Complete grow set, ideal for anyone wishing to grow their own bonsai tree. Set contains bonsai pot with saucer,
compost, sachet of seed, decorative blue slate chippings & detailed instruction booklet. Variety: Olive (Olea Europaea)
The best time to sow any seeds is when they would naturally fall (usually in the autumn) however these seeds can be sown year round indoors.
Growing Bonsai from seed is a real test of patients but is very rewarding. It can take up to 3 years before you have a tree you can start working on, but growing your own bonsai from seed gives you complete control over the health and development of your tree. It is also much cheaper than buying one that may become a sickly plant due to incorrect feeding and training when it was younger.
PLANTING
SOW OUTDOORS: from August to November or March to June. Do not sow seeds when there is a risk of frost! Sow seeds aprox 4cm deep, cover over and water well.
SOW INDOORS: throughout the year. Place on a warm windowsill in a bright area which is not located next to a heat source such as a radiator.
WATERING
Olive bonsai are easy to care for. Water when needed. Never allow the soil to dry out completely.
FEEDING
Feed with a normal fertilizer monthly from spring to mid autumn.
PRUNING
Strong pruning is recommended in late winter. The olive will respond with vigorous growth in the following spring. For maintenance pruning, cut back to 2-3 pairs of leaves, and in very healthy specimens you can remove all the leaves to encourage new growth and reduce leaf size.
RE-POTTING
Re-pot in the spring before the buds begin to swell. This needs to be done every three to four years. Use a soil mix with good drainage. Bonsai compost is fine or you can make up a mixture of 1 part loam, 1 part peat, 1 part sharp sand.
Protect from full sun for a few weeks after re-potting.
WIRING
Wire between late autumn and winter to train into shape. Traditionally, Olive bonsai don’t requite a great deal of wiring. Their trunks tend to increase in with rather than in height so you may wish to only train the branches.
DEVELOPMENT
Before propagating seeds, its important to understand the development of a bonsai.
Image 1 - Tree at 1 year old.
No pruning or wiring should be done until plants are at least 3 years old but they can be re-potted.
Image 2 - Tree at 5 years old.
Now re-potted. The roots and growth have been pruned and the trunk can be wired. Try to refrain from wiring branches untill the tree is at least 7 years old as this could restirict the growth.
Image 3 - Tree at 10 years old.
From now on the tree should be re-potted ever 5 years. The growth can be pruned and branches wired and trained every autumn.
Image 4 - Tree at 15 years old.
Continued training and pruningand the tree will start to take shape.
For more in-depth information on growing and caring for your bonsai, please read the detailed instruction book included in the grow set.
Do not eat ornamental flowers or seeds.
Some plants can be harmful if consumed or cause irritation if touched.
Always wear gloves when gardening and wash hands thoroughly when finished.
See our list of potentially harmful plants here.
