I would take it outside for starters (until it gets cold). Then, just water the top of the soil with a hose or watering can until you notice the water dripping out of the bottom. It is important to flush the soil every time you water. Then you need to let it dry out, but not completely, before you water again. It should not take 20 minutes to water it. I have one that is over 30 years old and in a huge pot, I soak it with a hose from the top and water comes through the drain holes in a few minutes. Good luck!

the bonsai came in the mail and the directions said to give it a good water, so i did. i didnt even pour a full cup on to it and water came out of the bottom. the soil was drenched and i knew that i overwatered. How do i flush it without drowning it!? It may seem like a stupid question, but i dont want to lose my first bonsai!!

I too am fairly new to bonsai and my main piece of advice I can give so far is relax trees seem to be tougher than anybody gives them credit to be. I did the same thing with my chinese elm when I first got it thought I was underwatering then overwatering I finally just stuck it outside in full sun with shade in the late afternoon here(when it gets well into the triple digits) and only lightly water it daily. it exploded new growth withing 3 days(badly needs a trim but I think I will wait until the next growing season to start because I let it get quiet rough before deciding it needed to be outside)

Many years ago, in a bonsai workshop led by a Japanese master (Ben Oki), one of the participants asked a question: "How often should I water my juniper?" His (Mr. Oki's) expression never changed at all as he answered in Japanese accented English, "Wait until plant become completely dry - then water day before." To this day, I'm not sure if he was serious or it was his brand of humor, but the advice is sound for most plant material.

Water your trees on an 'as needed' basis. When the soil is dry, water until a tiny bit of water runs from the drain holes, allow them to rest for a few minutes, then water again, applying less water than the first time - just enough to flush accumulating salts from the soil. This will be about 10-15% of the original volume of water applied.

At first, use a chopstick stuck into the soil to tell you how damp the soil is. If the stick is dark or wet, don't water. If it's damp or dry - water. Heft your pots often if your plants are small. Soon, you'll be able to tell by their weight what plants need water. Over-watering carries different but just as serious consequences as under-watering, so try your best to avoid both. Given a choice, it's better to under-water by a little than over-water.

If you think your soil is too water-retentive to allow you to flush the soil every time you water, your soil is inappropriate. Using a wick, and tilting your pots at a 45* angle after watering are BOTH very helpful ways to drain excess water from too-heavy soils. Let me know if you need/want this explained.

Al