Since beech trees tolerate pruning very well, they are often grown in pots as bonsai. Caring for a bonsai beech is easy, making beech trees the ideal beginner tree for newbies. Tips for keeping a beech tree as a bonsai.
How do you care for a beech tree as a bonsai?
Caring for a beech tree as a bonsai is easy and ideal for beginners. Important steps include regular watering, fertilizing from March to August, repotting every two to three years and topiary in February and July. Tension wires are recommended when designing.
Cutting beech as a bonsai
All forms of pruning are possible for bonsai beech trees, as the beech tree tolerates severe pruning well. However, the broom shape should not be chosen for decorative reasons.
The best time to heavily prune a beech tree is the month of February. From March the beech will sprout again. When pruning, all branches are shortened significantly. Make sure that one to three eyes always remain on the shoot.
A second pruning takes place at the end of July. The bonsai beech is only slightly shortened and shaped.
Getting the beech into shape
Beech trees are not so easy to wire because the thin bark tears quickly. Therefore, protect the branches from wiring and remove the wire before it grows in.
Older branches can no longer be wired. If you want to pull the beech into a specific shape, you must use tension wires.
Properly care for bonsai beeches
- Water regularly
- fertilize from March to August
- repot every two to three years
- prune roots when repotting
A beech tree can neither tolerate drought nor waterlogging. Water the tree regularly, but ensure good drainage and pour off excess water. Rainwater or low-lime tap water that should not be too cold is well suited.
Spring is the best time to repot your bonsai. The tree is placed in a slightly larger bowl that is filled with a special bonsai substrate (€5.00 on Amazon) made from Akadama and bonsai soil. Make sure that the beech tree receives enough iron, otherwise the leaves will bleach.
When repotting, the roots are pruned to limit the growth of the beech.
Tip
Beech trees are generally hardy. However, if they are grown as bonsai in pots, it is advisable to overwinter them in a cool but frost-free place. Alternatively, they can be planted outdoors without a shell over the winter.