Watering your Bonsai tree is one of the most interesting things that you will have to do. Well, maybe not that interesting, but there is a bit of an art to it that will make or break your tree. Underwater your tree, and it will potentially get sick and die. Overwater your tree, and it will potential get sick and die. Don't' worry, it's not that scary! It's not too hard to water your tree, just as long as you know what the water advice for the particular tree that you are growing. A general awareness as to the state of your tree is also essential.

In your Bonsai pot you must have a drainage hole. This is not negotiable! You'll notice that many pots you can buy have drainable holes but others do not. If you don't have a hole in the bottom of your pot then you will need to make one. You can do this with a drill or something similar. If you're making your own hole here, you've actually got the advantage here - you can put multiple holes in which are all rather small in size.

Many pots that you buy out there today will often have massive holes that all the soil will fall out. If you're having this issue, then some Bonsai drainage mesh will probably come in handy. You can either buy drainage mesh from a store (like a hardware store that has a garden section) or just a general garden store. You won't need much - just a small square that fits over your hole and sits in the bottom of the pot. It will be held into position by the soil.

You can buy drainage mesh that's made in either plastic or metal construction. It's completely up to you which you get - however plastic is probably the cheaper and better option. The hole size is also up to you, but you won't want it too large, or too small. If you're trying to decide between two different sizes, go for the smaller. The water will still be able drain out even with the smaller size.

If you have some spare Bonsai wire (or just normal wire) lying around then chances are that you will be able to make a form of mesh on your own. Don't aim for making a mesh surface like the store-bought ones. Instead aim for a loop which sits in the top of the pot. A little experimentation should bring you the design that works for you. It's not difficult.

Bonsai drainage mesh is only something that you should use if the hole in your Bonsai pot is too large. If it's too large and the soil is falling out, then you will need to get some mesh or use a little wire in the bottom. Just remember - you really want good drainage. Leaving your Bonsai tree sitting in water is a surefire way of making it unhappy - and an unhappy Bonsai tree is most certainly something that you don't want to have to deal with!