A common misconception is that the plants used for Bonsai are genetically 'dwarfed' plants. Bonsai trees are normal plants, propagated like any other, but trained using sophisticated techniques to keep them in miniature size. The styling of Bonsai trees includes basic methods like regular pruning and wiring, but also more advanced techniques including the creation of deadwood.

Growing a Bonsai from a starterkit

Styling and shaping Bonsai

This part of the website will provide you with detailed information about Bonsai training and styling. The two most important techniques are Pruning and Wiring.

Without doubt the most important way to train a Bonsai is to prune it on a regular basis. Essentially, there are two different techniques: maintenance-pruning, to maintain and refine the existing shape of a Bonsai - and structural-pruning, which involves more rigorous pruning to give a tree its basic shape or style.

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Bonsai Beginners Course

Wiring is a crucial technique to train and style Bonsai trees. By wrapping wire around the branches of a tree you are able to bend and reposition the branches. It will take a few months before the branches are set in their new shape; the wire should than be removed.

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Subcategories

Advanced Bonsai styling techniques

Topics included in this section are defoliation, creating deadwood parts on a tree, working on the surface roots and trunk of a Bonsai and guides to create a Bonsai forest or rock planting. Let's get started.

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Ficus Bonsai Course
Bonsai Fundamentals Course
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