Bonsai trees should be pruned regularly to maintain and maintain their shape as desired. There are two types of pruning. The first is maintenance pruning which is useful for "maintaining" the shape of the tree by encouraging the plant to grow more shoots, while preventing the tree from growing too thick. Meanwhile, the second is style pruning, which is useful for enhancing the beauty of the tree.
Step
Step 1. Understand the basics of plant growth
Trees tend to concentrate on growing the area at the top so they will grow taller as they compete for sunlight. This is called Apical Dominance which allows the tree to survive. However, this makes the growth disproportionate and the lower branches become less healthy, causing unwanted side effects. This can be overcome by doing regular pruning.
Step 2. Remove weeds
Sometimes you will find weeds around bonsai plants, especially when the plants are freshly purchased from a seller, or placed outdoors. Gently remove the weeds so you don't accidentally damage the bonsai roots. Young plants are very susceptible to root damage because the roots are still fragile.
Step 3. Determine the size of the canopy you want (the size of the tree canopy you want)
Next, start pruning by cutting off unwanted branches and/or shoots using pruning shears or cutters. Feel free to trim the area at the top as this will force the tree to grow more evenly.
- Bonsai shoots must be pruned throughout the year to maintain their shape. Cut old branches and leaves to grow new ones.
- Cover the cut with a special paste for plants so that the sap does not come out excessively.
- After pruning, water the plant thoroughly.
Step 4. Prune the plant crown
Sometimes the branches at the top of the plant need to be cut because the crown grows too thick to allow sunlight to reach the branches at the bottom. Reduce the dense canopy by cutting it carefully, and removing small branches and shoots.
- Mark the branches you want to remove using wire or marker.
- Cut off the marked branches and shoots using strong bonsai shears or garden shears.
- The former cut branches from the previous pruning that have died can be removed using pliers (knob cutter).
- Make sure the cuts you make follow the flow of plant sap so the tree will heal faster with less scars.
Step 5. Prune your bonsai
Bonsai plants need to be defoliated to get rid of the old leaves and encourage the growth of new, smaller, more beautiful leaves. This is especially true for deciduous trees right after new leaves appear. Cut off all the leaves at the base and make sure you don't trim the stems. New, smaller leaves will grow. This technique is quite risky because the deforestation is not done at the right time so there is a possibility that the plant will not recover.
Step 6. Enhance the beauty of the bonsai
To create a certain look on the plant, you first need to have an idea of the shape of the tree you want. You can bend thick branches or cut branches that are too thick and don't affect the new look. If two branches are the same, cut one off and leave the other.
Cut branches that twist and bend unnaturally and unsightly
Step 7. Redesign the tree you just bought
When you buy a tree from a grocer, it may have been allowed to grow naturally and was simply pruned and shaped for sale. In this case, you can trim it down to the base (called creative pruning). After a while, new shoots will grow on the stump of the plant. From these shoots, you can select a "main" stem and cut off the rest of the shoots.
- All cuts must be made horizontally.
- When cutting branches, be sure to leave small pieces that can be removed once the tree has stopped releasing sap, except for trees that are shedding leaves. In this type of tree, you can cut the branches straight away using cutting pliers.
Tips
- Do not prune too many shoots at one time. Your tree may not be able to recover.
- Always water and fertilize the plant after you make the pruning.
- Cut the shoots gently.
- Always smooth the edges of the cut.
Warning
- Do not handle trees all the time and do not prune trees randomly. Trees can die slowly if every new branch that grows is always cut.
- Prune carefully as the tree can be permanently damaged if you cut the wrong branch.
- You should not prune an abandoned bonsai tree because the tree is not healthy for growing new shoots.
