Learning how to bonsai

Learning how to grow bonsai can not only be a wonderful hobby but also a way to stay in touch with nature and the positive effects it can have on our everyday lives.

The art of bonsai has been around for over 1000 years and is becoming more and more popular as garden sizes and yards get smaller and smaller due to our population growth and urban expansion.

Learning to grow and care for bonsai trees is much easier than most people think and it is usually only a few simple mistakes that bring them to harm.

Leaving a tree inside for too long is usually the first mistake new bonsai owners make.

A bonsai like any other tree needs the elements of nature in their purist form to survive.

Sunlight, air and water must be at natural levels that your variety of tree is used to, when growing in nature to avoid it becoming weak, at higher risk of pest and disease attack and eventually death if not rectified in time.

You can bring a bonsai inside to admire but for no longer than a week at a time.

The next tip on how to grow bonsai well is you need to find the balance between enough water and too much water.

You want to avoid a trees roots dieing from rot due to excessive moisture and drying out from a lack of water.

Try to keep the soil of your bonsai moist at all times, not soggy.

Position your bonsai where it will get plenty of natural light (preferably morning sun) and good airflow, while avoiding strong winds.

Bonsai is a hobby that can be enjoyed for years and by almost any age group.

 Your first tree may be something you purchase at a local nursery be a gift from a friend or loved one, it can also be something you grow yourself from a cutting or create using a plant you have around the home already.

Using simple pruning and wiring techniques almost any variety of plant can be turned into a beautiful bonsai and over time you can learn to refine your tree and your skills as a bonsai artist.

To learn how to grow a bonsai, keep it alive and learn from nature as your tree develops over time.

Learning to grow bonsai is something you can do at home, and add to as your knowledge of different varieties and your confidence improves.

In only a short time you can have your very own collection of bonsai placed around your yard giving it the feeling of an ancient Japanese garden or temple for you to relax in and admire.

Even the smallest of yards, courtyards, veranda or balcony can turned into your own zen like meditation area or as a picturesque display of this mystic art.