This video shows how to perform creation pruning and maintenance pruning on a Japanese Maple Pre Bonsai tree, part 1. The bonsai tree will be put in a bonsai pot in early spring, 2010.
Learn how to raise and care for a fig tree, including pruning and harvesting, in this free online gardening instructional video on fruit tree cultivation and care. Expert: Gale Gassiot Bio: Gale Gassiot makes her own organic compost or “gardener’s black gold.”
Bonsai is generally considered an art form due to its size and appearance, however unknown to many it can only remain and look that way when it is constantly cared for under special conditions. When left unattended, a bonsai tree can outgrow its miniature size and become a normal tree again. BeginnerBonsai.com
It is widely known that the secret of keeping your bonsai both healthy and miniature is to prune not only its branches but the trunk and roots as well. Pruning is a bit scary to newcomers to the hobby of caring for bonsai trees, as pruning roots damages a plant, restricting its ability to take up water and nutrients while pruning branches must be done carefully to ensure that you end up with your desired shape.
The time when your bonsai will need its roots trimmed is usually between one and five years after you bought it. This time frame is only a guide for caring for bonsai, as a number of factors effect the amount of time a tree takes to become rootbound in its pot; different species of tree have different levels of development and the variables such as the size of the pot, the development of the rootball and the age of the tree all have an influence on the growth of the roots.
When you take the tree out of the pot to inspect it each year, usually in the spring, you will be able to see if the roots need pruning. If you find that the roots form a circular ball around the edge of the pot, it’s time to trim or prune the roots. If the roots of the tree are still contained within the soil, the tree can be returned to the pot and pruning can be left for another year.
There is a tool specially designed to help you expose the roots. This is called a “root hook” but it doesn’t have to be this specific tool. You could try either chopsticks, screwdrivers, or a crochet needle as what you are trying to do is to gently work in between the roots to loosen the soil surrounding them.
While you have got the roots exposed, this is an good time to inspect the roots for early signs of decay and rot. It is vital when caring for bonsai trees, that we remove these dead roots as they will cause trouble in the future if we do not get rid of them.
You need to know how much root to cut off and how to select the right roots to be ‘cut back’ to a degree to keep them healthy and small enough for the pot.
Look for the long large roots that dominate the pot and trim them back. In particular, look at the downward growing roots. These need to be removed as they will eventually begin to ‘lift’ the tree out of the pot.
What we are trying to achieve here is to make way for the smaller feeder roots that will continue to sustain the growth of the tree while keeping the root system small enough to survive in the small pot.
You want the root system to spread laterally, from the trunk base or nebari rather than downwards, like anchors.
It is best to use a sharp knife or shears when cutting the roots and try to cut them with a downward slant. When you do this, there is less chance of water gathering in the exposed part of the newly cut root which in turn lessens the chance of infection setting in.
It is important when caring for bonsai trees that you do not remove more than 30% of the roots in any one year. This is important as you don’t want to reduce the root mass to the stage where it can’t support the tree so, generally aim to only remove about 1/3 of it.
Although there is a lot of information available on caring for bonsai trees, the pruning element still seemed to be rather daunting to me. It was difficult to have the confidence to do actually cut the roots for the first time.
I found that the best thing to do was to find a person experienced in caring for bonsai trees and watch them before I attempted to do it myself. Once I had seen it done, I had the knowledge on what to trim and what to leave and I could get on with the task of pruning my bonsai, confident that I was doing the right thing for my tree.
It is important to get the proper knowledge so that you don’t end up killing your tree. To find out more on caring for bonsai trees bonsai tree care
As a newcomer to caring for bonsai trees, I was keen to start making it grow the way I wanted, but maybe I was being a little impatient. Bonsai are not like house plants, they take years to form into beautiful works of art. I am a newcomer to bonsai and are just learning the basics of keeping my tree alive. What I really needed to know about pruning at this time was how to keep my tree ‘under control’ and keep it miniature and in the original shape by removing any excessive new growth.
To keep the growth balanced and in shape, pruning is necessary and this is without doubt one of the most enjoyable and satisfying aspects of the hobby. Do not be afraid of pruning – it is an essential part of caring for bonsai, helping to create miniature trees, rather than overgrown bushes.
Branches help to thicken the trunk and while there are usually too many branches on the Bonsai’s that are commercially sold, it pays to remember that you can not put anything back once you’ve cut it off! When removing branches, if unsure whether the branch should be removed completely, prune back and leave some buds that could grow back if desired, so that your options are left open. So don’t go crazy, my advise would be: if you’re not sure, leave it be.
It is said that ‘as you cut for the roots, you cut for the branches.’ That is to say, when you are pruning the branches of your Bonsai tree, you are going for a balance of the foliage and root systems. There is a close relationship between new shoots and new roots – when a tree’s shoots are extending, so are the roots. This is an important fact to remember when caring for bonsai trees.
This is another reason why it is best to prune at this time, before there is excess foliage that would place too much demand on a smaller root system.
Pruning branches must be done carefully and thoughtfully to ensure that you end up with your desired shape. When you are branch pruning, you are removing the thicker branches that clutter the style of the Bonsai tree. These may be ‘sticking out’ at all angles and detracting from the basic design of the tree.
The types of branches to prune in particular are crossing branches, which are the ones that cross the trunk or each other.
To remove these thicker branches it is a good idea to use a pair of concave cutters. These specially designed cutters allow you to remove the heavy branches without leaving ugly scars.
Trimming is the pruning of the lighter branches and foliage butterfly shears’ are usually used for this.
Pinching is simply removing any new growth such as buds and foliage before it extends so that it is placed more evenly amongst the branches of the tree. It encourages growth nearer to the trunk and lower branches by not letting the leaves of the higher branches ‘take over’. If you omit this stage when caring for bonsai trees, the lower branches and foliage become smaller and weaker and won’t grow as well.
Bonsai trees tend to be broad at the trunk base and taper towards an apex. It’s important to ‘pinch’ the leaves and buds to remove the ones that you don’t want as this will stop the tree from wasting unnecessary energy growing foliage that is not required.
You can do this using your thumb and forefinger or on very delicate areas you can use a pair of tweezers to remove small buds from within shoots.
With a little knowledge, over time, I will be able to trim and pinch my tree to train it to grow into an interesting, aesthetically pleasing shape that will impress my family and friends with my knowledge of caring for bonsai trees. In the meanwhile, I will be looking at different trees to develop an idea of what mine might eventually look like.
If you would like to know the step by step secrets the Bonsai masters use when caring for bonsai trees bonsai trees care.
Taking a knife to your bonsai tree for the first time can be a daunting prospect. The fear is that something will go wrong and your tree will end up looking ghastly, or you might even kill it. However proper pruning is an essential component in the care of bonsai trees
Pruning is necessary to give your tree its desired shape, then maintain that silhouette. Bonsai masters have, over centuries, devised stringent rules to provide growers with guidelines on the proper shaping and care of bonsai trees. For instance, the first branch should be about one third up the height of the trunk. If the first limb branches to the right, the second should grow from the opposite side with the pattern repeating as branches rise up the tree. They should also reduce in size as they ascend and there should be plenty of space between them.
The best time to prune depends largely on the type of bonsai you have. Some varieties prefer spring when the tree is about to undergo its most vigorous growth. Other varieties thrive better if pruned in the fall. You will probably need to do a little research on the maintenance and care of bonsai trees to determine the most suitable time for pruning your particular plant.
Your next step is to determine which branches detract from the appeal of your tree and earmark them for removal. That will mean taking out any that cross over the trunk or each other, as well as any that are growing on the wrong side or are too close to another.
Proper care of bonsai trees means it is usually necessary to prune hardest at the top of your tree where the growth is the most vigorous. If left alone, this top growth will pull nutrients from weaker, lower branches and spoil the look of your tree. Conversely, heavily pruning in one area will encourage growth in a weaker area.
When pruning branches it is best to cut them back to a bud that is pointing in the same direction in which you wish the tree to grow. This means any new growth will branch in that direction. A word of warning though – think carefully before making a cut and don’t get too carried away. You can’t put a branch back once it has been removed.
The best tools to use are secateurs or scissors,but make sure they are sharp enough to give a clean cut. Also ensure they have been cleaned first to minimise the risk of the wound becoming infected. A protective coat of suitable paste should be applied to any large cuts to minimise the risk of pests or diseases getting into the wound. Your pruning instruments should always be sharp and clean as blunt tools will leave a ragged cut more likely to lead to trouble in this regard.
Proper care of bonsai trees also involves pruning the roots. This is generally done every two to three years. Ideally you remove around a third of the root ball, snipping off the larger thicker roots. The mass of finer, hair-like roots left behind will be much more efficient at absorbing water.Very importantly, once you have repotted your bonsai after root pruning, you should give it a good soaking.
Once your tree is the desired shape you may still need to do what’s called maintenance pruning. This is a simple procedure able to be done using a finger and thumb to pinch off unwanted new growth.
As I stated in the beginning, pruning is essential for the proper maintenance and care of bonsai trees, and it can be scary wondering whether you are doing the right thing. However it’s this act which determines the shape of your tree, creating its unique appeal and thus providing the most satisfying aspect of this hobby. You simply need to think carefully, plan your moves and do your homework first.
To find more information on pruning and all aspects of the care of bonsai trees care of bonsai trees
www.bonsaitreesandplants.com Pruning Juniper Bonsai Tips Bonsai is an art that takes time to learn and master. Here are some of the techniques used when growing the tree.
Pruning serves two purposes in bonsai tree care. Firstly, pruning removes branches that clutter and hinder the aesthetic design of the tree. Secondly, pruning directs and controls the growth of the tree. There are pruning forms such as branch pruning which include pinching (finger pruning) and leaf pruning to help encourage branching. There is also root pruning where roots are pruned.
Here are some Bonsai tree care tips on pruning:
• Branch Pruning o Pick the branches that you wish to keep and carefully remove the others. o For new plants, allow the trunk to develop before pruning. Pruning branches from a developed trunk will increase the chances of survival of the tree. o Always have a hand-sketch or image of what you want your tree to look like, at your disposal. This will help you to identify and remove branches that clutter the chosen style and obstruct the basic design. o You should start with a light pruning then give it two or three weeks and wait for the bounce back to decide if you need to do more. o If you need to redirect growth, then prune one area heavily and another much less. Thus, growth will be directed to the less pruned area. o Always remember when you are pruning your bonsai that you can always remove something later but it is very difficult to put it back after you have cut it. So if in doubt leave it for now.
• Root Pruning o Select the roots you want to keep and get rid of the bad ones. o When pruning you need to keep the branches and roots balanced for optimum results.
Pruning bonsai trees is one of the most important things you will have to do as a bonsai enthusiast. Generally, you will be pruning two parts of your bonsai: the roots, which is the bottom part of the plant, and the foliage, which is the top part of the plant. Pruning your bonsais is one of the more interesting aspects of growing these interesting plants and is a way to let your creativity shine.
Root pruning is important because it allows the tree to grow new roots. Because of their small containers, the roots of bonsai trees are often stunted in growth. By pruning the root system of your bonsai regularly, you will ensure that the plant has the space needed to grow new roots, which in turn helps the plant absorb moisture and nutrients from the soil. As with any other plant, the root structure is critical to the growth and health of your bonsai.
On the other hand, pruning a bonsai tree’s foliage is also vital – if only for aesthetic purposes. If you are a bonsai owner, you probably have a specific design in mind for your tree. Pruning will help you achieve the results you desire. Pruning can help shape your tree into the form you want as well as removes any dead leaves to help keep it healthy and beautiful.
Also, don’t forget that the roots and the foliage of your bonsai tree are interconnected. When you reduce the foliage (or number of leaves) that your tree has, you are also reducing the strain on its roots. In other words, the less leaves there are, the less work the roots have to do to keep them alive.
The amount of pruning you will do will depend heavily on your plans for the tree. It is best for you to have a plan here before you begin. Remember that the changes that you make to your tree are permanent! If you cut a branch off, that branch is gone forever, and you will have to wait for a new one to take its place. Remember to prune your tree gently – if you are removing leaves pinch them off with your fingers and don’t use sharp or harsh tools.
Most people like to prune off branches that cross the trunk or each other. Why? Because it isn’t very pretty to look at. So unless you think you can rewire the branch and force it to grow in another direction, cut it off. Branches that stick out towards you are also common pruning targets. Of course, what you prune from your plant should be your personal decision. What is really important is that you find your bonsai tree beautiful; what others think of it is a secondary consideration. Trust your own good taste.
Remember: pruning your bonsai trees is supposed to be fun! Don’t get too worked up if your trees don’t turn out the way you want them at first. If you keep learning and practicing your botanical skills, the day will soon come when your bonsai will be the envy of your neighbors!
Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.bonsai.garden-corner.com where you can learn more about types of bonsai trees and their care.