Frequently asked Bonsai questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When standing behind our stall at events or sitting at the computer there are a number of questions that are guaranteed to crop up. Here are a few of the most popular that sometimes have us tearing our hair out...

How old is it?

It doesn't really matter how old a Bonsai is. What matters is the image presented by the tree. If it brings to mind something other than what it actually is then the artist has succeeded. A tree that is in fact ten years old can be made to look like something much older and it is this illusion of age that matters far more than the actual age. There is an important point here and a warning to beginners because as you can imagine a magnificent old tree with a history to it will command a high price tag.

For instance this tree is 24" tall and stands in a 20" pot. It has a thick gnarly root base and good branch structure. If I told you it was collected from the top of a mountain in Japan by a Bonsai master after growing on a cliff edge for 150 years you might believe me and I could tell you it is worth £2000.

This would of course be untrue, but I have seen trees being offered for sale with such exagerrated claims along with an inflated price tag.

How old do you think it looks and how old do you think it actually is?
Answers at the bottom of the page

Age is not everything.
Still not convinced? Bear in mind that trees, like all living things have a life span. The older a tree is, the nearer it is to dying!!

Is this a proper Bonsai tree?

There are still people out there who are under the impression that there is a separate species called "Bonsai". They have been led to believe this because trees are often sold to the general public bearing only this label. There is no mention of the actual species of the tree as it would probably lessen the appeal of the "Bonsai" stigma and with it the price. If a tree has been trained to the point where it can be classed as Bonsai then it will speak for itself and needs no label except its own species.
Along the same lines, there is no such thing as Bonsai seeds, it is the training and care of normal tree species that coinstitutes the Art of Bonsai. A tree trained as Bonsai if allowed to grow freely would revert to the natural growth habits of the species and seeds taken from a trained tree would produce nothing more spectacular than a normal tree.

Do they take a lot of looking after?

Not really. Of course it depends on how many trees you have. Usually the question is asked with the idea that if the answer is no then that means you can put it on top of the television or on the coffee table in adark corner of the room and forget about it. A Bonsai needs no more care than any other plant in a pot but Bonsai is about so much more than just having a tree.

Is this an indoor tree?

There is no such thing as an indoor tree. There are trees native to differing climates that are not hardy will not survive outdoors in this country all year round. These trees will tolerate conditions indoors but they will never thrive and will always remain a little confused by central heating, double glazing and the outside light levels that do not tie in with the temperature that it experiences. Even if this "indoor tree" has never known anything other than a greenhouse just outside Beijing, it's genetic make-up tells it that it is somewhere else. Bear these native conditions in mind when trying to find a place in the house for trees. My mother-in-law was adamant that she could keep a maple in her lounge. It took a near death experience with the poor thing before she gave it back to me to save. Three years later it has recovered some of its branches and now lives in the garden and in the greenhouse over winter.

My tree has lost its leaves!!!! What can I do to save it.

I get asked this question constantly throughout the autumn and winter months because the good old Chinese Elm the mainstay of commercial Bonsai around the world is a deciduous tree, ie it is programmed to lose its leaves in winter.....However, the arguments I normally get are
"Well, I've had it 3years and it's never done it before"
This is because if kept in artificially warm surroundings it will hold onto its leaves. But bear in mind that losing leaves in winter is a natural part of the trees growth cycle. Just as some animals hibernate in the winter it is essential for continued good health. Forcing the tree to stay in leaf for years at a time will eventually weaken the tree to a critical level.
or..
"When I got it last Christmas it had leaves."
This is down to marketing. You wouldn't buy a tree if it had no leaves so they are forced to produce leaves.

Having said that Chinese Elm is a strange beast, the genetics are all mixed up and hybridised to the point where some lose leaves and some don't while others just lose a few. The best solution is to place the tree in a cooler position during winter and allow it to make up its own mind.

On the other hand, winter is not the only time that this question arises.
If a tree has been living outdoors or in a greehouse it has been receiving masses of light and plenty of water. It has produced a quantity of leaves that can be supported by such ideal conditions. When you now move it to a window-sill and if you don't know how best to water it, the tree will say to itself,
"Hang on a minute, its dark in here, I don't need all these leaves because there's not enough light to keep them all alive. I'd better get rid of some and besides that my soil is a lot drier than it used to be so I'd better get rid of some more to protect the rest of them."
(Bonsai don't talk by the way and if they did it would probably be in Chinese)

Isn't it cruel?

It depends on what your definition of cruel is. To the league against slaughtering vegetables, cutting bits off trees is probably considered cruel. But then where do you draw the line. Perhaps they're right. Does this explain why lawnmowers and hedge-trimmers are so noisy, so that we can't hear the lawn screaming or the privet crying out for mercy. What is cruel is when someone neglects the welfare of their trees. Thankfully, in most cases, the care we give to our trees comes close to pampering.

Don't you have to prune the roots or something?

This is a misconception that I have come across numerous times. Yes, you do have to prune the root system but the idea seems to horrify beginners and the importance of it is blown out of all proportion. It is simply one more skill to learn and when you've done it once you'll wonder what all the fuss is about.
Further reading Repotting Bonsai.

How do you keep it small?

There is no short answer to this question since treatment varies depending on species, age, size, time of year and what your definition of small is. Young trees tend to have more vigour than old trees as do trees that have only recently been introduced to potted culture. If the shape and style of a tree is already determined then the techniques used will be the same in all cases except that in vigorous trees it will have to be carried out with greater vigilance. (See techniques for details.) If pressed for an answer it would have to be a combination of pruning, trimming, pinching, watering, feeding and wiring. Link to each of these topics for a more in-depth view.For advice on specific species, e-mail your query

You have to have special food for Bonsai don't you?

No. Fertiliser contains varying amounts of 3 ingredients -Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. This is referred to as the N:P:K ratio. This ratio appears on the side of the bottle as, for example 10:10:10. This ratio also gives an idea of the strength when mixed to manufacturers recommendations. A ratio of 20:20:20 would be twice as strong. These are examples of balanced fertilisers, i.e. they have roughly equal amounts of each component in the mixture. Bonsai, because they are confined in a pot with varying levels of water, drainage and other factors, are best fed with a weaker dose than recommended. I use Chempak 3 as the basic fertiliser for all my trees because it is nicely balanced. In the Autumn when new growth needs to be hardened off before winter, I use Chempak 0:10:10. The low nitrogen content stops fresh growth and the concentration of P and K help in hardening off. We have a range of feeds available that cover all aspects and are tried and tested.

The instruction that came with my tree said to mist it every day but the leaves are still dropping off.
What should I do?

"Mist the leaves on a daily basis." This is a good one and harks back to trying to create a humid atmosphere but will not work without heat and only then if there is enough water and heat to fill the whole room with a humid atmosphere. Mist without heat will only lead to, damp conditions that will encourage mould, mildew and fungus problems.
The other misinterpretation of this idea is the suggestion that this is all you have to do and no other watering is needed. Very soon the root ball will dry out and all the leaves will drop off.

I was told to water it once a week is that too much?

I can't believe that there are still people out there offering advice on watering based on time. The rules for watering are simple.
Always keep the rootball at least damp to the touch.
Never let it dry out
Give more rather than less

It is almost impossible to overwater a healthy tree as the soil will take up water like a sponge until it is saturated and then any extra will drain away. It is very easy to underwater a tree so err on the side of caution and bearing in mind that there is usually very little soil in amongst all those roots, give more rather than less.

I've lost all my leaves and it looks a bit dry, should I water it and will it recover?

A multiple question, that usually ends in "please help."
This is how it works. If your rootball dries out then at a certain point there will not be any fresh resources reaching the leaves and in an effort to reduce the surface area that loses water ie the leaves, the tree will drop them.
Now, the clock is ticking.The tree has shutdown as much as possible and is doing its best to store what water it has left in the trunk and branches. The roots also need water to survive and are praying for rain.
If the tree receives water before the roots have died off then they will usually start working again, ne leaves will appear in response to the renewed resources and all is well.

However, if the roots have dried out to the point where they are about to die then when water is eventually added the top part of the tree will think that the rainy season has arrived and respond by putting out new growth using the reserves stored within its system. As these reserves are depleted it will shout down to the roots for more nourishment to sustain this new growth. If this nourishment is not forthcoming from the dead roots the the tree will shut down again and lose its leaves. This process may be repeated a couple of times until all reserves are exhausted but ot will not survive without roots.
Sometimes partial regrowth will appear while other branches die off completely. This is because the top of the tree is a mirror image of the root system. Certain roots feed certain branches and if some of the roots die then so will some of the corresponding branches.

Any more questions?

The answer to the question at the top of the page about the Chinese Elm
It is actually about 15 years old and was at the time of writing available to buy for £350. back to the top

WHAT IS BONSAI? - A brief introduction defining Bonsai

GETTING STARTED - A few simple pointers to get you going

TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES - An outline of the basic requirements

THE CHINESE ELM - Everybody starts here, some home truths

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - A whimsical look at some common problems

BONSAI CALENDAR - What to do and when to do it

STYLING - DEVELOPING THE EYE - Slightly more advanced but essential

5 MINUTE RAFT PLANTING - A simple project

THE ILLUSION OF BONSAI - More food for thought

LINKS TO OTHER SITES

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