So we have covered what needs to pruned and why on your bonsai in a general sense. Lets have a look at what we are doing to the bonsai top when we prune it.

There are essentially two main reasons for pruning your Japanese bonsai, these are very closely related.

1) What you can call [...]]]> Bonsai Tree Pruning

So we have covered what needs to pruned and why on your bonsai in a general sense. Lets have a look at what we are doing to the bonsai top when we prune it.

There are essentially two main reasons for pruning your Japanese bonsai, these are very closely related.

1) What you can call structural pruning
2) Also shaping and maintenance

By structural pruning we mean cutting the stock down, the trunk of the bonsai to make it shorter, and removing branches to give us the basic shape we desire for our little bonsai tree.

The other reason is general shaping and maintenance of the Japanese bonsai to give the required look that we are after.

The tools you use for this pruning can be normal garden tools and household scissors, especially for the beginner as this keeps the cost down. It is however more advisable to use dedicated bonsai tools as they are sized and shaped to perform any pruning by creating the least amount of damage and leaving the bonsai with the correct shape and minimal scaring.

For structural pruning if you are growing you own Bonsai you will need to select your bonsai plant and cut the trunk down to the required dimensions. The actual size depends on the variety, in the case of the Japanese maple bonsai you need a trunk about 4” diameter at the base. When you remove branches be sure to use a sealant to help the bonsai recover this serves two purposes.

• Helps heal the bonsai and reduce scaring

• Prevents disease entering the plant

Look out for new buds growing around any removed branches and just rub these off. Unless one is a new branch growing in a position you desire.

After pruning it best to feed your bonsai tree to make sure it recovers as quick as possible.

The shaping of your bonsai tree is usually related to the formal Japanese Bonsai style you are trying to achieve. But if you are not following a formal style you can shape your tree as you please. A good tip is to remove the growth from the inside of branches and trunk this helps achieve the defined shape of the classic Japanese bonsai tree.

Your bonsai will need pruning during the growing season to remove new growth and buds etc that detract from the profile you are trying to achieve.

The shaping of bonsai trees is not a quick process and can take years from start to finish, a bonsai tree can be left to grow for ten years without the shaping even beginning. When it is shaped it will still need maintenance, however the rewards of having the perfect natural looking bonsai tree can be very satisfying.

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The Japanese Maple Bonsai play an important part in the structure and design of Japanese gardens. Not just the aesthetic appearance and texture but also on a spiritual level. The art of bonsai goes beyond horticulture and is part of the Zen Buddhist philosophy. Zen and Shinto traditions both play a large part [...]]]>

The Japanese Maple Bonsai play an important part in the structure and design of Japanese gardens. Not just the aesthetic appearance and texture but also on a spiritual level. The art of bonsai goes beyond horticulture and is part of the Zen Buddhist philosophy. Zen and Shinto traditions both play a large part in the design and lay out of gardens. The idea of Zen Buddhism is to be in harmony with nature and not obtrusive to it. Buddhism sees nature as having a soul, so this personifies it, and means it should be respected. The traditional bonsai artists believe that the purpose of this arts miniature approach is to promote the shrinking of human foibles such as greed and self-centred thinking. These bad traits of man promote the unthinking destruction of all of nature according to the belief.

All of the different parts of the bonsai have particular meanings of their own in the Zen Buddhist belief system. For instance the branches stretch towards the sky seeking a richer thought process or enlightenment. The stout trunk carries the responsibility of promoting the spread of the philosophy. The sturdy roots stand for a concrete grounding in the philosophy, which is ultimately bound for heaven.

Maple Bonsai fit into this as they are one of the species that take well to the formal upright style and go well with the skyward stretch towards enlightenment. They are also good candidates for the informal upright style. In this style the trunks is supposed to bend to one side or the other, but not in the direction of the admirer. This mimics the natural bending of trees away from the shading of other trees or objects, or the effects of the wind over time. As stated these trees have a strong upright tendency this makes them particularly suited to these two styles. The Maple Bonsai can also work well with the slanting bonsai style, however it isn’t a good candidate for the cascading or the semi-cascading style.

Although the philosophy of Zen Buddhism and its part in bonsai is interesting, it isn’t a necessary requirement for the cultivating and the enjoyment of these little trees. Today all over the world bonsai fans enjoy a wonderful hobby, that certainly can help you to be peaceful and in tune with nature, but you don’t have to adhere to a Buddhist belief. It can just be used as a tool for decorating the inside or outside of the home.

The bonsai tree can sometimes live for hundreds of years if cared for correctly. They are a lovely, peaceful piece of art that can be given to your children, and this can be repeated for generations to come. These trees are a personal expression of the artist, and therefore no two trees are the same, as in nature. It takes patience to learn how to create a bonsai and failure is common at first, but as mentioned patience is the key. If you want to become a bonsai master it takes time and effort, but you don’t have to be a master to create and enjoy your own bonsai. Just learn some basics, get a tree, and keep it healthy. Enjoy your Maple Bonsai in whatever way suites you, as a piece of art, decoration, or a spiritual representation of nature.

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The Japanese Maple Bonsai is a good pick for a newbie in bonsai. It is both easy to grow and take care of, as well as being a fast grower. This maple is similar to the Norway maple, though its leaves are more deeply lobed than its Norwegian cousin.

There are various varieties and the leaves [...]]]>

The Japanese Maple Bonsai is a good pick for a newbie in bonsai. It is both easy to grow and take care of, as well as being a fast grower. This maple is similar to the Norway maple, though its leaves are more deeply lobed than its Norwegian cousin.

There are various varieties and the leaves are so colorful, especially in the spring and fall when the leaves alter their color. The red leaves that the Japanese maple proudly displays in the summer increase their brightness in the fall. Its trunk and branches show different hues of red and green.

Indeed the Japanese maple trees are valued because of their foliage, and this is one of the main features that make them a beautiful bonsai tree. There are some varieties that sport gorgeous foliage like gold in the fall. The Japanese Bloodgood maple tree has reddish-purple serrated star shaped leaves showing in the summer and in the fall they turn crimson, thus the name. This particular tree likes the sun, although some semi-shade is good for it. The Japanese Crimson Queen maple tree is a dwarf that is also suited to making a good bonsai tree.

Maple bonsai have a good response to the leaves being trimmed, being hardy, and that facilitates creating a great branch structure for the bonsai. They are simple to root from cuttings and also from layering and respond well to both methods. A warning though the red leaf maple does have the problem of weak roots, so if even a small problem occurs the tree can expire. Therefore, red leaf maples are usually grafted into normal rootstocks. The Japanese red maples are normally grafted into the green leaf rootstock because they do better this way than when grafted to their own roots. When selecting one from a nursery examine the graft to see how well it has healed so you’ll have a good tree for a bonsai.

To select a Japanese maple for bonsai a good diameter is four or more inches. This diameter allows for training of various styles. Also, it is a more economical tree to buy. Growing them from seedlings is easy, when buying a seedling that has been started it should be four to six inches in height. When considering seedlings, go with strong ones that have big and low internodes. This enables you to have a bigger stock, which should make the lowest branch on the bonsai be about six inches up.

Put the seedlings in small vessels, they should be pruned down so the roots can populate the containers and the growth slows before making a decision on the new trunk line. This is a good way to begin the Japanese maple bonsai and it should help produce supple rounded lines. The red seedlings are good candidates for medium or large bonsai.

The Japanese maple bonsai is strong and hardy enough that even when neglected if put in caring and capable hands it can be nurtured back to life, and still be trained by wiring into a new shaped. But if too much leaf and branch matter have been left to grow then pruning and a lot of wiring before the tree gains strength could be too stressful. For this reason it is best when resurrecting a tree to let it have a period of rest during its dormant period and start again in the new season.

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