Small Pleasures: An Introduction to Bonsai

Small Pleasures: An Introduction to Bonsai

Bonsai, often seen as living art, are miniature trees cultivated in shallow containers. Bonsai are not dwarfed by cutting roots or stunting growth with chemicals. Instead, their size and shape are gently guided through time, patience, and thoughtful care.

Placing a sapling into a pot does not make it a bonsai. A bonsai is a journey, not a destination. It’s a living organism, responding to the seasons, your touch, and the space around it.

A Living Sculpture

The word bonsai is Japanese, meaning “planted in a container,” and the art form dates back over a thousand years. While it originated in China (as penjing or penzai), The Japanese refined it into the simpler, more naturalistic form we know today. The goal of bonsai is not to create a caricature of a tree, but a true reflection of nature – just in miniature. As one bonsai artist put it, “You are not growing a tree. You are growing an image of a tree.”

Choosing Your First Tree

If you’re new to bonsai, it’s best to start with a hardy species that responds well to pruning and shaping. For South African beginners, good choices include:

• Chinese Elm – adaptable and tolerant of trimming, with a natural bonsai-like look.
• Black Monkey Thorn – an indigenous favourite with a great natural shape and interesting bark texture.
• Juniper – a classic choice with lovely texture, but best for outdoors.
• Spekboom (Portulacaria afra) – a local favourite that thrives in South African conditions

Visit Lifestyle to see a variety of beginner-friendly trees suited to our climate and your level of experience.

The Pot and the Soil: More Than Just a Container

A bonsai’s shallow pot is one of its most defining features. It’s not just for show—the reduced soil volume naturally limits root growth, helping to keep the tree small and manageable.

Choose a container with:

• 1–2 drainage holes. Cover this with mesh to prevent soil loss.
• Enough space to allow gentle root development.
• A finish and colour that complements your tree’s bark and foliage – and your taste too!

The soil mix is equally important. Bonsai soil must provide excellent drainage while still holding moisture. A beginner can start with a good-quality bonsai soil or cactus mix available at Lifestyle Home Garden.

Watering: The Daily Ritual

Because bonsai live in small containers, they dry out quickly—especially during hot summers. As a general rule, check your tree daily. If the soil feels dry below the surface, it’s time to water.

Tips for successful watering:

• Use a watering can with a fine rose, or a hose with a fan nozzle.
• Water until it runs freely from the drainage holes.
• Avoid letting your bonsai sit in a saucer of water—good drainage is key.

Spray bottles don’t reach the roots effectively and are better for misting leaves (only if your tree enjoys humidity).

Feeding: Little Meals, Often

Bonsai need nutrients just like any other plant—but in smaller, more frequent doses, as nutrients are quickly leached from the shallow soil. Fertilise regularly during the growing season (spring through early autumn). Use a balanced organic plant food such as:

• Hadeco’s Bonsai Food
• Nitrosol
• Kelpak (a seaweed-based tonic)
• Trelmix from Starke Ayres
• Talborne Nourish for Buds, Flowers & Fruit

Dilute according to the manufacturer’s instructions and apply after watering. Reduce or stop feeding during winter dormancy.

Where to Keep Your Bonsai

Light is essential. Bonsai thrive best outdoors and can grow in some full sun, but bright, indirect light is ideal. Consider:

• A patio or veranda with morning sun.
• A spot under the dappled shade of a tree.
• An east-facing position sheltered from harsh midday rays.
• A space prepared with shade netting that will allow through 50% to 70% sunlight.

Avoid full afternoon sun, especially in summer, as shallow pots heat up quickly, which can scorch the roots.  While bonsai can be brought indoors for short periods (for display or during special occasions), they do best living outside in a protected but natural environment.

Cold-sensitive species must be moved to a frost-free spot during winter—like a covered patio or bright garage.

Pruning: The Art of Simplicity

Pruning is essential, not only for aesthetics but for the health and balance of your tree.

Start with:

• Removing dead or weak branches.
• Maintaining the natural taper of a tree: longer, thicker branches at the bottom, getting thinner and shorter as you go up.
• Keeping an open canopy so that light reaches inner leaves.

Soft copperwire for bonsai are available at Lifestyle Home Garden. This can be used to securely bend soft branches to obtain the desired form over time. Let the tree guide you. Work with its natural growth habit, not against it. Bonsai is not about domination—it’s about collaboration with nature.

Repotting: When and Why

Young trees may need repotting every 1–2 years, while older trees can go longer between sessions. Signs your bonsai needs repotting include:

• Water runs straight through the pot.
• Roots are circling the bottom or emerging from drainage holes.
• The tree seems to “lift” out of the pot.

Repotting is best done in early spring before the growing season starts. Gently tease out the roots, trim if necessary, and replant into fresh soil. After transplanting, avoid exposure to direct sunlight and keep your tree in a shady place for about two weeks.

Caring for bonsai is a practice of mindfulness. It slows you down. It teaches patience. It asks you to observe—not just the tree, but yourself.

“It is the slowest sculpture in the world, and there is, at times, doubt as to which is being sculpted—man or tree.”
— Theodore Sturgeon