What are the basics of effective Bonsai care.
Caring for your Bonsai tree involves many of the same activitiesassociated with caring for a pot plant or an indoor plant. Welldeveloped and healthy fibrous roots are essential for thecontinued good health of your Bonsai tree and repotting is anessential way to manage this process. Normally a young or fastgrowing Bonsai will need to be repotted roughly once a year; forless prolific growers or older trees it can be done asinfrequently as once every five years. You should always try torepot during late winter or early spring when the buds start toswell.
How to repot a Bonsai tree.
The process of repotting a Bonsai tree is one that you shouldtake seriously and follow these simple instructions:
First, you should tidy the tree by carefully pruning off anyunwanted, long branches. Also, make sure the tree has been undercover for a few weeks if it is an outdoor Bonsai, this way thesoil will be relatively dry. Once you remove the tree from it'spot you will be able to see whether it really needs repotting.If it is root bound then you should repot it, however, if thereare another few inches of room so the roots can grow a littlelonger then you can carefully replace the tree in it's originalpot and continue as normal.
You should remove surface soil from the roots either by hand orusing a nylon scrubbing brush. Brush away from the trunk and becareful not to damage any of the roots. Removing the loose soilwill give the Bonsai tree a healthier look and feel. Once you'veremoved most of the soil in this way, you can use a small, finebristled paintbrush to remove the soil stuck in the roots orthat has collected in the roots.
Use a Bonsai fork to comb out the roots. Do this by combing outthe roots from underneath and then use scissors to prune up to athird of the roots and then cut out small wedges around the rootbase to allow fresh soil to collect and keep your Bonsaihealthy. Add a layer of grit to the bottom of the pot and thenadd the Bonsai compst of your choice.
Take the time to position your Bonsai tree in the pot and thenpush a little more soil into awkward places. Complete this asoften as you need to as mentioned above.
About the author:Bonsia HQ, http://bonsaihq.com/ for lots of information aboutlooking after your bonsai.
