Transplanting Your Bonsai and Supplies You’ll Need
The tree needs to be well hydrated before it’s removed from its container; it’s going to undergo some major cosmetic surgery, so we’ll soak it in water while we’re prepping all our supplies.
The planting soil needs to drain well, so we’ll add some sand to our normal potting mix. Don’t just dig up some of your garden soil, trust me on this. Copper wire, scissors, small pruners, and a container are really the only other supplies you’ll need.
This new baby bonsai will live in a traditional bonsai container. The one I am using is an unglazed, shallow tray with straight sides. You’ll notice the drainage holes in the bottom, which I’ve covered with some wire screening to keep the soil from falling out (landscape fabric works, too).
You can see that the juniper’s current container is much deeper than its new home; we’ll need to trim the roots carefully so the tree can fit. The soil at the edge of the pot should be slightly lower than the pot, but we’ll plant the tree and make a small mound a little off center to create some interest.
The tree would easily topple over, if the roots aren’t secured, so I’m pulling copper wire through the wire screen and will wrap the wire around the root section and base of the tree. Normally, copper wire is used, but wire with plastic insulation will work too. Once we’re satisfied with how the tree looks in the planter, secure it in place with the wires, add soil, and water it in.
Trimming Your Bonsai
Now, we can make it look like a real bonsai! If you’ve looked for photos of bonsai online, you’ve noticed they are meticulously pruned, shaped and trimmed.
To start, remove dead and damaged branches. Pinch back any that are leggy, just like when you’re pruning a regular tree. Now, take a few moments and look at your almost-a-bonsai. You want the tree to look natural, but perhaps as if it’s had a difficult life – bent by the wind, struggling to live against the elements. Does a branch need to grow a different direction? Use wire that is stiff enough to keep a branch the way you want it but pliable enough to bend easily. Wrap the wire around the trunk if necessary. Then wind it around the branch, gently shaping it. Don’t wrap too tightly – it’s not necessary and you don’t want wire scars on a bonsai.
Finally, for the health of the tree and for the aesthetics, trim the foliage to be in balance with the amount of roots remaining; as a general rule of thumb, remove the foliage on the bottom of the branch and pinch back foliage on top. This will encourage the tree to grown in a classical bonsai manner. Once the tree recovers a bit from its “surgery”, you will want to do additional pruning and shaping. I may have overdone it on this little guy, but I wanted you to see what it would look like.