For many of us, winter is a season of chilly toes and longingly looking out into the piles of snow that are all that is left of our beautiful gardens for the time being. The tradition of indoor bonsai allows ample opportunity to enjoy working with our hands in the therapeutic and soul satisfying occupation of gardening that is usually cut off in the winter.

For thousands of years, human beings have enjoyed indoor plantings that provided them with medicinal and food based needs. Royalty enjoyed more elegant decorative plants, formed into topiaries or the miniature tree forms of bonsai.

Like these traditions of old, a Christmas or solstice tree during the holiday season is an attempt to bring nature into our homes, providing a space where nature and man meet and celebrate the darkest time of the year.

Yesterday, when I was out enjoying the winter weather, arms full of packages for my loved ones, I noticed a small store with a decorated interior that exclaimed the holiday spirit that was bustling about in warm winter coats and mittens;  Its warm environment beckoning us all in from the cold outdoors with its cheerful window decorations. In the center of the window, on a beautiful stool, stood a perfect Rosemary bonsai bedecked with tiny glittering lights and lovely ornaments no bigger than my thumbnail. I stood in that window in admiration for the tiny bonsai tree, which unlike a traditional Christmas tree whose life ends with the season, would live on to see Christmas after Christmas after Christmas. A perfect miniature replica of the trees that stand tall in the forests of our world. Instead of ending life, instead of having been chopped to the ground…this bonsai Christmas tree was a message of life enduring.

A true Christmas tree.

Written by a guest blogger.

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The beauty of Bonsai is found not only in the balance that comes from an aesthetically formed trunk, but also in its proportions of size in comparison to their natural, unbound ancestors.

To truly achieve the proper look of bonsai, leaf size is important to consider. While some trees have naturally small leaves, others need to be trained to reduce their leaf size. Because the growth of plants is directly dependent upon the size of their environment, the manifestation of what is above the soil mirrors what goes on below.

Restricting the growth and development of the bonsai by keeping it in a small pot allows nature to do the hard part. Trimming roots annually allows for new, healthy growth at a pace contained within the same sized pot, and the trimming of branches of leaves during the growth season ensures that the leaves will grow in smaller with an abundance of buds.

It is important to remember that top pruning a tree while dormant removes buds that receive food in the spring which over stimulates the plant, and leads to large leaves. Pruning a tree while dormant without top pruning removes part of the food supply for stimulating new growth and buds, which results in smaller leaves.

Top pruning a tree that has already leafed out removes the energy that has been put forth by the roots of the tree and puts a great deal of strain on the plant, though the new leaves will be smaller, as such, this technique should only be practiced on a strong, healthy plant and no more than three times a year.  With careful pruning and attention to light, fertilizer and water needs, you will enjoy years with your lovely bonsai, complete with the dainty leaves that make this art so appealing.

Guest Writer

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How to raise miniature Bonsai

Miniature bonsai are called Maine bonsai (pronounced mah-nay bone-sigh); they are the delightfully tiny, miniature bonsai—of bonsai! Do you know how to classify your bonsai by its size? Take a look at our Bonsai Size Classification chart.

Just as traditional bonsai artists strive to create graceful lines that mimic those found in nature on their giant full sized relatives, miniature bonsai artists achieve the same grace …only at much, much smaller scale than their bonsai cousins!

These tiny plants are grown with the minimum amount of soil in the smallest bonsai pots (sometimes called accent pots) in which they can live. Needing water several times a day (3+ times) in the warmer months to ensure that their roots stay moist, Maine bonsai requires excellent drainage to prevent root rot.

Excellent drainage is achieved through placing fine netting over the drain hole of the pot – just like you would with larger pots. Next, add a layer of bonsai soil. This granulated soil is great for drainage needs, preventing excess water from stagnating around the roots.

Maine bonsai will benefit from being fertilized with organic fertilizer once a week, and will benefit from being placed on humidity trays layered in tiny pebbles to help the bonsai maintain its moisture.

To train a Maine bonsai, use fine aluminum (or copper) wire very carefully to shape your bonsai. My personal preference is aluminum bonsai wire – it’s easier to work with and more forgiving. Pinch off branches with fingernails or use sharp bonsai shears while they are very young to acquire desired shape. The pruning process takes precision and patience. Leaf Trimmers is a tool often used to prune Maine Bonsai Trees.

You will likely want to repot miniature bonsai annually. The bonsai roots will be lightly trimmed, and the entire plant can go back into the same pot with fresh soil. You will need to pay special attention to them for several weeks, ensuring that they have an abundance of water to remedy their root loss.

With proper care, miniature bonsai trees will thrive, often living through three or more generations of man. Some trees of only 1 ¼ inches tall can live through several decades which is a particular kind of irony when something so fragile and delicate shows such tenacity and determination for life. As such, Maine bonsai are poetry in action and are sure to delight all who encounter their delicate and intriguing presence.

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I wanted to share a story about how my eight-year old and I have bonded over bonsai. That’s right, in a world filled with Hannah Montana, the Jonas Brothers, and the like, who would have thought that she’d prefer to spend her time (okay, some of her time) learning more about bonsai?

It all started last fall when she had her birthday.  Knowing that she would receive more than enough toys and clothes, her mother and I decided to try a different route and picked out a bonsai for her. I’ve been a bonsai enthusiast for years, so at least this wouldn’t be a completely unknown item for her.

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I’m a huge fan of pruning bonsai trees. For me, there’s nothing like the peace and relaxation I get from dropping everything (no pun intended) and trying to bring out a tree’s true potential. I’m not artist, but I imagine it’s similar to their creative expression process. Tune out, forget your daily stress, and just work.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve started a tree and by the time I looked up, hours had gone by … and I felt better than when I started.

However, I wanted to warn my fellow enthusiasts about a hidden danger related to pruning – an evil over-indulgence/compulsion that affects the mind, if not the hands. Call it the lack of the “off-switch.”

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If you’re like me, you are always on the lookout for a unique gift for those hard-to-by-for people in your life. You know, the ones who already seem to have it all.

Over the years, I’ve found that giving the gift of bonsai is a great alternative to giving the “same old, same old” gifts. Bonsai are great gifts for so many reasons:

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Here are some surefire ways to kill your BONSAI or houseplant:

1. Over Watering:
   The #1 killer of houseplants and BONSAI is over watering, which leads to root rot. Don't let your plants sit in water and don't automatically water all your houseplants on a schedule. Learn to know your bonsai and water when needed!
   

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) zone system is based on minimum winter temperatures. This system consists of zones 1-11, zone 1 having the coldest winter temperatures and zone 11 having the warmest.

For plants that will grow inside your home, Hardiness Zones become far less important. Unless you turn the heat off during the winter, it's unlikely that the temperature will ever drop below Zone 11 (40 degrees Fahrenheit / 4.4 degrees Celsius).

As this is a U.S. government agency, they didn't think to include other countries, but our Canadian visitors can simply use the temperature guides below to find out their USDA Zone.

Remember, the Hardiness Zones is only a guide.

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Without a hesitation, there are bonsai that are expensive. It is not unusual to see trees that are valued in the thousands of dollars.  When you purchase a trained bonsai, you’re paying for the time and care invested in establishing, training and maintaining that bonsai tree.  However, the beauty of a bonsai can be appreciated on any budget - from trees grown from seed or cutting to those purchased from your trusted bonsai nursery.

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While Bonsai are often displayed and sold indoors, with some exceptions, bonsai are outdoor plants. Bonsai need sunlight and air circulation just like their full-growth ancestors.  Their exposure to seasonal cycles of growth and dormancy [for most trees] are required to maintain health. Some species of tropical bonsai can be cultivated indoors year round; but these are the exceptions not the rule.

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