Welcome to our next installment of “Tips Of The Week”.
This feature is for the benefit of visitors to this site, I would be happy to hear from you if there is something you would like to see covered here in future weeks.
Please direct your E-mail to
Paul@bonsaiofbrooklyn.com
Interested in past articles? There's a list at the
bottom of the page.
Most trees go through a couple of growth "spurts"
a year, and for a given species in a given climate and conditions, the growth cycles are usually
consistent from year to year. Keeping a book on when each of your bonsai go through periods of growth
is a good idea. It will help you plan when to trim what. As your collection grows, good planning is
essential to avoid neglecting your trimming chores.
There are basic methods for trimming conifers and leaf bearing trees. Next week I'll write about trimming
trees with leaves, and the following week about trimming conifers.
Interested in past articles? Click for your choice below.
#4-Trimming Japanese Maples (And other trees with opposing Buds)
It's mid May, and by now all your bonsai are in full growth. Now is the time to begin trimming.
While not absolutely necessary, your results will be much better if you have a plan.
Some people like to just sit down with a bonsai and "let nature take it's course".
Other people prefer to plan what they want the bonsai to develop into. You can study the structure
and growth habits of a tree and sketch it as it looks now, and how you want it to look in the future.
Use the sketches to judge your progress, then adjust your plans accordingly. I believe that it's more
important THAT you trim then which method you use.