3 Tips for Nurturing Bonsais

Spring is fast approaching and the leaves are soon going to turn green. Growing Bonsai Trees is a great spring hobby and though it looks like  its difficult to grow, it really isn't.You can make it a smooth, beautiful and fulfilling journey if you get your hands around a few tips. 

My family and I have raised Bonsai Trees since I was little and now, as a graduate student in the Northwestern University Medill IMC program, I have found two interesting and relevant articles on how to grow Bonsai Trees with great results.

A bonsai is a living art. It needs TLC. Talking to it, sitting by it and giving it positive vibes helps a lot but there are a few no-brainers that will make this journey absolutely memorable. It’s important to water regularly and prune to keep it in shape but minor things like placement of your bonsai, the sunlight it receives and the quality of the soil impact the plant so much!


We came across this amazing website called www.grow-a-bonsai.com where they take the readers through the nitty-gritties of Bonsai cultivation. This amazing how-to from Grow-a-bonsai tells you exactly what you should do, when and how! It talks about where you start, your source and what method is better to select your bonsai. The article also leads you through watering and the best methods to water. We also learned that placement is significant and often nutrition and hydration are of no use if the placement is not correct. From Pruning to Repotting to fertilizing all your questions will be answered.

Similarly, it is also very important to know what  to avoid.  The second article written by Bonsai Tree Gardener from Japan talks about exactly what to avoid. It’s a life and so there are things it likes and there are things that make it extremely unhappy! Nobody would want an unhappy bonsai in their house, would they?  This amazing list of 10 things to avoid while growing a bonsai tree is something that you’d want to know. This article stresses the importance of right tools, freshwater, right pots the right kind of pruning and the perfect kind of placements to make sure you do everything right! Another very interesting insight is information about the transferring and repotting process which is often so challenging.  Here’s to happy Bonsai-ing!

From my experiences with growing bonsai trees as well as the great information presented in these two articles I have created three action items you need to incorporate in your next bonsai project. They are:

• Placement is Critical – A healthy bonsai tree needs 4 hours of direct sunlight everyday for it to flourish so place them in the sun a few hours everyday.
• Nutrition is Pivotal – Soil is food for your Bonsai hence the nutrition in the soil helps the plant grow better, fuller and prettier. Addition of fiber such as Rice husk, goat-shit and coco-peat adds additional nutrients in the soil and helps the absorption of the plant.
• The Importance of Water – Lack of water is extremely detrimental to the plant. Daily watering is necessary and incase of absence it is advisable to leave the plant in a tray filled with water to ensure that it doesn't dry the roots. 

By following the above steps we’re sure that you will grow younger, happier and have a memorable journey with your bonsai tree!

Juie is a full time graduate student at Northwestern’s Integrated Marketing Communications Program. With a passion for nature, beauty and art she is also the Social Media and Branding Manager of Ssurup Bonsai and Garden – a one of its kind Bonsai Garden in India. As a millennial herself she wants to increase the awareness of greenery, nature and all things organic. Juie is passionate about art and fashion.

Contact Juie through:

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ssurupbonsai

Instagram – ssurup_bonsai

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ssurupbonsai

Sources - www.growabonsai.com 

                www.bonsaitreegarden.com