Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Indoor Bonsai Trees – An Elegant Idea for Home Décor

December 30, 2009 by Martin  
Filed under bonsai for beginners

indoor bonsai, photo by cliff1066™You may have heard about indoor bonsai trees – those little chic, dwarfed trees that give a new dimension to your home decoration. This article is dedicated to indoor bonsai trees and it will help you to take your pick when you attempt to give a new look to your living space.

Characteristics of Bonsai Trees

Bonsai trees have a unique, distinguished look. Some people like to place them outside their home, while others prefer indoor bonsai trees. The practice of keeping bonsai trees at home is nothing new; it is quite an old practice.

Growing bonsai trees indoors will require some knowledge about them and hard work, especially for the beginners.

Choosing and Buying Indoor Bonsai Trees

You can purchase your favorite bonsais from garden stores and nurseries that deals in them. Bonsais are even sold online. The indoor variety comes usually as pre-trained and you do not need to start from scratch to train it. However, you will need to ensure that it is maintained as per theory.

Though availability of bonsai trees is not a big deterrent, choosing one is not that easy. You need to gauge beforehand whether it will suit your existing home décor. You also need to consider whether you are able to take care of it the way it needs. Affordability is also another important factor.

If money is a limiting factor for you, consider going in for a ‘starter’ tree. Buying a starter tree will save you some money at the expense of your time. This type of bonsai trees will require lots of time in training the tree to grow up to a miniscule size. If you have affordability, then go for a mature bonsai tree. It comes already trained and will not need much attention from you.

Popular Indoor Bonsai Tree Varieties

There are many varieties of indoor bonsais. The Hawaiian Umbrella Tree, Ficus Bonsai, Golf Ball Umbrella Bonsai, the Olive Bonsai, the Baby Jade Bonsai and the Heavenly Bamboo Bonsai are highly popular among bonsai enthusiasts.

Apart from these popular bonsais, some other varieties are very much high in demand. The Fukien Tea bonsai, the Bougainvillea bonsai, the Cherry Bush bonsai, the Sago Palms bonsai and so forth are also highly acclaimed by bonsai lovers.

Caring for Indoor Bonsai Trees

If you are looking for indoor bonsais, remember that they mostly come from the tropical region. They require the morning and afternoon sunrays for their nourishment. After bringing your bonsai at home, ensure that it gets sufficient sunlight, even though it is meant for indoors. During winter months, do not expose your tree to cold temperatures. Care for your bonsai just as you will do for your other indoor plants.

You will need to water it when the moisture level of its soil falls. You should have either fluorescent or incandescent lighting for your bonsai tree.

Every two years, the pot of your bonsai tree needs to be changed. You need to carry out this activity during springtime. During re-potting, you need to prune the roots of the tree in order to ensure that it retains its miniscule stature. Changing pots for your bonsai also ensures sufficient drainage. You have to be careful about certain things while changing the pot. The new pot should have the same amount of drainage holes as the old one. This will prevent the tree’s roots from rot and decay.

Another important activity in the maintenance and upkeep of your bonsai tree is fertilizing it. Fertilizing keeps it healthy and beautiful. As your bonsai grows only on a small amount of soil, the nutrients in the soil needs to be replenished periodically. Use a general-purpose liquid fertilizer at half of its recommended strength. Apply fertilizer at least once in a month sparing the winter season.

Insect pests are a real botheration at times. If you leave insect attacks untreated, your sweet bonsai will be ruined. There are many different insecticides that can be used to get rid of pests.

If you really like to derive enjoyment from your little bonsai, make a good choice. It should match with the existing home décor and furniture. Try to spare some time for it on a regular basis. Use this time to prune unwanted growth parts of the tree and help it to achieve the tiny size that makes it special!

Speak Your Mind

Tell us what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!