Bonsai Supplies

You will find that there are different types of bonsai trees. Think about the different types of trees that you will find on the market today. When you are looking for the right tree to use in any type of space, you will want to make sure that you are doing all you can to bring some life and creation to your space.

The sturdy type of bonsai tree is going to be a great looking type of plant that you can use to make your home look and feel great. You will find that the bonsai elephant plant is going to be a very unique and special plant that is going to be something that you use anywhere and in any temperature and area that you want. They are very long lasting and something that you can have around to care for and to make your home just as you want it to be.

When you have a bonsai elephant tree, you will want to show everyone the beauty and glory of the trees. They are going to have the beauty and desire that you are looking for to make any type of style complete. They are going to give you so much pleasure to watch grow and become full grown plants and trees. The care that you have to give them is easy and they are great for anyone that is always and does not have time to give a lot of attention to some plants.

You can give one of the bonsai elephant trees to your family or friends for great presents. Just about any occasion will do for one of these special plants. They are going to be a great plant that is going to give someone years of enjoyment, as they are easy to care for and a lot of fun to have around any space. You can fill your home or office with these precious trees and not have to worry about being a great tree for your home indoors or out.

Check out the different types of bonsai trees and when you are sure of the type that you want, you should get it. These trees are not going to be something that is too expensive. There are different types of trees and plants that are going to be just right for you and your space. Make sure that you do your homework and get the plants that will work out great for the look that you are after. You can get as fun and creative as you want with the designs of all the different elephant bonsai trees and plants that are waiting for you.

When people think of the bonsai tree, they usually think of China and Japan first. While these two countries are most famous for growing and training bonsai, the growing of miniature trees can be traced as far back as ancient Egypt. It’s believed that the growing of miniature trees was pioneered by healers as a way to easily transport trees with healing powers for medicinal purposes. However, it soon evolved into an art form and pastime for the wealthy.

The bonsai is not a genetically modified plant or a hybrid tree. Many different trees found in nature can be made into bonsai, and master growers are always looking for new specimens. The bonsai tree is kept miniature by pruning its roots and keeping it in a small pot. The size of the tree is just one aspect of the bonsai. It’s shape and style is the real way to tell the difference between a bonsai and just a small potted tree. The bonsai’s trunk and branches are shaped sometimes over many years to get the perfect style.

Although you can find lots of different types of bonsai trees, the Juniper in windswept style is probably the most popular. This is where the tree looks like its blowing in the wind. The limbs spread out from the trunk in one direction as opposed to being symmetrical. You’ll also see bonsai in the cascade style, where one branch flows down below the pot. Again, the trees don’t grow that way by accident. It takes years of patient training and pruning, to achieve the shape.

Many connoisseurs of the bonsai aren’t content with a single tree. You might see a group of bonsai trees growing in a single pot. This is called the forest style of display. But it doesn’t stop there. Many growers take great pride in designing intricate miniature landscapes with their trees. It could be an indoor display or even a much larger outdoor display in a garden. However a bonsai is displayed, it requires a great deal of care to keep your tree healthy and properly groomed.

If you own a bonsai, you know how hard they are to care for. They need just the right amount of water. A little too much or too little could be fatal. Your best bet is to use a moisture meter when watering. You also need to repot your tree periodically. This is a great time to inspect and prune your trees root system. One thing that kills bonsai faster than anything else is getting root bound. You need to care for your tree above ground and below.

If you don’t already have a bonsai tree, but want one, my best advice is to find a nursery specializing in bonsai. This can be hard to do, but take to the Internet, and look for one around your area. There you’ll be able to talk to a bonsai master who can give you plenty of advice on caring for your tree. He can also help you select the tree that’s right for you and the amount of time you have to devote to caring for it. Its good to develop a relationship with a bonsai master just like you would with a car mechanic if you want your tree to last for years to come.

Many people are considering bonsai simply as a tree, but its not. Bonsai is a peace of Japanese art, the recreation of nature in a miniature style, a secret wish to exalt the nature and also to bring the nature into the living space, just accomplishing the outside growing conditions.

bonsai hibiscus

You can have your own bonsai, but you have to love it and put your entire feelings in caring it, because you have to know that bonsai is a pretentious and very spoilt tree.

Not all the plants can become bonsai, but the trees, shrubs or bush plants. Its not so easy to make a bonsai, especially to care, but you can live with that because it is longeval (can live for few hundreds years) and a real natural inheritance. Here are some steps for you to fallow for a best bonsai tree care.

For start, take a potted shrub (Hibiscus, Gardenia, Azalea etc.). Depending of what dimension would you like your becoming bonsai to have, choose a junior shrub or mature one.

Using garden clippers, make the first cutting, following the original shape of the plant.

Remove the cut shrub in the special bonsai pot. The base of the bonsai tree container has to be perforated, so that the water surplus can flow, assuring the drainage. For the procedure do become easier and the roots do not be destroyed, take out the plant with its soil and put it in a bucket of water. Thus the soil will fall down in water, cleaning the roots.

Cut 1/3 of the shrub roots.

Put on the base of the pot a napkin (it will stop the breakthrough of the unwelcome insects) then add a pebbles coating (for drainage and keeping the soil in and also balancing the pot).

Fill the pot, for 2,5 cm, with pot mix soil (as regards the soil, pay attention of the bonsai species preferences).

Stick the shrub, disposing well the roots, and add over another soil coating till 2,5 cm from the end of the pot, allowing the watering.

Cut again the foliage so that the shrub seems like a bonsai tree.

Then water a lot the becoming bonsai. After the planting, bonsai doesnt need much water to be beautiful and to grow well. So water it once a day or in two days, depending the species, just keeping the soil moist And fertilize it regular, in small amounts; its preferable to use a slow action fertilizer.

Add above the soil some decorating pebbles.

This is just the beginning, to have a bonsai is very alike caring a pet, because the bonsai tree is a spoilt plant, with particular needs.

Bonsai trees and plants are basically trees and plants that are pruned and trimmed to keep their size minimal. The trees and plants relish the practise because they get a lot of care and attention and have a lifespan similar, even greater in some cases, than their wild counterparts. Indoor Bonsai can be bought from virtually anywhere in the world and the increase in popularity has seen a large increase in the number of specialist shops dedicated to the growing and caring of Bonsai.

Outdoor Bonsai can be grown in a small area of your garden, and some of the most healthy Bonsai in the world are outdoor Bonsai. However, it is important that you should try to buy outdoor Bonsai from a shop close to home, thus ensuring that your specimen can cope with the conditions you are going to force it to endure. If you live in a baking hot state in America and are considering buying over the Internet, you shouldnt be buying a Bonsai from a cold climatic country, as there is a good chance it will not thrive in your area.

Do outdoor Bonsai need less care than indoor Bonsai?

Just because you are growing your Bonsai in a small area of your garden doesnt mean you should or indeed can forget about them and just expect them to maintain their miniature height or grow at all. A Bonsai that isnt trimmed and cut will cease to be a Bonsai and will simply become a tree, presuming there is room for the roots to grow; its amazing exactly where your roots will dig to, they will often find a way through or around concrete, rocks and even other plants and trees so be very careful where you situate it.

If you are growing your outdoor Bonsai in a pot, which is the most common and sensible way to do it, then you should never bring it indoors. No matter how ill it looks it will undoubtedly not enjoy the sudden change in conditions and even the most healthy and hardy of Bonsai can only withstand a day, possibly two at the very most, indoors as a centre piece. It is very important to remember this, do not bring an outdoor Bonsai indoors for longer than one day every season. Bringing your Bonsai in during the winter and putting it next to the blazing hot heater is undoubtedly going to scorch the leaves and the roots, and your plant will probably die from dehydration. The reverse is also true, bringing a Bonsai in from the heat and leaving it next to the Air Conditioning unit is the equivalent of a shock frost in summer and will also kill your Bonsai.

What are the basics of effective Bonsai care.

Caring for your Bonsai tree involves many of the same activities associated with caring for a pot plant or an indoor plant. Well developed and healthy fibrous roots are essential for the continued good health of your Bonsai tree and repotting is an essential way to manage this process. Normally a young or fast growing Bonsai will need to be repotted roughly once a year; for less prolific growers or older trees it can be done as infrequently as once every five years. You should always try to repot during late winter or early spring when the buds start to swell.

How to repot a Bonsai tree.

The process of repotting a Bonsai tree is one that you should take seriously and follow these simple instructions:

First, you should tidy the tree by carefully pruning off any unwanted, long branches. Also, make sure the tree has been under cover for a few weeks if it is an outdoor Bonsai, this way the soil will be relatively dry. Once you remove the tree from its pot you will be able to see whether it really needs repotting. If it is root bound then you should repot it, however, if there are another few inches of room so the roots can grow a little longer then you can carefully replace the tree in its original pot and continue as normal.

You should remove surface soil from the roots either by hand or using a nylon scrubbing brush. Brush away from the trunk and be careful not to damage any of the roots. Removing the loose soil will give the Bonsai tree a healthier look and feel. Once youve removed most of the soil in this way, you can use a small, fine bristled paintbrush to remove the soil stuck in the roots or that has collected in the roots.

Use a Bonsai fork to comb out the roots. Do this by combing out the roots from underneath and then use scissors to prune up to a third of the roots and then cut out small wedges around the root base to allow fresh soil to collect and keep your Bonsai healthy. Add a layer of grit to the bottom of the pot and then add the Bonsai compst of your choice.

Take the time to position your Bonsai tree in the pot and then push a little more soil into awkward places. Complete this as often as you need to as mentioned above.

Do you know what the most common cause of death for bonsai trees is? Believe it or not, it is improper watering.

Most people think that watering should be the simplest of matters when, in fact, for bonsai trees at least, it is the most important thing that you can do and not do it correctly can kill your tree. In fact, improper watering kills more bonsai’s than anything else.

Bonsai trees root in special soil that is rather porous and has quick drainage. For this reason the bonsai must be watered frequently, however, care must be taken to not overwater as standing water can cause fungus to grow and contribute to root rot.

Here’s some steps that you can take to avoid under watering or over watering your bonsai:

In order to determine if your bonsai needs water or not you must test the soil to see how moist it is. Touch the top of the soil with your finger and if it feels dry dig a little deeper to see how far the dryness extends. If you want a more precise method you can buy a moisture gauge which takes into the soil and will tell you what watering is needed.

It’s a good practice to set the container you’re bonsai is in into a buck of water so that water can be soaked up from the bottom about once every four weeks. let the water soak in for 20 minutes or so and then remove the pot. Be sure to always lift by the container and never by the trunk of the tree.

Your container should have a drainage hole in the bottom and a tray underneath to catch the excess water. If you find water pooling in the tray for too long you might want to make sure to remove the water so that it doesn’t collect from the roots causing rot and contributing to the buildup of mold.

When the bonsai is growing during the spring and summer you want to water daily making sure that water flows through the entire container and out the bottom but not so much that it is standing in water. You may actually have to water more than once a day depending on the soil in your climate as well as the species of tree. In the fall and winter when growth has slowed you will not need to water so much.

Some types of bonsai like flowering and deciduous trees need more water and other types such as conifers need a bit less. You’ll need to experiment to find out what the right amount of water for your bonsai is. Be on the lookout for wilting flowers and curled leaves which can indicate lack of water and adjust accordingly.

Bonsai Care

The very word bonsai conjures so many thoughts to many people. Almost a warrior sound yet in reality the word bonsai refers to a miniature tree called a bonsai tree.

Where Bonsai Started.

Most of us associate bonsai with the Japanese. Apparently the art of bonsai care and development as we know it today originated in China and was known as Pensai in China. Pensai as it was known has been traced back to around 600 a.d. and subsequently made its way to Japan

The word “Bonsai” comprises of two parts bone meaning tray and “sai” meaning plant, which when literally translated equates to tray plant. We are so emphatic to ensure that we correctly call bonsai trees when part of the derivation of the word does in fact mean plant.

In the care of bonsai trees well take a few clear topics:-

O Watering bonsai
O Light and Humidity for my bonsai tree
O Bonsai Feeding

How frequently to water a Bonsai.

The first question most budding bonsai carers ask is How often should I water a bonsai tree? and the answer depends on many different factors. Watering and caring for a bonsai tree is a constant balance between too much and too little.

Variables to consider are when caring for your bonsai tree are:-

O The type of bonsai tree.
O The time of year is it winter, summer, spring or autumn (fall).
O The location of the bonsai tree within your house or garden.

O The location of your property i.e. Alaska or Arizona.

How should I water a bonsai tree?

The “best” way to water is to first wet the soil a little, this will improve the soil’s ability to take in or absorb a larger volume of water, and then you should water thoroughly until the soil is saturated. Make certain that the entire soil mass gets wet – every time – you water and wait for the excess to run out of the drainage holes to be sure.

When should I water a Bonsai tree?

The “best” time to water is probably early in the morning, before the bonsai tree begins its day of growing activities. Also take a look during the day if the bonsai tree located in a particularly hot and dry place. Bonsai trees do not grow when the soil is too wet and they do not grow when the soil is too dry. A bonsai tree takes in water and nutrients during the in between periods.

Work out a sensible watering schedule that is realistic and achievable and try and maintain a regular caring plan for your bonsai tree.

What kind of water should I use to water a bonsai tree?

Water your a bonsai with room temperature tap water. If the water is too hot or too cold it may shock the trees roots. If you have the ability, facility and time to collect rain to water great.

Light and Humidity for my bonsai tree.

What light does a bonsai require?

Lighting is critical to your bonsai tree and keeping it healthy. Unfortunately there is no scientific formulae to how much light does my bonsai tree need. Light requirements vary within the type of tree and the layout and design of your home.

What is the best kind of light for a bonsai?

Sunlight is by far the best type of light for bonsai trees and most other members of the planet earth! If the window providing most light is a convenient place then by all means use the best window klocation. Its all down to balance you dont want to have your bonsai tree in a windy hallway even if it is the brightest place in your homw. If you preferred location doesnt get too much light then utilise som e artifical light. So, in a case like this you need to find an alternative and more practical location and use some type of artificial lighting system. A simple grow-light and timer will be a low cost and practical solutuion.

What about humidity and my bonsai tree?

Humidity helps to reduce water loss and a very dry environment cuase a bonsai tree to naturally loose its water content. Obviously avoid artifical and local causes of dryness i.e. dont place next to a fire or heater. Indoor bonsai trees slow their growth in winter and do not need as much water. If you have a dry home (lacking humiditry) you can place your bonsai on a “humidity tray” filled with pebbles this is probably improves your own environment too! The tray should be kept wet at all times so as to increase humidity levels. The other very simple solution is a spray. Using room temperature water spray the bonsai tree with a fine mist or spray.

Bonsai Feeding

Why Do Bonsai Need Fertiliser?

The bonsai environment is artificial and therefore requires our intervention, help and care in order to maintain the health and development of the bonsai tree. The simplest way to achieve a healthy bonsai tree in addition to frequent watering is a frequent dose of fertiliser to the soil.

What type of fertiliser to use?

Use a balanced fertiliser to feed your bonsai tree – typically 20-20-20, at 25% strength, every other week. The numbers 20-20-20 are the percentage, by weight, of the N-P-K (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) contained in that fertiliser. These elements will enhance the growth of your bonsai tree.

What Does N-P-K Stand For & What Does It Do?

N – Nitrogen is responsible for the size and amount of new growth and, to some extent, the green colour of the leaves. Nitrogen is required for cell division and, also, protein manufacturing.

P – Phosphorus is also necessary for cell division and is associated with good root growth and flowering.

K – Potassium activates cell enzymes and is related with overall healthy cell activity.

Bonsai Fertiliser Notes

O Always water your bonsai thoroughly before fertilising and never use fertiliser on a dry tree.
O Never fertilise a sick tree, as fertiliser is not medicine.
O If you are not sure how much fertiliser to use, follow the directions on the label and never use more than recommended.
O Fertiliser is a good thing, but too much is a bad thing.

Bonsai care – a rewarding hobby bringing you many happy hours over many years.

When used properly, bonsai can be a very good indoor ornament both as a focal point of the room or as a conversation piece on a shelf, a side table or on top of the fireplace. Bonsai needs special care and there are ways to keep it strong and healthy without the benefit of outdoor elements. Here’s how:

Indoor bonsai Not all bonsai plants will thrive indoors as ornaments, so choose tropical plants and trees for the job. These can grow well indoors and only need to be let out to soak up the sun several hours a day. You can also let them out during the late spring and in summer and keep them indoors when the temperatures begin to drop.

During colder months when temperatures are low, fill a shallow tray with a layer of tiny pebbles or gravel and add water. Place your bonsai pot on top and let it soak up the extra moisture as the water evaporates. If your house is heated, this will provide enough humidity to keep your soil moist.

Training Chances are, you’ll be buying bonsai that’s already trained. If it is, then best leave it alone. It will do well with just a little trimming and pruning.

Find sunny spots If you live in an apartment building, you might have to find ways for your indoor bonsai to get enough sunlight, so find areas in your home where light can get in – usually near windows, terraces or patios. Place your bonsai in these areas to give them enough time under the sun (best light is early morning and afternoon) and just put them back in their place after a few hours.

Fertilize Your indoor bonsai lives on a small amount of soil that its pot contains, so it’s important to provide it with nutrients through fertilizers. Use fertilizers once a month or so and don’t use full strength. It would also be a good idea to mix fertilizers with water and mist your bonsai every two months.

Choosing pots Use shallow pots for displaying bonsai indoors. As ornaments, they will do well if their size balances with the pot, so don’t get a pot that is too deep or too wide. Make sure the pot has draining holes and a saucer, with a piece of small screen in between.

Pests and insects Even if your bonsai lives indoors, insects and pests will still find it. Check your plant periodically for any signs of infestations and use a pesticide if it’s necessary. Otherwise, just wipe the leaves clean gently with a soft, damp cloth to remove bugs.