Growing Bonsai Outdoors

By Matt Jackson

Bonsai Fallacies

It's long been a fallacy that Bonsai aren't Bonsai unless they are grown in indoors. In fact, this is just one fallacy that is often associated with the growing of Bonsai, although the most pertinent to this topic.It is highly likely that Bonsai were first grown outdoors.

Another common misconception is that growing Bonsai originated in Japan. In fact the art of growing miniature trees was first witnessed in China over a thousand years ago. It wasn't until the World Exhibition of 1900 in Paris that Bonsai was really noticed by the rest of the world, but once it did, it wasn't long before everyone wanted a go.

Bonsai Concepts

The basic concept behind Bonsai is to grow trees, and even plants if you prefer, in a pot. Obviously, trees and plants of this nature are used to being unfettered and are able to grow as tall and as wide as they like. In order to grow them effectively in a pot, it will take regular care, pruning, watering, feeding and re-potting. However, despite beliefs, it doesn't have to be that much hard work. In some cases, re-potting only needs to be done every 5 or 6 years and if you keep your bonsai outdoors then you shouldn't need to water it often. The amount of pruning required will depend on the type of bonsai and obviously how well pruned you would like it to be.

Bonsai can be placed dramatically in the garden and you can use any tree that would thrive being planted in the ground. Always ensure that you select a tree that will be able to survive in the conditions it will be forced to live in. If you live in an area that suffers a very cold climate, then choose a tree accordingly.

Training:

Buying a ready trained bonsai will mean that you shouldn't need to train the tree too much yourself when you first get it, but if you purchase a bonsai that is larger than you require, you will need to prune it regularly and also root prune it and re-pot.

Pruning:

Root pruning is exactly as the name suggests; you remove the tree from its current pot, trim the roots properly and then re-pot it into a smaller pot. You can do this every year and dramatically reduce the size of your outdoor bonsai while still retaining its good health.

Watering:

Bonsai need regular watering, and you should always check the earth in the pot to see that it is damp. The pot itself should be carefully selected to allow drainage because the biggest bonsai killer, especially in beginners, is over zealous watering. Spray the leaves with a little water to give them a richer texture and also feed with bonsai feed every few weeks.

A Bonsai would act as a perfect centerpiece for any garden. A red maple or any other red leafed tree would contrast perfectly to the greens found in most gardens. The pot should be unglazed on the inside but glazed on the outside to protect from the weather, so you can select from any shape, size and color that you would like. This means that the design can be entirely your own and you can personalize your garden with very little effort.

If you are in any doubt over growing outdoor bonsai, then you will be happy to know that there are a number of paper publications and websites that offer assistance and guidance for the beginner and the professional and many garden centers have all of the equipment you need.

© DoItYourself.com 2006