Secrets of oriental gardening: how often should you water a bonsai?

Everyone loves bonsai. They are miniature trees, usually beautiful, born in China many years ago. But the truth is that they are delicate and must be treated with a lot of special care. How often should you water a bonsai?

This technique is of oriental origin. The translation of the word bonsai indicates tray (bon) and nature (sai). That is, it’s a plant in a tray.

Its origin is Chinese, although it was in Japan that it was perfected and developed several years after its birth. Bonsai can be created from a seed, but the process is quite long. It is more advisable to purchase this developed plant in a nursery and take care of it so that it does not die and continues to grow.

What care and watering do bonsai have?

The most amazing thing about these little trees is that with care and precautions they can live as many years as any tree in their natural state.

Start, It is important to know that it is advisable, once the bonsai has been purchased, to transplant it after 2 years.. This transplant is carried out in spring, unless it is, for example, a cherry tree and it is not in bloom.

This in theory. If at any time you see the bonsai leaves turning yellow or the roots coming out of the pot into the soil, an urgent transplant is needed.

As for pruning, it is always carried out before spring. It is done not only to prune the branches and reduce the foliage of the tree, which must always remain small, but also so that the bonsai becomes stronger and healthier.

What type of pot does a bonsai need? The size will depend on the size of the tree. The base must be flat and the pot porous and with a drainage hole.

Bonsai need sunlight to grow. It is preferable to place it on a piece of furniture, near the windows, making sure that it does not have intense exposure, especially in the afternoon hours of summer.

It is not good for bonsai to be exposed to temperatures below 10º C and, outdoors, they must be protected from frost. If the temperature exceeds 15º C, it is best to keep it out of the sun for a few hours, avoiding midday. In case of irrigation, the soil of a bonsai must always be moist and it is recommended to water it twice a week.

The ancient custom of Japan consists of watering them 3 times a week, once for the pot, once for the soil and once for the tree. It is recommended that the water is neither cold nor hot, but warm, at room temperature. Another thing that helps is to assemble a sprayer and add water to it like this, gently.

For the fertilizer it is necessary to use a solid organic one, specific for this type of plant, and apply it in spring and autumn, during the growth period.