For the last few years I’ve been pruning my young pines down to a single sacrifice branch. This slows growth but allows me to fit more trees on the bench. Decandling time is a good time to do this work because it gives me the opportunity to slow down branches that are gaining too much […]
Search Results for: sacrifice branch
Bonsai Development Series #21: The effect of removing a sacrifice branch
Reducing sacrifice branches can give you a lot of new growth – here are tips for redirecting young trees’ resources effectively.
Slowing down sacrifice branches on black pine
When the trunk of a tree has reached the desired thickness, I evaluate the sacrifice branches to see if it makes more sense to remove them all at once or to remove them in stages. In many cases, removing large branches can cause vigorous new shoots to develop. This is especially true for species like […]
Bonsai Development Series #16: Developing the trunk with multiple sacrifice branches
A sacrifice branch is any branch that assists in the development of a tree, but will not be part of the final design. Sacrifice branches are most commonly used to thicken the trunk. When the trunk reaches the desired size, the branch is removed. Some bonsai are developed with one sacrifice branch at a time. […]
The benefits of reducing sacrifice branches incrementally
One of the top goals of developing black pine bonsai is to encourage balanced growth. Because pines are apically dominant, they naturally produce strong growth near the apex and at the tips of branches. We expect to see smaller shoots on the lower branches and in the tree’s interior. Refined pine bonsai can produce shoots […]