Year calendarBC-01

How to Care for Bonsai: A Yearly Calendar for 13 Species, Seasonal Care, and 3 Basics for Beginners

Published 2026-10-22 · By Bonsai Calendar editors

Your guide: KouKnows everything. Sometimes writes things that are wrong. Sorry in advance.Bonsai Calendar editors · Checked against bonsai writers, nurseries and garden product makers: 2026-10-22

Kou

Get the timing of each job from the species group, and support it with daily watering and the right spot. Check the months in the table for your species.

In this article (15 sections)

In short: where do you start with how to care for bonsai?
How to care for bonsai: which species are repotted when?
How to care for bonsai: how do pruning and bud work differ?
How to care for bonsai: when do you feed?
How to care for bonsai: when do you wire?
How to care for bonsai: what does the year look like, season by season?
How to care for bonsai: how do you think about watering and the winter spot?
How to care for bonsai: how do you read the yearly calendar for one species?
How to care for bonsai: what 3 things should beginners get right first?
How to care for bonsai: how do you shift the months for a different region?
How to care for bonsai: what do you do when something goes wrong?
What terms come up in bonsai care?
What else goes with how to care for bonsai?
What are common questions about how to care for bonsai?5
Sources

In short: where do you start with how to care for bonsai?

How to care for bonsai starts with getting the timing of each job from the species group, then supporting it with daily watering and the right spot. The months differ by species, so check them in the table.

Most guides to bonsai care put the work for spring, summer, autumn and winter into a single calendar. Garden center guides also list repotting and feeding by season.

But even for repotting, pines, satsuki azaleas and chojubai suit different seasons. This site turns the months for each job on 13 species into data and compares them by species group.

What this article covers:

The timing of jobs on 13 species, compared across conifers, deciduous trees, flowering trees, fruiting trees and indoor trees
How the timing of repotting, pruning and feeding differs by species
The flow of the year through spring, summer, autumn and winter, and how to read the calendar for one species
The 3 things beginners should get right first, and what to do when something goes wrong

Choose a month and a species in the tool above to see that month's jobs and a preview of next month. The months are a guide for lowland Kanto (the Tokyo area). In colder areas shift them later, and in warmer areas earlier.

How this site decides when sources give a range of months is explained in How this site sets the timing.

Split into 5 groups, the 13 species follow these timing patterns.

Group	Species	How the timing is set	What to watch
Conifers	Japanese black pine, Japanese white pine, Shimpaku juniper, Needle juniper	Repot before the buds move. Pruning and wiring mostly from autumn to early spring	Only black pine gets candle cutting. Needle juniper is weak to cold, so its jobs shift to warmer months
Deciduous trees	Japanese maple, Trident maple, Japanese zelkova	Repot in the short window before bud break. In the growing season, even out the branches by pinching	Maples cut in winter are prone to branch dieback
Flowering trees	Japanese apricot (ume), Flowering cherry, Satsuki azalea, Chojubai	Prune after flowering. Finish cutting before the flower buds form	Satsuki and chojubai are repotted in a different season from the others
Fruiting trees	Crabapple (hime-ringo)	Repot in spring or autumn. Do not leave the fruit on	Leaving fruit on for a long time weakens the tree
Indoor trees	Banyan fig (gajumaru)	Repot and prune in the warm months	Weak to cold; keep it indoors at 5°C or above in winter

The key point: in bonsai care, grasping each group's timing pattern saves more confusion than memorizing months.

How to care for bonsai: which species are repotted when?

For bonsai repotting, 11 of the 13 species have a suitable time in spring. Satsuki and chojubai differ in season, and cherry and crabapple also have a suitable time in autumn.

Repotting
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Japanese black pine
Japanese white pine
Shimpaku juniper
Needle juniper
Japanese maple
Trident maple
Japanese zelkova
Japanese apricot (ume)
Flowering cherry (e.g. Asahiyama)
Satsuki azalea
Chojubai (dwarf flowering quince)
Crabapple (hime-ringo)
Banyan fig (gajumaru)

Source (13)

As the table shows, conifers and deciduous trees mostly line up in the period before the buds move. The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum also gives the right time to repot as when the tree reaches bud break.

The exception is needle juniper. It is weak to cold, so it is repotted later than the other conifers, once it has warmed up.

Deciduous trees weaken if they are repotted after the new shoots have grown. A source on zelkova also recommends finishing before the buds extend.

For flowering trees, the timing depends on the flowers. Satsuki is repotted after flowering or in autumn, and chojubai mainly in autumn. Despite the "ume" in its name, chojubai is a relative of the flowering quince.

Kou

In a year you repot, go easy on other heavy jobs. For black pine, skip candle cutting that year.

For repotting, look at the row for your species and check whether it falls before the buds move or after flowering. Root cutting and soil are covered in When to Repot Bonsai.

How to care for bonsai: how do pruning and bud work differ?

Bonsai pruning is cutting branches to shape the tree. Bud work is pinching off growing buds to even out the tree's vigor.

Pruning
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Japanese black pine
Japanese white pine
Shimpaku juniper
Needle juniper
Japanese maple
Trident maple
Japanese zelkova
Japanese apricot (ume)
Flowering cherry (e.g. Asahiyama)
Satsuki azalea
Chojubai (dwarf flowering quince)
Crabapple (hime-ringo)
Banyan fig (gajumaru)

Source (13)

As the table shows, pruning times differ widely by species. Take particular care with these 3 groups.

Conifers: many species have their branches shaped from autumn to early spring, when growth settles
Deciduous trees: maples cut in winter keep bleeding sap and are prone to branch dieback
Flowering trees: satsuki and cherry form next year's flower buds in summer, so finish cutting before then

The name and method of bud work differ by species. Here are the names as the sources give them.

Species	Name of the bud work	Notes
Japanese black pine	Candle cutting	Only on vigorous trees. Skip trees repotted that year and weak trees
Japanese white pine	Candle pinching	No candle cutting as with black pine
Shimpaku juniper	Pinching	Do not combine heavy pruning or wiring with repotting in the same year
Japanese apricot (ume)	Shoot pinching (cutting back new shoots)	Shorten the new shoots that have grown
Flowering cherry (e.g. Asahiyama)	Pinching and holding back shoots	Finish before the flower buds form
Crabapple (hime-ringo)	Shoot pinching (cutting back)	Cut back the new shoots that have grown

Black pine candle cutting is a technique unique to bonsai, used to make the needles short and even. The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum also describes it as a technique that can fail.

Do heavy work like black pine candle cutting only in years when the tree has strength. How to cut branches is covered species by species in When to Prune Bonsai.

How to care for bonsai: when do you feed?

Bonsai are basically fed during the spring and autumn growing periods. In winter, every species in the table rests.

Feeding
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Japanese black pine
Japanese white pine
Shimpaku juniper
Needle juniper
Japanese maple
Trident maple
Japanese zelkova
Japanese apricot (ume)
Flowering cherry (e.g. Asahiyama)
Satsuki azalea
Chojubai (dwarf flowering quince)
Crabapple (hime-ringo)

Source (12)

All 12 species in the table take a break partway through summer. The Seikoen guide defines the spring growing period as from when the new shoots open and harden until the rainy season begins.

The autumn maturing period runs from around the autumn equinox until before leaf fall. The same guide says to feed only healthy trees with deep-colored leaves.

The Komeri guide says not to feed for about a month after repotting. Follow the fertilizer's instructions for the amount and how often.

Among the species, ume is especially fond of fertilizer. Running out causes branch dieback and fewer flower buds.

For gajumaru, the source only says "spring to autumn" and gives no months. So it is not included in the table above.

Feed healthy trees, within the growing period. Types of fertilizer and where to place it are covered in When to Fertilize Bonsai.

How to care for bonsai: when do you wire?

Bonsai wiring sets the direction and shape of the branches. Conifers are mostly wired from autumn to early spring and deciduous trees after leaf fall; the timing for each species is in the table.

Wiring
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Japanese black pine
Japanese white pine
Shimpaku juniper
Needle juniper
Japanese maple
Trident maple
Japanese zelkova
Japanese apricot (ume)
Flowering cherry (e.g. Asahiyama)
Satsuki azalea
Chojubai (dwarf flowering quince)
Crabapple (hime-ringo)

Source (12)

The Komeri guide says pines can be wired at any time. But it also says to avoid the periods when buds and leaves are growing.

The table shows 3 notable differences.

Conifers: many species are wired when growth settles. Only needle juniper is wired in the growing season
Deciduous trees: mostly after leaf fall. Maples are also wired after defoliation (leaf cutting), and zelkova in summer to train new branches
Chojubai and crabapple: wire new shoots lightly to hold back their vigor (holding back shoots)

For some species, the wiring marks include holding back shoots. You can check which species include it in the sources below the table and in How this site sets the timing.

As in the photo, wire can leave deep marks on a branch. After wiring, check from time to time that it is not biting into the branch.

Choose a time when the branches are not extending, and keep watching after you wire. Think about shaping branches together with When to Prune Bonsai.

How to care for bonsai: what does the year look like, season by season?

The bonsai year centers on repotting in spring, water and shade in summer, feeding and shaping in autumn, and cold protection in winter.

Season	Main jobs	Watering	Placement
Spring	Repotting for many species, pinching, start of feeding	Grows more frequent	Sun
Summer	Black pine candle cutting, satsuki care after flowering, defoliation of deciduous trees	The most of the year	Shade, depending on the species
Autumn	Autumn feeding, repotting satsuki, cherry, chojubai and others, pruning and wiring conifers	Less than in summer	Sun
Winter	Pruning and wiring deciduous trees and conifers, moving trees to a cold frame or under the eaves	The least	Out of the cold and drying wind

Spring is the season when the most jobs overlap. For some species, repotting, pruning and wiring all come around the same time.

Summer centers on watering and heat protection. Black pine candle cutting and satsuki care after flowering also fall in this season.

Autumn is the busiest season after spring. Feeding lets the tree build up strength, and conifers get their branch work.

In winter, jobs drop off with dormancy. Instead, a spot that protects the tree from cold and drying wind becomes important.

Kou

Spring is when jobs pile up. Do not do everything at once; watch the tree and spread the jobs out.

Through the seasons, jobs gather in spring and autumn, while summer and winter center on protecting the tree.

How to care for bonsai: how do you think about watering and the winter spot?

How often you water bonsai changes with the season and species, and is highest in summer. The winter spot splits by species into on the bench, under the eaves, a cold frame or indoors.

Bonsai care calendar by species
Species	Type	Winter spot
Japanese black pine	Conifer	Outdoors on the bench, out of drying wind; small or weak trees under eaves or in a cold frame
Japanese white pine	Conifer	Cold frame (mid-December to February)
Shimpaku juniper	Conifer	Under the bench or in a cold frame after 2-3 frosts
Needle juniper	Conifer	Cold frame, moved in early (weak to cold and dry air)
Japanese maple	Deciduous	Cold frame after 2-3 frosts
Trident maple	Deciduous	Under the bench or in a cold frame after 2-3 frosts (mid-December to March)
Japanese zelkova	Deciduous	Under the bench or in a cold frame after 2-3 frosts
Japanese apricot (ume)	Flowering	Cold frame
Flowering cherry (e.g. Asahiyama)	Flowering	Under the bench or in a cold frame after 2-3 frosts
Satsuki azalea	Flowering	Under the eaves (December to March)
Chojubai (dwarf flowering quince)	Flowering	Cold frame
Crabapple (hime-ringo)	Fruiting	Cold frame, out of frost and dry winter wind
Banyan fig (gajumaru)	Indoor	Indoors (5°C or above)

Source (13)

A cold frame is an enclosure that protects bonsai from cold and drying wind in winter. The 3 deciduous species, shimpaku and cherry are moved after they have had 2 to 3 frosts.

For many outdoor species, summer watering is 2 to 3 times a day. In winter it drops to once every few days.

Watering and placement are the foundation of daily care. Frequency tables are in Bonsai Watering, and cold protection in Bonsai Winter Care.

How to care for bonsai: how do you read the yearly calendar for one species?

In the yearly calendar for one species, the months run down and the jobs run across. Read a row across to see what to do that month.

Japanese black pine
Month	Repotting	Pruning	Bud work	Feeding	Wiring
Jan
Feb		●
Mar	●	●			●
Apr	●			●	●
May				●
Jun			●
Jul			●
Aug				●
Sep
Oct		●		●	●
Nov		●			●
Dec		●			●

Source: Omiya Bonsai Art Museum newsletter Vol.55 (candle cutting Jun–Jul), Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days, Komeri, e-Bonsai

Using black pine as the example, here is the order for reading it.

Find the row for this month and pick out the jobs with a mark
In months where marks overlap, choose which jobs to do that year
Also look at next month's row and get tools and materials ready
Check the sources below the table to see which source the months come from

Here is what to look for, applied to black pine.

What to look at	How to read it	For black pine
Months where marks overlap	Do not do everything at once; choose	Skip candle cutting in a year you repot
The bud work column	What it means differs by species	Black pine: candle cutting
Months with no mark	No set job	Review watering and placement
Placement	Not shown on the calendar, so check it separately	On the bench in winter too. Avoid strong, drying wind

Kou

A mark on the calendar means "a month when you may do it." You do not have to do the job in every marked month.

Look at this month's row and next month's row together, and you can act with your preparation included.

How to care for bonsai: what 3 things should beginners get right first?

The 3 things beginners should get right first in bonsai care are watering, placement and the timing of jobs. Make each one a daily or monthly habit.

What to get right	Why	First step
Watering	The pot holds little soil, and the roots are damaged when it dries out	Start from the seasonal frequency guide, and adjust by how the soil dries
Placement	Sun and airflow decide how healthy the tree is	Put it on an outdoor bench with good sun and airflow
Timing of jobs	Off-season work weakens the tree or reduces the flowers	Look only at your own species' row in the calendar

The first is watering. The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum calls summer watering an especially important job. It is also the first skill an apprentice learns.

The second is placement. The Komeri guide gives the ideal as a spot with good sun and airflow, about 80cm above the ground.

The third is the timing of jobs. You do not need to memorize all 13 species; looking at your own tree's row is enough.

In the first year, put getting watering and placement right first. Try jobs one at a time, in the months marked on the calendar.

How to care for bonsai: how do you shift the months for a different region?

In colder regions shift later than the months in the table, and in warmer regions earlier. Look at the buds and leaves as well as the month number.

This site's months are based on lowland Kanto (the Tokyo area). The calendar by the main writer we used also states that it is based on Kanto.

When your region differs, it is easier to judge by signs from the tree and the season instead of the month.

Job	Sign to watch instead of the month	Source
Repotting	Around bud break	Omiya Bonsai Art Museum
Spring feeding	From when the new shoots open and harden until the rainy season begins	All About (Seikoen)
Autumn feeding	From around the autumn equinox until before leaf fall	All About (Seikoen)
Summer watering	From the end of the rainy season until daily highs drop below 28°C	All About (Seikoen)
Moving into a cold frame	After 2 to 3 frosts (deciduous trees and others)	Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days
Pruning flowering trees	Once flowering is over	Kimi's Mini Bonsai Days

The right time also moves with each year's weather. The month is a guide; make the final call by whether the sign has come.

How to care for bonsai: what do you do when something goes wrong?

Move a weakened bonsai to bright shade first, sort out its water, and stop feeding, repotting and heavy pruning. If the cause is bad timing, wait for the next right time.

What happened	Likely cause	What to do
Leaves wilt and the soil is bone dry	Drying out	Water until it runs from the bottom of the pot. If it will not soak in, submerge the whole pot in water
The soil does not dry and smells	Too much water	Empty the saucer and wait until the soil dries
The tree looks weak after repotting	The roots struggle to take up water	Water the leaves too, and do not let the soil dry out completely
Black pine buds weaken	Candle cutting in a year the tree lacked strength	Skip candle cutting the next year and let the tree rest
Few flowers on satsuki or cherry	Cutting after the flower buds had formed	Next time, finish cutting before the flower buds form
Maple branch tips die back	Cutting branches in winter	Cut around leaf fall instead
Ume branches die back or flowers decrease	Running out of fertilizer	Feed at the times in the table
Shimpaku puts out juvenile needle foliage	Heavy pruning or wiring combined with repotting in the same year	Spread heavy jobs over different years

Hyponex sets out care for weakened potted plants in stages. First, move the plant to shade and water it thoroughly in the morning or evening.

At this stage, do not feed or repot. Also avoid heavy pruning, and remove only the dead leaves.

The signs of recovery are leaves regaining their firmness and new buds appearing. Resume feeding once the new buds are stable.

Kou

When a tree is weak, you want to do something for it. Hold off on feeding and repotting until it has recovered.

The basic fix for a mistake is not adding things but reducing the load and waiting. How to tell drying out from root rot is covered in detail in Bonsai Watering.

What terms come up in bonsai care?

Term	Meaning
Conifers	Bonsai of needle-leaved trees that keep their leaves all year, such as pines and shimpaku
Deciduous trees	Bonsai of deciduous trees such as maple and zelkova, enjoyed for their budding, autumn color and branch structure
Flowering and fruiting trees	Bonsai enjoyed for their flowers or fruit
Candle cutting	A black pine technique: cutting the new shoots so that new buds come out, making the needles short and even
Pinching	Pinching off growing new shoots to even out the vigor of the branches
Holding back shoots	Wiring new shoots lightly to restrain their vigor
Wiring	Wrapping wire around branches to set their direction and shape
Defoliation (leaf cutting)	Cutting off the leaves of deciduous trees in early summer
Cold frame	An enclosure or shed that protects bonsai from cold and drying wind in winter
Juvenile needle foliage	On shimpaku, pointed leaves that come out instead of the usual scale-like leaves

What else goes with how to care for bonsai?

The articles on each job let you look deeper into bonsai care. Start with whichever job you are curious about.

Repotting steps and how to cut the roots: When to Repot Bonsai
How to cut branches, and notes for each species: When to Prune Bonsai
Types of fertilizer and how to feed: When to Fertilize Bonsai
How often to water in each season: Bonsai Watering
Overwintering in a cold frame or under the eaves: Bonsai Winter Care

When to do itWhen to Repot Bonsai: Months for 13 Species, How Often, Rootbound Signs and AftercareWhen to repot bonsai, by month for 13 species. Spring before bud break is the rule. Exceptions, how often, rootbound signs, steps and aftercare, with sources.

When to do itWhen to Prune Bonsai: Months for 13 Species, Pinching vs Candle Cutting vs Defoliation, When Not to Cut, and WiringWhen to prune bonsai, by month for 13 species from black pine to satsuki. Pinching, candle cutting and defoliation, when not to cut, wiring and fixing mistakes.

When to do itWhen to Fertilize Bonsai: Months for 12 Species, Why Stop in Midsummer and Winter, Solid vs Liquid, and Fertilizer BurnWhen to fertilize bonsai, by month for each species. Feed in spring and autumn, stop in midsummer and winter. After repotting, solid vs liquid, fertilizer burn.

Watering and seasonsHow Often to Water Bonsai: Seasonal Guide for 13 Species, plus Summer Evenings, Winter, Trips and Drying OutHow often to water bonsai, by season for 13 species. Pot size and spot, how much and when, summer evenings, winter, trips, and drying out vs root rot.

Watering and seasonsBonsai Winter Care: Where to Keep 13 Species, Why Frost Comes First, Cold Frame Alternatives, Winter Watering and Checking for Dead TreesBonsai winter care: winter spots for 13 species, why trees take 2 to 3 frosts first, cold frame or under the bench, winter watering and spotting dead trees.

What are common questions about how to care for bonsai?

What should you learn first about bonsai care?

Watering and placement. For the timing of jobs, the calendar for your own species is enough.

Start on an outdoor bench with good sun and airflow, and never let the tree dry out.

Can bonsai be grown indoors?

Of the 13 species in this table, only gajumaru is suited to indoors. The other 12 basically need an outdoor spot with good sun and airflow.

When pines or deciduous trees are displayed indoors, it is usual to keep it to a short time.

Do bonsai need repotting every year?

It depends on the species and how young the tree is. Komeri gives every 3 to 5 years as a guide for pines, with shorter intervals for young trees.

Young trident maples, whose roots grow fast, are repotted every year. Look at how pot-bound the roots are, and repot at the right time for the species.

Can you feed bonsai all year round?

No, not all year. For the 12 species in the table, winter is not a feeding time for any of them.

Feed only healthy trees, during the spring and autumn growing periods.

How should you use the calendar in a cold region?

Shift it later than the months in the table. Watch signs from the tree and the season too, such as bud break and frost.

Put the movement of your own tree's buds ahead of the month number.

How to Care for Bonsai: A Yearly Calendar for 13 Species, Seasonal Care, and 3 Basics for Beginners

In short: where do you start with how to care for bonsai?

How to care for bonsai: which species are repotted when?

How to care for bonsai: how do pruning and bud work differ?

How to care for bonsai: when do you feed?

How to care for bonsai: when do you wire?

How to care for bonsai: what does the year look like, season by season?

How to care for bonsai: how do you think about watering and the winter spot?

How to care for bonsai: how do you read the yearly calendar for one species?

How to care for bonsai: what 3 things should beginners get right first?

How to care for bonsai: how do you shift the months for a different region?

How to care for bonsai: what do you do when something goes wrong?

What terms come up in bonsai care?

What else goes with how to care for bonsai?

What are common questions about how to care for bonsai?

What should you learn first about bonsai care?

Can bonsai be grown indoors?

Do bonsai need repotting every year?

Can you feed bonsai all year round?

How should you use the calendar in a cold region?

Sources

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Month	Repotting	Pruning	Bud work	Feeding	Wiring
Jan
Feb		●
Mar	●	●			●
Apr	●			●	●
May				●
Jun			●
Jul			●
Aug				●
Sep
Oct		●		●	●
Nov		●			●
Dec		●			●

Month	Repotting	Pruning	Bud work	Feeding	Wiring
Jan
Feb		●
Mar	●	●			●
Apr	●			●	●
May				●
Jun			●
Jul			●
Aug				●
Sep
Oct		●		●	●
Nov		●			●
Dec		●			●

Month	Repotting	Pruning	Bud work	Feeding	Wiring
Jan
Feb		●
Mar	●	●			●
Apr	●			●	●
May				●
Jun			●
Jul			●
Aug				●
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