{"id":2447,"date":"2021-10-02T16:49:23","date_gmt":"2021-10-02T06:49:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shibuibonsai.com.au\/?p=2447"},"modified":"2021-10-02T16:49:23","modified_gmt":"2021-10-02T06:49:23","slug":"spring-trimming-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shibuibonsai.com.au\/?p=2447","title":{"rendered":"spring trimming"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Deciduous trees grow fast in spring. Knowing how and when to prune and trim is one of the most important bonsai skills. This post is a tutorial that should improve your knowledge of what to do when.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first concept is one that is often overlooked in many bonsai blogs and courses – Stage of development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good bonsai growers do not treat all trees the same. We use different techniques and timing on young, developing trees and change as the trees become more advanced. Unfortunately many bloggers focus mainly on techniques used for older, advanced trees and seem to forget that the vast majority of the readers are relative newbies with young trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is the end of September here at Shibui Bonsai and I’ve been spending quite a bit of time pinching new growth on Japanese maples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Japanese maples have some unhelpful growth habits that can quickly spoil the look of a great tree. New shoots grow very fast. If allowed to grow unchecked they can develop very long internodes and large leaves. Excess growth can also thicken delicate twigs and cause unsightly bulges on branches and trunks. On advanced trees new shoots are pinched as soon as possible to reduce vigor and slow excessive thickening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Japanese maple before pinching new shoots<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n