I really love the look of bonsai trees and have always wanted one of my own but I’ve always worried that they would be too hard to care for and that if I bought one it would eventually die. I have never been quite brave enough to get one – until now that is!
I have now taken the plunge and I can admit that despite being nervous about caring for a bonsai I am now the proud owner of not one but two bonsai trees! The first bonsai tree that I bought was a Trident Maple which is fairly young and has a curly shaped trunk. I have also bought an established Ginseng Figus which is apparently an easy bonsai tree to grow indoors for beginners.
I really want to learn as much as possible about caring for bonsai trees so that I can look after the trees I have bought. So I have spent some time searching online to find some useful links. Many of the links that I have included provide great introductory information for anyone new to bonsai but also provide comprehensive information about ongoing care and maintenance of bonsai. I know that I will be referring back to them as I continue to care for my bonsai trees.
Comprehensive Information for Beginners
After purchasing my bonsai trees I initially just wanted to learn the basics so that I could care for them and ensure that they did not die before I have the chance to work with them further. The following two links allowed me to learn about the basics such as watering, fertilizing and positioning my bonsai trees while also providing access to more specific information as I need it.
My New Ginseng Figus and Trident Maple Bonsai Trees
Bonsai Empire website: Bonsai care and tree maintenance
Kuromatsu Bonsai.com website: Bonsai Care
Printable Resource (PDF)
If you prefer a great beginner’s reference that can be saved and used later or even printed out, then you might like the following PDF link which I found great reading for a beginner.
PDF: BONSAI TREES: GROWING, TRIMMING, SCULPTING AND PRUNING
Bonsai Care Basics
The positioning and the watering of bonsai trees appear to be two of the most important factors in keeping a bonsai tree alive and I found the following video links addressed some of the common mistakes people make when they are new to growing bonsai trees.
expertvillage YouTube video: How to Grow Bonsai Trees: Tips for Growing Healthy Bonsai Trees
OrlandoBonsaiTV YouTube video: How to Bonsai – Watering a Tree – Soil Drainage
Information More Specific to Types of Bonsai Trees
Once you have spent some time learning about the basics of caring for bonsai trees you then need to look for information that is more specific to the type of bonsai tree that you have. As I mentioned, I have a trident maple and also a ginseng ficus and I wanted some more specific information that would enable me to give my trees the best care.
Beautiful Display at an Easter Bonsai Exhibition in Central Victoria
The following links allow you to select and access information that is specific to the type of bonsai tree that you have. The first two links provide PDF documents for each of the tree types listed that can be viewed, saved or printed.
Bonsai Clubs International website: Species Guide – by Common name
S & S Bonsai website: Bonsai Care Sheets
Bonsai4me.com website: Species Guides
Other Useful Website That Cover The Basics
Stunning Chinese Elm Featured at Floriade Canberra
Lastly I have included several other links that I have found to contain useful information regarding caring for bonsai trees.
Bonsai4me.com website: Bonsai Basics
Ma-Ke Bonsai website: How to Bonsai trees for beginners
Bonsai Clubs International website: What is Bonsai?
I hope that this post has helped you to find the information that you are looking for to help you care for your new bonsai tree. As I am also new to bonsai I will be sure to update this post if I find any more websites that offer great information for beginners.
Hi, I'm Kaylene, and I'm a keen gardener,budding baker and wannabe DIYer!
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