A bonsai tree is a great hobby for anyone because it requires skill and the results are beautiful. Contrary to popular belief, taking care of a bonsai tree is not easy. There are specific steps that need to be followed during specific times of the year. In the spring, there are quite a few maintenance procedures that any bonsai gardener should be aware of. Follow these steps for bonsai springtime care for a healthy, happy bonsai tree.
Prepare For What’s To Come
Many people who have stored their bonsai trees indoors during the winter are far too eager to get their bonsai trees outside at the first sign of spring. It is important to be patient, however, because the fluctuating temperatures of early spring can easily damage a bonsai tree. It is important to wait until after you think the last frost has occurred before moving a bonsai tree outdoors. By no means should the plant be moved indoors every evening—the change in temperature will have drastic affects on the tree’s growth.
Trees that had been properly cared for during the winter will have received quite a bit of water, but perhaps not a lot of sunlight. Come spring, it is important to reverse this trend. It is important for a bonsai plant to receive less water during the spring, but also for it to be exposed to more sunlight. Giving the plant water every two or three days should suffice. Once warmer weather is there to stay, you can begin applying small amounts of fertilizer to the plant.
Bonsai Springtime Care: Pruning
One item of extreme importance to the health of the bonsai tree is pruning. Pruning serves to not only alter the shape of the tree, but also as basic maintenance. The reason that pruning should be done in the spring is because bonsai trees, like most other plants, recover best from damage and stressful activity during that time. To prune, make sure that the4 buds on your bonsai tree are set. However, they must still be closed. The proper pruning of a bonsai tree requires that the branches and roots are pruned at a balanced rate.
Careful Care
Those just beginning to care for a bonsai plant have every right to be uncertain. There are many different maintenance steps that need to be completed at various times of the year, and keeping up can be tricky. However, the end result will be well worth the time spent.
