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- One narrow pair of scissors for this branches and sprouts;
- One pair of scissors for medium thick branches;
- One hand saw for very thick branches;
- One pair of pliers for buds, used for cleaning the cutting spots.
Cutting spots may be attacked by bacteria, fungus or insects. This is why you should protect the scar with a special substance. The liquid balsam-lac, the acrylic one, may be used in a moist spot or when there is some sap leaking. More, there is a special putty you can use, that is pressed on to the dry cut spot. Either one of these two methods is good for a bonsai.
The cutting period is in the winter or early spring, during the rest period of the plants. This way, the Bonsai tree doesn’t lose too much sap and they take the cutting a lot better. The thin branches and the sprouts may be cut all-year long, since this is not bad for the plant.
In order to have a good shape by cutting the younger branches, you have to pick your tree carefully. It is important for a Bonsai that the tree has branches spread evenly. If they are very well spread, you can very easy choose your main branches, on which you will develop the Bonsai tree. The trees with few branches or with branches that grow uneven are usually very difficult to transform into a Bonsai tree.
In order to choose the branches to cut, you can test them by hand. This way, you can feel what branches must be removed. Bear in mind that trees without too many branches do not have too many options on the style. You have to be very experienced in growing Bonsai to get a really good looking tree out of those. By first cutting the trees, you will stimulate the growing of the leaves and of the sprouts. This is very important for the latter development of the tree.
More tips:
- The ramifications of a branch must be cut, if there are too many. Keep only 2, at most. The cut spots will be covered with grafting wax;
- A Bonsai tree that has been neglected for a long period of time grows very untidy and loses its “mature tree” looks. You can obtain a good looking Bonsai tree only by a first radical cut, which will leave the tree looking exactly as it should.
- In order for the cut spots to heal fast and for the tree to grow strong, the Bonsai trees must be placed, temporarily, in big pots. The older and stronger branches will be those that will later grow buds and make the tree look as it should.
Recently:
- Make a Bonsai tree: Introduction
Accessories and tools - introduction
Aging Techniques for Bonsai trees
Cutting the branches of a Bonsai tree
Bonsai Grooming Tools
