Bonsai Focus (English Edition) – July-August 2019

After dealing with roots on the surface, cover lightly

with fresh soil

Brush lightly with a coir brush. It's then ready to be

fertilised

Look at the soil level and you can

see that the roots cannot now grow

upwards

Front after work is finished

Recommended branch work for beginners

As you can see on this Zelkova,

it is possible to change the

direction and orientation of

branches without resorting to

wire. String or wire can be used

to pull branches in a direction, or

bamboo rods used to push. These

techniques mean that you do

not have to remember to remove

the wire from branches that, if

left, will cause scars. Something

which is easily done during the

growing season when the trees

are covered in leaves and the

branches cannot be seen.

Please check the condition of the

wire regularly, especially when

defoliating or leaf thinning.

During the growing season do

not allow branches to thicken

excessively, pinch back the new

growth regularly and cut back

when defoliating. Zelkova grow

with alternating leaves and so

consider the direction of the bud

that remains when cutting back.

If this is done the direction of

new growth can be controlled

without needing to wire.

Better to do this once it has

warmed up a little

This work on the Zelkova is best done

when the tree is just starting to wake

up in the spring and the health of the

dormant buds can be checked. This is not

restricted to Zelkova alone, but to every

deciduous tree. If they are pruned and

wired in the winter, it can easily cause

branches to die.

The best time to work on deciduous trees

is once the buds start to move and it is

getting warmer, until June. There is plenty

of work to be done during this period:

defoliation, leaf thinning, shoot pinching,

pruning, wiring, air layering, depending

on the species, repotting.

Of course you must also pay attention to

watering, fertilising, pests and diseases

throughout the growing season as well.

Bonsai Focus TECHNIQUE 21