- 1). Placement is important to the bonsai tree. Bonsai trees can be placed outside on patios or garden areas during the summer as long as the nightly temperatures do not get below 40 degrees. In the winter, the bonsai should stay indoors, but must be slowly acclimated to the change from outside to in. Begin several weeks before expected chilly temperatures arrive, bringing the plant in for a few hours at first and increasing the time spent indoors. Place the plant on a windowsill facing south.
- 2). Improper watering can easily kill your bonsai, with too much of it drowning the tree and too little dehydrating it. Wait for the soil to begin drying out---but not completely---and water until the excess moisture seeps from the pot. Wait to apply the next watering when the soil again begins the drying-out process.
- 3). During winter months spent solely indoors, the bonsai should be placed in a shallow tray with plenty of gravel and just a little water in order to increase the humidity levels. This will help protect the plant against forced air heating systems and allow it to retain extra moisture. You can also spray the leaves generously and often with water using a plant sprayer. Avoid soaking the roots in water; it will rot them.
- 4). Bonsais require frequent fertilization; use a liquid fertilizer at half the recommended strength. Apply monthly except during winter months. These trees will also enjoy a foliar dousing with a water-soluble fertilizer every two months via a spray bottle.
- 5). Branch pruning on the bonsai should be performed at the beginning of spring, removing all of the branches you do not wish to retain on it. Trim back new growth safely, making sure to keep enough to sustain the health of the tree. Tropical bonsais need periodic pinching throughout the year as they grow.
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