!8: Good Bargain Indoor Bonsai: December 2011

!±8± Bonsai Tree Care - Indoor Or Outdoor?

When you are just starting out, bonsai tree care can be an intimidating notion. You want your tree to survive and yet everything looks so confusing. One of the most important things to understand as a beginner is that a bonsai is a tree, and as with all other trees, they require outdoors conditions for good health.

Bonsai trees rely on good lighting, good air humidity and good air circulation for good health. Many species also need the cold of winter. While some species will survive in indoor conditions, the stresses placed on most trees will either prevent them from reaching their full potential or will eventually result in the trees demise.

Central heating and air conditioning can play havoc with your bonsai by creating dry air and low humidity levels around your tree. Poor lighting levels can also adversely affect the health of your tree.

Outdoor trees that are kept inside will rarely die instantly. Instead, they will slowly decline and become susceptible to disease. It may take a long time but eventually outward signs of poor health such as yellowing of the leaves and loss of foliage will begin to show and eventually the tree will die.

If you wish to have an indoor bonsai, make sure you do your research properly. Species that will tolerate indoor conditions are in the minority, but they do exist and can thrive indoors if placed carefully in your home. Just make sure it is not coniferous as no coniferous species can survive indoor conditions for more than two or three years.

Correctly positioning your bonsai is the first crucial step in good bonsai tree care.