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Bonsai is a wonderful hobby! Houseplant bonsai are the easiest and most successful gifts! The reasons are simple and logical. As lifestyles change there is a limited amount of daylight time to spend on hobbies. More are moving to apartments and urban dwellings without yard space. Bonsai is adapting to indoor environments and it can be very satisfying. It offers short respites to refresh our spirit in the midst of hectic lifestyles.
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INDOOR OR OUTDOORS?
Growing plants indoors is very different from traditional outdoor gardening or landscaping. The plants are different and require a whole different combination of temperature, light, watering, humidity, fertilizing, and even the type of soils. Whereas outdoor trees and plants become full size, indoor plants are generally kept smaller. Most indoor plants are container-grown and bonsai are beautiful, challenging container plants!
Homes and offices are usually kept in the tropical temperature ranges by heating or air conditioning. The most common houseplants are tropical plants that adapt to this environment. If you look at houseplant books or magazines, you'll see a lot of vines, palms, and plants requiring a lot of light. There are only a few plants suitable for bonsai that will grow in "average" homes and offices as light levels are usually far too low for good plant growth.
HUMIDITY, MEDIA, WATERING & FERTILIZING
Even though tropical plants can adapt to indoor temperature ranges, not all can be successful houseplants. Interiors are dry and the addition of humidity trays will create better growth. Tropical plants receive frequent rain in their natural habitats and a potting mix similar to those used with cactus is preferred. When watered by saturation, the coarse granular mix allows water to penetrate to all parts of the potting mix and excess water quickly drains away. Moist air in the soil allows the roots to breathe and create vigorous growth.
In indoor bonsai, over-watering and under-watering are the greatest problems. If outdoor bonsai potting mixes containing clay and finer particles are used indoors, the roots often do not have a chance to breathe properly and water has difficulty penetrating. If watering is done by saturation, it may take too long for the inner root ball to dry out! Most "indoor plant potting mixes" contain too much organic matter for bonsai and stay wet too long. Special porous granular bonsai potting mixes are available from bonsai specialty nurseries. Water by saturation twice per week. If the media is extremely porous and fast draining, it is almost impossible to over-water.
Fertilizing must be matched with plant growth and too often indoor plants are not fertilized at all until it begins to look a bit ragged. People try to make up for not fertilizing earlier and apply too much. This burns the roots of a tree struggling to survive and this is a major reason why indoor plants are killed! With the help and recommendations of our customers, we believe that it is better to provide a small amount of plant nutrients each time you water.
If indoor light is only 1% or 2% of outdoor light, a smaller amount of fertilizer is needed. We've found that the ideal system is to dip-saturate your plant in "enriched water" made by adding two drops of Schultz Plant Food to a quart of water. If you live in an area that has hard water, consider using distilled water or reverse osmosis water to avoid unsightly mineral deposits.
LIGHT AS A MAJOR GROWTH FACTOR!
Growth improves with the addition of more light. In the tropics, direct sunlight may range from 8,000 foot-candles to 1,000 foot-candles on cloudy days. In homes, within one foot of a window, light may be closer to 400 foot-candles and in rooms without windows lit only by fluorescent ceiling light, it may be only 50 foot-candles or less!
The ficus or Fig family includes many tropical banyans and these are the most successful trees that can grow in highlight greenhouses and commercial interiors. They are great under large skylights or next to window walls. But, if grown in "average" indoor conditions, they'll drop most of their leaves and become very spindly.
Supplemental light improves growth and there are many options. A combination of "cool white" and "warm white" fluorescent lights are as effective as higher priced "grow-lights." The closer the light, the greater the effect. Plants tend to grow towards the light and having the light at the height of the base of the tree will encourage bonsai branches to grow outwards and downwards. If the other side of the tree receives side light from a window, it will grow in a manner more typical of mature tropical trees.
Incandescent and metal halide lamps have more intense light and are often the choice of serious hobbyists seeking superior growth. These tend to give off a lot of heat (which is welcomed in colder climates) but, if placed too close to the plants, it's possible to burn the leaves. The continuing evolution of light emitting diode (LED) technology promises superior plant growth using a more effective combination of colored light. Because heat is not produced, much less energy is used and the lights can be placed amongst the plants.
Bonsai are living trees and keeping them healthy is the most important factor. Indoor bonsai are the easiest with the highest success and, therefore, are the ideal gift bonsai!
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- FUKU-BONSAI CULTURAL CENTER & HAWAII STATE BONSAI REPOSITORY
- Post Office Box 6000, Kurtistown, Hawaii 96760
- Phone (808) 982-9880; FAX (808) 982-9883; Email: sales@fukubonsai.com
© 2006, Fuku-Bonsai Inc.
