We know the Chinese have perfected the art of bonsai tree creations so we are all comfortable turning to them for their expertise in the matter of pruning and cultivating this beautiful miniature.

The Japanese and Chinese both have an articulate relationship with the bonsai and it has become part of both cultures. When buying your first bonsai, you should be aware of the two different types because that could be the difference between success and failure of these tiny little plants.

First there is the temperate bonsai. These plants can live in cooler temperatures so you don’t have to worry about their heartiness if they get left in the cold one night. The other type of bonsai is the tropical bonsai and as its name implies, it does much better in a tropical environment.

Purchasing the right bonsai tree is important. If you want a tropical bonsai inside the home, make sure you give it enough sunlight and moisture. If you would like a bonsai tree to put outdoors as part of the landscape, choose one that will be able to handle the hot as well as the cold. Remember an indoor plant may need more watering than the outdoor plant so it is important to keep it happy.

There are many choices when it comes to the bonsai and you can easily find articles on the Internet and books that will be able to teach you pruning techniques. If you want to start out simple, it is possible and you can get your practice. When you think you have become an expert at the craft of pruning these miniature delights, you can move on to a bonsai tree that is more complicated in design and requires a more expert hand.

No matter your choice, take care of your bonsai tree and you will have it around for many years to come. You will see it grow and change right before your eyes.

Going back thousands of years ago, the bonsai plant has a colorful history. The Chinese might have been the first race to prune and shape the bonsai plants but records show that bonsais were seen in Egyptian tombs 2000 years ago.

Records also show that Indian herbalists preserved these prized plants in small containers because of the dwarfish sizes 1500 years ago.

But of course, when talking about the modern cultivation of Bonsai, we often turn to the Chinese practice. They started growing the bonsai plant at a period when the peak was cultural learning. Later on, the Japanese adopted the hobby and even associated it to their belief in Buddha. Bonsai became a culture and an art for both the Chinese and the Japanese.

When choosing the right bonsai for you, you must be aware that there are two types: the temperate and the tropical.

Temperate bonsai can live in low temperatures, thanks to their shallow roots. It needs protection from the cold though. Examples of temperate bonsai are the maples and junipers.

Meanwhile, the tropical bonsai has difficulty adjusting to cold temperatures. As much as you can, protect it against frost. Examples of tropical bonsai are the ficus, serissa and bougainvillea.

Be aware of the temperature when you're buying a bonsai. Get one that won't have a hard time adjusting. If you're thinking of getting a bonsai that'll be outdoors 24-7, then get one that can handle it.

If you are getting a bonsai that will be put inside the home, at least, make sure that it gets the right amount of sunlight and enough water. An indoor bonsai needs more water than one grown outdoors.

Generally, bonsai enthusiasts purchased these plants so that they could prune and shape it themselves. If you already have a design in mind, then you should consider this as a factor in deciding what kind of bonsai you'd buy.

Styles of bonsai vary from easy to complicated. But do not worry; there are hundreds of bonsai books you can read.

Whichever style you crop, prune or shape your bonsai, as long as you make sure that the plant gets the sunlight and the water it needs, it will surely bloom and become the plant that you want it to be.

With each bonsai, you'd soon find yourself hooked!

If you've a bonsai plant, it's important to remember that caring for them is akin to caring for a baby. Loving and caring is required but it's not sufficient; you also have to show certain "parenting" skills to ensure that your bonsai plant will enjoy a long and healthy life.

Tip #1 Water is the source of life for all creatures but it's especially so for bonsai plants. Even though they need to be watered more frequently than other types of plants, they also need a precise amount of watering. Anything that's less or beyond the ideal amount of water can lead to your bonsai plant's death so it's important that you ask for professional advice.

Factors that affect the amount of water required by a bonsai plant include but aren't limited to the type of tree you're taking care of, what season it is at present, if the tree's grown outdoors or indoors, and so forth.

Tip #2 Light is another source of energy for your bonsai plant. Just like any other plant, your bonsai plant will benefit from exposure to sunlight. If you're growing it in an indoor garden, however, you will have to arrange for artificial lighting. In such instances, it's important to use a timer so that you avoid risking overexposure for your plants.

Tip #3 Humidity is unfortunately one of the most important but overlooked factors when taking care of bonsai plants; the best way to ensure that best humidity levels remain constant is by using a humidity tray. You can use decorative pebbles to make your bonsai plant appear more attractive.

Tip #4 If you are determined to keep your bonsai plant indoors, you've to choose the pot for your bonsai plant very carefully. To be safe, make sure that you buy pots which are specifically designed for bonsai plants. These pots have pre-made holes for drainage and training wires.

Tip #5 Many people are confused as to exactly what role fertilizer plays in taking care of bonsai plants. Firstly, fertilizer is needed when you're keeping your bonsai plant indoors because this provides the added nutrition that your indoor soil lacks. Secondly, fertilizer isn't medicine so do not use it as treatment for sick or dying trees. Lastly, make sure that you thoroughly water your bonsai plant before fertilizing.

Lastly, do not risk your bonsai plant's health on the basis of any assumption. If you are not sure, always ask for professional advice!

If you are redesigning the landscape of your yard and considering adding a garden to your home, make sure that your list of options includes building a bonsai garden. A bonsai garden is a unique design in many ways, and having it will make you the envy of your neighborhood.

Tips on Building Your Own Bonsai Garden

Size - Unlike other types of gardens, size isn't a consideration if you're intent on building a bonsai garden. If you don't have much space to work with, you can just as easily choose to grow all your bonsai from pots alone. Of course, you can let bonsai grow from the ground if you so wish. As long as all growing conditions are best, bonsai plants can grow just as huge and strong as any other tree.

Indoor or Outdoor - It depends on you whether you wish to have an indoor or outdoor bonsai garden. Indoor gardens are easier to design and maintain, but they will have to occupy a part or one whole room in your house. Outdoor gardens can be small or big, but you'll definitely have to work harder in taking care of your bonsai plants because you've to contend with the usual natural factors that hinder plant growth.

Giving Shape - The art of slicing bonsai plants and molding them into the shape you desire requires patient effort. Although it's possible to learn by self-study, it's still ideal to enroll in a bonsai slicing workshop to ensure that you don't cause accidental harm to your plants. When giving bonsai plants as gifts to your guests, you can ask them ahead of time what shape they desire for their plants.

Choices, Choices - If you have given much thought to the idea and you have decided that an indoor bonsai garden will suit your home beautifully, here are a few bonsai plants that'll adapt to indoor living: sacred bamboo, Chinese elm, fig tree, and Buddhist pine.

Warning - Many shops deliberately deceive people by mislabeling plants and passing them off as genuine bonsai plants. Make sure that you purchase bonsai plants only from people you know or trust and from legitimate shops in malls.

Bonsai plants age beautifully, and as such your bonsai garden can be an inheritance for your children and grandchildren. You can give them pot by pot or acre by acre, but make sure that your descendants understand the special kind of love that bonsais need. Take good care of your plants!

Watering
This is the most important aspect of caring for bonsai, especially for bonsai that's kept indoors for too long. Two things to remember about providing water for bonsai are the type of soil and species. Different soils will absorb and retain water at different rates and different tree species have varying degrees of water need.

The Japanese have a saying: water three times, each one for the pot, the soil and the tree. About 75% percent of water is taken in through the root system, but do not forget the leaves. Bonsai plants also acquire water through its stomata so make sure you wipe or wash away the dust and dirt regularly.

Use gentle water pressure when watering your bonsai. If you use a strong one, you might wash away the topsoil and expose the roots. Use a misting hose or a spray hose with an adjustable spray nozzle and mind the water temperature. Good tap water is fine, so take care that the water that comes out of the hose is not too cold or too warm.

Soil
Soil choice for your bonsai is critical for its health and long life. It really depends on the tree species of your bonsai, but generally, soil should be made of 30% humus and 70% grit for needled evergreen trees and 70% humus and 30% grit for deciduous trees. If you have a different bonsai species, make sure to look up which soil meets its special needs, since you might have to prepare a special soil mix yourself.

Pruning
Pruning involves leaves, branches and roots. Bonsai lovers know that what you do to the bottom, you do to the top. Remember that less foliage means less for the roots to support. But where to begin and which to cut?

First, consider the style you have chosen for a particular bonsai. Draw an imaginary line over your bonsai and cut the branches that protrude, obstruct or deviate from that line. Second, prune to redirect growth in one area. If you prune the left side heavily, you will redirect growth to the right side.

Next, prune leaves or buds with care. Pruning buds will encourage back-budding and cutting leaves will 'discipline' the growth of the bonsai. It is also necessary to manage the nutrients that the roots draw up from the soil. Remember that you're trying to grow a little tree and letting it grow on its own will result to an uncontrolled size.

Caring for bonsai takes lots of patience, knowledge and learned skills. It involves continuous work, but the results are more than worth the effort.

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How do you know if you're a genuine bonsai lover? How do you know if you can become a genuine bonsai lover? How can you improve your authenticity as a bonsai lover? Learn the answers to all these questions as you read on.

ARE YOU A BONSAI LOVER?
If you're, then you comprehend that bonsai trees are living creatures just like us in the sense that they need love and attention from their caretakers - that's you, by the way - and nutrition as well, which comes by the forms of watering and fertilizing.

You also comprehend that bonsai lovers can only grow easily to their full potential in ideal conditions. If the weather isn't favorable, and the air is polluted, there is very tiny chance for your bonsai trees to survive.

Lastly, a bonsai lover is adept in cutting and molding bonsai trees into the desired shape without harming even its smallest bud or leaf. In fact, you take into account shaping bonsai trees an art, and that's why you always ensure you do things precisely and in a slow but methodical fashion.

CAN YOU BECOME A BONSAI LOVER?
Bonsai trees take a long time to grow. How long are you willing to wait before you lose interest? If neglected, bonsai trees will definitely perish so don't waste plant life if you're not sure you've the required patience for such a hobby.

Besides taking considerable time to grow, bonsai trees are also needy creatures. You will need to check on them everyday to ensure that their health continues to be vitally strong. If you don't think you can afford to spend a small portion of your time everyday for taking care of your bonsai trees, then no, you don't have what it takes to become a genuine bonsai lover.

Lastly, while it's certainly alright to profit from growing bonsai trees, a genuine bonsai lover won't just sell his plants to anyone who's willing to pay the desired price. If you truly care for your trees, you should ensure that they're taken away to equally happy and comfortable homes where they'll continue to have the same kind of existence they enjoyed when living with you.

HOW CAN YOU BECOME A BONSAI LOVER?
Becoming a genuine bonsai lover is a simple process, but that doesn't mean it's simple to do. The most important thing you should accomplish is learning everything there's to know about bonsai trees. This goal alone will probably take a year or two to accomplish, but it's the only way if you're serious about becoming a genuine bonsai lover!

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