A. Congratulations on your purchase, you've made a step into a culture that goes back thousands of years in the oriental world. The term bonsai translates to "tree in a tray" and translates visually into an abstraction of nature. Think of bonsai as the suggestion of nature in miniature.
Since your bonsai is growing in a minimal amount of special soil, it does require a different kind of care than your other container plants. The small pot does not allow enough soil to store the nutrients the tree needs for good health - these must be provided by you.
The first step in caring for your bonsai is a little research. Look up the species in a book at the library and determine if your tree likes full sun, shade, wet soil or a little on the dry side.
Determine if your tree needs acidic soil or a more neutral environment. Note any other requirements needed for good health, and any pests or diseases to watch for.
Next, check to see if rocks or gravel have been glued into the pot to hold the soil in place during shipment. If so, this must be totally removed, as the glued pebbles will not allow water into the soil or let the roots breathe and natural gases escape. If you are able to break this up and peel off the glue, the gravel may be put back on top of the soil. Inspect the plant for little insect hitchhikers at this time. To rid the bonsai of pests, spray like any other container plant.
The bonsai should be secured into the pot with wire. Look at the bottom of the pot and you should see a wire passed through the drainage holes. Poke gently in the soil to determine if a wire has been fastened in some other way. If there is no wire, the plant may have been glued into the pot which would necessitate immediate repotting and securing of the plant with special wire. If the plant is not secured, an accidental brush of your coat or a good wind could knock it out of the pot. Limbs could be broken and the traditional shape of the bonsai would be lost.
In Texas heat, most bonsai need to be watered every day. Place your bonsai in a pan of water and let it sit for about 15 minutes. When you lift it from the water, the bonsai pot should quickly drain. Soil that holds moisture over long periods or a pot with poor drainage will contribute to root rot and kill your tree. Never water bonsai with a garden hose, as the pressure will wash out the much needed soil.
Bonsai may be fed with any plant food you are currently using for container plants. If your tree needs slightly acidic soil, use the water soluble plant food recommended for azaleas. Mix the plant food with a gallon of water at one half the recommended strength in a clean plastic dish pan. The water should be just deep enough to barely come over the edge of the bonsai pot.
Gently set the bonsai pot in the pan and let it sit for a minimum of 15 minutes to soak up the nutrients. Feed the bonsai in this manner every other week. Special bonsai feeding tablets that dissolve over a long period of time when placed directly in the bonsai container are available.
If your research shows that your tree will do best in full sun, make sure that the pot is shaded.
The hot sun will heat the bonsai pot to a temperature that will kill the roots. Most bonsai will do well in sunlight filtered through a shade tree. In winter the tropical bonsai must be brought indoors and kept in a well-lit location.