How to Keep a Money Tree Bonsai Alive
Money tree, also known as Pachira Aquatica, is said to bring good luck and fortune. When you bring home a money tree bonsai, it requires your TLC to thrive. Failing to care for it may ruin its state or even kill it.
In this article, we’re going to share some useful tips on how to care for your money tree plant and keep it thriving in indoor conditions.
Tree Placement
For appropriate growing conditions and even its survival, you should choose a spot where it can receive indirect sunlight. If your window gets a lot of direct sunlight, keep the bonsai a tad bit away from it. Too much sun can scorch the leaves, causing them to turn yellow or brown and even kill the plant.
Best places to keep the plant are places such as the living-room table, or the top of your dresser, wherever there’s no direct sunlight. Ideally, the average temperature for the tree should be between 16 °C and 24 °C.
Watering
Every time you water your tree, turn it around to make sure the growth is even. Money trees need plenty of water to survive, so make sure there’s enough humidity. In an indoor environment with a dry climate, a humidifier inside the room can help in maintaining the tree. Also, the money tree shouldn’t be close to any heat vents as it could dry the leaves.
Too much watering the tree doesn’t help either, as it can cause root rots or soil molds. While watering the tree, make sure the topsoil is dry. Water until the drainage holes of your planters starts to drain water.
Also, clear out the water from the planter tray so that the bonsai isn’t sitting on a bed of water. Once you’ve watered the tree, wait a few minutes before getting rid of the excess water until the entirety of it seeps from the drainage holes.
Water your tree less often during the winter season, as it tends to grow slower due to less light. Likewise, the water requirements vary in all seasons. The best practice is to observe your tree’s growth for the first few weeks and ascertain an ideal watering schedule according to its environment.
Restoring a Sick Money Tree
If your money tree is in a miserable condition and you want to prevent it from dying, you should first try to examine why it’s in such a dire state. It could be that it’s over-watered, and there’s root rot or the soil quality is poor.
It’s the most common cause of money trees dropping leaves. It’s not just too much watering that can lead to this condition; sometimes there’s poor drainage, and the soil remains wet due to other factors.
Despite providing good care for the tree, it could show signs of wilting. It could be due to drafts as well, whether hot or cold. Make sure your bonsai isn’t close to the window or heating/cooling vents.
Make sure that the plant receives consistent temperatures. Once you have achieved this, it might take a few days for the plant to acclimate to new stable conditions and it would gradually show signs of improving.
If your tree is under-watered, there could be signs of dry and yellow leaves. Look out for such signs! The best solution is to water it regularly and keep it away from direct sunlight. It’s also a good practice to spray mist on the leaves every time you water the tree.
Final Thoughts
If your money tree has any of these above signs, waste no more time and try improving its condition. The good thing is that pachiras are very resilient and they will start recovering once you take proper care of them.
