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How to Choose Bonsai Pottery for Your Tree

January 15, 2015 by Bonsai Tree Care Leave a Comment

Whether you’re new to Bonsai, or have cared for a Bonsai tree for years, there are many factors that should be considered when selecting pottery for your Bonsai tree.

Bonsai are typically planted in small pots, often imported from Japan or China. The pot you choose, however, should be considered from a variety of aspects. Here are a few tips to get you started on finding the right Bonsai pottery for your tree, environment, and budget.

General Guidelines

As mentioned above, Bonsai are generally potted in small, Japanese or Chinese pots. Japanese pottery is known for its high quality, but they can often be quite pricey. They can be quite elegant however, with a variety of options for glazed and natural pots. Chinese pots are generally cheaper, though quality has been increasing over the last few years. Chinese antique pots can also be attained, though they are very expensive and incredibly rare.

Old Bonsai trees can be potted in much smaller pots since they are no longer being trained. Old trees have had their roots pruned and transferred from larger to smaller pots many times, and should be adapted to thriving in a small pot. If you own an aged tree, a smaller pot could be a good option for you.

Younger trees, however, need more room to grow, as their roots are still undergoing the training process. They should be planted in larger pots, and will need to be placed in smaller and smaller pots as the training process progresses. These pots can be found quite inexpensively online.

Pot Sizes and Styles

Bonsai pots are available in a variety of styles, sizes, and colors. What you choose is partly aesthetical and monetary preference, and partly depending on the age and climate of the tree.

Larger pots should be selected for younger trees, and they should be potted in the less expensive pots as they will need to be changed frequently during the training process. Once the tree has matured, a nicer, and more permanent pot can be selected.

The pot for an aged Bonsai tree should be approximately 2/3 the height of the tree in width. The depth should be approximately the width of the base of the trunk, though if you own a young tree, or one with a very small trunk, you may want to purchase one deeper than the trunk.

Whatever size and style you choose, be sure that it is large enough to maintain the health of the tree.

Price Range

The price range for a bonsai pot can vary greatly. As previously stated, if your tree is still in the training process, you will want to purchase an inexpensive pot for your tree until it reaches a matured state. If your pot has reached this stage of maturation, congratulations! Now would be an excellent time to invest in a quality pot that can last you for years to come!

Depending on the size and style of the tree, as well as your own preference, the pot you choose can range in price from around $10 to several hundred or more. High-quality and reasonably priced pots can be easily obtained for $40 or less.

If you are desiring a more extravagant pot to stand out, however, those can add an element of luxury and refinement to whichever area you choose to house your tree. A high-end Japanese pot or antique Chinese pot may serve you well.

Aesthetics

Beyond the price and circumstantial needs for your selected pot, the pottery you select is a very individual choice. Certain types of trees are better suited for certain pots, but here are a few aesthetical considerations you might want to look at:

· Shape: Bonsai pottery comes in a variety of shapes. Before you select a certain one, it is important to note that “masculine” trees fare better in angular pots, whereas the “feminine” variety, which are more gentle in shape will do better in a round or oval pot.

· Color: Bonsai pottery comes in many different colors as well. You should consider the style of your tree as well as the space in which you plan to keep your tree.

· Glazed vs. Unglazed (natural) Pots: In most cases, the preference for an unglazed or a glazed pot is purely individual preference, but certain trees – such as conifers and pine trees – may fare better in a more natural (or unglazed) pot. You should never use a bright glazed pot unless your tree has fruits or flowers. Before you select one over the other, be sure to consider the type of tree you have and if your particular breed would fare better in one over the other.

· Matters of Design: As far as the design of your Bonsai pot goes, the pot is simply the means by which you maintain your tree. It is the tree, after all, you want to stand out. Don’t pick a pot that will outshine your tree. The tree itself should stand out in magnificence above the casing you choose to put it in.

Where to Buy

Now that you’ve considered your options, you’re probably wondering where to start looking for your Bonsai pottery.

Pots can be obtained from a variety of sources all over the world. You can import very high-end pots direct from China and Japan. You can find specialty stores both online and in certain areas. You may be able to find decent quality pots through the nursery or company where you purchased your tree. However, if you purchased locally, the selection may be limited.

The easiest way to buy and find your perfect Bonsai pot is online. There are a variety of places you can find them and doing so online simplifies the process by letting you compare hundreds – possibly thousands – of pots within a matter of minutes. If you know exactly what you want, you can compare several merchants to find the best price for the pot for your tree, lifestyle, and preferences.

Step by step guide how to pick a pre-bonsai or nursery plant

March 20, 2014 by Bonsai Tree Care Leave a Comment

One of the fastest ways to jump into bonsai training it to purchase a pre-bonsai tree or a nursery stock plant. You can find pre-bonsai online at the link at the bottom of this page, while nursery stock can be purchased at your local plant nursery store. We do this a few times a year to create a bonsai in a very short time. You purchase the tree or shrub, trim it to the style you desire, and let it recover. This is as easy as it gets, as long as you select the right plant to begin with. This step-by-step guide will show you how to pick the perfect bonsai candidate.

The first thing to look for in creating a bonsai from a stock tree is the plant species. You want to make sure that the plant is suitable for bonsai training. Most trees and shrubs are suitable, but it is important do some research first.
Look at the size of the tree. You can’t walk into a nursery and purchase a 10’ Japanese maple with the goal of making it a bonsai; it’s just not going to work.
Now start looking at the characteristics of the plant, starting with the trunk. Pick a plant that has a truck that can be styled into a bonsai style. You will need to envision the finished result at this point.
Next, look at the tapering of the trunk. Almost all bonsai styles require the trunk to taper from thick on the bottom to thin at the top. You do not want the plant to stay one thickness to a point that was cut off. This will make the finished result look unnatural and rushed.
Observe the branching structure of the tree next. Look at where the branches lie, what direction they are going, and if they are tapered. You will most likely be trimming some branches so they don’t all need to be perfect. Just make sure that you have a few that you can work with.
The last thing to look at is “nabari”, or the root flare and surface roots. The point where the trunk meets the dirt is essential in making the bonsai look natural. You want this to look very natural, with surface roots appearing at the base if possible.

Tips:

Purchase these plants in early spring. This will allow you to trim and repot them right away. After trimming, let them recover all year until next spring and you will have a great bonsai.

Try to envision the finished result. This will make it much easier to decide what is going to work and what won’t.

Another good time to do this is in the fall, when nurseries are trying to sell off the leftover plants for cheap. Purchase them then and let them be until spring.

Crape Myrtle Bonsai

Crape Myrtle makes an excellent bonsai because of the flowers in spring and contrast in fall. During the spring, this shrub displays small red, pink, or white flowers. The petals are known to be crinkled and look like crepes, hence the name. It is mostly know for the silver bark it displays with red accents when peeling. This contrast looks especially beautiful in the fall with the dark green foliage.

Watering Crape Myrtle Bonsai

This tree needs to be watered frequently throughout the growing season. They are rapid growers and need an excess amount of water to keep growth healthy. Slow down watering through fall and winter when the tree is dormant.

Placement of your Crape Myrtle Bonsai

This species of shrub enjoys full sun outdoors year round. If you are in an area where winter temperatures drop below 20 degrees, protect your tree during the winter in a shed or unheated garage.

Training Crape Myrtle Bonsai

It is important to note that the flowers grow at the end of each shoot. Pruning this tree before fall can produce unwanted results. The area you trim will no grow flowers until next season. To encourage rapid thickening, this tree is commonly trimmed back severely in the fall, then allowed to grow freely the next year. Wire this tree during the growing season, before the branches become too hard to work with.

Repotting Crape Myrtle Bonsai

Repot this tree in early spring, before the flowers bloom. This will give it time to recover before it expends all its energy on the flowers. Trim back surface roots while repotting every one to three years. Keep an eye on the roots and repot when the tree becomes root bound.

Fertilizing Crape Myrtle Bonsai

Feed this tree with a well balanced fertilizer every other week during the growing season to encourage new growth and replace nutrients. Slow down to once a month in the winter. If you have some tomato fertilizer, alternate the balanced fertilizer and the low nitrogen fertilizer. This will help produce more buds during the year.

Japanese Boxwood Bonsai

Japanese Boxwood Bonsai are extremely slow growing, making them perfect for bonsai. They also grow very tiny leaves, making it easy to look balanced in miniature form. These trees are typically grown outdoors in warm locations, but indoor in colder locations. These trees need to go dormant for at least three months, but do not do well in below freezing temperatures.

Watering Japanese Boxwood Bonsai

Boxwoods enjoy full sun, which means they will dry out faster than other potted bonsai. Ensure that you check the moisture level daily, watering well when dry. The best way to water a bonsai is to submerge it in a tub of water up to the brim of the pot. Leave it submerged for a few minutes before removing it and allowing excess water to drain out.

Placement of your Japanese Boxwood Bonsai

Boxwood grow best in fully or mostly sunny locations during the growing season. As mentioned above, they need a dormant winter season to survive. If grown indoors, place the plant in a cool dark location for 3 months of the year to simulate a winter. If you are growing this tree outdoors, place the tree in a place that does not get too cold and is not affected by wind chill. A shed or garage that is not heated will work perfectly for this.

Training Japanese Boxwood Bonsai

Trim back new growth to maintain shape and style. Keep in mind that this tree grows very slowly, so don’t trim too much if you think you will need it later. Wiring can be done any time of the year and can be left on for as much time as necessary.

Repotting Japanese Boxwood Bonsai

Repot this species every other year, trimming back ten percent of the surface roots to encourage new growth. This tree will stop growing if it runs out of space to grow roots.

Fertilizing Japanese Boxwood Bonsai

As with any bonsai, fertilizing is vital to supplement the small amount of soil. Feed this tree a balanced fertilizer every other week during the growing season. Slow down to monthly feedings during the fall and winter.

Wisteria Bonsai

The Wisteria tree is often used in bonsai because of the clumps of fragrant flowers it produces. These fast growing, climbing trees develop into gorgeous bonsai under the right conditions. The rapid growth thickens the truck very quickly, making the tree look very old. When in bloom, this bonsai will stop anyone in their tracks.

Watering Wisteria Bonsai

Wisteria like the sun, and therefore dry out very quickly. Check this tree at least once a day for moisture and water if needed. We recommend that you submerge the tree in water up to the brim of the pot for a few minutes. This will allow the soil to absorb optimum moisture before you allow the excess to drain.

Placement of your Wisteria Bonsai

Your Chinese or Japanese Wisteria bonsai requires full sun, but shade from midday sun. The amount of sun directly determines the amount of flowers it produces. The more sun the tree receives, the more beautiful it will be during the bloom season. This tree requires a dormant winter period to survive.

Training Wisteria Bonsai

Wisteria make perfect formal upright, slanting, and cascade style bonsai. The flowers and foliage tend to droop down from the weight. This species will grow fast and vigorously, so you will need to pinch back unwanted growth often. You should check your tree weekly during the growing season to remove growth as early as you can.

Repotting Wisteria Bonsai

Repot this tree every two to three years, trimming back a third of the surface roots. This will give the tree more room to grow new roots. Your tree will stop expanding and stunt growth if it runs out of room to grow roots. Wisteria enjoy soil that retains some water, as they do not like to dry out.

Fertilizing Wisteria Bonsai

Your Wisteria should be fed with fertilizer that is low in nitrogen, but high in potassium and phosphate. Feed the tree every week AFTER it has flowered. This is significantly more than most bonsai, but is needed to support the tree during rapid growth. Do not slow down fertilization in an attempt slow growth; this will only hurt your miniature tree.

Shohin Bonsai

March 18, 2014 by Bonsai Tree Care Leave a Comment

Shohin bonsai is the art of tiny bonsai tree training. We take the same trees we use for normal bonsai and make then even smaller. The term “shohin” means “tiny thing” in Japanese. These trees usually grow to be six to eight inches tall. They are perfect for those who are interested in growing bonsai but do not have much room. You can fit a dozen or more of these on a windowsill with no problem. Apartment renters are the perfect customers for shohin bonsai trees.

The challenge and art of shohin bonsai is creating a smaller version of a tree that looks well matured. This is difficult when the amount of soil it is growing in can fit into the palm of your hand. The bonsai trainer must have a good knowledge of how the tree is going to react to every cut. This will allow them to masterfully design a tiny tree that looks aged and mature.

As you can imagine, bonsai training takes a lot of patience to do correctly. Imagine trying to do bonsai training with a tree one fifth the size. Shohin bonsai are trained using the same procedures, just on a smaller scale. Typically, you will only have a few branches and leaves to work with. This leaves very little room for error, as you can’t just cut something off if you don’t like it. These trees are also grown in a pot even smaller than a typical bonsai pot. The pots used are sometimes smaller that a shot glass.

Being in such small pots requires even more attention than the normal bonsai trees. They need to be watered often, typically more than once a day, to ensure that the small amount of soil stays moist. They also need to be repotted more often since the tree will become rootbound very quickly. Maintenance pruning will need to be conducted weekly, or the tree will get too large very quickly. New growth needs to be pinched back so that the limbs do not become too large.

How to Grow a Bonsai from Seed

Growing a bonsai from seed to bonsai tree can be one of the most rewarding experiences in life. It will take years to achieve this, but the result is stunning. You will end up with a bonsai tree that you can say you grew from the ground up, literally. Before you purchase the seed, you need to know what species you intend to grow. You can go through our indoor and outdoor bonsai guides to decide what is best for your lifestyle and aesthetic requirements. Once you decide what tree species you intend to grow, and you have read How to Grow a Bonsai from Seed, you can start your own bonsai experience..

Purchasing the seeds

When purchasing a seed that you intend to train for bonsai, it is important to note the name of the seeds. Many sellers attempt to sell special bonsai tree seeds for a significantly higher than normal price. Don’t fall for this trick; remember that bonsai are grown from normal seeds that should not cost more than usual. We buy our seeds from Bonsaiofnewyork.com, where they are listed as bonsai tree seeds but are not overpriced.

Get ready to plant

While you are waiting to receive your seeds, you can gather your seed starting materials. These materials can vary greatly depending on how many seeds you intend to grow, and what your expectations are.

Soil

The first thing you will need is the most important ingredient to grow a plant: dirt. This can be obtained by going out behind your house with a shovel. If you are looking for better results, picking up some seed starting soil from your local gardening store will increase success. Seeds are susceptible to diseases that are found regularly in outdoor soil. Seed starting soil has been baked at a high temperature to become a sterile soil, without the added bacteria. If you are growing a small amount of seeds, backyard dirt is fine. A few of the seeds are likely to survive regardless of what soil you use.

Tray

Next, you will need somewhere to put that soil. Depending on the amount of seeds you intend to grow, you can use anything from a generic plastic cup with holes poked in the bottom to a divided seed tray. Anything that will hold the soil in place and allow excess water to escape will do the trick. Use of a humidity dome is recommended if you use a seedling tray; this will help the seedlings absorb water, since their root systems have not fully developed.

Location

After you have the supplies ready, you will need to pick a good location to plant your seeds. Whether you are growing an indoor or outdoor tree, we recommend that you plant the seeds indoors. This will let you fully control the environment while the trees are still developing. Make sure this location gets a good amount of sunlight.

Planting the seeds

Once you have your soil in a tray or pot, you can plant your seeds in the soil. Plant your seeds at the recommended depth on the package. Each tree variety does best if grown at a different depth, so ensure that you pay attention to the package. After you have placed the seeds in the dirt and covered them up, water the seeds and place them in the location your choice.

Water and wait…

Keep an eye on your seeds to ensure that the soil does not dry out. When you see the top of the soil start to look dry, it’s time to water. Depending on the species you chose, it could take days or weeks for the seeds to sprout. After they sprout, keep watering as normal until you see the first set of true leaves. The first leaves that seedlings produce are not “true leaves.” These are just leaves that are in the shape of the seed that held nutrients for the tree to begin its life. The true leaves will be the first set of leaves that are the correct shape for the species. After you see these, transplant the plant into a pot or cup if they are not already in one. Continue to water the trees and fertilize in accordance with species recommendations until winter.

First winter (if outside)

Your seedlings should be overwintered for the first winter. Overwintering is the process of protecting the tree from its first winter. This will give it a better chance to survive without any issues. Bury your pot into the soil, with mulch up to the first branch. This will give your tree the best chance of survival by keeping the roots warm. You should never leave your bonsai tree outdoors during the winter without the bottom of the pot in the ground, as this will allow the roots to freeze and kill the tree. If possible, protect the tree from the cold wind as well. Another possibility is to keep your tree in an unheated shed or garage.

Let it Grow

Keep watering, feeding, and winterizing your tree until you have a pre-bonsai. This is when you get to decide what shape and style you want your bonsai to be.

How to Start a Bonsai Tree

There are many ways to start a bonsai that all end with the same result. In reality, you have the option to buy a bonsai tree in different stages. A tree starts out as a tree seed that you can purchase online. Many people market bonsai tree seeds, but they are just ordinary seeds of trees commonly used for bonsai. After the tree has sprouted, it is known as a tree seedling. From this stage, they are watered, fertilized, and cared for over the course of a few years. After the tree has grown with minimal bonsai training for some time, they are sold as “pre-bonsai.” These are trees that have been kept compact for bonsai training, but have not been trained for a specific shape or style. These trees are for buyers that want to experience the training aspects but don’t want to wait for the seed to grow. After the bonsai have been trained into a shape and style, they are then sold as a bonsai. These trees require mostly maintenance pruning to help them maintain size. After the tree has been aged well as a bonsai, they are commonly sold as “specimen bonsai.” These are gorgeous bonsai that are very old and well trained, but buying these trees typically comes at a steep price.

Bonsai Tree Seeds

As I mentioned before, these are just ordinary tree seeds marketed to bonsai growers. Growing bonsai from seeds is the longest route to having your own bonsai. We believe that it is also the most rewarding, because you get to see every step of the way. When growing a bonsai from seed, you need to consider what species you want to grow. If you choose an outdoor tree, then you need to consider “stratification time.” If the species you pick requires a winter period to be dormant, then the seed will need this in order to sprout. This process, where we typically place the seed in soil or sphagnum moss in the fridge to simulate winter, is called stratifying the seed. You can also plant the seeds outdoors during the fall and let them be, but you will have a much lower success rate this way. After this process, the seed can be planted in soil for growth. Allow the recommended time for seed to sprout, watering as needed without going overboard. Water when the top of the soil looks dry, and use a humidity dome if possible. Once your seed sprouts, we recommend that you spray it with some antifungal spray to increase survival odds. Continue to water and transplant to a larger container after you see your first set of “true leaves.” Let your bonsai grow as normal, following our basic guide for your species, until it becomes a pre-bonsai. For more information on growing your tree from seeds, take a look at our our guide here.

Pre-bonsai

You can grow your seeds into pre-bonsai, or skip that step and purchase a tree at this stage. This is where training and pruning techniques will come into effect. At this stage, you will need to look at your trees natural progression and decide what style you want to train your bonsai. Use our guide, with pictures, to see what guide best suits the way your tree is already growing. From here, your will need to trim the leaves and branches to achieve the desired style. You may also need to learn how to wire a bonsai. All this information can be found in our bonsai styling guide. The key is to remember that your bonsai is not complete when you get to the step with a pair of scissors. This process might take more than one growing season to achieve correctly, and without harming the plant. Some trees take heavy pruning well, but others need to be pruned in steps. After this long process, your will have a full bonsai tree.

Bonsai

This is how most people come across a bonsai tree. At this stage, the tree is almost fully trained and already has a basic bonsai style. We will still need to trim this tree as new growth appears to maintain its shape. Pruning back large growth will force new smaller branches and leaves to grow in close to the tree. This can help improve the tapered appearance of your tree over time. The key to this stage of your bonsai’s existence is to keep it alive and maintain its appearance. If your tree becomes very old, it could be considered a specimen bonsai. Specimen bonsai are frequently bought and sold for large amounts of money.

Specimen Bonsai

Specimen bonsai are bonsai that have been aged and trained well. These are the bonsai trees that you see in exhibits and books. It takes many years to get a bonsai to this stage, but the experience is worth the ride. Bonsai at all stages of life can be found on our partner’s website.

Bonsai Pots

Bonsai Pots are what turn a small tree from the forest into an even smaller bonsai tree. These pots are explicitly designed to convert a small tree from the ground into a portable pot that can be positioned almost anywhere. They are typically shallow but wide enough that the tree can grow a sufficient root system to absorb enough water and nutrients from the dirt. Bonsai Pots are typically made of clay and are available in glazed and non-glazed styles to account for user preference and style. They will also have no less than one hole in the bottom to allow for adequate drainage to occur. It is customary to place a piece of screen over the whole bottom to ensure that dirt does not drain out when you water the plant. Many experienced bonsai trainers will use this hole as an anchoring point to hold the tree in place when they are repotting bonsai. You can find a link for bonsai pots for sale at the store we use at the bottom of the page.

Repotting Bonsai

It is important to repot a bonsai tree every couple of years to ensure that the tree gets the proper nutrition. As you water your miniature tree, the nutrients in the dirt are absorbed by the tree, and some drain out the bottom of your bonsai pot Replacing that dirt with new, nutrient rich dirt is necessary to ensure that your tree continues to thrive. The most important part when repotting a bonsai is choosing the right pot. There are numerous posts available on the internet if you search “bonsai pots for sale.” The most common types are oval or square pots, cascading pots, and water pots. They also come in a variety of sizes and depths, so it is important to know how big your root system is and how much you can trim back.

Dogwood Bonsai

Dogwood trees are native to Eastern Asia, and make for gorgeous bonsai trees. These trees produce large four-petaled flowers in late spring, producing an extremely flashy tree. After the flowers die back, a large red berry remains. The trunk of this tree has exfoliating bark which gives it an old look very early. This tree is one of the most beautiful outdoor bonsai species to grow.

Watering Dogwood Bonsai

This bonsai requires an immense amount of sunlight. That, in turn, requires frequent watering to compensate for the extra drying in the soil. Water your bonsai by placing the pot in a tub of water for a few minutes. Let the excess water run out before returning the pot to its original location.

Placement of your Dogwood Bonsai

Dogwoods are outdoor bonsai, and will not survive without a dormant season. You can bring your bonsai indoors for special occasions, just ensure that you return it after a few days. Dogwoods enjoy as much sunlight as you can give them.

Training Dogwood Bonsai

Pinch back new growth to maintain shape in areas that are already at desired foliage levels. Wiring should be done in fall when the branches have already expanded. Watch wires closely to ensure they are not overgrown. This will cause scarring on your branches if you are not careful.

Repotting Dogwood Bonsai

Repot this species when the root system has filled the pot. This is typically referred to as the tree being “rootbound.” When this tree believes that it has no room to expand its roots, it will also stop growing above the soil to compensate. This is their natural ability to ensure that they do not outgrow the root support. This typically occurs every two years, and should be performed in early spring. Repot Dogwoods with a soil with plenty of drainage.

Fertilizing Dogwood Bonsai

As with any bonsai, fertilizer is vital to having a healthy tree. Fertilizer replenishes the nutrients washed away with the increased watering. This tree should be fed every other week during the growing season, then monthly through fall and winter.