Juniper Bonsai Pruning

Bonsai is an art of growing trees in small pots and containers. The trees grown look like miniature varieties, but in fact, are ordinary trees, which are trained to grow in small sizes in small containers. Even the foliage of these trees are grown in many different styles. How is this achieved? The answer lies in the right techniques of growing a bonsai. One of the main parts of growing a bonsai tree is pruning, which determines the size of the tree, as well as the style according to which it is grown.

Raising a Juniper Bonsai

Growing a bonsai tree is not that easy, unless you have sufficient knowledge of the right techniques. However, among the whole lot of trees which are used for growing as bonsai, juniper trees are preferred, especially for beginners. Junipers are coniferous plants that belong to the genus Juniperus and family Cupressaceae. There are around 50 to 70 species of junipers, which include both tall trees and shrubs. Most of them have leaves like needles or scales. This compact foliage is considered ideal for bonsai trees. Apart from that, juniper trees can be easily trained to make different bonsai styles. All these factors make junipers very popular as bonsai and are grown both outdoors and indoors. Juniper species such as the Juniper chinensis (Chinese juniper), Japanese garden junipers, green mound, sargent's needle and shimpaku, are grown extensively as bonsai. Juniper bonsai tree care is comparatively easier, as compared to other types of bonsai. It includes, raising these bonsai trees by providing suitable growing conditions, pruning and training to achieve the desired style.

Pruning in Bonsai Trees

As in case of any other bonsai, pruning is very important for juniper bonsai trees too. It is mainly done to reduce the size of the tree and to achieve the desired style of foliage growth. A major part of bonsai pruning is performed at the initial stages, when a normal plant specimen is transformed into a fit candidate for growing as a bonsai. It may include removal of the whole top portion of the tree. Such major pruning makes the tree more compact in size and trains it to grow as per the designs of the artist. Regular pruning is a part of bonsai care, only during the initial years, after which it is found to be less severe. Pruning is a technique, which requires good knowledge, so as to avoid damage to the bonsai tree and to control the uncontrolled growth, which can give the plant, a disheveled look.

How to Prune Juniper Bonsai Trees

Now, you know that pruning is an integral part of juniper bonsai care and it has to be done properly. Pruning of new buds is done throughout the growing season. While some people use a pair of scissors to nip off the buds, it is also contended that scissor cutting may cause browning of the cut ends, spoiling the looks of the tree. The practice used for pruning juniper bonsai trees is known as finger pinching, as fingers are used for this purpose. This technique is also called nipping. In case of juniper bonsai nipping, the buds are held between the tips of the thumb and forefinger and twisted sharply, so as to result in a clean cut. Usually, pruning is done after a month of growth, which starts in spring. Pinching off the growing buds will make the foliage more compact. Care is taken to remove the old inner growth, that may fall off in June. All the crossed and dead stems have to be removed. If the tree is being grown in a particular style, then pruning must augment that style or maintain it. Pruning can be done continuously throughout the growing season, till mid September. Juniper bonsai wiring is done after the pruning is finished.

Even though, juniper bonsai pruning is considered an easy task, a little expertise is required to get the desired results. So, acquire basic training or conduct a detailed study to master this art.