Bonsai does not refer to a type of plant, but rather describes a method of pruning and shaping to create an illusion of a very old, miniature tree. A dwarf plant is created by restricting the root zone in a shallow pot. A bonsai can be created from any plant which develops a woody trunk and tolerates pruning well. Bonsai are classified into tropical plants, deciduous shrubs or evergreens. There are several forms, such as formal upright, informal upright, cascade and windswept.

 

The easiest bonsai to care for, if you are a beginning novice, is a tropical plant. A fig, for example, grows well in our indoor living conditions, so continues to do so after it is pruned and repotted. Also suitable are boxwood (Buxus), Fukien Tea (Carmona), Myrtle (Myrtus), Natal Plum (Carissa), and Tree of a Thousand Stars (Serissa).

 

Deciduous shrubs and trees need a cold, dormant period in the winter, just as if they were growing outdoors. Plants such as Young's Weeping Birch, Siberian Elm, Cotoneaster damneri, and Pygmy Caragana form attractive bonsai. During the winter they need to be kept in a cool but frost-free area and need little light once they have lost their leaves. Close to but not touching a window in a cool room is suitable. They can't be kept outside in their pots above ground during the winter, as the soil temperature fluctuates dramatically during our weather changes. A garage heated to just above freezing is suitable, or the plant may be buried in the ground to just above the pot rim, then mulched well over the winter.

 

Evergreens are the most challenging. Because they need high humidity in the winter, and a temperature just above freezing, they cannot be grown successfully in your living room. They will tolerate a windowsill if kept close enough to the glass to be quite cool, as long as the needles don't touch the glass if it is very cold outside. Keep warm air away from the pot and ensure there is no hot air register under them. To increase humidity, set the pot on pebbles in a large tray with the water level just below the top of the pebbles. Water evaporates from the tray and creates higher humidity around the plant.

 

The amount of light a bonsai needs depends on the type of plant. Figs, for example, need medium sunlight while azaleas require bright filtered light and citrus needs bright direct sunlight. Deciduous trees need no light when they have lost their leaves in the winter, and a bright, sunny spot when in leaf. When evergreens are cold in the winter, they go semi-dormant so need little light, but need a bright light when warm enough to grow. Many bonsai are grown under fluorescent lights, usually using one cool white and one warm white bulb. The lights must be quite close to the plants, and the length of the day depends on the type.

 

Because bonsai are in small pots, with their roots confined, watering is critical. Soil mixtures should encourage good drainage, and will vary depending on the type of plant. Inserting a finger into the soil will tell you if the soil is damp, or dry enough to need water. No bonsai soil surface should be covered with any material that prevents water from evaporating from the surface, or does not allow you to feel the soil. In hot weather, most bonsai will need checking for water daily, as once a plant dries out, the roots may not be able to absorb water and it could die. After many years of care, that may be devastating! Bonsai do not need a great deal of fertilizer, as you not want to encourage rapid growth. The type of fertilizer used depends on the type of plant, but is generally a balanced one, such as 20-20-20, for deciduous trees or tropicals, and 30-10-10 for evergreens. Use half the recommended strength only, and do not fertilize in the winter unless it is a tropical that is activley growing under fluorescent lights.