Learn how to plant a bonsai tree in three easy steps. Bring out the inner beauty of the larger natural world in a small tree styled with ancient techniques.

Light. Your bonsai will need six to eight hours of light. Indoors, placing it on a windowsill is a good idea. If this is not available, grow lights can aid in growing your ginseng ficus.

– A 7:3 ratio peat moss and bonsai soil (Akedama). Mix the moss and soil together, adding water if necessary, to make it a clay-like consistency – Sphagum moss soaked in water.

Poor soil choice: Regular potting mix won't encourage the proper bonsai root system. Over-fertilizing: Bonsai trees need fertilizer, but fertilizers that encourage growth can ruin their shape.

In Japan, kokedama are made with bonsai soil, but that’s not necessary or even a good idea in some climates. ... “You want to mix till you get the consistency of a meatball,” she says.

Poor soil choice: Regular potting mix won't encourage the proper bonsai root system. Over-fertilizing: Bonsai trees need fertilizer, but fertilizers that encourage growth can ruin their shape.