{"id":251909,"date":"2020-07-10T06:00:27","date_gmt":"2020-07-10T05:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/?p=251909"},"modified":"2021-06-03T04:49:38","modified_gmt":"2021-06-03T08:49:38","slug":"bonsai-trees-an-introductory-guide-to-growing-and-looking-after-your-own","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/bonsai-trees-an-introductory-guide-to-growing-and-looking-after-your-own\/","title":{"rendered":"Bonsai Trees: An Introductory Guide to Growing and Looking After Your Own"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re anything like me, working from home within the same four walls has got me craving two things: first, to be surrounded by greenery; second, to cultivate a hobby that takes my brain far away<\/a> from my workspace because, physically, that\u2019s rather tricky. Both of these desires have been fulfilled by a bonsai tree. <\/span><\/p>\n

Unlike my husband, who bought it for me, I am not a talented gardener. I have whatever the opposite of a green finger is. In the past, I have killed a cactus. <\/span><\/p>\n

So being given a bonsai tree, a plant that\u2019s a challenge for even the most seasoned horticulturist, has been daunting, but ultimately incredibly rewarding. Teaching myself to prune its leaves into a shape, learning when and how to properly water it and seeing it thrive have been welcome distractions from the inescapability of the daily grind right now – and what a beautiful result when that time and effort pays off (on that feels even bigger given its small, delicate nature).<\/span><\/p>\n

That said, I stress that I am by no means an expert – I have almost repeated the cactus a couple of times and been greeted with a rather crispy looking bonsai when the weather has changed or I\u2019ve forgotten to give it a spritz. So in order to both spread the gospel of tiny Japanese trees and to get some insider tips myself, I contacted bonsai expert Kaya Mooney (who you can find on instagram at @moonlightbonsai<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"man<\/p>\n

Having grown up in South Florida, USA, Mooney got into the bonsai scene via his grandfather who owned an antique store and<\/span> was particularly fond of Japanese and Chinese art. When he was nine, his grandfather brought home a collection of bonsai books he\u2019d found at a local market; and his love affair with these intricate plants started. Fast forward to today and you\u2019ll find him, now aged 23, studying and working at the prestigious Fujikawa Koukaen Bonsai Nursery<\/a> based just outside of Osaka, Japan.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Read his advice about starting out with bonsai trees, and the essential tips he\u2019d have for any beginner below.<\/span><\/p>\n

What would be your best piece of advice for someone who wants to get their first bonsai tree?<\/h3>\n

My first advice when buying a bonsai or generally becoming interested in the idea of it would be to buy any regular non bonsai plant first. If you can’t keep a regular plant healthy, happy and tend to its ever changing daily needs a bonsai will only prove to be more difficult.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Do you need any specialist equipment to care for bonsai trees?<\/h3>\n

The equipment does change partially based on the type of tree but generally speaking basic equipment would be scissors, tweezers, wire cutters, concave cutters (used for cutting larger branches) and pliers. This is assuming the tree is already arranged in a ceramic pot with soil.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n