What is a prebonsai?

Bonsai literally means tree that lives in a pot, and prebonsai is a tree that is in the previous step of moving to its new ceramic container. These are trees that are started to form as bonsai trees, although their style as future bonsai has not yet been completed. This makes them the perfect choice for those who are looking to build a deeper connection, designing it from the beginning; or for those who are looking for an original gift. These trees are usually found in plastic pots, also called ‘training pots’, in Terracotta, and can even be found in growing boxes. All of them have a positive contribution to their development, facilitating the future work to be done.

Why to choose a prebonsai?

It is an ideal choice for those who enjoy the process of growing and learning in the Bonsai world. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced bonsai lover, a prebonsai offers the perfect combination of challenge and satisfaction.

• For beginners. It offers the opportunity to create a more personal bonsai, shaping its branches in your own style and repotting them into a ceramic pot. It is recommended to start with the most resistant species, such as the Ficus or Olea.
• For advanced enthusiasts. Prebonsai offers the opportunity to explore a variety of techniques, allowing you to put into practice the knowledge acquired over the years.

Choose yours in the Prebonsai section of our online shop and show what you can do.

What work is done on a prebonsai?

A prebonsai can be considered the blank canvas in the bonsai world, which is why it becomes an object of desire for bonsai lovers. In the search for this personalised style and shape, we will use the following techniques:

• Pruning of main branches to design the desired structure.
• Wiring both the thick branches and the thinner ones to guide the movement of the bonsai according to our aesthetic objective.
• Repotting into a ceramic pot.

TIP. Rushing is a bad thing. Our prebonsai are prepared to last a year without being repotted. Make sure you do it at the right time.

Con el trabajo adecuado, podemos conseguir el bonsái que deseamos, siempre teniendo en cuenta las limitaciones obvias del árbol. También debemos recordar que el uso de un buen abono es la clave para su buen desarrollo.

TIP. Use Hiryo Gold organo-mineral fertiliser especially for prebonsai.

The formation of a bonsai is the result of years of work. There is no time limit for growing a bonsai in a training pot. This will be determined by the evolution of the tree itself and the objective we have set ourselves. Other important factors, apart from the level of complexity of the formation, are the species and the climatic conditions in which the prebonsai lives. This process requires patience and dedication, as it can take more than 10 years.

From prebonsai to bonsai: How to start

The transition from prebonsai to bonsai requires some essential steps:
With these techniques, you will be one step closer to transforming your prebonsai into a fully grown bonsai.

TIP. Once you receive your prebonsai at home, let it get acclimated for at least 10 days before carrying out important changes to it.

Learn more

Want to learn more about the repotting process? One of our experts shows you how to do it step by step. You can watch the video here: Transplant step by step: from prebonsai to bonsai.

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The Shohin bonsai charm, small trees with a big history