100 Jericho Tpke., Westbury, NY 11590516-334-0066 • www.hicksnurseries.com

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100 Jericho Tpke., Westbury, NY 11590516-334-0066 • www.hicksnurseries.com

Shopping List:q Small watering canq Water-soluble plant foodq Small pruning shearq Saucer

A guide to theancientart ofgrowingminiaturetrees

All AboutBonsai

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Fertilize bonsai with fish emulsion or a watersoluble fertilizer every two weeks during thespring and summer, every 4-6 weeks duringthe fall and every 7-8 weeks in the winter.

Pruning and training are the most importantrequirements for maintaining the size andshape of your bonsai. This involves theremoval of some of the vigorous new growthin the spring and occasionally throughoutthe growing season. Never remove all newgrowth. Occasionally, the plant should beremoved from the pot or tray and root prun-ing should be done to maintain the plant’ssize. For training branches, soft copper wireis used by loosely winding it around thebranch and gently bending it to the desiredshape and direction. It should be removedseveral months later before it scars or cutsinto the bark.

Insect and disease problems may occasionallyshow up on bonsai. Spider mite is perhapsthe most common problem (especially onjunipers) but it can safely be controlled withinsecticidal soap. Sometimes powdery mildewappears on the leaves. This can be controlledwith a sulfur- or copper-based fungicide. Forother insect and disease problems, seek theadvice of our experienced and knowledgeablestaff or of trusted fellow enthusiasts for thecorrect diagnosis and remedy.

Be patient; almost nothing in bonsai isimmediate. Trees may takes years to developinto a “bonsai”.

You may want to display your bonsai, perhapsusing a stand for a single bonsai or for agrouping. Bonsai always look best if displayeda few feet above the ground to near eye leveland facing forward.

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We carry everythingyou need to help you have success with your bonsai plants.

Hicks Nurseries, Inc., 100 Jericho Tpke., Westbury, NY • 516-334-0066 •www.hicksnurseries.com

BonsaiWhat is it?Bonsai is the art of growing trees in a confined space (usually in a pot or shallow tray) to simulate certain natural, environmentallyinduced characteristics such as a twisted or contorted form from extreme weathering, orsimply old age in a reduced scale. The wordbonsai roughly translates from Japanese as “to pot” or “to plant.”

The art of bonsai recreates some of the moststunning and beautiful effects on trees in a minia-ture form. As you embark on this journey of discovering how to care for your bonsai, keep inmind the three primary goals for creating andgrowing a bonsai: nature, beauty and maturity.

The interesting shapes and forms of bonsai areachieved through the selective pruning and train-ing of branches using copper wire. Most of theso-called “mysteries” surrounding this ancientart prove to be nothing more than good, com-mon sense gardening practices.

A Brief History of BonsaiBonsai was first developed in the Far East thou-sands of years ago where it is considered anexpression of the harmony between heaven,earth, man and nature. Although today the artof bonsai comes to us from Japan, the Chinesewere the first to grow miniature trees in shallowpots and trays.

During the Yan Dynasty (AD 1280-1368),Japanese government ministers and merchantsfirst brought bonsai home to Japan as gifts fromChina. Since then the art of bonsai has flourishedand spread throughout Japan and has morerecently become extremely popular worldwide.

Generally, bonsai is an outdoor activity. Mostbonsai plants are outdoor trees such as junipers,pines and maples. Putting them in pots does nottransform them into indoor plants. With veryfew exceptions, if you keep bonsai indoors theywill die.

Bonsai should be grown outdoors in an areathat gets 3-4 hours or more of direct sun, prefer-ably in the morning or late afternoon. In late fallthey should be moved to a more protected areaout of direct exposure to wind and sun and thepots or trays should be covered with a protectivelayer of mulch. Move bonsai back into the sunin early spring.

Bonsai that are created from tropical plants suchas ficus, leptospermum, serrisa or false araliashould be grown indoors and placed in an east orwest window in summer and a southern windowin winter. (Not sure whether your new bonsai isfor growing indoors or out? Our staff is glad tohelp with that.)

Grow and show your bonsai. The place where yougrow your bonsai is its home, but occasionally youmay want to show it off in your home as a center-piece display or a conversation piece on the coffeetable of your living room when you have company.Or, you may want to enter it in a competition. Thatis part of the fun of bonsai. But remember, yourbonsai should be returned to its home after a fewdays otherwise its health and looks will deteriorate.

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Caring for Bonsai

You will kill some trees and you will make mis-takes. Lots of them! Everyone does, even theexperts. It’s inevitable, especially when you arestarting out. You are dealing with living thingsand you must be respectful of that. Over timeyou will get better at it. Commit yourself tounderstanding why every tree dies and whatcould have been done to prevent it. Learn fromyour mistakes and do your best to prevent themin the future.

At first, limit yourself to a few kinds of plants.Every tree is different. Maples have differentrequirements than junipers and serrisas. As youbecome a more accomplished bonsai enthusiast,you can grow your collection.

Ask lots of questions. When considering pur-chasing a new bonsai, ask our staff about theone you’re interested in. There is lots to know,from basic styles and their meaning to tools,containers and soil. It may be helpful to find alocal bonsai club or organization in your areaand join. Club members are always willing tohelp newcomers and are very enthusiastic. Thisis perhaps one of the best ways to learn. Theyoften hold workshops or have guest speakersat meetings and more experienced members arevery willing to share their knowledge. Anddon’t forget books – there are many good bookson the care and training of bonsai available hereat Hicks Nurseries and at the public library.

Watering is extremely important and can neverbe neglected. Most bonsai die because ofimproper or insufficient watering. It may be necessary to thoroughly water bonsai once a dayduring the spring, summer and fall. During thewinter only water enough to ensure the rootsnever completely dry out. The best time to wateris early morning or late afternoon. Bonsai like itbest when watered at the same time each dayusing a consistent amount of water each time.

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