Contents
- 1 Bonsai Trees For The Home
- 1.1 Which bonsai is most suited to indoor cultivation?
- 1.2 Indoor bonsai tree care
- 1.3 light
- 1.4 Relative humidity
- 1.5 Fertilization and watering
- 1.6 Bonsai Tree Watering
- 1.7 Never water regularly.
- 1.8 Use the proper soil mix.
- 1.9 When.
- 1.10 How should you water your bonsai trees?
- 1.11 Bonsai fertilization
- 1.12 When should I fertilize
- 1.13 Temperature
Bonsai Trees For The Home
Bonsai Trees For The Home: It is a prevalent misperception that bonsai trees should be kept indoors.
Like conventional trees, most bonsai should be kept outside to experience all four seasons.
Only tropical and subtropical plants can thrive inside, where temperatures are consistently high and constant all year.
Which bonsai is most suited to indoor cultivation?
Indoors, various tropical and subtropical trees can be grown.
The ficus is exceptionally resilient and tolerates low humidity, making it an excellent choice for novices.
Dwarf jade tree, fukien tea (Carmona), Hawaiian umbrella (Schefflera), and sweet plum are other popular indoor bonsai (Sageretia).
Your bonsai will grow indoors if you choose one of these trees and adequately care for it.
Why can’t I keep non-tropical, temperate bonsai indoors?
As previously stated, temperate trees require a dormant time throughout the winter.
The yearly growth cycle finishes during this season, and the tree is getting ready for the next cycle to start in the spring.
Temperatures and light levels steadily decline over several weeks before a tree enters dormancy, which is not the case when temperate trees are housed indoors.
Tropical and subtropical trees do not require this rest period.
Indoor bonsai tree care
Caring for a bonsai tree indoors differs from caring for everyday potted houseplants.
Since bonsai trees are often grown in miniature containers, they have very little room to store nutrients and water.
Furthermore, tropical plants are accustomed to high light and humidity, which is challenging to recreate inside.
Indoor bonsai species require special care:
light
Inadequate lighting is the main challenge in indoor tropical bonsai care.
The trees will not die instantly if they do not receive enough light, but growth will decrease, and the plant will become weaker over time.
It follows that bonsai, when grown inside, should be situated in a sunny location, ideally in front of a south-facing window.
The light intensity may need to be increased even if you have a window facing south.
You can aid your tree by supplementing the light shortage with artificial lighting.
For example, for roughly 10 hours daily, you can utilize fluorescent lights with a growth-friendly spectrum or light-emitting LEDs. Find out more about placement.
Relative humidity
A second problem with keeping a bonsai tree inside is that the tree needs a fairly high humidity level, of which you can’t get in your own house, especially if you have heating or cooling.
Putting your bonsai tree on a humidity tray full of water and misting it multiple times a day is the greatest technique to increase the humidity surrounding your bonsai tree. You can also circulate outside air by opening a window during the day.
Fertilization and watering
The most important rule is to only water occasionally.
Ignore the label that recommends watering your bonsai tree every x day.
Monitor the soil conditions around your tree and water only when necessary.
Bonsai Tree Watering
Various factors, including tree species, size, container size, time of year, soil mix, and climate, determine the frequency with which a tree should be watered.
How frequently should I water my bonsai tree?
As previously stated, the frequency with which a bonsai should be watered depends on various conditions, making precise recommendations impossible.
Instead, you’ll have to keep track of each tree individually.
When the earth is slightly dry, water your trees.
Check the soil moisture with your fingers at a depth of around one centimetre as a novice (0.4″). This will become clearer as you acquire experience.
You can see rather than feel when your tree requires watering.
Never water regularly.
Keep an eye on your trees to see when they need to be watered..
Use the proper soil mix.
The soil mix significantly impacts how frequently trees need to be watered.
Most bonsai trees grow on a 12 to 14 to 14 ratio of acadama, pumice, and lava rock. If you cannot water regularly, use a mixture that retains more water in your pots by mixing extra akadama or compost.
When.
It makes no difference when you water a bonsai.
Some experts advise against cold water when the sun has warmed the soil since it will cool the tree down.
Regardless of the time, it would help if you watered your tree as soon as the soil became slightly dry.
How should you water your bonsai trees?
After determining if the soil is slightly dry and the tree requires water, thoroughly soak the entire root system.
Water until the water drains out of the lower drainage holes, then repeat the process if necessary.
Water from the top with a watering can be fitted with a fine nozzle to avoid washing away the soil
Rainwater is the ideal water to use because it contains no chemicals, but if this is not available, regular tap water will suffice.
Some excellent automatic bonsai watering systems are available but are pretty pricey.
Bonsai fertilization
The fundamental components of fertilizer
Any fertilizer contains three essential elements: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK).
Nitrogen increases leaf and stem development or aboveground growth. Phosphorus promotes healthy root growth as well as fruit and blossom growth.
Potassium improves plant health in general. Gardeners frequently use different NPK ratios for different trees and periods of the year.
However, experts are increasingly advising that the same NPK ratio be used throughout the bonsai growth cycle.
Fertilizers may contain a variety of micronutrients in addition to the three macronutrients (NPK), including iron, manganese, boron, molybdenum, zinc, and copper.
When should I fertilize
Most bonsai trees need fertiliser from early spring until mid-fall when they are actively growing.
Depending on the species, season, stage of development, and tree health, older and more mature trees are often fed less frequently. Indoor trees can be fertilized at any time of year.
Temperature
Tropical tree species demand relatively high temperatures all year, comparable to the temperature in your living room.
Subtropical bonsai trees may handle slightly lower temperatures and thrive well if temperatures are below typical room temperature throughout the winter.
This article highlights a crucial misunderstanding about bonsai care that many enthusiasts seem to overlook. While it certainly simplifies the issue by suggesting a few hardy species for indoor settings, it glosses over the broader implications of cultivating bonsai as a representation of natural cycles. Most bonsai thrive outdoors where they can engage in their natural growth processes, experiencing seasonal changes that are vital for their health. Promoting tropical and subtropical species as alternatives may attract beginners, but it risks diluting the rich, cultural significance of bonsai. By focusing only on specific species suited for indoor life, we lose sight of the artistry involved in nurturing these intricate trees in a way that honors their natural habitat. This approach could inhibit a deeper appreciation for bonsai’s role in encouraging patience and respect for nature’s rhythms.
You’ve raised some really important points about the broader implications of bonsai care. I often think about how much of our modern lifestyles can disconnect us from nature, despite how much we crave that connection. It’s true that bonsai is much more than just miniature trees; it’s a living representation of natural cycles and seasonal changes that play a critical role in their health and overall wellbeing.
You’ve touched on an important aspect of bonsai care that often gets overlooked in discussions, especially among newcomers to the hobby. The connection between bonsai and its natural environment really does encompass more than just the act of pruning or watering—it invites a deeper understanding of cycles and time.
You’ve touched on such an important aspect of our lives today. It’s interesting how a simple practice like bonsai can serve as a bridge to reconnect us with nature, especially in a time when so many of us are glued to screens and busy with the relentless pace of modern living. When I’m out tending to my own bonsai, I often find that the process itself becomes a kind of meditation. The way the tree changes with the seasons forces me to slow down and really observe – not just the tree, but everything around me as well.