Skip to main content

Step Three Detail Pruning & Shaping

Step Three Detail Pruning & Shaping 
Once you have move all the branches into the ap- proximate positions for your final design, trim back the length of branches to establish the overall shape of the tree.  Remember that all bonsai have a triangular shape.  In most cases, the largest and longest branches are located at the bottom.  Branches gradually get thinner and shorter as they approach the apex.
Once you have shortened the branches to the desired length and established a well balanced composi- tion, begin to work on each individual branch.  Remove all green growth which emerges from the bottom of these branches.  (Trees do not grow leaves out of the bottom of a branch) and cut or pinch back foliage on the tops and sides of each branch until they begin to develop a pad like shape.  In the future, as the tree grows and develops you will need to keep these foliage pads pinched back and well formed.  They will become more dense with green growth and add greatly to it’s appearance of age and maturity.
In the case of this particular juniper we have decided to create an area of deadwood using a live branch near the base of the tree.  Many bonsai, particularly those with needles such as juniper and pine, often have deadwood incorporated into their design by the artist.  These dead- wood areas (jin and shari) add to the trees look of old age because they resemble forest ancients which have been broken back by the weight of time and weather. It is not mandatory to have deadwood on a bonsai, but it is often done.
The process is simple.  All the foliage is removed from the branch and then the bark and underlying cam- bium layer are removed exposing the tree’s heart wood.  A sharp knife works best for this process.  It will, of course, kill the branch.  Take care not to remove or damage bark and cambium which feeds the rest of the trunk.  Once this is done you  should carve pruner cuts and shape the deadwood so that it looks very natural and interesting .  In a month or two, when the area has dried out, you may ap- ply a coating of lime sulfur which will help to preserve the deadwood and also give it a whitened, ancient,  weather beaten appearance.  This being done, the basic shaping of our bonsai  is complete and it is ready to be transplanted into a container.



(A single strand of wire is used to wire two branches.  You  must make sure that the wire makes at least one turn around the tree’s trunk before going out the second branch.)



(Above:  The length of each branch on the bonsai is adjusted to make an asymetrical triangle.  At left:  Shoots growing out of the bottom of each branch are removed.)

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Beginner Basics Creating A Bonsai For The First Time

Beginner Basics Creating  A Bonsai For The First Time greenery from which they most often work.   A firm grasp of the fundamentals is of paramount to enhancing your ability to identify usable and non-usable elements of the plant material.  Once you have that, the ability to “see” becomes gradually clearer with more and more practice.   For this exercise, we have selected a Dwarf Japa- nese Garden Juniper (Juniperus procurement nana).   We have done so because, junipers are particularly good specimens for beginners to practice on and because they are extremely vigorous growers with flexible branches and trunks.  They like full sun, but will grow happily in a wide variety of locations and conditions.  They also have the added advantage of being a bit  “forgiving” when newcom- ers make mistakes.   Since you are learning, we assume you will be mak- ing a few mistakes along the way.  Its good to have plant material which is willing to work...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bonsai Step Four Preparation For Potting

  Bonsai Step Four Preparation For Potting  The process of transplanting a bonsai from its grow- ing container into a finished bonsai container can be com- pared to selecting the right frame for a painting.  A wise and compatible choice can make a dramatic difference in how the whole composition is perceived.  Beginners should be aware that no matter what the size, shape or color of the container they select, it must meet one very important requirement.  Containers must always provide sufficient space for the growth and health of  the root system.  This is a purely horticultural consider- ation and not an artistic one, but it is very important.  The container you select may look fabulous with the tree, but if it fails to provide sufficient room for the healthy growth of the trees roots, it will very shortly not matter what it looks like.  Make sure the pot you pick out is big enough.   There are a number of  bonsai guidelines de...
Post a Comment
Read more