Orange bonsai care | Gardening On

There is no doubt that bonsai are plants that attract our attention. But when these are fruit bearing, you have a small miniature tree that can bloom and even bear fruit. But, they are also more complicated to care for. In this case, we want tell you about the care of orange bonsai.

It is one of the most appreciated for its color, with dark green leaves and beautiful white flowers that later turn into very curious little oranges. Do you want to know how to take care of it?

Orange bonsai care

An orange tree bonsai is not difficult to find today, although depending on the season in which you buy it you will be able to observe its evolution more or less. For example, if you buy it in winter, you will see that it keeps the leaves, but it will not have flowers, which will arrive in the spring (depending on the species you can put them out for May-June or wait a little longer and have them in summer).

Afterwards, and if you take good care of yourself, you can enjoy some oranges that hang from its branches. Of course, we already warn you that they are usually quite acidic. They are edible, but because of that flavor they may not be very palatable.

But, to achieve this, it is necessary to provide good care. And what are these? We will discuss them below.

Temperature and location

An orange tree it is a tree that likes the sun and heat, and in the case of a bonsai, the same thing happens. She loves being outside, in full sun, because that is how she develops so much better. Now, when the cold arrives it is better to put it in a greenhouse or indoors since the low temperatures can affect it a lot.

In general, it is said that from May to September it is convenient to put it in the sun and outsidebut when the cold comes, in late fall and early winter, it is better to protect it.

It is clear that the more light you give it, the more it will grow, in addition to being stronger and that will be noticeable in its flowering and in the fruits that later.

Earth

As a good fruit tree it is, and we are also talking about a citrus, the ideal soil for orange bonsai would be one with a slightly acidic pH. This can be done by adding more peat. In addition, it should also have a drain since it does not like too much waterlogging.

Transplant

One of the big mistakes bonsai fans make is thinking that they don’t need a transplant. They do need it, especially to change the soil, which no longer provides nutrients, for a new one.

In the case of orange bonsai, the transplant should always be done in spring, every two or three years. At that moment when the roots are exposed, it is advisable to cut them a little. A bit. And it is that the orange tree is a plant that suffers when the roots are cut and it can paralyze its growth for a time until it adapts.

Irrigation

The watering of an orange tree in bonsai is practically the same as that of a large fruit tree. That is, it requires moderate watering in summer, but in the case of winter, it is not so necessary, being able to withstand even a dry season.

As a practical matter, you can follow the following:

• In spring and summer: water with lime-free water at least 2-3 times a week. If it’s in full sun and hot weather, you may need to water it 4-5 times a week.
• In autumn and winter: It can be watered 1-2 times a week, although if the soil is kept humid in winter for a longer time it may be necessary only once a week.

What is very important is to use adequate irrigation water, which does not have any lime (this can be achieved by letting the tap water rest for at least 24-48 hours), or by using rainwater.

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In the flowering season, it is convenient to fertilize the bonsai to help it bear the fruits. We recommend that you use one that is liquid and always specialized in citrus.

Of course, try to add a little less than the amount recommended by the manufacturer to avoid overdoing it (since it can completely stop flowering and fruit).

Pruning

The pruning of the orange bonsai is always carried out in spring, but throughout the rest of the seasons it can be cut slightly to maintain the shape you want to give it.

As for what to cut, in addition to those branches that look dry and / or sick, You have to trim the new shoots, always leaving two leaves and those that are already developed will only leave four leaves.

Plagues and diseases

Unfortunately, like many other fruit bonsai, and as fruit trees in general, the orange tree is not exempt from problems related to pests and diseases. In fact, it is common that, throughout your life, you face mites, mealybugs, leaf miner flies, vine weevil, and scale insects.

They all have a solution, you should not worry, since with pesticides you can keep them at bay. But the most important thing is to try to prevent the problem before it gets worse, and for that a good observation is needed to detect the first symptoms.

Multiplication

Finally, among the care of the orange bonsai we would have reproduction, that is, knowing how to get a new plant (in this case a tree) through another plant.

And in this aspect, you have two ways to do it:

• Through seedsbut taking into account that it will take several years to become a “tree” and also to be able to bear fruit.
• Through cuttingscutting healthy shoots from another tree and planting them. This shortens the time, but you have to be careful so that it grabs the bud and it will be a while before it settles like a tree that bears fruit.

Despite the fact that fruit bonsai are usually more expensive than others (and these do not usually reach supermarkets or have offers to buy one), they can be easily bought in specialized bonsai stores for reasonable prices. If you also provide the proper orange bonsai care, you will have no problem keeping it healthy for a long time.

Do you dare with an orange tree bonsai?