Immediate Care Instructions
Please water immediately upon arrival, and then carefully review this instruction sheet for specific information on how to ensure a healthy Tangerine Bonsai. We highly recommend referencing a bonsai book to supplement this overview.
About Your Tangerine Bonsai
Your Tangerine Bonsai is a miniature relative of the beloved orange, and it has a long history in its home continent of Asia. Prized through the centuries for its sweet rind and culinary applications, these citrus jewels can be peeled to show off miniature “smiles,” used as a garnish for cocktails, tossed into a stir-fry to provide a citrus-y zing, or eaten right off the tree, juicy and fresh. The white flowers are most notable for their creamy, delicate, tropical fragrance.
Light Exposure
Your bonsai will enjoy light as bright as possible, but avoid excess heat which will dry out the soil too quickly. A location that provides morning sun or filtered light throughout the day is ideal.
Water and Fertilizer
It is important to water your bonsai regularly – the soil should be moist to the touch. Excellent drainage is equally as important as regular watering; however, please avoid allowing the plant to sit in standing water. A simple method is to set your bonsai in the sink and run a steady stream of water from the faucet until you observe water exiting the drain hole at the bottom of the container. A well-balanced liquid organic fertilizer can be applied every 2nd or 3rd watering. Your local nursery will have an appropriate liquid food available.
Water daily, through hot spells and in the summer heat. Every other day is sufficient in the spring and fall. In the winter you should keep the plant moist, watering only when the soil is dry to the touch. If a few shoots get dry, you can remove them to encourage fresh new growth.
Pruning
Prune to shape as you desire, keeping in mind the small scale size of the plant and its container. Flowers will appear from small shoots where the leaves meet the stem. It will flower sporadically throughout the year, most heavily in the spring. If too much new growth is produced at the branch tips, cut it back to a lower position, even into thicker wood, to shorten the tree's height.
Winter Period
Keep the tree from extreme cold temperatures in a bright location throughout the winter. Depending on your location, you can leave it outside in a frost free area, or in a bright warm room if freezing temperatures occur. As old leaves fall off, fertilize regularly to create new growth.
Repotting
Every two to three years, remove the tree from its pot and trim away 1/3 of its roots. Repot with a blended organic potting soil. This will encourage new root growth and keep your Tangerine Bonsai healthy and thriving.