What does Bonsai mean?
The word "Bon-saï" (often misspelled "bonzaï" or "banzaï") is a Japanese word which literally means "planted in a pot". This art form originated from an ancient Chinese horticultural practice, part of which was influenced by Japanese Zen Buddhism.
In other words, bonsai are trees in a pot, designed with certain techniques. At the same time, bonsai is the art of the Asian garden to design and maintain such trees.
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Bonsai tree size classifications
The ultimate goal of Bonsai is to create a realistic evocation of nature. There are several classifications of Bonsai, they help to improve understanding of the aesthetic and botanical aspects of Bonsai, although the exact classification of pruning is discussed. They are originally based on the number of people needed to carry the tree.
Size classifications
- Keshitsubo: 3-8cm
- Shito: 5-10cm
- Mame: 5-15cm
- Shohin: 13-20cm
- Komono: 15-25cm
- Katade-mochi: 25-46 cm
- Chumono / Chiu: 141-91 cm
- Omono / Dai: 76-122cm
- Hachi-uye: 102-152cm
- Imperial: 152-203 cm
Types of Bonsai Plants
1- outdoor bonsai : these are all the trees that live with our seasons. Often imported from Japan, the origin which makes it possible to find the most beautiful specimens, they are also sometimes imported from India, Korea or China. More and more amateurs are making bonsai with species from outside Europe. They are cultivated ... outdoors.
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2- indoor bonsai: they are mainly grown outdoors in mild periods; we must understand "mild period" as the months of the year during which the house heating is cut! As soon as you turn on the radiators, it's time to bring the bonsai plants inside. Be careful in climates , there is much less light in winter, and it is imperative to bring indoor bonsai closer to the window (on the sills for example). It is also important, in addition to keeping the soil moist, to spray a little lime- free water (typically reverse osmosis water ) on the foliage . Indeed, the heating dries the air,vaporization is the only way to recreate a humid micro- climate.
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Frequently asked questions about Bonsai Trees & Plants
Where to place my indoor bonsai?
You live in an apartment and do not have a garden. You can enjoy a bonsai at home as long as you follow a few basic rules:
-Hold your bonsai near a window without a curtain or blind. Prefer a window to the south in winter and to the east or west in summer. Brightness is the most important point.
-Be aware of the radiant cold effect that can exist less than 25cm from a window in winter. Likewise, be careful that your bonsai does not burn out behind a window to the south in summer.
- Absolutely avoid keeping your bonsai near a heat source (radiator or other) which dries the air and is harmful to it.
-During the shortest days of the year, adding horticultural-type lighting can be beneficial. Use it 12 hours a day.
-You can "display" your bonsai in an area away from a window for a specific occasion, but always remember to put it back near the window the next day.
-Remember to turn your bonsai regularly to expose all its sides to the light.
-When you ventilate your room in winter, take your tree out of the room. The cold snap can be fatal.
-Some species require a cooler temperature than others. You will find information in the bonsai culture and maintenance sheets by species
Growing a bonsai tree indoors is not easy. The key to success is often to take your trees outside from May to September. A balcony may suffice. Your bonsai can thus benefit from a luminosity, a hygrometry and an increased ventilation which allows it to "recharge the batteries" for the more difficult season that it will have to spend indoors.
Indoor bonsai or outdoor Bonsai?
The term "indoor bonsai" is a commonly accepted abuse of language. The indoor bonsai no longer exist than indoor trees. All trees are naturally outdoor trees and are more likely to be grown properly outdoors. The only exceptions are tropical species, which would not survive a winter in our climates without an artificial heating source. These tropical species should, however, be cultivated outdoors in our latitudes from May to September. In the same way, an autochthonous species of temperate climate will not endure without adverse consequences for its health to stay more than a few days inside, to be exposed there, and that only in the beautiful season. This is because these species need a period of dormancy, a period triggered by the winter drop in temperatures. Without this period of winter rest.
It is not always easy to provide optimal growing conditions for an indoor tree: Lighting levels are often low, humidity too low, air circulation poor. On the other hand, tropical species require minimum temperatures of 10 to 15 ° C. This means that in our latitudes, most tropical bonsai can only be kept outdoors for a few months a year. The rest of the year you have to provide them with the best possible indoor growing conditions.
What species of indoor Bonsai to choose?
The so-called indoor bonsai are actually tropical or subtropical bonsai that would not survive one of our winters outdoors. Among them, the easiest and most viable indoor species is the ficus. The ficus for "easy" that it is of culture is nonetheless a very interesting species with sometimes very impressive aerial root subjects. The ficus will thrive in a room between 15 and 25 ° C with as much light as possible. The Chinese privet (ligustrum sinensis) will also do well in this environment. You can also opt for a Chinese elm, a carmona, a serissa, or a podocarpus. For these latter species, the ideal is to keep them in the coolest (and brightest) room possible.
When and how to water my Bonsai?
Trees should only be watered when they need it. Never water mechanically and regularly. Check that your bonsai pot has drainage holes and that water can escape freely. For most bonsai only water when the surface of the substrate begins to dry.
One way to know when to water is to weigh the pot after it has just been watered. Weigh again when the tree needs water. You will quickly control the needs of your bonsai.
Many factors influence the amount of water a bonsai needs: the type of substrate (some elements retain more water than others), temperature and wind (the hotter it is, the windier it is). , the more water will be required) etc. In any case, when you water, do it "thoroughly". It is best to do this in two passes, the first preparing the soil to receive the water correctly the second time. You avoid runoff. (A Japanese saying goes "it always rains twice for bonsai"). For so-called indoor bonsai plants, for which you may fear dirtying or damaging your furniture, the best is to place them in a sink to water them, then let them drain for a few minutes and then place them on saucers if you want to protect your furniture. (be careful the base of the pot must never remain in the water standing in the saucer, or the time of drainage in the sink).
Another solution for watering indoor bonsai where water runs off without penetrating the substrate: submerge the pot in the sink or a basin filled with water until no more air bubbles come out. . Then let it drip off. Again, do not water again until the substrate surface becomes dry to the touch again. NOT BEFORE.
This immersion technique is a way of making sure that the water gets to the roots. It should be noted all the same, that it is practiced on a bonsai planted in a compact substrate and that the ideal at this stage is to repot the tree in a more draining substrate.
And remember: water a bonsai does not necessarily mean watering it every day. Always wait for the substrate to dry. On the other hand, when you water, do it DEEP.
My Bonsai plant is losing its leaves, what should I do?
Due to the stress of change, your bonsai may lose leaves after arriving home.
If you can and it is summer, put it outside, out of direct sunlight. Above all, do not water too much: let the soil surface dry before watering and do not add fertilizer. Your bonsai will quickly regain its health. As soon as it gets better, you can place it in a more sunny position (but beware of the full summer sun behind a window that can grill the foliage ...)
If you have not just received it, watch the leaves falling :
-If they turn yellow before falling and only a reasonable amount falls off, this is probably the normal cycle of life. Every tree gets rid of its old leaves even in fine weather.
-If they fall green and a fortiori by blackening at the end, it is probably an excess of watering. Always allow the substrate to dry out more or less before watering again.
Apart from the stress associated with the sudden change of environment (when receiving a newly acquired bonsai), it is common to observe that species kept indoors lose their leaves partially or even completely in winter (generally in December or January). This is due to the radical shortening of the length of the day. While it can be impressive, the tree is not dead. It will simply get rid of all or part of its leaves, then after a few weeks emit new buds (generally in February / March) which will quickly replace the old foliage, with the lengthening of the days.
It is important not to "overwater", nor to add fertilizer in particular. Just place your bonsai in an environment that is as bright as possible and with the highest possible air humidity. In general, if you follow these guidelines, your bonsai will be resplendent again by the end of March at the latest.
What species of outdoor Bonsai to choose?
These species depend on your climatic zone, but any tree, shrub or bush that grows naturally in your area can do the trick except for a few rare species that are absolutely not suitable for dwarfing. Some amateurs practice the collection of wild trees in nature (yamadori). You need to get permission from the landowner to do this. A good source to find interesting trees may be earthworks where many trees are uprooted or your neighbor replacing trees on his land for example. The easiest way is to visit nurseries regularly to find the tree that you find interesting. Choose trees with interesting root starts and trunks as well as small leaves if possible.
If you live in a temperate climate, you will surely want deciduous trees: maple, birch, oak, hornbeam, beech, ginkgo, larch, zelkovas etc ...
Pines are considered the queen species, but their culture is quite delicate. and is not recommended for beginners.
How to protect my outdoor bonsai in winter?
Wintering an outdoor bonsai is no more difficult than protecting plants in your garden. Most of the native species in our climates are able to withstand even a severe winter if the following points are respected:
-Do not overprotect because the trees must catch the cold, it is even necessary. So as long as the temperatures don't drop steadily or for a prolonged period below -5 ° C, there is no real need to worry. (In practice, in general it is not really useful to protect before mid-December in the average climate.) On the other hand, whatever the season, the wind, combined at temperatures less than or equal to -5 ° This is the most serious danger.
Trying to position your outdoor bonsai in a sunny location to keep them warm in winter is a mistake. The increased heat can cause your bonsai to wake up too early and endanger your bonsai if a cold snap occurs.
The ideal is a place sheltered from direct sun and wind. To shelter your bonsai from cold winds, a practical and inexpensive solution is to mount a protective "wall" with bales of straw. The root ball can also be protected by drowning the pots in pine bark or gravel up to the surface of the substrate.
In winter, never water in the evening, if the root ball is frozen or just before a cold snap.
When the root ball is dry and if it's no longer freezing, it's time to water.
Why repot Bonsai plants?
As plants of all types grow, their root systems develop gradually in accordance with their leaf mass to provide them with the necessary nutrients and water. Trees and shrubs living in open ground often have root systems that extend well beyond the projected shade of their foliage. Trees living in pots, on the other hand, have limited space. It is essential to provide them regularly with water and nutrients to maintain them.
The root system of bonsai like that of its big brothers in nature is growing year by year. After a variable period of time depending on the species, age and growing conditions, it becomes compact and "fills" the pot preventing the rootlets (which are essential for the absorption of water and nutrients) from developing correctly for lack of space. The structure of the substrate then deteriorates and the tree begins to suffer.
With an ordinary plant, it is often sufficient to place it in a larger pot, which allows for the addition of substrate around the root bread. With a bonsai the goal is the same: To give space to the roots to allow them to grow properly by producing the fine rootlets required. However for a bonsai, the pot, and particularly its size, is a question of aesthetic choice and one cannot be satisfied with choosing a "bigger" pot. This is the reason why we often repot a mature bonsai in the same pot, or a pot of the same size, (or even smaller) after a more or less drastic size of the roots.
The size of the roots has the effect of densifying the root bread: For each cut root, a certain number of new rootlets will be born. Over pruning and years, the root system becomes more and more dense and "branched". In properly maintained root bread, dozens of fine rootlets will occupy a space equivalent to that which a few large, poorly maintained roots would have occupied. In the end, although the volume of the roots is regularly reduced, the ratio "volume of soil available / quantity of roots" increases, making it possible to support the growth of a larger and more vigorous leaf mass.
Pruning the roots of a bonsai does not cause dwarfing. If the bonsai eventually loses some vigor in the weeks following pruning, it then becomes significantly more vigorous than before thanks to the appearance of numerous new rootlets.
When to repot Bonsai tress?
Temperate climate deciduous bonsai should be repotted during dormancy. This helps reduce the stress endured since the tree is idling and does not have to meet the needs of its leaf mass during this period. Evergreens such as spruce and pine need to be repotted later in the spring, usually in April just before their buds or candles open. Repotting in the vegetative season is a great stress for a tree and it is a risky business that can be fatal for bonsai. For so-called "indoor" bonsais which are tropical or subtropical, it is important to practice repotting at the height of the activity, ie generally in May-June in an average climate.The really optimal time for an "outdoor" repotting is late winter / early spring when the buds start to swell. The tree is still dormant but as it will start to grow again, the growth of the cut roots is almost immediate. This is to avoid leaving freshly pruned roots too long exposed to a risk of frost or rot as can happen with trees repotted too early in winter.
Of course, the exact timing greatly depends on the species concerned and even more on the climatic conditions. It is not possible to define a precise date. You will need to observe the tree and decide on the date based on these parameters. It is rare to repot on the exact same dates of.
