Is Your Bonsai Sick? How to Treat Your Plant with Bonsai Care

When your bonsai first came into your life, it was happy, healthy, and growing well. However, whether your bonsai care or pests are to blame, your bonsai may be sick. You see black spots, drooping leaves, and perhaps mildew. How can you tell if your bonsai is sick? And what type of bonsai care will rejuvenate your ill plant?

This article will discuss common bonsai pests and diseases, how to identify which problem your bonsai has, and what type of bonsai care will bring your plant back to its normal, healthy self.

Common Bonsai Pests

Like any plant, bonsais can attract pests.  With the right bonsai care, you can keep identify these pests and keep them at bay.

• Whitefly – These tiny white, moth-like insects prefer to hide on the undersides of the leaves of your bonsai. Whiteflies leave sticky, ‘honeydew’ like substance on the leaves and then a black soot-like mold grows on the sticky substance.  The right bonsai care will prevent whiteflies, and it involves misting your bonsai daily, as the insects dislike being sprayed with water. If you already have an infestation, use an insecticide designed for this type of problem. Use it regularly, such as 3-4 times at 5-day intervals, until you get rid of the insects.

• Spider Mites – These almost-microscopic insects are so small they can be difficult to see with the naked eye.  It helps to put some white paper down on a smooth surface and then shake your plant over the white paper. If you see tiny moving dots on the paper, your bonsai has spider mites. These little bugs will suck your plant dry of all its nutrients, and therefore, the right bonsai care is to get rid of them as soon as you see them. Another clue is that your bonsai’s foliage will turn dull and yellow-green, or you might have dead patches. Spray with an insecticide designed for spider mites, once a week for 3 weeks.

• Aphids – Most people think of these little creatures as red colored, but they can come in shades of pink, green, or brown in addition to red. If you don’t like the idea of an insecticide, and your bonsai is outside, import some lady bugs to take care of the problem. Lady bugs won’t hurt your bonsai and they are nature’s aphid predator, making them a great aid in your bonsai care. Aphids cause distorted growth and can be temporarily thwarted by spraying the bonsai with a firm jet of water.  Insecticides can get rid of aphids permanently.

Posted under Bonsai Care