Keeping bonsai trees is a growing pastime for many people, and with their wonderful displays this is no great surprise. As rewarding as it is relaxing, the hobby is also fairly straight forward. It does not require vast amounts of money or difficult equipment, just a little TLC every day will go along way to achieving wonderful results.

There are a host of types of tree to choose from. Some of the most popular include the Bald Cypress or the Chinese Elm. Junipers and other fruit trees are also popular. Whilst many of these require one or two special things to help them along, the basics are the same across the board, as this guide will hopefully explain.

First of all, it is important to get the positioning right. As with most other household plants, they prefer warmer locations with good spells of natural light. However, similar to household plants again, being in direct sunlight for extended periods will cause burning to the foliage.

The single most important thing is to get the watering right. They should never be allowed to dry out completely, so checking on a regular basis is always good. The soil they are in should be moist to the touch, but not sodden. Once a day is generally good enough, though in hotter periods it won’t hurt to check a little more often.

It is best not to stick to a regular schedule with watering, as this most certainly runs the risk of over watering. A great tip in this regard is to pick up the tree. A light tree will need watering, whereas a heavier tree will most likely not need so much. Having a water mister to hand is always good to give them a little pick up if you are not sure.

Invest in a water meter. To help speed up your checks, having a water meter in the soil will help. This is certainly useful if you are looking after multiple trees. It is also an invaluable piece of equipment to have for when you have someone else looking after your trees for a few days if you head off somewhere.

Another way to help maintain correct water levels is to use the appropriate types of soil. As a rule, regular soil used for other household plants is too heavy. Garden centers will most likely have supplies of specially designed bonsai soil; which is formulated to aid appropriate draining to the root structure and retain the correct levels of moisture.

As important as the right soil is the right fertilizer. In this regard though, standard products used for general plants is usually fine. When buying whichever is your preferred choice however, it is necessary to ensure that potash, phosphorous and nitrogen are included in the mix.

Bonsai trees make for wonderful displays of course; critical to this is in the pruning however. Far more than simply achieving a wonderful shape and structure however, this is also a vital component to the overall health, so should be done as regularly as possible.

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