How to Do Bonsai - 4 Keys for the Beginner to Know

I remember the first time I was exposed to the beautiful artistry of Bonsai. When I was about 5

years old, I was visiting relatives at my uncles house in Tokyo, Japan. After a while, some of us

kids went out to the back "yard". In Tokyo, as in most places in Japan, land is a real premium,

so the back "yard" was really just a small rock garden. It was in that small, simple, yet beautiful

rock garden, that I saw my first bonsai tree. It was so tiny, yet proportionally perfect. I later

found out that it was more than 40 years old! I was hooked!

Bonsai or the art of growing miniature trees, requires patience and know how. In this article I

will touch on 4 things that every aspiring Bonsai artist should know, in their quest to learn how

to do bonsai.

How To Do Bonsai - Key #1...Bonsai Are Not Houseplants.

For the most part, bonsai are outdoor plant and should remain outdoors all year long. Of

course, that does not mean that they cannot come indoors to be enjoyed for a short while, just

that a majority of the time they need to be outside. Bonsai are temperate climate plants that

require a period of dormancy. Dormancy is a survival strategy that temperate climate species

have evolved to stay alive over the winter. These plants have an internal clock that tell them

when to slow their growth activity, so that they may survive any extreme or freezing

temperatures. For the home bonsai artist, you will need a place outside to keep your plants.

How To Do Bonsai - Key #2...Bonsai Must Be Trained.

Bonsai are trained to look a certain way through a number of different techniques. This can be

accomplished through manipulating the trunk and branches through pruning and wiring. This is

where the heart of the bonsai artistry resides. To make mistakes in this area of training could

lead to catostrophic results. Don't be disheartened though. Anyone, with some proper training

and time can learn how to properly train their bonsai.

How To Do Bonsai - Key #3...Bonsai Must be Fed and Watered.

Just like all other plant life, bonsai require three things to survive: sun, food and water.

Assuming your bonsai resides primarily outside, as the bonsai artist, your primary concern is to