Bonsai Tree Help

Basics of Bonsai

• Bonsai trees can be created from a cutting of just about any woody plant, but since the goal is to keep the tree small, the best choices are those that can thrive with their leaf sizes reduced. Some popular bonsais include red maple (Acer rubrum), which grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9; Japanese garden juniper (Juniperus procumbens), growing in USDA zones 4 through 8; and Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora), which grows in USDA zones 3 through 8. After selecting your bonsai, the shape of your tree is up to you. Keep in mind that the tallest your tree can be is 1 meter to still be called a bonsai. Use a copper or aluminum wire coiled around the trunk to coax your tree into your favored shape. Pinch and prune the tree to keep it within size limits and shape the branches. Repot the tree once every two years, and trim the roots down when you do to keep the tree dwarfed. Even if you follow all the general care directions, however, sometimes a bonsai tree needs a little extra help.

Start on the Right Foot

• Don't buy a bonsai tree from a department store or mall. Often, the stress the bonsai has suffered from the dry indoor environment will result in a short life. Buy your bonsai tree from a nursery or garden where it has been kept outdoors. Keep your tree well-watered. Dryness is the bane of the bonsai, and some need to be watered as often as twice a day. While these little trees need as much sunlight as possible, don't leave them in the sun all day or they will get too dry. If your bonsai is withering, hydration will often be enough to revive it.

Pests

• If you see signs of pests on your bonsai, you must deal with them right away. Remove insects by hand, and spray your tree with an appropriate insecticide. Most insects can be destroyed this way. If you have spiders, however, then insecticide will not work. Red spots on your bonsai could indicate spider mites. Use a strong, continuous flow of water over the affected branches to get rid of them. You may need to repot the tree to clean its roots of all the mites. If you find withered, blackened roots, cut them away with sterile scissors; infected cutting implements can spread disease.

Disease

• If you see your bonsai tree failing and you can't understand why, your tree may have contracted a disease. Small areas of woolly fuzz can indicate a fungal infection. Rubbing alcohol applied to the affected area can stop the problem. Some diseases, such as mold and mildew, are the result of soil that is not draining appropriately. More aggressive diseases, such as leaf rot or black spot, require the application of a fungicide. Isolate your tree from other plants to keep the infection contained, and give it plenty of well-ventilated air and sunlight while treating it.

Starvation

• Sometimes, your bonsai is simply hungry. Fertilizer is a great help to a bonsai tree. If your tree is wilting, it may be suffering from chlorosis, which indicates a lack of iron. Add some chelated iron to the tree's water to perk it up. Bonsai trees are sensitive, so keep them away from temperature extremes, high winds and heavy rain. With patience and tender loving care, your bonsai could last decades.