Every time i see a bonsai tree i’m left wondering how it survives hundreds of years, period, but more-so how the plant takes decades to get ‘root bound’ as in there’s not enough room for the roots and the soil becomes hard, which happens more often for usual houseplants.
How do people get around that issue that is prevalent with all other houseplants?
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Bonsai trees are generally not houseplants. There is also no special species or type of tree which is a bonsai. They are normal trees, which are trained to be small by consistent pruning and restricting to a small pot. Most trees can be made into bonsai but some are more suitable than others. They should be kept outside like trees and exposed to sun, wind and rain like any other tree. (Of course traditional house plants, like Jade, make good indoor trees, but most bonsai trees you see are highly likely to be outdoor trees and they are only indoors for a competition or temporary display)
Bonsai trees are repotted every couple of years when they are young, then maybe every 5 years or so when mature. You prune off around a third of its roots and re-pot them in fresh soil/grit. You want to avoid them becoming fully root bound. Trees are surprisingly tough though and actually thrive when having their roots pruned, think of it like keeping them active in the gym growing their muscles to stay healthy. As with any plant, if you have a healthy growing medium you will likely have a healthy plant.
As with most potted plants they do need more care & attention than plants in the ground as they are in a small closed environment (the pot). You need to water them quite a lot, possibly up to 3 times a day in Summer, but be careful not to overwater so they become waterlogged, leading to root rot etc. They also need feeding regularly in the growing season. If you keep a nice moist soil, with grit for breathability so oxygen can get to the roots, then the tree should thrive.
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