A warm-weather plant that thrives best in temperate locations, the Eugenia Bonsai, will be a great addition for people looking for a new bonsai. It likes sunlight but does not like to be outside at all times too. It is best kept indoors during the cold weather and should stay in an above 60 F environment.
Eugenia has 1,100 species in its genus and can be found in subtropical and tropical regions all over the world. Even though it can be found worldwide, its distribution is rather uneven. They are very popular due to their glossy foliage and can be very ornate when kept as a bonsai.
You need to place the bonsai in warm sunlight, but partial shade is also recommended. You will have to protect the plant from frost and drought too. It is very sensitive to temperature changes and do not place it above a heating device.
On top of that, you should only water the soil when it gets too dry. If the soil is still wet, there is no need to water it right now. Eugenia also needs a humid environment to truly blossom. When it comes to fertilizers, Eugenia is an acid-loving plant. In winter, you should add fertilizer at least once a month.
When it comes to repotting a bonsai, it is best that you repot it once every couple of years. This gives you a chance to examine the roots of the plant and also choose a pot that suits the size of the plant. Use pesticides from time to time to avoid having a bug-infested plant.
How long does it take for a bonsai to grow?
If you are planning to grow a bonsai from seed or sapling, then you need to be very patient and have some luck on your side too. On average, you will have to stunt the growth of the plant for several years or a decade to make artistic additions.
If you are new to bonsai pruning and styling, we recommend starting with specimens that are already out of the growing phase. If you are one determined individual and want to go down this route, then you will have to plant the seeds yourself.
- Plant multiple seeds, as there is no guarantee that all of them will germinate.
- Use a sapling that is locally sourced and abundant in your area.
- Get the basic right first only then move on to experimentation.
Think of growing a bonsai as a marathon and not a sprint. You will have to strategize and make decisions that will have a long-lasting impact on the plant and how it grows. No matter how much energy you put at the start, you will have to think with long-term results in mind.
But there are ways to make your bonsai grow faster
Suitable Soil
Since you have limited space to grow your bonsai, it is very important to pick the right solid for them. They, in most cases, will need special soil and you will also need a good potting mix.
The mix should retain water, provide support to the delicate roots and be able to retain the nutrients in the soil. Conventional soil will not do here.
Root Trimming and Repotting
Being able to reduce the growth of roots is a must-have skill for anyone getting into bonsai. The roots should not grow so much that there is no growth possible. Repot your bonsai every second or third year and make sure to trim the roots too.
You can also move it to a larger pot if that is more convenient for you. This whole process might seem a bit tough at first, but you will easily get the hang of it.
Fertilizers
Choosing the right fertilizers is the key to steady bonsai growth. The nutrients needed by the plant to grow will need to be supplemented by fertilizers, as soil alone will not be able to provide all the nutrients required.
Regular fertilization is key, but how much does it need is also something that you will have to figure out how much you need to put in at regular intervals. If you put in less than it needs, you have the risk of not supplementing the growth. But if you put in too much, you could kill the plant too.
You will have to find the balance by trial and error, but it would also help to ask more experienced people in the community. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes as you are still learning. This is a craft that requires patience and people who make decisions with long-term goals in mind.
Pruning techniques
Pruning wisely and judiciously will help your bonsai grow faster. It also ensures proper nourishment through photosynthesis and, in the end, makes sure that your plant grows properly.
Keep the canopy free of any branches or stick on top so that there is denser growth there. Keep the leaves healthy by removing sticks that are either dead or without leaves.
How to care for your Bonsai
Caring for your bonsai and helping it grow may have a lot of overlaps, but maintaining it in the long run. These artisanal trees may need some major upkeep from time to time but given that they last a few decades easily, it is well worth the effort.
Making a bonsai is not rocket science, it just needs diligent and sincere effort throughout its age so that it grows up to be what you want. It is a process that is more or less like a journey. Once you start it, you will get the hang of it easily, too.
Watering
This is something most beginners get wrong. Watering your bonsai does not require a schedule but needs you to be more proactive than you think. You will have to assess whether your plant needs water or not.
You just cannot have a schedule ready for the plant and water it according to that. It will hamper the growth of your bonsai, as the soil will either be too wet or too dry. Over-watering and under-watering are the leading causes of bonsai death.
The watering needs of the plant that you have chosen will depend on a variety of factors, like the temperature, climate, soil, and the pot. Also, you will have to factor in the species of the plant.
The best way is to ask veterans how they factor in things when watering their plants. Essentially, you do not want to water the plant when the soil is wet, but also do not want the soil to be too dry.
Bonsais are sensitive to such changes and can easily be malnourished without proper care. You should see the state of the soil before adding water or deciding not to.
Another reason for being careful with watering is that the roots do not run very deep. They are affected by the changes in the soil almost instantaneously and need to be monitored carefully.
Since they are shallow containers, the soil tends to get dry quickly as compared to a traditional pot. This is why you can water the bonsai even if the soil is damp.
Regular Pruning
As discussed earlier, pruning is a great way of boosting your plant’s growth. But it also is a great way to ensure that your plant stays healthy. Pruning gets rid of old branches and twigs that do not show growth. It is best practiced in the summer and spring only as these are the seasons when the plant shows maximum growth.
You can also style your plant at this point and give it the shape that you want. Improve upon the aesthetics of your bonsai and make it the plant that you have always planted. Remove branches that are growing close to the base of the tree and also the ones that grow in the opposite direction.
Wiring
Meant for people with more experience, wiring is a great way to ensure that the tree grows exactly the way you want it. This is an advanced technique that takes time to get used to. It is a great shaping tool that lets you add or remove elements from your bonsai tree. You just wrap the braces in a wire and then shape it the way you want to. Anodized aluminum wires are great to work with but you can also use fiber-based wires after soaking them in water too.
You soak the fiber-based wires so that you do not damage the branches or the plant while tying them.
Get Help
If you are new to bonsai and artisanal gardening in general, it is best that you seek local help. You can attend a local workshop on bonsai or even join local Facebook groups. The local gardener should be able to help you, too.
You can get the sapling from the nearest nursery and ask for tips and tricks there. If you look hard enough, you will be able to find other bonsai enthusiasts near you that will help you out. Some problems are best addressed locally as the plant that you are going to get will be best suited for the local climate.
All in all Eugenia Bonsai are great for warm weather places that do not get very cold during the winters. You should be able to grow one easily and shape it the way you want it by combining pruning and wiring. The best advice that we can give is to have fun and think about the long-term impacts of your decisions before implementing them.
A bonsai will be by your side for a long time. A little attention regularly goes a far way in the decades that it will be in your life.