In order to enjoy the beauty and elegance of trees, it is not at all necessary to have your own garden or garden. Surprisingly, plants that everyone is accustomed to consider outdoor can live and grow in flower pots.
Bonsai is an ancient Japanese art that has become so popular that it has spread to many countries of the world. Its essence boils down to growing an exact copy of a tree in miniature. In order to become the owner of a charming indoor tree, you need to know how to care for a bonsai, because this plant requires special care and attention. So let's get started.
Location
A bonsai tree needs bright lighting, however, it is necessary to protect the plant from direct sunlight, as they can cause burns. In the absence of additional lighting, the bonsai will suffer from a lack of light, which is especially typical for the season from October to March.
How to care for bonsai during this period? It is recommended to use artificial lighting devices: fluorescent, mercury or halogen lamps. But incandescent lamps should not be used, since the thermal rays emitted by them are detrimental to the plant. However, it is important to consider that artificial light should not be used throughout the year, as this will do more harm than good.
Humidity and temperature conditions
Since caring for a bonsai is not an easy task, you will have to work hard. The plant loves moist air, and therefore it is very important to maintain indoor humidity comfortable for it. It is great if the room has an aquarium, in which case there is no need to purchase special devices.
The most expensive, but at the same time not particularly effective way to maintain optimal humidity is an electric humidifier. The problem can be solved by a simpler method, by placing the plant on a tray filled with balloons.
How to care for bonsai from the position of temperature features of the plant? For the plant of the subtropical zone (olive, pomegranate, myrtle) in the winter season, it is necessary to create a temperature regime from +5 to +13 degrees. Tropical species of bonsai love heat, and therefore throughout the year they should be kept at an air temperature of +18 ... + 24 ° C. In summer, all varieties of bonsai must be taken out to the balcony or to the garden, if any.
Watering
Of great importance in the life of this amazing plant is water. Bonsai can destroy both the lack of moisture and its excess. So, how to care for bansai and find the optimal water balance?
As they say in Japan, in the homeland of this miracle plant, you should water the bonsai three times: first for the sake of the pot, then for the soil, and finally for the sake of the tree. Therefore, it is recommended to go around the bonsai with a watering can three times so that the water can be absorbed into the vessel, into the soil and get to the plant itself.
Since the plant does not absorb moisture exclusively from the roots, it is advisable to spray the bonsai trunk and leaves. Among other things, this will allow dust to be washed away from the leaves, which prevents the tree from breathing. When watering a flowering tree, it is important to avoid getting moisture on the flowers, as otherwise they will simply die.
It is best to water the plant in the morning. This is due to the fact that evening watering contributes to the creation of favorable conditions for the appearance of fungus and mold, and during daytime watering the droplets of water remaining on the leaves create the effect of a glass lens, due to which the plant can get a sunburn.
Top dressing
Since you need to take care of the bonsai tree very carefully, you should not forget about feeding the plant. For the first time, it is necessary to fertilize the tree in the spring with the advent of shoots. For this purpose, it is recommended to purchase in specialized stores ball-shaped organic fertilizers made according to a special Japanese recipe.
Further dressing should be done every 30 days. In July, a break should be made, which is necessary in order for the shoots to stop their growth and be able to harden. The plant is particularly in need of fertilizer in early autumn, when the formation of primordia is observed, from which new shoots will appear next year.
Bonsai mix
Bonsai mix are trees of different species, which are formed under small indoor trees. Many amateur gardeners, acquiring such a plant, then for a long time try to understand which particular variety it belongs to and how to care for the bonsai mix. In order for the tree to live long for the joy of all household members, it is necessary to strictly follow the above general recommendations for caring for a bonsai plant.
Bonsai ficus
It is recommended to give preference to evergreen small-leaved varieties of this plant, such as Benjamin's ficus, blunt or boxwood ficus. How to care for bonsai-ficus, what conditions must be provided in order to grow a beautiful and healthy tree?
First of all, it is important to know that the plant prefers partial shade, and therefore it does not feel any urgent need for additional lighting. The soil for the tree should consist of 2 parts of gravel, 5 parts of humus and 3 parts of clay.
In the first 2-3 years of life, the ficus should be formed without human intervention, and then it is necessary to cut the tree to the desired height. To shape, you should use a wire, which, importantly, can not be left for a long time.
Knowing how to care for a bonsai tree and following all the recommendations, you can grow a surprisingly beautiful tree, the real pride of any grower.