How to grow a bonsai in your garden

It is true that bonsai is a small tree, but its charm is wild especially if you decide to have some in your garden. It comes as the natural little charming touch that completes your garden and home. Also, it is adequate in small gardens so it can suits all spaces.

Here is how to grow a bonsai in your garden.

1 – Choose your Bonsai

As a matter of fact, all woody species can become bonsai. You just need to pick up the easiest one to prepare and grow. For your first bonsai, chose one that simply grows fast so you can easily take care of it.

Hence, if you want an indoor bonsai, you can select a Ficus tree or china elms. They are both strong and weather tolerant. However, if you go for an outdoor bonsai, you can choose a birch or a maple. Also, if you wish to have a flowered bonsai then choose between the apple tree and a hawthorn.

2 – Buy or sow your bonsai

As a beginner, you can buy your bonsai mature and put it in your garden. It will be easier to take care of indeed. However, you will miss the chance to see it grow from the beginning.

So if you can show patience, we suggest that you sow your bonsai: take a seed or a stone fruit or an acorn, put it on wet cotton, and then cover with a dry cotton. Put all in a plate then cover with another. Place the plate in shady but warm and humid place (21°C). once the seedling germinates and you notice a small plant coming out of it, take it and put it in a small put and fill it with a breeding ground; just some millimeters not more.

3 – Shaping of a bonsai

The objective of having a bonsai is mainly to give it a shape and a certain height.

So, the root cutting can take place at the same time as potting. In fact, for a young plant, the potting can be done only when the roots are all over the pot that is once a year or two years (mainly in spring).

Then, when the roots are out of the ground, it is time to cut the most important ones so that the small ones take root in the pot. Nevertheless, don’t cut all the important roots, it is important to leave some so the plant keeps its growth.

Finally, the shaping height takes place during winter or spring. You simply need to cut the branches that grow inside. Cut the branches in a way that gives more air to the bonsai so it breaths fully. Choose a branch that will be the main one to reach the height needed.

P.S: like all other trees, bonsai needs:

Watering is very important especially in the potting period where you have to fill the pot with much water; for the rest of the year, water regularly in small quantities (like any other plants).

Being small, the pot is not fertilized enough; hence try to fertilize the ground by buying fertilizers twice a year.