How to Care for an Indoor Bonsai

Bonsai plants are very attractive specimens of an age old practice. Because bonsai trees are so attractive, many people love to display them in their houses. Indoor bonsai plants will need extra care since they do not reap the full benefits of natural sunlight and natural weather conditions.

Although they might look quite hardy, a bonsai can be very delicate, requiring precision watering and lighting.

When you bring a bonsai tree indoors it will require sufficient lighting to replace the natural sunlight that it would have been receiving outdoors. Your plant will also benefit if it is placed in a well ventilated area.

How frequently you water your bonsai will depend on what kind it is and the condition of its soil. There are some bonsai trees that require well watered soil, but others are able to survive with almost no moisture.

A bonsai plant will respond well to frequent misting as it soaks up the humidity. A humidity tray may be used but make sure that the pot is not exposed to the water but is instead on some pebbles or a stand.

The indoor bonsai tree will still need to be regularly pruned and cut to maintain its appearance. A bonsai tree might appear to be frozen in time, but that doesn’t mean it’s not growing. You need to repot your bonsai, whether it’s indoors or out, every year to three years, depending on the variety. As well, you’ll need to give proper maintenance to the branches in order to preserve its distinctive style.

Depending on what species your bonsai is, you will need to cut back on the fertilizer when it is winter time. The reason is that some bonsai varieties go dormant at this time and don’t require as much nutrition as they do in the warm seasons. It’s harder for an indoor bonsai to truly experience the seasonal cycles due to its simulated surroundings.

You need to be on the lookout for pests and other irregularities that might appear on your indoor bonsai tree. Since they’re indoors, they will likely attract mites and spiders from the outside. Use a soft, damp cloth or brush to carefully clean the branches and leaves of an indoor bonsai.