Bonsai Focus (English Edition) – July-August 2019

Removing the bark

First I have to deal with the deadwood.

When you want to change the flow of

the live veins, Taxus is limited compared

with junipers. The live veins on Taxus are

not as expressive as those you can see on

junipers. Therefore I carefully examine

where the live vein or live tissue runs and

decide where I can remove it to create

deadwood.

After defining the borders of live tissue

and marking their position with chalk, I

carefully start tearing off the bark. I don't

cut clean lines into the live tissue, but

allow it tear on its own. I start from above

and, to be on the safe side, I always take

from outside the area from where the live

tissue has to remain.

Removing the bark is best done in early

spring, just when the live tissue starts to

become very active again. I can use the

fissures in the bark as a guideline and so

I insert my chisel, dig into the live tissue

and tear off a part of the bark, letting it

define itself. Once the borders of the new

deadwood have been marked, I can go

ahead and remove the rest of the bark in

between.

I am cleaning the bark and peeling off the old layers, revealing where the bark

thickens. This is an indication that there is a live vein running through

The bark has a slight thickening here, so I mark it with chalk. This part should

remain

At the back, I use the fissures of the bark as guide to

mark the border of the deadwood

Then I carefully removing the bark in

between the marked sections

Removing bark at the top section

Seen from the back, I am leaving a large section of live bark

30 MASTERCLASS Bonsai Focus