Working with bonsai can sometimes be intimidating. Many times you will have a branch that will be long and leggy. Unfortunately long and leggy branches are undesirable for bonsai.
Aggressive Cutting:
That's why when we work with bonsai, we try to cut back aggressively. What this means is to cut way back on the branch to force the tree to develop in the zones that you want growth. In many instances, this may involve cutting off what seems like an entire branch. After an aggressive cut, you will have to be patient to wait for new growth. However, once new growth begins to establish, you can continue to aggressively cut back on the secondary branches to force more branches to develop.
With this technique, you may end up with a tree that may look bare at first. However, over just a few seasons, your bonsai will begin to take shape. If you wait to make the cut on a leggy branch, you will have to wait much longer or the tree will never develop at all.
Trees that lend themselves to aggressive cutting include: Chinese Elms, Tea Trees, Boxwoods, Olives, Ficus, Maples, Pyracanthas, and many other species.
Aggressive Cutting:
That's why when we work with bonsai, we try to cut back aggressively. What this means is to cut way back on the branch to force the tree to develop in the zones that you want growth. In many instances, this may involve cutting off what seems like an entire branch. After an aggressive cut, you will have to be patient to wait for new growth. However, once new growth begins to establish, you can continue to aggressively cut back on the secondary branches to force more branches to develop.
With this technique, you may end up with a tree that may look bare at first. However, over just a few seasons, your bonsai will begin to take shape. If you wait to make the cut on a leggy branch, you will have to wait much longer or the tree will never develop at all.
Trees that lend themselves to aggressive cutting include: Chinese Elms, Tea Trees, Boxwoods, Olives, Ficus, Maples, Pyracanthas, and many other species.