How to Prune Shrubs to Look Like Bonsai Trees
Growing a bonsai tree requires a lot of time and patience. The traditional method involves working on the plant for a period of at least 5 years to achieve the desired effect. Those who wish to enjoy the benefits sooner can purchase bonsai trees that are in training and develop the skills as they care for it. However, these trees are often expensive. Anyone can imitate the look of a true bonsai tree with a shrub, a few strategic cuts and some wiring. This can be done in a short amount of time and with less money. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Turntable or flat surface
- Shrub
- Shears or scissors
- Pot for bonsai
- Wires
- Fertilizer
- Iron
- Micro-rhizoid
- Micronutrients
- Rooting hormones
- Transplanting mixture
- Soil
Instructions
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1
Take the shrub out of its pot and put it on a turntable or on a flat surface.
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2
Determine the front of the tree. Use your fingers to search for the root base, the point at which the roots flare out from the trunk. Choose the area with the best-looking part of the roots as the front of the tree. According to Pauline F. Muth of the American Bonsai Society, "The front of the tree should show the best view of the trunk."
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3
Study the natural lines of the tree. Examine the main trunk line and follow it from the base to the point at which it tapers. Use the shape of the tree to determine the bonsai style you wish to develop.
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4
Trim the roots. Remove soil from the roots and trim those that are too high. Also straighten out or cut away roots that wrap around the trunk and may eventually strangle the plant. Avoid trimming the critical mass of the roots.
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5
Prune the tree to remove branches that do not support the bonsai style you have chosen. From the bottom up, you should have three main branches. The first branch is the heaviest and longest, located about a third of the way up the height of the tree on the left or right side of the trunk. The second branch should be higher up and on a different side of the tree from the first, and the third branch should be on a different side of the trunk from the second. As you go up the tree, subsequent branches should be smaller than the three main branches but with distinct positions and triangular shapes.
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6
Wire the tree to train it to grow into the shape you want. Do not cross the wires as you bend them into the desired positions. Use a wire weight that is adequate for the size of the trunk or branch.
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7
Select a container that suits the shrub tree's size, style, fruit, flowers and foliage. The pot should not overshadow the tree.
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8
Cut a screen to fit the bottom of the pot and place it in. Put the soil in the pot along with fertilizer, micro-rhizoid, micronutrients and iron.
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9
Apply some rooting hormone to the roots and then place the shrub in the pot. Add more soil.
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10
Soak the soil with water. Add a transplanting mixture if you wish to transplant it to the ground. If so, keep the tree in a shaded area for about a week before transplanting.
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Trim new branches on your shrub bonsai regularly to suit your bonsai style.
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