Final week John Eads of Left Coast Bonsai was within the backyard to assist get my younger timber into form forward of repotting season. As John studied with Michael Hagedorn, he’s an awesome useful resource for growing the dwarf Japanese flowering quince often called chojubai.
Listed here are just a few of the timber he labored on this week together with some suggestions for pruning.
Orange chojubai earlier than pruning
John was completely satisfied to see a lot new progress on the clump-style chojubai above. The purpose for pruning it was to maintain only a bud or two of the earlier 12 months’s progress to develop branching with brief internodes. His tip: prune to a bud that’s rising within the course through which you need the department to develop.
After cutback (thanks, Max, for serving to John with the pruning!)
The following tree John labored on was a white chojubai. The purpose for this tree is identical because the purpose for the tree above – reduce to only a few buds to maintain the internodes brief.
White chojubai earlier than pruning
After cutback
John’s tip: don’t prune too near the bud you wish to preserve. A technique to do that is to chop by means of the bud above the one you wish to preserve.
To protect the bud on the left, lower by means of the bud above it on the precise
After pruning a secure distance above the bud
Pruning too near a bud dangers damaging it. Leaving a stub reduces the chance of the bud drying out and the stub protects it from being damaged if the tree is bumped.
The rest of the chojubai we labored on have been younger timber. John’s tip: establish a goal measurement for every tree and regulate your work primarily based on the goal.
Right here’s an instance.
Younger chojubai (about 6-8 years from chopping)
John famous that the tree on the left has a small trunk and branches and would make a great shohin. The tree on the precise has coarse trunks and would make a greater bonsai if it grew bigger.
If the purpose is to make a small tree, we will prune again to only a few new buds. To make a bigger bonsai, we’ll let the tree develop for 2-3 years earlier than pruning to let the branches thicken.
Right here’s what this work seems like.
After pruning – future shohin on the left; future kifu or chuhin (medium-size) tree on the precise
Study extra about what John’s engaged on on the Left Coast Bonsai web site or Instagram web page.
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