How to Grow Your Own Bonsai

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People have known the ancient art of growing bonsai trees for thousands of years. Although often associated with Japan, bonsai actually originated in China, where bonsai is associated with Zen Buddhist beliefs. ^{[1] X Research Source} Bonsai trees are used today for decorative and recreational purposes beyond their traditional uses. Caring for a bonsai tree gives growers the opportunity to contemplate but be creative in the development of a symbol of natural beauty. See Step 1 below to learn how to grow your own bonsai tree.

Table of Contents

Choosing the Right Bonsai Tree for You

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Choose plants suitable for your climate. Not all bonsai trees are the same. Many woody perennials and even some tropical plants can be made into ornamental plants, but not all will be suitable for your site. When selecting a species, it is important to consider the climate in which the species will be grown. For example, some plants don’t survive frost, while others really need temperatures to drop below freezing so they can go dormant and prepare for spring. Before you start growing a bonsai tree, be sure the species you’ve chosen can live in your area – especially if you plan to grow it outdoors. Nursery staff can help you if you are unsure.

One variety of bonsai trees especially suitable for beginners is the juniper. This ornamental green is hardy, growing throughout the Northern Hemisphere and even in the more temperate regions of the Southern Hemisphere. In addition, junipers are easy to grow – they respond well to pruning and “curly” styles, and because they are green year-round, they never shed their leaves.
Other conifers commonly grown as bonsai include pine, spruce, and cedar. Deciduous trees are another possibility – Japanese maples are exceptionally beautiful like magnolias, elms, and oaks. Finally, some tropical non-woody plants, such as marbles and poplars, are good choices for indoor environments in temperate or cool climates.

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Decide whether you will grow the plants indoors or outdoors. The needs of indoor and outdoor bonsai trees can be very different. In general, indoor environments are drier and less bright than outdoor environments, so you’ll choose plants that require less light and moisture. Here is a list of some of the most popular bonsai tree species, categorized by their suitability for indoor or outdoor environments: ^{[2] X Research Source}

Indoor: Da, Sake, Snow White apricot, Gardenia, Camellia.
Outdoors: Juniper, Cypress, Cedar, Maple, Birch, Oak, Ginkgo, Pine, Du.
Note that some cold-tolerant cultivars like juniper are suitable for both indoor and outdoor growing, as long as they are properly cared for.

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Choose the size of your bonsai tree. Bonsai trees come in many different sizes. Mature trees can be as tall as 15.2 cm or as high as 0.9 m, depending on their variety. If you choose to grow bonsai from seedlings or cuttings from another tree, they can be even smaller. Larger plants require more water, soil, and sunlight, so make sure you have all the necessary conditions before you buy a plant.

Here are a few things you’ll want to consider when deciding on the size of your bonsai tree:
- The size of the container you will use
- The space you have at home or office
- The amount of sunlight the plant will receive at your home or office
- The amount of care you can invest in the tree (larger trees take longer to prune)

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Visualize the finished product while selecting plants. Once you’ve decided on the type and size of bonsai tree you want to grow, you can go to the nursery or bonsai shop and choose the type of tree you’re going to plant. When choosing, look for plants with healthy, vibrant green leaves or needles to ensure that they are healthy (keep in mind, however, that deciduous trees can change leaf color in the fall). Finally, when you’ve narrowed down your search to the healthiest, most beautiful plants, imagine what each tree will look like once pruned. Part of the joy of growing a bonsai tree is trimming and shaping the tree gradually until it looks exactly the way you want it to – this can take years. Choose a tree with a natural shape that closely resembles the shape you have in mind.

Note that if you choose to grow a bonsai tree from seed, you can control the tree’s growth in nearly every stage of its development. However, it can take up to 5 years (depending on the species) for the seeds to grow into mature plants. ^{[3] X Research Source} Therefore, if you are interested in pruning or shaping trees right away, you are better off buying a grown tree.
Another option you can consider is growing a bonsai tree from cuttings. A cutting is a branch cut from a growing tree and planted in new soil to create a distinct (but genetically identical) tree ^{[4] X Research Source} . Cuttings are a good choice – they don’t take as long to grow as seeds, but still give you control over your plant’s growth.

Put Plants in Pots

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Prepare the tree. If you’ve just bought a bonsai tree from the store and its pot is unsightly plastic or you’ve grown your own bonsai tree and you end up wanting to put it in the perfect pot, then you’ll need to be prepared for it. it before repositioning. First, make sure the tree is trimmed to the shape you want. If you want the plant to grow in some way after repotting, wrap a strong rope around the tree or branch to slowly guide its growth. You need to give the plant a tip-top shape before transferring it to a new pot which can be a challenge for the plant.

Know that plants with a seasonal life cycle (for example, many deciduous trees) are best transplanted in the spring. Rising temperatures in spring help many plants enter a state of vigorous growth, which means they will recover more quickly from pruning and rooting.
You may need to reduce watering before transferring the pot. Dry and loose soil makes the job a lot easier than wet soil. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

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Lift the plant out and clean the roots. Carefully remove the plant from the old pot, making sure not to break or scratch its main stem. You may need to use a shovel to help lift the tree out. Most of the roots will be cut before the tree is replanted into the bonsai pot. However, in order to see the roots clearly, you usually need to brush off the sandy soil attached to them. Clean the roots, brush off the sand that obscures your view. Root raking brushes, chopsticks, tweezers, and similar tools are very helpful in this process.

The roots don’t need to be cleaned up – just clean enough so you can see what you’re doing while pruning them.

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Root pruning. If you don’t properly control the growth of the tree, the bonsai tree can easily grow out of the pot. To ensure your bonsai tree remains manageable and tidy, prune its roots when potted. Cut off all the large, thick roots and the roots facing up, leaving behind the long, slender roots that will grow near the ground. Water is drawn from the root tips, so in small pots, many fine roots are generally better than one large, deep root.

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Prepare pots. Before placing the plant in the pot, make sure the soil is fresh and clean so that the plant reaches the desired height. At the bottom of the pot, put a layer of rock soil. Then, add a finer layer of soil on top. Using soil or a potting mix that doesn’t drain can cause the plant to stagnate. Leave a small space above the pot so you can cover the roots of the plant.

Growing Trees from Seeds

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Prepare seeds. Growing a bonsai tree from seed is a very long and slow process. Depending on the type of tree you grow, it can take up to 4-5 years for the trunk to reach 2.5 cm in diameter. ^{[7] X Research Source} Some seeds also require precisely adjusted germination conditions. However, this method is probably the “best” bonsai growing experience since it allows you to completely control the growth of the tree from the moment it emerges from the ground. To get started, buy seeds of the plant you want from a garden store or get them in the wild.

Many deciduous trees, such as oaks and maples, have instantly recognizable seed pods (oak nuts, etc.) and fall every year. Due to their ease of obtaining seeds, these plants are a great choice if you are planning to grow a bonsai tree from seed.
Try to get fresh seeds. The time it takes for plant seeds to germinate is usually shorter than for flower or vegetable seeds. For example, acorns are “freshest” when they are harvested in early fall and are still slightly green. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

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Let the seeds germinate. Once you have obtained the right seeds, you must take care of them to ensure they germinate. In non-tropical regions with well-defined seasons, seeds often fall from the tree in the fall, then lie dormant throughout the winter before germinating in the spring. The seeds of plants native to these regions are often biologically coded to germinate only after experiencing the frigid temperatures of winter and the rising warmth of spring. In these cases, it is necessary to expose the seeds to similar or stimulating conditions in your refrigerator.

If you live in a temperate environment with well-defined seasons, simply bury the seed in a small pot filled with soil and leave it outside during winter and into spring. If you don’t, you can keep the seeds in the fridge for the winter. Place the seeds in a resealable plastic bag with a bit of a moist, spongy growing mix (e.g. mineral fertilizer) and take them out in the spring when you can see the sprouts sprouting.
- To stimulate the natural cycle of tapering, then increasing, that occurs from late fall to early spring, first place a bag of seeds in the bottom of the refrigerator. Over the next two weeks, gradually move it up shelf by shelf until it reaches the top, right next to the chiller assembly. Then, at the end of winter, reverse the process, moving the bag of seeds down shelf by shelf. ^{[9] X Research Source}

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Transfer the seedling to a tray or nursery pot. Once the seedlings begin to sprout, you are ready to grow them in a small pot filled with soil of your choice. If you allow the seeds to germinate naturally outdoors, they will usually remain in the pot in which you planted them. Otherwise, transfer healthy seeds from the refrigerator to a potted soil or nursery tray. Dig a small hole for your seed and bury it so that the main sprout points straight up and the taproot goes down. Immediately water your seeds. Over time, try to keep the soil around the seeds moist, but not soggy or muddy, as this can cause the plant to rot.

Do not apply fertilizer until about 5 or 6 weeks after the plant has firmly established roots in the new pot. Start with a very small amount of fertilizer, or you may end up “burning” the plant’s young roots, damaging them with overexposure to the chemicals in the fertilizer.

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Place the seedlings in an area with the right temperature. As your seeds continue to grow, it is important not to expose them to direct cold temperatures or you risk losing young plants. If you live in an area with warm springs, carefully move the sapling to a warm but sheltered location outside, making sure your tree is not exposed to constant sun or strong winds, unless when your tree species can survive naturally in that geographic area. However, if you plan to grow tropical plants or sprout seeds that are out of season, it is better to keep the plants indoors or in a greenhouse where the temperatures are warmer.

No matter where you put your seedlings, it’s important to make sure they are watered regularly, but not over-watered. Keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged.

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Take care of seedlings. Continue with careful watering and sun exposure as your seedlings develop. Deciduous trees will grow two small leaves called cotyledons ^{[10] X Source of direct research} from seeds before the actual leaves develop and continue to grow. As your tree grows (again this process often takes years), you can gradually transfer it to larger and larger pots to accommodate the plant’s growth until it reaches the size you want.

Once your plant is relatively stable, you can leave it outdoors in a pot where it receives morning sun and late afternoon shade, unless the species you are growing can survive properly. nature in that geographical area. Tropical plants and other fragile plants may need to be kept indoors permanently if the climate in your area is not suitable for them.

Advice

Root pruning often helps the plant acclimate to its small environment.
You can also create bonsai trees from other plants.
Focus on basic tree styles like vertical, freestyle, and waterfall.
Plant the plant in a large pot and let it grow for a year or two to increase the stem thickness.
Let the plant continue to grow until next season before styling or pruning it.
Don’t let the tree die and take care of it.
Indoor plant pots should be lined with gravel or pebbles to avoid soiling the house.

Steps

Choosing the Right Bonsai Tree for You

Put Plants in Pots

Growing Trees from Seeds

Advice

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