How to Build Your Own Bonsai Tree

Select a plant from a nursery. Conifers, or cone-bearing tress, with small spiky leaves, elms and boxwoods are among the easiest to train. Select the plant based upon its overall shape, depending upon which style you intend to create. Most beginners start with a classic style, which is basically a miniature tree with a trunk that is thick at the bottom and tapers to the top and has branches spreading out around the crown. Plants with trunks that are a little out of the ordinary to make more interesting bonsais. Search for trunks with raised protruding roots, knots, or bends and twists.

Choose a pot that is shallow and flat. They can be made from terra cotta clay or ceramics and come in various colors and shapes. They may also be rounded or square and tub-shaped. They must have holes in the bottom for drainage. A bonsai is considered a harmonious unit made up of the tree and pot, and each pot must be carefully selected to complement its tree.

Plant the tree. Bonsai planters are small and most plants require some root trimming to enable them to fit into the planter. Remove the soil from around the roots and trim some of the roots away. Drastic root trimming could kill the plant, and you must leave enough roots for the plant to continue to obtain nutrients from the soil. Carefully arrange the plant in the pot and fill with potting soil and press down firmly to pack the soil. Thread a length of copper wire up through the holes. Water the plant regularly and leave it for a few weeks to adjust to its new conditions.

Trim the bonsai. Once the plant has adapted to its pot, use secateurs or specialist bonsai tools to trim foliage and branches. This is where the artist in you takes over - let your creative juices flow and you should be pleased with the results. The soft copper wire may be used to bind carefully around branches to bend them into the shape you desire or move them to fill a gap. Wire is also used to anchor the plant into a particularly shallow tray.

Exercise patience. Bonsai is not for the impatient. It can take years to attain the results you can see in your mind. This is probably why so many bonsai enthusiasts continue to create more bonsais after the first. Trim the branches and leaves regularly and continue to shape the bonsai throughout its life. Apply nutrients sparingly to prevent excessive growth and keep the plant small.