Now that you have your first bonsai tree you will want to learn how to take care for it. A bonsai tree is not a houseplant, unless you have a very well lit room with some direct sun coming in or have some grow lights, they will not do very well indoors. They may remain alive but they will not maintain their bonsai style. There are a few species that can tolerate lower light conditions, but bonsai trees are best kept outdoors, (weather permitting) where they can receive the proper amount of light.
Bonsai trees are grown in small containers so it is essential to keep up with your trees watering requirements. You want the soil to dry down between being watered (not dry out) and then thoroughly water your tree.
A lot of commercial bonsai trees are planted in standard potting soil which is inappropriate for long term growing conditions. Sometimes there is gravel on top of the soil, this should be removed. If the tree is planted in standard potting soil then it should be repotted in proper bonsai soil at the appropriate time of the year for the species. If you do not know the species of the tree you have you can probably identify it in our Tree of The Month section. Knowing the species of the tree you have will better enable you to take care of it.
You will need to occasionally prune your bonsai tree to maintain its styled shape. Some species require different pruning requirements so check for your species in our Tree of The Month section for those.
You may feel free to call or e-mail us with any questions you have about your bonsai tree whether the tree was purchased here or not. 352-625-2681 bonsai@dlnursery.com
If you want to further your knowledge on the art of bonsai we offer monthly and private workshops. There are many books on the subject and many bonsai clubs in Florida.