How to Grow and Care For Orange Bonsai Tree

Usually, Bonsai is considered a beautiful flowering plant. But the same technique of bonsai can be applied to fruit-bearing trees.

An orange bonsai tree is the prettiest among the various bonsai practices on fruit. There are several benefits to grow bonsai orange trees. A bonsai orange has evergreen leaves. They are capable of producing flowers year-round with beautiful and edible orange fruits.

How To Grow A Orange Bonsai Tree

Following things, you will need to grow an orange bonsai tree,

5-gallon bucket	Pruning shears (cutting tools)
Bonsai sieves	Wire nipper
Bonsai Potting soil	Turkey Baster
Bonsai tray	Electrical wire, and annealed copper wire.

Looking for a flowering bonsai tree for sale? Online retailers and local nurseries offer a wide variety of species and sizes to choose from. Popular flowering bonsai tree species include Azalea, Cherry Blossom, and Wisteria. However, it’s important to research the specific care requirements of your chosen tree to ensure it thrives and blooms beautifully. Enjoy the beauty and tranquility of nature with a flowering bonsai tree.

Step 1: Select the orange sapling with healthy roots and no broken limbs. Almost any orange tree will make good bonsai. But citrus trees such as calamondin or trifoliate orange adapt well to bonsai.

Step 2: Determine the shape of your orange bonsai. Naturally, orange bonsai has a formal or informal upright style. Other bonsai style includes Slanting, cascade, and semi-cascade.

Step 3: Remove the soil from the tree’s root ball. And prune one-third of the root ball. Next, decide the front direction of the tree and shape it accordingly.

Step 4: Plant the tree in a container with bonsai potting soil or citrus potting mix. Leave the tree in a container for one year before potting it into a bonsai container.

Step 5: Wrap the tree loosely in a clockwise direction with annealed copper wire. Bend the tree into the desired shape but stop before the breaking point. If the tree does not bend completely, wait for the tree to naturally form a new shape and then try again. Once the tree gets the desired shape, remove the wire.

Step 6: Use potting soil for final transplantation. You can use citrus potting mix and grade it using several bonsai sieves. Discard any soil which passes through sieves. This type of soil can form clay that can block water from reaching the roots.

Step 7: Thread electrical wire through the holes at the bottom of the potting tray. This will make a tree stay in one position.

Step 8: Prune the branches of an orange bonsai tree one week before transplanting.

Step 9: Lift the tree and cut extra roots. Keep main root and other tiny feeder roots.

Step 10: Place the tree in a bonsai potting tray. Wrap electrical wire to hold the tree upright. Cover the tray with moss.

Step 11: Water the tree appropriately; use a turkey baster to avoid overwatering when soil is dry to touch.

How to Start Bonsai Orange Seeds

Step 1: Bonsai plants are asymmetrical. That’s why first you need to decide the shape and size of your bonsai orange. Later you can turn the pot in any direction once the tree has grown.

Step2: Remove the seeds from ripe or slightly overripe calamondin fruit. Make sure to take the seed from a healthy plant.

Step 3: Remove all the orange pulp from the seed before planting.

Step 4: Get the plastic seed tray with a few divisions to grow the seeds. Fill each division with bonsai potting soil and one seed. Poke a small hole in the tray to provide air to the seeds

Step 5: The next step is repotting. When the seeds are grown about 4 inches, you can repot them. You need to take good care while they grow from seed to 4 inches tall.

Step 6: Maintain the soil temperature around 20-30 degrees celsius. This is the ideal temperature for seeds to grow.

Step 7: Water the soil to maintain moisture. Make sure the soil doesn’t dry completely. Also, there should not be any standing water in the soil.

Step 8: Mix water-soluble citrus fertilizer during summer and winter. Because sightly acidic soil is considered best for growth.

Step 9: Keep trimming the tree to maintain its shape and size.

Step 10: While repotting into bonsai potting tree remove all the roots except primary root and small feeder roots coming out. After that, you can cover the soil with moss if you want.

Caring For A Orange Bonsai Tree

Temperature

Maintaining a proper temperature is extremely important for bonsai orange trees. 21-32 degrees Celsius is the ideal temperature for the tree. Below 13 degrees celsius, the growth of the tree will stop.

If you’re keeping the tree indoors, keep it away from areas where the temperature fluctuates frequently. Do not place it near heating vents or drafty windows. The tree needs a temperature that remains consistent.

Bonsai orange needs 50%-70% humidity. You may need a humidity tray during winter to keep the air near the tree humid. Another option is to group multiple plants to create a microclimate with higher humidity.

Watering

In watering, an orange tree requires balance. You need to water a tree so that the soil does not get dry and make sure excess water does not sit in the soil. The exact time for watering depends on several factors such as temperature, season, container size, and bonsai size.

Water from the top of the tree to drain excess water quickly. Make sure your container has a proper drainage hole.

In summer, the tree needs watering frequently. Depending on your area’s climate, you need to water it daily. In winter, watering once a week is fine. But this also depends on several factors.

Use room temperature water because too cold water can shock the orange tree roots.

Some growers suggest using rainwater even when they are inside in winter. You can use tap water when rainwater is not available. Make sure your tap water does not consist of dissolved minerals.

Position

Orange trees are tropical trees. It needs a warm temperature and full sunlight. You can place your bonsai orange outside in a sunny spot during summer. Do not worry about protecting your oranges from too much sun. Just water it well during summer.

The inside temperature does not bother the tree, but the outside cold temperature does. Place the tree near a sunny window, facing the south direction. West or East direction also works. If you cannot place the tree in a bright spot, you can use artificial lights.

Soil

Choose a lightweight soil mix for indoor plants. The soil mix should not be designed to retain water. Make sure the soil has good drainage. The citrus tree likes slightly acidic soil, but it is not necessary for growing the bonsai orange.

The orange tree does not like to sit in excess water. So, choose the soil mix that drains out excess water.

Fertilizing

As bonsai orange grows in less soil, proper fertilization is required to provide nutrients to the tree. Therefore, in the growing period, fertilization is essential. Citrus soil fertilizer is popular because a slightly acidic ph of the soil helps in the better growth of the tree.

If you cannot find citrus fertilizer, you can use any general liquid fertilizer. Except for the winter season, fertilizer should be used once a month.

While selecting a fertilizer, look for one designed for the citrus trees. As the bonsai tree is small, you need to dilute your fertilizer before applying it.

Repot

Bonsai orange tree grows quickly when they have been adequately cared for. Rapid growing tree means repotting is often required. Repot the plant when the root system starts to grow out of the container. Usually repotting is needed every 2-5 years.

The best time to repot an orange tree is in summer. During summer, the tree is healthiest and quick to recover. While repotting, trim the excess root. Keep primary root intact but remove one-third of rest of roots.

Depending upon the size of the plant, either you will need to repot in the same container or a larger container. Make sure to replace the soil and provide plenty of water after repotting.

Pruning

Pruning is easy and should be done in the growing season. While pruning, be careful not to remove buds. Because buds may grow into fruits later, before autumn starts, remove any fruit on the tree. Because it will drain the tree’s energy.

Insects, diseases, and weeds

If the weeds start to grow in the pot, remove them. In the case of Insects and diseases treat them similarly to trees. Contact Gardner or seek advice from an online bonsai forum to eliminate disease or deal with insect problems.

Conclusion

A bonsai orange is a combination of beauty and health. Mainly calamondin oranges are used for bonsai. They are miniature oranges that produce edible fruits with fragrant flowers and small evergreen leaves.

The Best way to grow bonsai orange is through healthy orange saplings. This way is recommended by many people because it is easy to grow, and you can decide the shape and size of the tree while growing.

If you have an orange sapling ready, you need to prune one-fourth of a tree root. And plant it in a container that has bonsai potting soil.

An orange tree can be grown inside, which makes the perfect bonsai for beginners. At first, it can be challenging for you, but you can achieve your results with the help of care guidance.

So, Start planting your orange bonsai today, and get a rewarding experience.