Preparation and Other Tips before Bonsai Pruning

The act of bonsai pruning is actually more difficult than it seems. In truth, bonsai pruning is akin to drawing by connecting dots. You have to follow a pre-designed path and you’ll end up with the desired shape. The amount of preparation made before bonsai pruning however is what bonsai enthusiasts should primarily focus on.

Tools for Bonsai Pruning
Before you get into the act of bonsai pruning, make sure of course that you have all the necessary tools.

Bonsai Shears – These are a special type of scissors designed for bonsai trimming or pruning. There are various designs of bonsai shears so make sure that you purchase exactly what you need.

Concave Branch Cutter – This particular bonsai pruning tool will be used for removal of branches, which is sometimes necessary to acquire a particular shape. The great thing about concave branch cutters is that they can effectively cut off branches with the least amount of harm or pain to the bonsai tree.

Wire and Wire Cutters – Wire is used for repotting and molding the bonsai plant into the desired shape. You will of course need wire cutters to facilitate wire cutting.

Miscellaneous Tools – As your knowledge of bonsai pruning grows, your tool set will grow in proportion as well. In time, you might find yourself needing other tools such as root hook, knob cutters, soil sieves, and trunk benders.

Wiring before Bonsai Pruning
The main purpose of bonsai wiring is to effectively mold or style the plant into a preferred shape. To place it in a simpler context, think of a bonsai plant as a piece of fabric and wiring is what will help you make a pattern from it in order to produce a fabulous looking outfit. Wiring however can also help in permanently stabilizing or maintaining direction of certain parts of the bonsai plant.

There are two kinds of wires that you can work with for your bonsai plant. Copper is preferred by some because it’s more durable. Copper wires, however, require constant monitoring. If you neglect to check its status regularly, copper wires can place too much pressure on your bonsai plant and end up causing scarring. Your second option is aluminum wires. Although aluminum wires are less durable than copper wires, they are however more flexible and require less monitoring. In the event that you do forget to monitor your bonsai’s wiring, aluminum wires won’t cause as painful results to your plant the way copper wires do.