Bonsai-Minor Surgery

Bonsai-Minor Surgery

Are you not like a surgeon?

You have a pair of scissors in your hand and are about to conduct minor surgery on your tree. You certainly don’t want your bonsai to be misshapen, nor cause it any  traumatic injury.  And absolutely don’t want to cause a fatal injury to it.

If it’s in the dead of winter, you might want to delay your operation until whatever is the ideal time for your species of tree, possibly spring or autumn.  Unless you are in a moderate climate, summer is usually not a good time for the pruning procedure.  Research your particular tree before you choose the optimum time of year.

Trimming at the top is usually a necessity because you don’t want your 10 inch tree to become a 3 foot tall tree. <G>  Keep it short and smallish.

So as to cause  any new growth to branch in a specific direction, cut the branch back to the bud that is pointing in a specific direction.

Is there a straggler branch that is unappealing and distracting from the overall look of your tree.? Whack it.  Well, whack it gently.

And don’t forget that once a branch is cut, it is irreversible.  So plan ahead.

Sharp secateurs or scissors are the best tools to give a clean cut.  And like a good surgeon, disinfect the scissors before you start.  Rubbing alcohol might be a possibility.  A protective paste might then be applied over the larger cuts so as to reduce the risk of infections or pests entering or attacking the newly fresh wound.  Or maybe a big band-aid <G>

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.

Pruning the roots and repotting might be done every two or three years, and that will be a discussion at a later time.