By , Erica Glasener
Published February 06, 2017
The term bonsai ("tree in a tray") is used to describe trees and shrubs trained in miniature forms and grown in special containers.
A bonsai is dwarfed by training which involves pruning, wiring, watering, repotting and fertilizing. The container you grow them in should be "frost proof" and have drainage holes.
If you purchase a bonsai, look at the overall shape of the plant. Take a photograph or draw a picture of how the tree or shrub looks now and then decide how you would like it to look in the future. There are both informal and formal styles. As you examine your plant, its natural shape may help you decide on a style. Trees with straight trunks work well for formal bonsai while those with trunks that are spreading may form a natural cascade- a more informal style.
Good Trees and Shrubs for Beginners
The following are outdoor (temperate climate) plants – plants that are adaptable to a range of environments:
-beech-Fagus species
-box-Buxus species
-Chinese elm-Ulmus parvifolia
-crabapple varieties-Malus species and cultivars
-ginkgo-Ginkgo biloba
-juniper –Juniperus chinensis var. procumbens 'Nana' and other selections
-larch species-Larix species
-maples, including Japanese maples-Acer palmatum selections and Trident maple-Acer buergerianum
-pines-Pinus sylvestris and other species
-spruces-Picea species.
Where to locate your bonsai
Don't make the mistake of growing your bonsai as an indoor plant. They do best (unless they are tropical plants) when grown outdoors year-round. Like their full-size cousins growing in your backyard, temperate climate bonsai need to experience the four seasons (go through dormancy, set flower buds, etc). Make sure they receive plenty of light, but protect them from drying winds and provide some shade during hot months for shade-loving types.
In Zone 6 or regions with colder climates, starting in November or December and through the winter, you can keep your bonsai in a cold frame or in a cool, unheated greenhouse, garage, or unheated sun porch.
Although they need to experience 4 seasons, it is best to keep them from freezing and thawing. Be sure to vent cold frames on hot, sunny days. March 1st, or once temperatures get above 40 degrees F, is a good time to bring them back outside.
Watering Bonsai
Water when the top of the soil is dry to the touch. Often this will be on a daily basis. Adjust according to the season. For example, in the winter check plants in cold frames every few weeks. Use a watering can with an attachment that breaks up the water or a hose with a rain-like spray.
Bonsai Fertilizing Guidelines
1. As a rule, fertilize during the active growing months.
2. For vegetative growth use fertilizers with a high nitrogen analysis. (N)
3. For flowers and fruit use those with more phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) than nitrogen.
4. Deciduous trees like maples and elms need more feeding than coniferous types (such as pines and spruces).
Repotting and Pruning Bonsai
Younger trees in the beginning stages of training need repotting more frequently (every 1-2 years) than mature trees which can be left in the same container for six years or more. In general deciduous trees need repotting more often than conifers which only need to be repotted every 3 to 5 years.
The best time to prune foliage plants is when they are actively growing. Take time to find out if flowering plants bloom on new or old wood. This will help you determine the best time to prune and not remove potential flowers or fruit. Roots should be pruned when plants are repotted.
For more info on bonsai visit The American Bonsai Society.
Erica Glasener is a Hometalk - http://www.hometalk.com - writer. Get home & garden ideas like this - http://www.networx.com/article/bonsai-for-beginners - on Hometalk.com.
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