Bonsai are miniature trees that require special care to maintain their good design and health. Although they originate from China, they have become popular around the world due to their aesthetic and relaxing appearance. If you are a bonsai enthusiast, it is important that you know how to properly care for them to keep them healthy and looking their best for years. In this article, we give you a complete guide on how to care for your bonsai, including transplanting, pruning, fertilizing, and location.

bonsai watering

Irrigation is a fundamental part in the care of your bonsai, to do this you must be well informed about the requirements of your tree since it can vary greatly from one species to another, for example, olive trees require contained watering while maples prefer more abundant watering without letting the substrate dry out at any time. But if we have to highlight a common feature of all bonsais, it is preventing them from becoming waterlogged. Waterlogging causes root rot and the proliferation of fungi in most bonsai species, although as in everything there are always exceptions.

Bonsai transplant

Transplanting your bonsai is an important part of bonsai care, providing it with additional space and nutrients. In general, bonsai should be transplanted every two or three years, depending on the type of tree and its size. Larger, older trees may need transplanting less frequently.

To transplant your bonsai, you will need a pot suitable for the size of the tree, a mixture of special substrate for bonsai, proper tools to do the job, wire to hold the tree in place, and transplant racks.

The steps to transplant your bonsai are as follows:

1. Choose the right time to transplant your bonsai. The best time is just before spring when the tree begins to swell its buds.
2. Prepare the new flowerpot: Wash the new pot well, place the drainage grids, the anchoring wires and place a layer of substrate that allows good drainage. Generally, you can use the same substrate as in the rest of the pot, but if you have the The possibility of sifting it and placing the one with the greatest granulometry at the bottom of the pot would be perfect.
3. Remove the bonsai from its current pot: Tap the sides of the pot lightly to loosen the soil, you can help yourself with a transplant beam or a spatula, then remove the bonsai. Sometimes, if the tree is too rooted, you will have to break the pot to remove it, especially in cases where the pot has a lip towards the inside.
4. Clean the roots: Use a roots developer and gently untangle the roots and remove old soil. If there are any damaged or diseased roots, cut them with your hands. pruning shears. If you cut very thick roots you can use healing paste to seal the wound and prevent possible entry of pathogens.
5. Place the tree in the new pot: Place the tree in the new pot, making sure that it is in the center and that the roots are well spread, in case the tree has an inclination towards one of the lakes or greater weight of branches On a specific side it is usually placed displaced to the opposite side to compensate.
6. Hold the tree: Use wire to hold the tree in place, to make it securely fixed you can use the jin pliers, pinch the two ends of the wire and pull outwards while turning it.
7. Add the substrate mixture: Add the special bonsai substrate mixture to the pot, filling the spaces between the roots. For this, you can palliate the substrate so that there are no air bubbles between the roots and the substrate.
8. Water the tree: Water the tree abundantly, but at low pressure to settle the soil and ensure that moisture reaches all the roots and removes any dust that the substrate may contain, let the water run through the holes in the tree. drain until it comes out as clean as possible.

Here are some tools that can help you during the transplant process:

• Root unwinder

• jin pliers

• Rake with clamp

• palm brush

bonsai pruning

Bonsai pruning is an important technique to maintain its shape and size, and also to promote its health. Proper pruning helps maintain a balance between the root and aerial parts of the tree, as well as reducing the size of leaves and branches to create a more attractive appearance.

There are two types of pruning that can be done on a bonsai: maintenance pruning and structural pruning. Maintenance pruning is done to maintain the shape and size of the bonsai, while structural pruning is done to shape the tree and establish the basic structure.

To prune your bonsai, you will need sharp pruning shears, a cutting tool for thicker branches, and wound sealing paste. Here are some tips to prune your bonsai properly:

Start at the top of the tree: Trim branches that grow vertically or upward to shape the tree's crown. Leave the side branches that grow horizontally or downward, as these are what help create structure and balance.

Cut off diseased or damaged branches: Identify dead, diseased or damaged branches and trim them to prevent them from affecting the health of the tree. To carry out this work, it is advisable that you use a concave pruner so that the tree can close the wound correctly without creating unwanted bulges. You should also seal the wound with healing paste.

Reduce the size of the leaves: Large leaves can make the bonsai look disproportionate. You can trim the larger leaves to give the tree a more balanced appearance. Additionally, defoliating when the tree is in optimal condition will help reduce its size.

Prune the roots: Root pruning is important to prevent the tree from drowning and maintain its size. Perform root pruning at the same time as transplanting to avoid unnecessary stress on the tree.

Remember that it is important not to prune more than the 40% of the tree in a single session, as long as the tree is in perfect health conditions, since this can affect it very negatively. It is best to do several smaller pruning sessions throughout the year to avoid stress on the tree.

Here are some tools that can help you during the pruning process:

• Ball pruner
• pruning shears

bonsai fertilizer

Fertilizing is important to provide your bonsai with the necessary nutrients for its growth and health. Bonsai require specific nutrition that can be obtained through a mixture of mineral and organic fertilizer.

Mineral fertilizer is a quick and effective source of nutrients, but it can be toxic if used in excess. On the other hand, organic fertilizer is a slower source of nutrients, but it is safer for the tree and helps improve soil quality.

To fertilize your bonsai, it is important to follow these recommendations:

Fertilize your bonsai once every 15 to 20 days during the growing season. In winter, reduce the frequency to once every two months. Always following the manufacturer's recommendations.

Follow label directions to avoid overloading the tree with nutrients.

Moisten your bonsai before fertilizing so that it can better absorb nutrients or not dry out due to excess minerals. An optimal way of fertilizing is to include the dose of dissolved fertilizer in our irrigation.

Some fertilizers available in our store that we use ourselves to maintain our bonsais:

• Kifu annual subscriber plan

• Biogold 500gr

• Organic pellet fertilizer

Where to place your bonsai

The place where you place your bonsai is key to its survival and growth. Below, we give you some recommendations on the ideal location for your bonsai:

Light: Bonsai need light to carry out photosynthesis and grow properly. Place your bonsai in a place with natural light, preferably outside a window, patio or terrace facing south east during the winter, and trying to avoid the central hours of sun during the summer.

Temperature: Depending on the temperature of the area in which you can have your bonsais, you will have to choose one species or another, mainly we can divide two large groups in a very generic way, tropical trees such as ficus and Mediterranean trees such as olive trees. or pomegranates.

Humidity: As we have mentioned previously, depending on the conditions in which we can place our bonsais, we must select one species or another, the most suitable for tropical climates with high humidity and mild temperatures, ficus, or more extreme temperatures and less humidity, Mediterranean species such as olive trees or pomegranate trees.

Wind: Avoid placing your bonsai in places where it is exposed to strong winds or drafts, as they can damage its structure, and above all, dry out the substrate too much, especially during the hottest months.

Conclusion

Caring for a bonsai requires time, patience and dedication, but the results can be rewarding. By following these recommendations for transplanting, pruning, fertilizing, locating and watering your bonsai, you will be able to keep it healthy and with an attractive appearance. Remember that each species of bonsai may have specific needs, so it is important to research the particular needs of your tree.