Container Garden Guide

Do you water a bonsai like any other plant? Of course not. Lots of factors affect bonsai including climate and environment and there are very specific ways on how they should be treated.

Because bonsai come in lots of different species, they use water at different rates, and that means they will grow at different rates during their growing cycle. Remember all bonsai are not the same, there are also deciduous and non-deciduous. Bonsai do not have set cycles and therefore they should be attended to when required.

Watering – be careful never to let the compost dry out. By allowing compost to dry, you can quickly kill a bonsai tree. When trees and plants are in their natural environment they quickly adapt to the conditions of the soil – this is not possible with bonsai as because of the small scale, whatever you do – or not – has a fast effect on it. It is said in Japan that to master the proper watering of a bonsai it takes 3 years.

Under-watering can be much more harmful for a bonsai than over-watering. Make sure the compost is not dried out, its very important to take a careful note of its condition.

The roots of a bonsai need oxygen to breathe – water comes into contact with the roots and provides oxygen, it flushes out all the by products and in exchange gives fresh air and oxygen which nourishes the plant. If you give too much water the plant will literally suffocate – the fine root hairs cannot breathe and it dies through too much oxygen.

Is there a way you can tell if you have over-watered? Yes if you are re-potting, over-watering will be shown by the fine roots hairs which will have turned black and gone rotten.

Some of the signs which may indicate that you are not watering correctly are – the smaller branches shrink and die away – foliage turns yellow – the plant suffers a lack of vigor and looks tired not healthy.

So what can be done to remedy this? Cutting away the black roots will help. Rotten roots foster bacteria that kill the plant, so cutting the old rotten black roots away will help restore a more friendly eco system and help the plant to recover. Take care not to damage the healthy roots as this will impede recovery. More importantly you will need to change your watering habits!

Do you know how often you water? There should never be a set routine. As temperatures and the environment change on a daily basis you need to adapt to your bonsai needs. Because the root system is very small it can dry out quickly and a careful watch needs to be keep on each plant. Compost which is wet on the top could well be dry below the surface. Each bonsai plant uses water differently and should be checked on several times a day.

You can use a wooden toothpick to help you find out what is going on beneath the surface if you put it into the soil and leave it. The next time you check the toothpick you will be able to see by viewing the lack of dampness and this will help you decide how much water you should use.

You should always change your routine to match the requirement of your bonsai as the correct watering is critical.

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• Beginners Bonsai Gardening
• Growing a Successful Indoor Bonsai Tree
• How To Fertilize Bonsai Tree
• Have You Tried Growing Outdoor Bonsai Trees?
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