Indoor Bonsai Tree Care [2021]
Growing bonsais indoors is becoming more and more popular as people want to enjoy their favorite plants without having to be in the garden or outside all year round. Indoor bonsai tree care is crucial to have healthy, happy plants.
However, these mini trees require much different care than outdoor ones.
In this post we will explore some basic tips that will help your indoor bonsais grow strong and healthy while living inside.
Here’s what we need to consider for indoor bonsai tree care. What type of soil should I use? What kind of light do I need? How often should I water the plant and so on.
These are just a few of the questions that can pop in your mind when starting with this unique hobby. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Indoor bonsai tree care instructions
First, you only need to decide what bonsai tree you want to grow indoors and then learn how to care for it. Remember that all bonsais will have different requirements for each type.
1). The first thing to do is to choose what kind of plant you want to grow and how much time you’ll be able to give it. Some types need more attention than others, just like some bonsais are hardy while others are more delicate. In order to make the best choice, you have to know about the different types of indoor bonsais tree.
Types of indoor bonsai tree
–Ficus is one of the most popular types to grow indoors due to its high adaptability. It can grow in any kind of soil, it is very flexible and hardy, as well as extremely beautiful. If you choose this type, you’ll have lots of time between watering sessions and growing tips such as fertilizing and repotting.
-Bougainvillea is very easy and fast to grow, but it requires much light and can’t be left alone for too long because it will suffer from brown spots which means that the leaves are dying. But other than that, this type is perfect if you don’t have time in your busy schedule to take care of this type plant.
–Chineseelm is another popular bonsai type that can be left alone for many days but it requires much light.
-Ginkgo tree is a delicate type which needs very little water and sunlight, as well as regular pruning to stay healthy. If you don’t have the time to take care of this plant, you should better forget about it.
–Crape myrtle is extremely fast and easy to grow indoor bonsai plant which can survive just in water for a period of time. This type requires much light but very little watering so it’s an excellent choice if you are a busy person who wants to try out this new hobby.
These are just some of the indoor bonsai tree species. Revisit this page for more updates.
2). The second step is to decide on a proper location for your indoor bonsai.
It should not be in front of an open window or directly under a lamp because the extreme heat will harm its delicate leaves and make it die much faster than it should.
Even if you use artificial lights, they should not be too close to the bonsai. It should have at least 4 hours a day of sunshine, but at night it can stay in complete darkness.
If it’s not possible to have such location, you should better choose another type of bonsai plant because this one will not grow healthy otherwise.
3). There are three main principles of bonsai care that you should always follow in order to avoid problems.
Indoor bonsai tree watering
The first one is watering: the soil should be damp, never dry and it’s recommended to water it using a sprayer rather than pouring water on the tree.
But sometimes the roots can get infected by fungus if they stay too wet so never leave your indoor bonsai in water for too long.
How often to water your indoor bonsai tree?
The way of watering is totally up to you. Some people do it like every tree in nature (water it once a week, giving it enough water when doing so) , others prefer watering their indoor bonsai 3-5 minutes per day by using a sprayer.
It’s recommended to use the first way because your plant will feel more natural that way and its health will also be better.
The second principle is pruning: this indoor bonsai should be cut and trimmed at least once a month, or even more often if you have time.
It will make its growth stronger and straighter since it won’t have to expend energy on growing but rather on shaping the tree’s future as a bonsai.
The third principle is sunlight: your bonsai should get at least 4 hours of sun every day, otherwise you will notice its leaves getting brown and shriveled up with time.
4). When it comes to fertilizing indoor bonsais, the most popular types are the ones that shouldn’t be fed with chemical fertilizers.
Rather than that, you should choose natural fertilizers which will give your tree a healthy boost to its roots and leaves.
There are 2 popular types of fertilizer for bonsai trees: organic fertilizer (which is made from composted animal manure), and chemical based fertilizer made from bone meal or rock phosphate combined with bone ash.
Both of them are good for your indoor bonsai, but the first one is more natural and healthier so it’s recommended to use organic fertilizer.
When it comes to fertilizing, you should always choose natural fertilizer which is made from composted animal manure and other organic waste products.
Although chemical based fertilizer has been used for bonsai trees care , there are some dangers of using it because most of them are made from synthetic chemicals that have been made to be used on plants in greenhouses, not at home.
Besides that, organic fertilizer is cleaner and healthier for your tree so it’s the one you should use .
When you have chosen a bonsai tree type and a place where to put it and you start caring about this plant, be patient with yourself while learning its needs because bonsais are living things and they need time to adjust.
Keep looking for information about your bonsai type and look at its health often so you know what’s wrong with it before any damage is done.
Repotting should be done every year or two years depending on the type of bonsai tree that you have chosen.
It is done in order to give the bonsai plant more room for its roots and to replace the soil which has become too dense.
Bonsais are not as delicate as some people think so the pot can be broken if you pull it out with force, rather than removing it carefully with water.
Location
Although you can place your bonsai tree in any location of your house, it would be better if you could find a spot for it with light shade or indirect light.
It’s not recommended for you to place it in a bright and hot area of your house because this would cause its leaves getting scorched which would make them wilt, fall off, and dry up.
Understansing your indoor bonsai tree
In order to care for your bonsai tree the right way , you need to understand its basic needs.
For example, you can see that it only grows leaves on 1/3 of its branches which means you should water and fertilize the tree only on these branches.
This is called air pruning and this old Japanese practice helps your bonsai bush to grow stronger and straighter while letting its future grow more freely.
Humidity
Good humidity is another thing that your bonsai tree needs in order to stay healthy.
It’s recommended to water it from above and also spray the leaves and trunk with water every week so this way you can ensure that there will be enough humidity for your plant.
Temperature
Temperature is one more factor of indoor bonsai tree care . It should be placed somewhere warm, but not in a place where the temperature can drop below 50 degrees at night. The ideal room temperature for your bonsai is around 70-75 F (21-24 C).
The Right Colour
The last thing to take into consideration when buying an indoor bonsai tree is its colour.
Although there are several types of bonsai, most of them have green leaves or needles and this information should be used by you when choosing a place for your plant.
For example, if you want to place it near a wall with white paint, it would look out of place because its color doesn’t match that of the wall so you should find a location for it where its leaves would have the perfect contrast with your home’s décor.
Peace and Harmony
It is said that these trees bring harmony into your life and good luck to those who own one. In order to achieve that, you need to take care of your bonsai tree the right way .
The more attention and love you give it, the more it would bring luck into your life.
Conclusion – Indoor Bonsai Tree Care
With our experts have put together this guide to help you care for your indoor bonsai tree.
We hope it will be a helpful resource as you embark on this new and exciting hobby, whether the plant is a gift from someone special or something that needs more love in your own home.
Here are some key points we’ve covered so far: when to water and fertilize your bonsai; how often to prune; lighting considerations; repotting tips…and much more!
We recommend bookmarking our website and checking back periodically for updates where we’ll be discussing topics like what kind of pottery should I purchase? What kinds of trees can grow indoors?
And other questions related to caring for an indoor bonsai make sure you subscribe to our newsletter