazed pots are ideal for fruit or flowering trees, as their colors will enhance those of the bonsai.
  • Match the pot style to the tree. For instance, bonsais trained to be upright style look great in a rectangular pot. An informal upright should be in a round or oval pot.

Soil and Water

Watering bonsai makes it a science. Due to of the small container and small amount of soil in which they grow, growing bonsai must be done carefully. For example, never over-water the roots but always use special bonsai soil, which is meant to dry out more easily than standard houseplant soil. Because of the paucity of soil, bonsais need watering in small amounts, but often. In spring and autumn, feed them potash, nitrogen, and phosphoric acid. Choose a fertilizer that includes chelated iron. You may want to change fertilizer brands from time to time since each has unique though desired trace elements.

Remember that bonsais thrive in humidity, so put it in a shallow tray with water. Then, the water can evaporate from the tray, adding humidity to the air around the tree. Then, raise the bonsai out of the water by placing it atop a flat rock or pebbles in the tray under the pot. Expose trees to sunlight, unless they have just been repotted or pruned. Take care not to under- nor over-water your bonsai. Each species of plant has its own needs.

Finding Your Bonsai

Cultivating a bonsai tree is a real treat. With a little time and patience, you’ll get great results. There are many options. Some people like bamboo because it reminds them of Japanese gardens they have seen. The Braided Monkey Tree is a popular choice for 2 reasons: many Asian cultures associate it with good luck, and it is easy to maintain. The Jade tree, from South Africa, is hardy and has succulent, green elliptic leaves and a thick trunk. It also makes a good option.

Starter Tree: Japanese Red Maple

 Some like to start with a Japanese Red Maple. While starting with the seeds is a nice idea, it requires patience. The tree shows off vibrant red and orange in the warmer months, warming in the summer into a deeper red. The Japanese Red Maple is famous for more than its color of leaves: it is affordable, makes a great informal upright, and its leaves can be trimmed to under an inch, ideal for this style. Its also a top choice due to its long-lasting beauty, with its trunk and branches keeping their green or red color for many months.

Starter Tree: Sea Grape

A semi-tropical tree, the Sea Grape grows in south Florida, as a shrub along the shore. The Sea Grape is special because so unique is that its leaves can be trimmed down to 1-1.5” while maintaining their beauty. Then once the leaves are cut, they heal themselves, resulting in a striking red border. The Sea Grape is very durable and can be trained in a variety of styles.

Starter Tree: Chinese Elm

Typically, when a person thinks of bonsai, they think of the Chinese Elm. While cultivable indoors, they are meant to be outdoors in partial sun. The Chinese Elm has an amazing shape and appearance. Its leaves will gradually become smaller as you train it each season.

Starter Trees: Himalayan Cedar and Brazilian Tree

The Himalyan Cedar and Brazilian trees also make great starter bonsai trees. The very adaptable and affordable cedar usually grows to a height of 5-6”. The Brazilian tree is usually grown from a young seedling, usually growing up to 15”. At purchase, it should come with a bare root with a good portion of soil still attached.

Ficus Bonsai

The ficus tree, exotic and rewarding, is a consistent favorite. It’s also a great starter species for those new to bonsai. Ficus thrives indoors, and each of the many varieties, from the dwarf, narrow-leaf, and weeping, has small leaves and grows slowly. 

Watering Your Ficus Bonsai

Never forget that, while taking your ficus bonsai outdoors for short periods is acceptable, it needs to be kept indoors all year long. Like most bonsai trees, the ficus tree should dry out between watering. Testing the soil is as simple as inserting your finger about 1” to see if it feels wet or dry. Never allow it to be completely dry for a long time. To water your tree, soak it in water for about 10 minutes. Then, allow the soil to drain to stop water from leaking out the bottom.

Repotting Your Ficus Bonsai

Ficus bonsai should be repotted about every two years, in early spring. While the ficus usually grows slowly, if you notice a growth spurt that makes the plant completely take over its container within the first year, go ahead and repot in the first year. Once the tree has been moved into its new larger container, water it thoroughly, and keep your ficus bonsai in the shade for a few weeks, allowing the new root system to fill in. This process will give you a healthier and stronger plant that will handle trimming and pruning that much better.

Temperature and the ficus bonsai

As aforementioned, the ficus bonsai should always be kept indoors, but this is especially the case during winter. Still, display them in a sunny area that never dips below 60 degrees. If it gets too cold, your ficus may lose some leaves, so choose a different location, a warmer place in the sun. The fun begins in the growing season when you trim back and apply wire to create the shape you have chosen and the one that works best with this species. That is when it transforms from a tree in a container to an actual bonsai. Take the resulting success and pride and try another ficus bonsai or perhaps another more advanced species. 

Tools

Here is a list of some basic tools to maximize your bonsai pleasure and success. Most of them can be purchased at your local nursery or gardening center, or online. Of course, as with any thing else, you get what you pay for. Cheaper, lesser quality tools will eventually cost you more money due to wear and breakage. Keep in mind that as your skills develop, you will have an eye for what other tools you need for advanced bonsai.

  • All-purpose Shears have a carbon steel blade that can cut right through a ½” branch. The strong pointed tip gets into tight areas.
  • Hand Snips usually come with a protective sheath. Due to their strength and large size, they can cut cleanly through the thickest branch.
  • Concave Branch Cutter, a razor sharp tool designed for cutting branches along the trunk, is the most important tool for bonsai. It simply has no substitute. It creates a wound that heals quickly while minimizing scarring. Correct use and care for it will preserve its sharp edge. To ensure speedy healing, cut vertically up the trunk, as the rising sap will heal the cut much more quickly than will a transverse cut. Nicks in the cutter will render it useless, so use a diamond lap to sharpen it.
  • Bonsai Wire Cutters are meant to remove bonsai wire. Although novices sometimes choose to use standard wire cutters, bonsai wire cutters are recommended because of their rounded head, which prevents damage to the trunk and branches when in use. The jaws give the wire a nice clean symmetrical cut.
  • Grafting Tape helps, when grafting, to avoid the damage caused by wiring. Grafting tape is ideal for plants and trees that do not do well with traditional wiring.
  • Bud Trimming (Satsuki) Shears have a long narrow body, ideal for trimming buds and reaching deep without disturbing the surrounding foliage. Smaller hands fit well into its finger rings. These are the best shears for small (indoor) bonsai sizes. To prevent dull blades, do not use satsuki shears for general trimming tasks.
  • The Watering Wand is conveniently designed with an on/off switch. The wand enables you to efficiently water your bonsai. Its internal nylon diffuser lets out a thick yet gentle spray mist, emulating the rain by distributing water evenly.
  • Cut Paste comes either in a tube or round tin. It serves as a sealant that aids in grafting and cuts. It also includes fungicide and insecticide to help protect the Bonsai.
  • Camellia Oil has been used by samurai to refine and smooth their famous swords. Bonsai tools can benefit equally from its application.
  • Sharpening Stones are available in two options: fine or two-in-one. The fine stone results in clean, smooth edges on your tools. The two-in-one stones, available in coarse or medium, keep the tools sharp for a longer time. Keep in mind that bonsai tools must be as sharp as possible. Tools can be sharpened professionally, you can sharpen them yourself by using an electric wet stone, die grinder, oilstones, Japanese water stones, and ceramic sticks. Feather files are best applied to saws. Diamond laps, helpful for sharpening shears, are ceramic stones embedded with diamond dust. They’re convenient and save money because they do not need lubrication.
  • The folding saw, with its convenient foldable design, has a blade that makes bonsai a joy. The triple cutting surfaces keeps cuts quick and clean.
  • Bypass Pruning Shears are great for heavy-duty projects when training Bonsai. The beveled blade is usually made of a non-stick carbon steel, to so it cuts cleanly and smoothly. Many bypass pruning shears also have a sap groove, 2-layer comfort grips, an enclosed spring, and a lock for both lefties and righties.
  • Traditional Bonsai Trimming Shears are so important to ease trimming of twigs, branches, and roots. They have handles large enough for your fingers. The rivet joining the two halves should be loose enough to allow the handles to easily open and close without having to be pulled apart. Keep the blades very sharp so you can cleanly cut the stems cleanly without crushing them.
  • Spherical Knob Cutter removes trunk knobs and roots. Its ball-shaped head gives it the spherical. The spherical knob cutter makes a hollow, circular cut that heals quickly with a little scarring. This tool is also known as nippers or wen cutters, and can also carve dead wood and jiins, or nipp away at large stubs that are too large for just one cut.
  • Root Hook (a.k.a. Root Rake) is used before root pruning. Its rounded end can be used to disentangle the roots of a larger bonsai without causing as much damage. For smaller and indoor bonsai, use a chopstick or similar tool.
  • The Hori-Hori Digging Tool is popular among bonsai lovers worldwide, but it has its origins in the removal of old plants from high elevations. It is ideal for digging due to its strong thick concave blade. The carbon-steel blade has a semi-sharp, beveled and serrated edge, designed for user’s safety while allowing you to work in challenging and rocky places.

Caring for Your Bonsai all Year Long

Summertime ‘s heat presents unique challenges for Bonsai, but you can help your plant thrive in the hottest months by being informed and using the righ tools.

  • After noon, cover your bonsai an overhead shade cloth.
  • Place your Bonsai on slatted workbenches on the lawn or gravel. In the morning, soak the ground. Then mist the bonsai occasionally.
  • While setting your Bonsai near a pond or swimming pool is fine, be very careful about placing them in pans of water, as the sun can reflect and cause problems.
  • Groupings of bonsai are fine but make sure none of them are touching
  • Use fresh, healthy soil
  • Note water levels and retention for the type of soil you are using.
  • Rotate your bonsai weekly about ¼ turn, ensuring that the entire plant benefits from an equal amount of sun and fresh air
  • Trim the bonsai well, especially if it is an elm, juniper, or some other species that tend to grow wildly.
  • Protect your Bonsai from the western or hot afternoon sun.
  • Grow your Bonsai in a growing bed instead of a pot.
  • Water maples and other thin-edged leaf bearing Bonsai with reverse osmosis or distilled water.
  • Fertilize regularly using 1/2 the normal strength.
  • If you see any wilted leaves, lower the amount of water and let the bonsai bask in the sun. However, only larger Bonsai should be placed in full sun.
  • As summer becomes fall, change your fertilizer to sort that is high in phosphate. A 10-60-10 blend helps the buds build a reserve for the following spring.

In the fall months, be careful not to allow your bonsai to get out of control. Species such as elms, junipers, and pomegranates typically grow very fast in the fall, so you’ll need to restrain new growth.

  • Autumn is the essential time to very closely monitor your water retention for the soil mix: over-watering will kill or severely damage your masterpiece.
  • Give your bonsai a high-phosphate fertilizer, such as a 10-60-10 blend. This will help the buds keep a reserve resulting in a springtime flourish.
  • Wire your juniper and pine bonsai during the fall, and make a habit of checking them for fast growth that, left uncontrolled, could cause scarring.

Winter

In regions that experience deep freezes, you’ll need to protect some species extra carefully. These species include Ficus, Bougainvillea, Elephant’s Food, Natal Plum, Lantana, etc.

  • Before the sun sets, move the bonsai close to the house or under a deck or porch.
  • Elevate your bonsai on a bench, blocks, table, etc. Then cover the pots with a piece of newspaper, anchored with clothespins to avoid dangerous downward drafts.
  • Winter is also a time to reduce watering. Coordinate your watering with the current dew point so if you generally water once every two weeks in the winter but the dew point is very low for about a week, then you might want to water more often, but only then.
  • Winter is the time to stop fertilizing. Wait until you see the first budsFreezing roots and stems undergo chemical and physical changes.
  • When water freezes in the soil, the soil is not actually frozen, but has ice crystals.  Fear not; this will not damage your bonsai, unless the roots are deeply frozen for long durations. Still, while plants do have built-in mechanisms that prevent them from freezing completely, they do need protection during the in wintertime, especially when not yet mature. To do this, place the Bonsai in the ground outside during the winter so that it’s in its natural protected state, or if in a pot, insert mulch. The key is to shield the roots from being exposed to lethal temperatures. To avoid dehydration, provide a windbreak, like a greenhouse or coldframe, and added mulch.

Spring is an eventful time for bonsai: it’s the season for re-growth, new growth, potting, and styling. It’s also the occasion to prune, shape, and re-pot any bonsai that have been in the same pot for 2 years. To variegate how your bonsai looks, try repositioning it in its current pot, or you can completely change the style. This season, keep your bonsai in the shade and out of the wind, with a 30-degree dew point. Keep a spray bottle to keep the root balls moist, and you’re your tools sharp because you’ll be cutting different parts of the tree during the spring.

Even though you’ll still water regularly, start with less water, then increase it gradually. This transition will improve your bonsai’s appearance. After a few weeks, add organic fertilizer. Weekly add fish emulsion if you have a pine or juniper. Cut off flowers at the end of their blooming period – you’ll be rewarded with an even more beautiful bonsai next year.

Young plants need more root pruning. To do this, use concave cutters to remove the tap and larger roots. However, don’t cut anything other than the roots. Now you will also be fertilizing, using one with potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Each ingredient benefits a different part of the plant. Try to use an organic fertilizer, as it will outperform non-organic fertilizer. Add some slow-release solid fertilizer that has micronutrients to your repotting soil. Examine root growth. If lack of growth disappoints you, switch the soil to a coarser and better-draining one. Add some phosphate while using less nitrogen. Leave the roots alone for at least 2 years. For at least a week, keep the tree shielded from direct sun and wind. To let the plant adjust naturally, very slowly introduce it to the sun and wind. 

To keep the branches or trunk from becoming too bulky, keep any new side buds or branches shorter. Keep no more than two active buds per branch. Pines and junipers may require a weekly trim.