Hardly any plant art is more impressive than the bonsai. So it's no wonder that many people are interested in caring for a bonsai themselves. But enthusiasm quickly fades as care turns out to be more of a challenge than expected. If you have already tried it without success, don't give up yet, because today we have some helpful tips for care for beginners that will definitely make it work better than before. And if you still haven't decided whether you should go for it, now is the time to do it. If you also choose one of the bonsai types from our list that are suitable for beginners and follow the care tips, you should be guaranteed success. So gather some basic knowledge about bonsai for beginners and continually expand it if you enjoy caring for it.
What is a Bonsai?
Bon Sai literally means “tree in a bowl”. This may not surprise you, as you can tell from the look of the plant that it is supposed to be a mini tree that also grows in a bowl. However, what many people don't know is that bonsai is not a special type of dwarf tree. In fact, any type of tree can be chosen to grow a bonsai. It doesn't matter whether it's a fruit tree, an evergreen tree or an ornamental tree. However, in order for a tree to become a miniature that looks like a full-grown one, a lot of care and, of course, knowledge is necessary. Depending on the speed of growth and whether you are growing the plant from seed or using a larger plant, this may also take more or less time. Overall, growing is not a particularly easy thing, but there are also suitable bonsai for beginners.
Before you start choosing and caring for your bonsai, read the following basic principles for successful bonsai care.
Indoor or outdoor plant and the right location
Did you know that there is not only bonsai as a houseplant, but alsofor the garden. This is an important feature that you should definitely find out about before choosing and purchasing your bonsai for beginners. A typical garden bonsai will not be able to thrive indoors in the long term. Indoor bonsai also prefer an outdoor space in the warmer seasons. After all, these are tree species that naturally grow outside. This also makes the plant more resistant to diseases and pests. Find out about the humidity. Especially in winter, the heating air is very dry, which some species don't like. Then the air must be humidified.
The light
Of course, the first thing you will do when you get home with your new bonsai is to put it in its new place. Easier said than done, because this should not be chosen arbitrarily. First of all, it is clear that every plant needs light to grow well. A dark location is therefore not recommended. Now the window probably comes to mind. And that's not all that wrong, because the window seat is the brightest in the apartment. However, it is important to ensure that the tree is not placed directly in the sun. Most bonsai don't like direct sunlight. The south and west windows should therefore be avoided or you should place the tree at a suitable distance from the window. Of course there are exceptions who would be happy about the sun. You simply need to inquire about this in advance. The same applies to garden bonsai.
The right tree
Just as there are types of all other plants that are easy to care for and more demanding, miniature trees sometimes require less care and sometimes require more effort. That's why the bonsai should definitely be chosen correctly. Instead of jumping on the first one that comes along or just choosing it because of its good looks, find out which types are best for beginners. A list of such trees can be found later in this article.
Get the right information about bonsai for beginners
Finding out more about care in general is an important step. However, you should also find out more about the tree you choose. Find out about his needs so you can provide him with everything he needs. Watering, fertilizer amounts, and location may vary depending on the species. In order to successfully grow bonsai, you should know about all of this.
Common mistakes beginners make
If you have ever unsuccessfully cared for a bonsai, you may be wondering what you actually did wrong. Maybe you will find the reason in the following list of typical beginner mistakes and can avoid it on your next attempt. But if you want to try it for the first time and have always wondered what can be so difficult about caring for a bonsai, keep the following tips in mind for the future to look after your plantto be cared for properly:
Too frequent watering
Long-term moisture in the substrate results in rotting roots, which inevitably leads to the death of the bonsai in the long run. If you buy a bonsai, remember the following rule: only water it when the soil feels really dry. Also be sure to avoid waterlogging. Special bonsai soil in which the purchased plant was planted is usually sufficiently permeable. The corresponding bowl with saucer then does the rest. Excess water can drain away and is then no longer in contact with the earth.
Tip for bonsai for beginners: The dry bonsai soil usually does not absorb the irrigation water particularly quickly. Instead, it runs over and down the sides. To avoid this, you can first spray the soil with water and wait a few minutes for the moisture to be absorbed. Now watering is much easier and you can water the bonsai.
Watering too infrequently
The roots are an important part of the tree, as you know. They spread out in search of water, which is also what gives the bonsai a look. Not to be forgotten, water is essential for the survival of every plant, for some more and for others less. So long dry periods are not a good idea for the bonsai. It prevents it from growing and may even lead to its extinction at some point.
Incorrect fertilization
Don't think that your bonsai doesn't need to receive nutrients from you just because the tree is self-sufficient in the wild. The difference is that the tree can develop freely in nature and the roots have the opportunity to “search” for the necessary nutrients in the soil. The limited space the plant has available is also the reason why all the nutrients in the shell are quickly used up. Regular fertilization is therefore very important to promote growth.
Also remember that the tree does not need to be fertilized immediately after repotting. To begin with, it is sufficiently supplied with nutrients that are present in the substrate. It is only recommended to add fertilizer again a few weeks later. Otherwise, with this excess of nutrients, you risk burning your miniature tree.
The wrong location
As mentioned above, location is very important. Beginners usually choose this wrongly and either place the tree in a place that is too dark or too sunny, where the leaves simply burn. The basic rule is bright and without direct sun, but you should also read this again for each type. There are definitely species that not only tolerate the sun, but also need it. A bright room does not automatically mean that it is bright enough for the tree. Therefore, always choose a place near a window. Also make sure that the air is not too dry and the room is not too cold in winter.
We would like to remind you once again that in summer the ideal location is the garden, the terrace or the balcony, of course again without direct sunlight. Every plant needs a period of rest in order to thrive. They only get into this phase if they are exposed to slightly cooler temperatures, which works best outside.
The wrong way to cut
It seems like cutting is a difficult matter. Regular pruning is necessary so that the bonsai maintains its typical tree shape including trunk and crown. In this way, growth is avoided and the plant uses its strength to form a wide trunk and a lush crown. But that doesn't mean that the tree should be constantly cut back. This is a common beginner mistake. This creates wounds that the tree tries to heal and constantly uses its energy to do this. Growth cannot then occur. Instead, you should only prune two or three times a year while shaping the bonsai.
When it's time for topiary, you also have to cut the bonsai correctly. A common mistake is to trim the tips. Since theBonsai Baumderives its strength from the leaves, the fresh tips are particularly important to it. If a branch is too long for you and you want to shorten it, cut at the nearest fork instead and leave enough new leaves on the rest of the crown.
The plant is not rotated
This is also something that beginners often forget or simply don't know. This is especially important if the bonsai tree is indoors. In the wild, the tree is illuminated evenly by the sun from almost all sides every day. This is important so that all the leaves get enough light. Otherwise, bald spots arise. The light at the window only comes from one direction. So the side of the tree that faces the room is darker. For this reason, the tree ideally needs to be turned slightly every week or at least every few weeks.
Bonsai types for beginners
If you have now decided to grow a bonsai as a hobby and are looking for a suitable plant, you can choose the right tree species from the following list. There are species for the garden, but also those that are suitable as houseplants. In addition, find out about the individual care needs of the selected tree and you can grow your own bonsai yourself.
Bonsai for beginners as a houseplant
- Birch fig (Benjamin's fig tree)
- Ficus Ginseng
- Fukiente Tea (Carmona microphylla)
- money tree (Crassula ovata)
- Fake tea (Sageretia)
- Jadebaum (Portulacaria afra)
- Chinese elm (Small-leaved elm)
- Steineibe (Podocarpus macrophylla)
- ray aralia (Schefflera arboricola)
- June snow (Serissa foetida)
- Coprosma
- Privets
- indoor fir (Araucaria heterophylla)
Growing garden bonsai for beginners
- juniper (Common juniperor even better:Juniper reclining dwarf)
- Kiefer
- hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)
- tricorn maple (Acer buergerianum)
- cotoneaster (Cotoneaster)
- Japanese maple (Maple palmate)
- European larch (Deciduous larch)
- Common yew (Taxus baccata)
- cypress
- Wild apple (Malus sylvestris)
- Feuerdorn (Pyracantha)
- Winter-Linde (Corded linden trees)
