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How to Trim Dwarf Junipers Bonsai

The dwarf juniper (Juniperus procumbens ""Nana"") is a small evergreen native to Japan. It grows from 6 to 12 inches tall and has blue-green needles and dense, curved branches. It is grown as a ground cover or outside bonsai in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 4 through 9. Indoors, the dwarf bonsai juniper requirements to be placed near a direct light source in a sunny location. Northern exposures do not provide adequate light. Pruning and training should be carried out as essential as the tree grows new branches and foliage.
How to Trim Dwarf Junipers Bonsai

  1. Prune dead branches or branches with little foliage. Cut back to the trunk right subsequent to the joint with a concave cutter. Use the proper size cutter for the diameter of the branch you cut. Spot a wound sealant on the cut to keep out moisture and encourage healing. The amount of stress to the tree depends on the number of branches cut. Minor pruning of much less than ten percent of the tree can be completed any time.
  2. Cut new growth that appears on the lower third of the tree trunk employing the appropriate sized cutter. Cut any new growth that doesn't fit into the form of the tree. Branches should be cut when they are no longer green. Make confident you do not want the branch prior to you cut, as it will not grow back. Bonsai grow all 12 months round, but branch cutting should not be done in summer when the sun is strong or winter when there is a likelihood of freezing if the tree is outside. The hot sun or a freeze can damage the cut and restrict the healing process. The best time to prune is early spring when there is no danger of freezing but loads of growing season left if you are cutting far more than 15 percent of the tree at one time.
  3. Use bonsai shears when only part of the branch is removed. If the branch is too long it can be cut back to just in front of a lateral bud if you want to keep the branch. It will continue to grow from the bud.
  4. Pinch the new growth at the tips of branches or along the branch with your thumb and index finger to control the size or shape of the tree. Do not cut new growth at the end of branches with shears; it will result in the needles near the cut to turn brown and fall.
  5. Check the tree weekly during times of growth. The most growth will happen in the spring and early summer. Trimming the tree is one thing that will need to be accomplished through the life of the bonsai to keep it seeking neat.
Tips

Sterilize resources in between utilizes to avoid the likelihood of spreading disease from one tree to an additional.
Sharpen shears and cutters as needed to keep cuts clean and less demanding to the tree.

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