Spruce Bonsai Pruning
Picea spruce bonsai styling pruning and wiring page 1 of 2.
Spruce bonsai pruning. Spruce fir and whorl branched trees and shrubs that have short sharp needles can be trimmed all the way back to a lateral branch or dormant bud. Prune deciduous bonsai in early spring. Backbudding is very limited especially when it comes to old branches and the trunk. Use a well draining soil mix with structurally stable grains.
Tropical and sub tropical trees used for bonsai will require periodic pinching and trimming throughout the year. Some of the new growth on the spruce tree should be gently pinched by hand off of the branch rather than cut free. Spruces are not demanding on the ph value of soil and water. Because you don t want to end up with a tree that has a few leaves only on the tips best branches to be kept are the ones that have foliage closest to the trunk.
A little should be left to sustain the health of the tree. Difficult to style difficult to encourage the branches to set. Certain species of coniferous bonsai may require both leaf pruning and pinching maintenance pruning can be done from around mid march to september. Pruning of a spruce bonsai is a delicate process that may take some practice.
Styling is best carried out from late summer to fall. Though you can hold off a little longer with these trees it s best to cut in cold weather so that they bleed less sap. Never should all of the new growth be removed. The annual cycle of pruning the exact timing will vary slightly according to your climate and location august october.
Prune the roots of a spruce only slightly especially old trees will not tolerate loosing larger roots. Dead bottom branches should be removed. Needle plucking wiring and pruning back of this years shoots to a bud if necessary. Pinch off straggly needle.
You should do this kind of pruning often. You might also like. Spruce have a poor reputation as bonsai. Prepare bonsai scissors and concave cutters designed for pruning bonsai by cleaning them with a solution of nine.
Some pruning can be done in the spring but the majority of pruning care should be saved until fall. How to prune a bonsai plant 1. The techniques described in this article assume that your spruce is vigorous and that care is taken when. Pinch and trim back the new growth to the farthest safe point.
Repot the spruce every two to four years very old specimens can wait even longer.