Bonsai Tools and Supplies: How to Choose the Right Equipment

The right bonsai supplies matter more than the number of tools you own. A healthy tree needs free-draining bonsai soil, a pot with drainage holes, a way to water gently and thoroughly, and fertiliser during the growing season. Tools for pruning, wiring and repotting can be added as your skills grow.

This guide covers every category of bonsai equipment and supplies: what each item does, what to look for, what to avoid, and what to buy first.

Your first bonsai shopping list

Item Why you need it
Bonsai scissors Trimming shoots and leaves cleanly
Watering can with a fine rose Soaking the soil evenly without washing it away
Bonsai soil mix Fast drainage and air for healthy roots
Wooden chopstick Checking soil moisture below the surface
Balanced fertiliser Feeding during the growing season
Pot with drainage holes, plus mesh Only if your tree arrived in an unsuitable pot or needs repotting

Everything else, including wire, cutters, root tools and turntables, can wait until you need it.

Bonsai Tools

Buy tools in stages, matched to the work you’re actually doing.

Stage Tools When you need them
Essentials Bonsai scissors, chopstick From day one
Wiring Aluminium or copper wire, wire cutters When you start shaping branches
Repotting Root hook or root rake, soil sieve Your first repot, usually after 2–3 years
Structural pruning Concave cutters, knob cutters When you remove whole branches
Advanced styling Jin pliers, tweezers, grafting knife, turntable Deadwood work, detailed refinement and grafting

What to look for: carbon steel holds a sharper edge but needs oiling to prevent rust. Stainless steel costs more but is low-maintenance. A comfortable grip matters more than a fancy finish. One good pair of scissors is better value than a cheap kit of ten tools.

Read more: What Bonsai Tools Do I Need?

Bonsai Soil and Soil Components

Soil is the most important supply you’ll buy. A bonsai lives in a small volume of soil, so the mix must drain within seconds, hold air around the roots and still keep enough moisture between waterings. Ordinary potting mix stays too wet in a shallow pot and is one of the main causes of root rot.

Component What it does Notes
Akadama Japanese baked clay granules; holds water and air, and changes colour as it dries Breaks down over 2–3 years; imported, so it costs more
Pumice Lightweight volcanic rock; drains fast and holds some moisture Doesn’t break down; excellent for most species
Scoria (lava rock) Porous, rough volcanic rock; adds drainage and structure Widely available in Australia and inexpensive
Zeolite Porous mineral that holds nutrients and moisture Often used as a substitute for part of the akadama
Composted pine bark Organic matter that holds moisture Use fine, sieved bark; too much keeps the mix wet
Diatomite Fired clay granules that hold water A durable alternative to akadama

Choosing a mix

  • General purpose: roughly equal parts akadama (or zeolite), pumice and scoria, with a little fine pine bark. This suits most deciduous and tropical trees.
  • Conifers (juniper, pine): more grit and less organic matter, such as equal parts pumice, scoria and akadama with little or no bark.
  • Succulents (dwarf jade): a very gritty mix, mostly pumice and scoria.
  • Australian natives: many prefer a free-draining, low-organic mix similar to the conifer blend.

Pre-mixed bonsai soil is the simplest option for beginners. If you make your own, sieve each component to remove dust, which clogs drainage. Particles of about 2–6 mm suit most trees.

Avoid: peat moss, fine sand, garden soil, clay soil and standard potting mix. All of them compact and stay too wet in a bonsai pot.

Bonsai Pots, Mesh and Wire

Pots

Every bonsai pot must have drainage holes. Many also have smaller tie-down holes for wiring the tree in place.

Pot type Best for Considerations
Plastic training pot Young trees, recovering trees, development Cheap, light and holds moisture well; not for display
Unglazed ceramic or stoneware Conifers and most outdoor trees; traditional look Breathes slightly and dries faster; choose frost-proof stoneware in cold areas
Glazed ceramic Flowering and deciduous trees, figs, display Holds moisture longer; colours complement flowers and foliage
Mica or composite pots Large trees; budget display pots Light and tough, but not as refined as ceramic

Choosing size and shape: A common guide is a pot about two-thirds as long as the tree is tall, and about as deep as the trunk is thick at its base. Shallow pots suit refined trees; deeper pots suit young or recovering trees, which need more root room. As a general guide, conifers suit unglazed pots in earthy tones, while flowering and deciduous trees suit glazed pots.

Avoid: decorative pots without drainage holes, and very shallow pots for a tree that’s still developing or struggling.

Drainage mesh

Fine plastic mesh over each drainage hole stops soil washing out and keeps insects from getting in. Use plastic, not metal, which can rust. Don’t add a layer of gravel at the bottom of the pot; it doesn’t improve drainage.

Bonsai wire

Type Best for Notes
Anodised aluminium Beginners, deciduous trees, figs Soft, easy to apply and remove, reusable
Annealed copper Conifers, experienced growers Stronger per thickness, stiffer and harder to remove

Start with three sizes, roughly 1.5 mm, 2.5 mm and 3.5 mm. As a rule, use wire about one-third the thickness of the branch. Check wired branches every few weeks, and remove the wire before it cuts into the bark.

Fertiliser, Watering, Growing and Pest Supplies

Fertiliser

Type How it works Best for
Liquid fertiliser Mixed into water; fast-acting and easy to control Most beginners; apply at half strength every 2–3 weeks in the growing season
Slow-release pellets Releases nutrients over weeks to months Low-maintenance feeding; follow the label
Organic bonsai cakes Traditional slow-release organic feed placed on the soil Outdoor trees; can attract flies and mould indoors
Native fertiliser (low phosphorus) Formulated for phosphorus-sensitive plants Banksias, grevilleas and other Australian natives

A balanced fertiliser suits most trees. Feed only while the tree is actively growing, roughly September to April in Australia, always onto damp soil. Don’t feed trees that are sick or recently repotted.

Watering supplies

  • Watering can with a fine rose: the essential piece. A fine rose turns the flow into a gentle shower that won’t wash soil away.
  • Hose with a shower or mist setting: practical for larger collections outdoors.
  • Rainwater tank: rainwater is ideal for bonsai, though most Australian tap water is fine.
  • Moisture meter: useful as a rough guide, but often unreliable in gritty bonsai soil. A chopstick or your finger is more dependable.

Growing supplies

  • Humidity tray: a shallow tray of gravel and water under the pot raises humidity around indoor tropical trees. Keep the pot base above the water line.
  • Full-spectrum LED grow light: for indoor trees without a bright window. Position it 20–30 cm above the tree for 12–14 hours a day.
  • Shade cloth (30–50%): protects outdoor trees during Australian summer heat waves.
  • Benches or stands: lift outdoor trees off hot paving, improve airflow, and keep pests and fire ants out of the pots.
  • Turntable: makes styling and inspection easier, but optional.

Pest and disease supplies

  • Horticultural or white oil: smothers scale, mealybug and mites. Don’t spray in hot sun.
  • Insecticidal soap: for aphids and other soft-bodied insects.
  • Fungicide: for fungal problems such as leaf spot or juniper tip blight. Choose one labelled for the disease.
  • Cut paste: seals larger pruning wounds to reduce moisture loss and help them heal neatly.
  • Isopropyl alcohol: for sterilising tools between trees.

Always identify the problem first and follow the product label.

Bonsai Starter Kits: What to Avoid

Starter kits can be good value, but many are padded with items a beginner won’t use and low-quality tools that blunt quickly. Watch for:

  • Seed kits sold as a quick route to bonsai. Growing from seed takes years before a tree can be styled.
  • Tool sets of 10+ pieces with soft, thin steel. One good pair of scissors outperforms a box of poor ones.
  • Kits with ordinary potting mix or peat-based soil labelled as bonsai soil.
  • Pots with no drainage holes, or shallow decorative dishes.
  • Junipers sold as indoor bonsai. Junipers are outdoor trees.

A better starter kit is a healthy, correctly labelled tree, a bag of quality bonsai soil, one pair of bonsai scissors and a watering can with a fine rose.

How to Prioritise Your Spending

  1. A healthy tree of the right species for where you’ll keep it.
  2. Quality bonsai soil. It affects the tree’s health every day.
  3. Good bonsai scissors.
  4. A watering can with a fine rose.
  5. Fertiliser for the growing season.
  6. Wire and wire cutters, once you start shaping.
  7. Root tools and a display pot, at your first repot.
  8. Concave cutters and advanced tools, once you’re structurally pruning.

Where to Buy Bonsai Tools and Supplies

Where Best for
Specialist bonsai nurseries Healthy trees, quality soil, pots and tools, and expert advice
Bonsai club sales and shows Good-value trees, pots and supplies from experienced local growers
Online bonsai retailers The widest range of tools, wire, pots and soil components
Garden centres and landscape suppliers Pumice, scoria, zeolite and pine bark for making your own mix

In Australia, check whether an online seller can ship soil and live plants to your state, as biosecurity rules apply in some areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

What supplies do I need to start bonsai?

Bonsai soil, a pot with drainage holes, bonsai scissors, a watering can with a fine rose, a chopstick for checking moisture, and a balanced fertiliser. Add wire and repotting tools later.

Can I use regular potting mix for bonsai?

No. Potting mix holds too much water in a shallow bonsai pot and can cause root rot. Use a gritty bonsai mix instead.

What’s the best soil for a beginner?

A pre-mixed bonsai soil from a specialist supplier. If you mix your own, use roughly equal parts akadama or zeolite, pumice and scoria, with a little fine pine bark.

Do bonsai need special fertiliser?

Not necessarily. A balanced fertiliser at half strength suits most species. Australian natives sensitive to phosphorus, such as banksias, need a native fertiliser.

Are bonsai starter kits worth buying?

Some are. Choose kits with a healthy, labelled tree, a gritty soil mix and a good pair of scissors. Avoid seed kits, large cheap tool sets and pots without drainage.