A detailed guide to pruning methods for potted plants, teaching you how to prune potted plants correctly
Bonsai often grows many new branches and leaves. To keep its shape looking attractive, it must be pruned regularly. So what pruning methods for potted plants are there? Here is an introduction for you.
1. Pinching
Remove the very top of the branch, the tender shoot with 3~4 small leaves, in order to make it branch more; this applies to growing vegetative branches. Be sure to note that only pinching the branch works. Pinching only the leaves without pinching the branch has no effect (for plants that originally have compound leaves, be sure to note this point).
2. Heading back
For a one-year-old growing branch, the degree of pruning is between pinching and heavy pruning. After pruning, keep more than 1/2 of the branch, which can activate the growth of some buds on the upper part of the branch and will likewise have the effect of making it branch more.
3. Heavy pruning
For a one-year-old growing branch, after pruning, keep less than 1/2 of the branch. After pruning, it can activate the dormant buds on the lower part of the branch and make them grow. The activated dormant buds may later form new long branches, or they may become short branches (flowering branch groups).
4. Renewal pruning
For a long branch more than two years old, when pruning, remove all of the part that grew in the previous year. This can replace the branch group and promote more branching. Doing this is very useful for fruit trees, as it can effectively control the fruiting position so that it no longer extends outward year by year.
5. Branch pruning
The method of branch pruning should be decided according to the tree shape. If it is a cloud-layer shape, prune the branches into a flat form. Generally, dead branches, parallel branches, crossing branches, and other branches that spoil the appearance should be cut off promptly.
6. Root pruning
When repotting, combine it with root pruning; roots that are too dense or too long should be trimmed. For tree species with well-developed root systems, thin out the dense roots, remove old roots, and keep a few new roots when repotting. For some old-stump bonsai, when repotting, the roots can be appropriately raised to increase their ornamental value.
Large-scale pruning methods such as pollarding and high grafting to change the head are suitable for renewing old trees; at the same time, this can also be used in combination with grafting. Different types of plants may have different requirements.