No Bonsai Would Choose to Live Indoors

Sitting on the magazine table, under the glare of the institutional lighting in my dentist's office, a Juniper bonsai was proudly displayed. I mentioned that it wasn't getting much light to the receptionist and she assured me not to worry because it was, after all, an indoor tree. Too bad she had no idea that there is no such thing. All trees are outdoor trees.

It probably seems like a foolish point to make, but if there is any hope that you'll ever understand more about the care and nurturing of your bonsai, it's important to make a clear distinction between an indoor tree and one that just can't handle the cold. Sometimes the heat can actually be the problem, but take it from me, a resident of Toronto, Ontario. The real defining factor is the cold. But the question is "How cold?"

When you buy a bonsai it's important to understand just how much cold it will tolerate. It's November right now and we haven't had any frost and my leafless Zelkova and Japanese Black Pine are still outside. If we get a mild frost I won't worry. But my Trident Maple is still outside too and that puppy won't like the frost. There are other trees I could grow like a Ficus or a mini jade or a Fukien Tea that would die if they were outside right now- not because they belong inside- just because they hate the cold.

Now you have the same problems with outdoor trees too. And they can be even more perplexing. A Siberian Crabapple will survive in Zone 2- which makes Toronto's zone 6B look positively balmy, but left to sit on the deck over the winter it would die. The roots you see have no protection sitting in those little pots. But the trees NEED a cooler winter or they won't get the rest.

But right now I want to focus on the indoor trees and what you can do to keep them as healthy as possible. My number one bonsai wish is that every bonsai should be able to spend the summer outside. You'll need to find a spot that is sheltered from the wind and the hot afternoon sun, and when you move the tree outside you'll probably want to put it in a fair bit of shade to start. There are penalties you'll endure when you bring your trees outside. They will need to adjust to the change. You'll need to watch for bugs and hope that the squirrels don't get too curious and the raccoons stay away. You'll need to pay attention to the water and be sure they're not burned. Your reward will be a healthier tree.

In my opinion, no tree suffers more than the Juniper - the most popular of all the bonsai in North America and the one I vote most likely to die - unnoticed - on your coffee table. By all means display it in a place of honor on special occasions, but give it as much time outside as you can manage and introduce something like a seasonal variation to promote more health.

Do a little extra research on the care of your indoor tree. Go online and read about their care as bonsai and read about their natural environment. Differentiate the care you give different trees. And they will do better and above all, please don't ever think that bonsai are small because they're stunted from neglect and harsh conditions. That might be true of the wild trees which have inspired bonsai masters for centuries, but the trees that we grow as bonsai are carefully nurtured.

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