Bonsai Care for Beginners

Getting your first Bonsai tree is very exciting. If you’re like most of us, you probably bought or received it before you learned very much about it. Now you need to play catch-up and learn everything you can. Because of the wealth of information already available, we provide several links to good websites that initiate a beginner.

Links for Beginner Bonsai Information

• Brussel’s Bonsai
  • http://www.brusselsbonsai.com/care/articles/beginner_tips.shtml
  • http://www.brusselsbonsai.com/bonsai-care.htm
• The Bonsai Primer - http://www.bonsaiprimer.com/
• Beginner Guide from Bonsai Web - http://www.bonsaiweb.com/forum/articles/begin/
• More Resources - http://nvnv.essortment.com/beginnerbonsai_rzhu.htm
• A Beginner's First Bonsai - http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/bonsaibe.htm

General Beginner Tips

• Bonsai is pronounced like bone-sigh.
• Rocks glued to the top of the soil is bad for a bonsai. It inhibits air circulation and proper watering and may indicate a low quality plant.
• Bonsai can be made from almost any woody plant. This means there is no one way to care for a bonsai, it depends on the type of plant you have.
• Tropical plants may be kept indoors year round with proper light and watering however most bonsai require the sunlight, breezes, and a winter (the winter dormant period is when many plants sleep and without this, they will die). Learn about the type of plant you have so that you can provide it with the proper care it needs.
• Bonsai also require regular repotting depending on the type of plant. Repotting periods might be as frequent as every year or as far apart as once a decade depending on the type, age, or health of the tree.
• Ficus make very good plants for beginners. They are tropical plants tolerant of watering problems, can be kept indoors year round (given proper light), and grow quickly.
• Bonsai are more like pets than a houseplant. They require constant attention. Beyond watering, they require feeding, trimming and shaping without which they will grow out of control or die.
• Learn, learn, learn. And then learn. We promise, over time, you will learn to grow and shape beautiful trees if you are patient and take the time to practice and learn. Remember, bonsai outlive their creators. We are just their temporary caretakers.

This Information Is Just the Start!

Bring your bonsai to a PBA club meeting and you should find like-minded people who will help you learn much more about bonsai!