How-to Guide
Bonsai Care for Beginners
The short answer
The biggest care factor is water: bonsai pots are small and dry out quickly, so in spring, summer and fall they often need at least daily watering - and on hot days, twice - applied until it drains out the bottom. Give the tree good light (a south or east window for indoor types; morning sun with afternoon shade for most outdoor ones).
Know your tree type. Tropical species like weeping fig, dwarf pomegranate and Serissa are grown indoors and can go out for summer, while hardy species like maples, pines, junipers and boxwoods need to live outdoors and only come in briefly for display. Feed with a soluble fertilizer in the growing season and repot every two to five years depending on species.
Indoor or outdoor - decide first
Bonsai are not a single kind of plant; they are ordinary trees trained small, so their needs follow the species. Missouri Botanical Garden names good indoor (tropical) starters as weeping fig, dwarf pomegranate, natal plum, rosemary and Serissa, and hardy outdoor types as maples, pines, junipers and boxwoods.
This distinction is the key beginner point. Tropical bonsai are best grown indoors as houseplants but may be set outdoors for the summer. Hardy bonsai require outdoor growing conditions for best growth and should be brought inside only for short display periods, then returned outdoors - a hardy tree kept permanently indoors will decline.
Watering and light
Because bonsai pots are small and dry out quickly, plants need frequent and careful watering. In spring, summer and fall this often requires at least daily watering, and on hot days two waterings may be needed. Water until drainage runs through the holes in the bottom of the pot, using a fine mist so you do not wash soil out.
Most bonsai need good light. Missouri Botanical Garden says full morning sun with some afternoon shade is ideal for most, though pines and junipers can tolerate full sun all day; indoor types should get a south- or east-facing window.
Feeding and repotting
Feed during the growing season with a water-soluble fertilizer such as 20-20-20, or apply a time-released fertilizer once in early spring for season-long feeding. Small pots hold little nutrient reserve, so regular feeding matters.
Repotting renews the root system and refreshes the soil. Missouri Botanical Garden advises repotting most deciduous plants every two or three years, and slower-growing pines and junipers every four or five years. When you repot, remove the heavy old roots but retain as many of the fine feeder roots as you can, since those are what take up water and nutrients.
Sources
Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.
- Missouri Botanical Garden - How Do I Care for a Bonsai Plant? — Names beginner indoor species (weeping fig, dwarf pomegranate, natal plum, rosemary, Serissa) and hardy outdoor species (maples, pines, junipers, boxwoods); advises at least daily watering (twice on hot days) until it drains through; full morning sun with afternoon shade or a south/east window; 20-20-20 soluble or time-release fertilizer in the growing season; and repotting deciduous every 2-3 years, pines/junipers every 4-5 years, retaining fine feeder roots.