The Importance of Bonsai Pruning

It is best to the learn the basics of bonsai pruning by learning through doing. It is not something you are going to be able to accomplish by watching a ten minute video or reading about. It comes with hours of study and many months or years of actually growing, pruning and caring for your plants. Of course I am not saying you aren't going to have to do a lot of research and study, because you are. I am just saying that as you become more knowledgeable on the subject of bonsai pruning, you will need to put this knowledge to use and practice it as often as possible.

Look at lots of photos of the species you are trying to grow and see what the finished product should look like. Until you actually have a mental picture of the desired shape in your head, it is hard to create it on a living piece of canvas, your bonsai tree. Join bonsai clubs or forums and get all the help and advice you can from the more experienced bonsai hobbyists. This can make the difference in having just nice bonsai trees, or having works of art.

When late spring and summer arrives, your plant will have a growing spree, and can very easily lose its shape and structure. How fast it grows will depend on its water and food supply. Regardless of the reason, it is bonsai pruning time.

Pruning is one of the most important things you will be doing when caring for your bonsai trees. It is not only necessary for obtaining the desired shape of the tree, but to encourage new growth. Sometimes over-pruning a tree can badly damage or even kill it, so you should be well knowledgeable about your particular species and know the correct way, and time for pruning. You can easily find this information in any number of good bonsai books or on the internet. Remember that your bonsai is just a miniaturized tree, and whatever rules that apply to the full grown species in the wild, still applies to your smaller version.

When bonsai pruning the branches, you will usually prune one area heavy and another area sparsely. When you do this it encourages growth to the less pruned area. Crossing branches that cross the trunk or other branches that can not be wired back to redirect their growth need to be taken off. This applies to branches sticking straight out, or any branches that take away from the shape you are hoping to achieve. However, remember to not get overly zealous as many beginners do. If you drastically over-prune you could kill the tree.

As your tree matures, trim back new foliage to encourage more growth closer to the trunk to give it a denser and more compact look. If at all possible, leave the buds at the end of the shoots pointing in the direction you wish them to go. This is called directional pruning and will usually lessen the need for wiring.

After the tree has reached one or two years old you will also need to learn to prune the roots, but that's another article. Hopefully this information on bonsai pruning has been helpful.