Packaging

It is common for online bonsai delivery services not to package the plant properly. As a result, the bonsai is damaged when it arrives at your home. The material and the quality of the packaging are critical in bonsai delivery process. Customer instructions to unpack and care for the bonsai should also be included in the packaging. The right season for delivery should also be assessed carefully. A good bonsai delivery service should understand these things to prevent any damage to the plants.

Bonsai kits are also available from some online growers. These kits include various necessities for growing bonsai, such as pots, soil, and fertilizers. This is good as you can buy all necessary items in one place.

Shipping process

Some types of bonsai plants cannot stand long journey shipping process. In order to survive, enough sunlight, water, and care are essential for the plants. A good delivery bonsai company should address this problem by delivering the plant promptly and also using a proper shipping truck. You may need to pay a special charge for this special bonsai delivery, but it is worth the price as long as you get the plant safely and healthy.

Environment and climate

When you buy bonsai plants online, typically the plants and trees are classified into different climates. For instance, a subtropical bonsai should not be allowed in a freezing temperature on delivery. Even a forty degree Fahrenheit temperature could be dangerous for these plants.

You can contact the customer service if you want to get more information about online bonsai delivery service. The company should commit that the picture you see online is the real plant that you will receive after you place a purchase order. If you are not comfortable with the customer service, then it is a good idea to use another company.

Sufficient light and proper ventilation

These two factors are very important and you have to always remember in relation to bonsai care. Similar like most typical plants, bonsai also needs sufficient light to grow and survive. It is true that most bonsai plants can survive indoors, but still you need to give them sufficient light to flourish. Different plants have different requirements concerning the light and ventilation. It is best to study the requirements of the plant that you have.

A good bonsai care is to use natural light and fresh air for your bonsai plants. You can put them near a window so they can get sufficient sunlight and fresh air. Having said this, you should keep in mind that most bonsai plants are sensitive to heat and wind and thus you should keep them protected from these elements. In this case, it is better to put the plants under direct sunlight for a short period of time and then place them in shaded location. If you frequently go out of the house, you should not leave the plants near the window because they will be exposed to sunlight for a long time.

How to water your bonsai plants

Water is a very important factor in bonsai care. You should always keep in mind that bonsai plants only have a limited amount of soil to retain essential moisture and thus you should water these plants regularly. If the roots do not get enough moisture, the plants can dry quickly. To ensure that your bonsais stay healthy, you should sprinkle enough water in the morning and in the afternoon. If the weather is hot, you can sprinkle your plants three times a day.

Pruning your bonsai

The last important aspect in this bonsai care routine is to understand when and how to prune your plants. Different bonsai plants have different pruning requirements so you should be able to determine the suitable time to do this bonsai care. There is no exact rule on the best time to prune your plants. The most important thing is not to cut too much otherwise you will kill the plants.

This article gives some bonsai advice that can be valuable for beginners who just started to have interest in this hobby. Bonsai is a term used for a tree or plant that is kept in a miniature size. In general, the technique used to make a bonsai plant is to prune the tree regularly, which usually is done in spring, and to repot the plant every two years. These things are normally done by bonsai experts to maintain the health of the bonsai while keep the plant healthy.

The first bonsai advice that you should know is the type of the pot that is suitable for this purpose. In this case, the pot should be shallow and also has some drain holes. When you use a shallow pot, it can showcase the plant better. The drain holes are essential to protect the roots from stagnant water that can rot the roots.

Another good bonsai advice is related with how to water the plants. The secret is to keep the soil moist and never let it dries up. Most people are mistaken here because they think that moist means using a lot of water or soaked. In this case, moist indicates some water content in the soil, while the water is properly drained to the drain holes. The amount of water also depends on the types of the plants so it is better to do your homework first to determine the required amount of water.

The next bonsai advice for beginners is to put your tree in the center of the pot. This is not only for proportional or aesthetic purpose, but it is done to ensure that the root of the tree can spread properly and evenly. It is also better to make the branches and the leaves to be centered on the pot. Pruning the roots and the crown of the tree at least every two year is also essential to keep the roots become overcrowded so they can keep growing in a small pot. On the other hand, pruning the crown is intended to maintain the aesthetic value of the plant.

Preventing the soil from freezing is a good bonsai advice for the winter season. Most types of trees that are made into bonsai actually can stand cold weather because they are hardy. Unfortunately the story is different after they are trained into bonsai. These miniature versions will face a difficult time during winter because the soil is frozen and thus cannot produce enough moisture. In addition, there is another risk as the pot could break because of the low temperature. Therefore, it is best to keep bonsai plants indoors in winter season to ensure their survival. You should not put them near closed windows either because the cold can seep in and kill the bonsai.

Bonsai in China

Bonsai making was called “Penjing” in China. Legend says that during the Han dynasty, the emperor of China wanted a great courtyard to be built. It had to include hills, lakes, rivers, valleys, and trees that can be found in his empire. Of course an order from the emperor must be followed and thus the royal subjects cultivated miniatures trees so they could complement the design of the courtyard and please the emperor.

When they presented the miniatures plants to the emperor, he was immensely pleased and he considered bonsais as one of his prized possessions. In fact, he became so obsessed with them so he imposed a regulation that no one might cultivate the plants in his empire. According to legend, he put to death anyone who kept bonsais. Due to this condition, bonsais were considered as a valuable possession in China for many generations. For a long period of time after this, only the elites of China were given the right to cultivate the plants within their home.

It is hard to tell whether all those legends are true or not, but we can be sure that the art of making bonsai plants is considered as one of legacies that China has brought for the world. Even in today’s modern world, many people in China still consider bonsai plants as a valuable commodity.

Bonsai in Japan

Along with the Chinese, Japanese people are also famous in making bonsai plants. In the Heian period around 794 to 1191, the practice was introduced to the monks of Japan by Chinese people. Zen Buddhists adopted the Chinese method and cultivated bonsai plants in their monasteries, which made them the first people in Japan who cultivated these plants. Many people visited the monasteries and they had great interests in the miniature plants. Not long after, many people especially who belonged to the royal family started cultivating bonsai plants in their homes. In fact, the plants became a symbol of honor and prestige among the Japanese people. The culture continues to present day as bonsais still adorn the homes of rich and influential people in Japan.

This is the closest thing that you can get besides the real thing and it has an advantage as it does not need any constant care. You can leave it inside your home and you do not need to do anything to keep it alive. You should definitely go with this artificial bonsai option if you cannot keep a real plant looks alive and well. Surely you don’t want to have a dead and rotting plant somewhere in your house.

Choosing the artificial bonsai plants

Before you decide to buy an artificial bonsai plant, the first thing to do is to evaluate the decorations that you have in your house because you want to buy something that can match or compliment the existing home environment. You should not just buy any cheap or on sale artificial bonsai plant and end up with unmatched decorations. Another thing to consider is the available space where you can locate your artificial bonsai. If the space is limited, then you should not buy those big artificial bonsai plants. A small and delicate one will do nicely to beautify your table top in this case.

The material of the artificial bonsai plant is the next factor that you should consider. It is highly recommended that you choose those that are made from biodegradable materials and never choose plastic. The reason is because it is possible that you will get rid of the artificial bonsai plant in the future so it is better if we do not add another non-biodegradable product into the landfill.

Purchasing artificial bonsai plants

You can buy good quality artificial bonsai plants from many shops and department stores. It is a good idea to visit some local stores and shops to find out whether they offer this kind of product. If you do not have enough time, the easiest way is to go online and search for online stores that sell artificial plants.

An apricot tree or scientifically known as Prunus Mume originates from China, although later it was brought to Japan and Korea. Its fruit and flowers are the main reason for the tree cultivation. Many people called this tree a plum, but in reality it is closer to the apricot.

Flowers and fruits of the apricot bonsai

Typically the flowers bloom in late winter around the month of January and February. The diameter of the flowers is around one to three centimeters and there are five petals on each flower. Most flowers are white colored although some are rose and red. After the petals fall, the oval and pointed tip leaves appear. The fruit starts ripening in early summer, around the month of June in East Asia. The fruit is round and it has a groove that runs from the stalk to the tip of the fruit. The skin of the fruit is green and then it turns to yellow or even red when it ripens.

Other details on the apricot bonsai

The height of the apricot bonsai is around fifteen to seventeen inches tall and it can live to be nine years old. As other bonsai trees, apricot bonsai should also be kept outdoors. Soaking the bonsai in a container of water up to the trunk of the tree for five to ten minutes is considered as the best way to water the plant. You can allow the water to drain afterwards. If you want to water the bonsai using tap water, you should do it several times to make sure that it receives enough water to grow. In this case, you can start watering, then stop and wait for a few minutes before you start watering again.

Purchasing the apricot bonsai

If you are interested to purchase the apricot bonsai, you can try to purchase from Bonsai Boy of New York. This is a family operated nursery and they have high quality of products. They offer various bonsai trees at reasonable prices and in fact when this article is written, you can get an apricot bonsai for $59.95. You can visit their site at www.bonsaiboy.com if you want to get more information.

Another good place to buy the apricot bonsai is the Blue Oak Nursery. They have several nurseries around the United States and you can visit their website at www.blueoaknursery.com. The price of the apricot bonsai is around $95 when this article is written.

As mentioned in the beginning, tropical bonsai trees are popular among bonsai enthusiasts. Common tropical trees that are developed into bonsai are serissa, ficus, and bougainvillea. They are widely available and relatively easy to maintain as compared to other tropical bonsai trees. Normally a tropical bonsai is placed outdoors along with other plants. The reason is obvious as plants are not meant to stay indoors for an extended period of time because they need sufficient amount of sunlight.

On the other hand, during winter months, it is a good idea to keep your tropical bonsai trees indoors. After all they are tropical plants and they need humid temperatures. Cold weather can easily kill them even if you only leave them near a closed window during a cold night.

How to maintain your tropical bonsai indoors

You should place your tropical bonsai plant away from the radiator because it will give desert like dryness. This dryness can dry up the plant quickly and thus you will need to monitor it constantly. Another way to maintain humidity is by spraying some water on the leaves.

Hot and humid temperatures are preferable for tropical bonsai trees. To create this kind of environment, you can place your bonsai on a tray filled with pebbles and plenty of water. You need to note that the pot must not immersed in water, but stand on the pebbles instead. When the water evaporates from the tray, it will create a rainforest like humidity that is suitable for the tropical bonsai trees.

If the tropical bonsai has to be kept indoors for an extended period of time, you can use fluorescent lamps as a replacement of the sunlight. Light is important for the plant to produce food. In this case you can expose the plant to fluorescent lamp for 12 hours everyday. Do not put the bonsai too close with the source of light because the heat from the lamp can affect the plant. A foot is the closest distance for this purpose.

The trident maple bonsai is pretty common in the United States and it is also widely available in Europe and Asia. This tree, however, is not recommended for beginners because it needs constant care and special attention especially when you prune and pinch the plant. For people who have successfully grow this bonsai, they can enjoy its glorious appearance during the fall season when the leaves change from green to orange and gold.

Taking care of trident maple bonsai tree

In general, a trident maple bonsai tree needs similar type of care as other bonsai plants. Repotting is necessary every one or two years to control the growth of the roots and also maintain the size of the bonsai. Usually pruning this trident maple bonsai is not complicated because it will grow back easily and small leaves will appear which looks attractive.

Pruning the roots of trident maple bonsai extensively should not create any problem because normally the plant is still able to grow large trunks and buttresses quite quickly. If you want to do branch ramification, it can be done easily and quickly as well. The plant has no issue to grow in a small container and most of the time it grows upright which will make it easier if you want to develop it into any bonsai style.

Trident maple bonsai trees like a lot of sunlight and you can leave it under the sun all day long. They even can stand without water for a day or two, but it is much better if you water them daily so they can grow properly and stay in a good shape. When it comes to watering, they need pots with suitable drain holes so waterlogged that can rot the roots does not happen.

For an out of season transplant, pest bitten foliage, or to promote better color and smaller leaves, you can defoliate your trident maple bonsai plants. Thorough defoliation is required if you plan to take out some leaves otherwise the leaves will not grow evenly or you may kill branches that have been plucked bare. This is not a recommended procedure to be implemented though because the process puts a lot of stresses on the plant. If you do it frequently, you may make your trident maple bonsai unhealthy or even kill it.

If you want to start reviving bonsai trees, the first thing that should be on top of your list is to repot the tree every year or two years. Early spring is usually the most suitable time to do this. You need to have good quality potting compost with a mix of sand or grit, which will help the drainage. Hopefully when you repot the bonsai, you will bring a new life to it with the new soil and proper drainage.

Another alternative for reviving bonsai trees is to trim the roots regularly. A bonsai is normally put in a small pot to stop its growth and it can make the roots become very compacted and the tree appears dying. In this case, trimming the roots is a good strategy to keep your bonsai healthy. Of course old soil should be removed to expose the roots and thus it is better if you do this when you repot the plant.

Bonsai trees usually prefer to be placed outdoors so they can get sufficient sunlight, around three to six hours, everyday. Many people keep their bonsai trees indoors and soon they find that the plants begin to wilt. If this is the case, then you should move the trees outdoors, which will be a great help in reviving bonsai trees.

Water can be a very important factor in reviving bonsai trees. Most people understand that bonsai soil should be kept moist all the time. However, some people give too much water, which can rot the roots and kill the bonsai. Therefore, the bonsai pot should have sufficient amount of drain holes so water will not become waterlogged. Of course, you should not let the soil becomes too dry as it will kill the bonsai as well.

Pruning the crown of the bonsai is another way in reviving bonsai trees. Pruning will prevent the trees from growing taller and a sharp pair of scissors should be used for this purpose to prevent infection. When you prune the tree regularly, new branches can grow and it will spur a new life into the plant.

The Dawn Redwood bonsai tree was also originated from Manchuria in China. Many people believed that it has become extinct, but then it was found again in the 1940s. This Redwood is similar like the existing American Redwood and it has survived a long period of time. From thereon, these Redwoods have been found growing in forests and they were also planted in the United States in 1948. Nowadays, redwood trees are common in the U.S. and along with them, redwood bonsai.

The original Dawn Redwood trees have a lacey type of foliage and they are also deciduous. They look pretty during fall season when their green leaves turn yellow and bronze before they are shedding from the trees. Redwood trees that are grown in America, especially around California, are closely related to this original redwood trees. They look similar like cypress trees, but they can stand in slightly wetter climates and they are also suitable for forest building.

When you grow a redwood bonsai, it can be placed indoors or outdoors depending on where you want the plant to decorate your home. The most important thing is to maintain and give proper care so it grows healthily. Many people think that if they grow a redwood bonsai tree indoors, it means that the tree is not exposed to sunlight. This is not true because wherever you grow a redwood bonsai, it needs an ample supply of sunlight. Humid conditions are also essential as well as proper watering because dry soil can be really harmful. Regular fertilizing, say once every two weeks, is also a good idea to achieve the best result.

Redwood bonsai is a beautiful plant and it will decorate any room in your home. Its beauty can be attributed to its shape that tapers away from its root flare. In addition, it also appears heavy and broad. Dawn Redwood trees can also be found around Wisconsin, although they need protection from strong winds. Redwood bonsai usually is well grooved and it has one to two inches trunk size. Formal upright style is suitable for this bonsai especially when the trunk appears large and heavy.