Caring For Bonsai Trees - Root Pruning - It's a Little Bit Scary the First Time

It is common knowledge that the secret ofYou need to know how much root to cut off and
keeping your bonsai both healthy and miniature ishow to select the right roots to be 'cut back' to a
to prune not just its branches but the trunk anddegree to keep them healthy and small enough
roots. Pruning is a scary aspect to those that arefor the pot.
new to caring for bonsai trees, as pruning rootsLook for the long large roots that dominate the
damages a plant, restricting its ability to take uppot and trim them back. In particular, look at the
water and nutrients while pruning branches mustdownward growing roots. These need to be
be done carefully to ensure that you end up withremoved as they will eventually begin to 'lift' the
your desired shape.tree out of the pot.
The time when your bonsai will need its rootsWhat we are trying to achieve here is to make
trimmed is usually between one and five yearsway for the smaller feeder roots that will continue
after you bought it. This time frame is only ato sustain the growth of the tree while keeping
guide for caring for bonsai, as a number ofthe root system small enough to survive in the
factors effect the amount of time a tree takessmall pot.
to become rootbound in its pot; different speciesYou want the root system to spread laterally,
of tree have different levels of development andfrom the trunk base or nebari rather than
the variables such as the size of the pot, thedownwards, like anchors.
development of the rootball and the age of theIt is best to use a sharp knife or shears when
tree all have an influence on the growth of thecutting the roots and try to cut them with a
roots.downward slant. When you do this, there is less
When you take the tree out of the pot tochance of water gathering in the exposed part of
inspect it each year, usually in the spring, you willthe newly cut root which in turn lessens the
be able to see if the roots need pruning. If youchance of infection setting in.
find that the roots form a circular ball around theIt is important when caring for bonsai trees that
edge of the pot, it's time to trim or prune theyou do not remove more than 30% of the roots
roots. If the roots of the tree are still containedin any one year. This is important as you don't
within the soil, the tree can be returned to thewant to reduce the root mass to the stage
pot and pruning can be left for another year.where it can't support the tree so, generally aim
There is a tool specially designed to help youto only remove about 1/3 of it.
expose the roots. This is called a "root hook" butAlthough there is a lot of information available on
it doesn't have to be this specific tool. You couldcaring for bonsai trees, the pruning element still
try either chopsticks, screwdrivers, or a crochetseemed to be rather daunting to me. It was
needle as what you are trying to do is to gentlydifficult to have the confidence to do actually cut
work in between the roots to loosen the soilthe roots for the first time.
surrounding them.I found that the best thing to do was to find a
While you have got the roots exposed, this is anperson experienced in caring for bonsai trees and
good time to inspect the roots for early signs ofwatch them before I attempted to do it myself.
decay and rot. It is vital when caring for bonsaiOnce I had seen it done, I had the knowledge on
trees, that we remove these dead roots as theywhat to trim and what to leave and I could get
will cause trouble in the future if we do not get ridon with the task of pruning my bonsai, confident
of them.that I was doing the right thing for my tree.