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Do spruce trees make good bonsai?
Not only is it prized for use in woodworking, but spruce is also a popular bonsai plant. Growing up to 200 feet tall when mature, these trees can be trained to a diminutive few inches in the bonsai culture. There are several types of spruce bonsai you can grow, but all of them are easy to grow.
How do you shape a dwarf Alberta spruce?
Pruning is not necessary with dwarf Alberta spruce since it grows so slowly. Damaged branches should be removed whenever you find them. Pruning to shape them can be done in late winter or early spring when new growth appears. Cut no more than 2 to 3 inches off the tips of the branches.
What does pinching a bonsai mean?
Essentially, bonsai pinching means removing with your fingers the end bud or the tip of the shoot. The shoot tip of trees produces growth hormones. These growth hormones inhibit the budding of the underlying buds.
How often do you water a bonsai spruce tree?
Water. Unlike many bonsai, blue spruce does best when watered a little less frequently. While you don’t need to allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings, wait until the top three inches of soil are dry before watering again.
How long does it take for a spruce bonsai to grow?
On average, in its natural habitat, spruce trees typically grow from 30 to 60 cm per year. To get a well-developed Picea bonsai specimen requires at least 10–15 years, while in some cases it can take up to 30–60 years (for a mature and highly-prized bonsai tree).
Should you trim the bottom of a blue spruce?
Eliminate branches growing in an undesirable direction by cutting them close to the trunk. Trimming bottom branches of blue spruce creates a neater appearance, and makes it easier to reach underneath the tree to rake or apply mulch.
What is the difference between pruning and pinching?
Pinching is a form of pruning. You can do it with no other tool than your fingertips and fingernails, although if you have a lot of pinching to do, clean scissors or shears will save your manicure. By “pinching,” I mean actually removing the new tender growth at the end of a stem.
When should I repot my spruce bonsai?
REPOTTING Every two years in early to mid Spring just before bud-break. Older trees require less frequent repotting. Use a fast-draining soil-mix. Protect from full-sun after repotting.
Can you bonsai a blue spruce?
Spruce trees, in general, are a little bit tricky to style as bonsai. Their branches tend to be flexible and don’t hold new shapes right away. Colorado blue spruce bonsai falls into this category. Even though it’s not easy to style a Colorado blue spruce, the tree remains a popular bonsai choice.
How do you shape evergreen trees into spirals?
Initial Shaping
- Tie a ribbon to the top of a cone-shaped evergreen and wrap it down around the tree in a spiral pattern.
- Cut away the branches that fall under the ribbon.
- Lightly trim the remaining branches, focusing on rounding the tops and bottoms of the spiral’s curves.
- Trim the top of the tree to the desired height.
How do you shape a blue spruce tree?
A blue spruce is narrowest at its top, referred to as the tree’s crown. It is widest at its bottom. Pruning more than one-quarter of a tree’s total crown in one season is not recommended. Trim branches that protrude beyond the tree’s natural, tapered shape by cutting them at the optimal length to achieve tapering.
Is it OK to trim the bottom branches of a spruce tree?
Spruce, fir, and whorl-branched trees and shrubs that have short, sharp needles can be trimmed all the way back to a lateral branch or dormant bud; dead bottom branches should be removed. Though you can hold off a little longer with these trees, it’s best to cut in cold weather so that they “bleed” less sap.
Are spruce trees easy to style as bonsai?
Spruces are not easy to style as bonsai because they hardly backbud and wired branches tend to go back in their old positions again and again. There are wonderful examples of spruce bonsai nevertheless, especially of the Japanese species Picea jezoensis (Ezo spruce) and Picea glehnii and the European Picea abies (Norway spruce).
How do you take care of a Picea spruce bonsai?
Specific Bonsai care guidelines for the Spruce. Position: The spruce (Picea) is an outdoor tree, which should be placed at a bright spot and outside year round. It prefers much sun in summer. Protect it from freezing temperatures. Watering: Especially in spring and summer the spruce Bonsai needs regular watering.
How do you prune a whorl bonsai tree?
Especially in the lower half of the bonsai tree you should keep only one branch of a whorl. Pinch new shoots in spring when they are still soft. If you want to prune back long branches, shorten them to smaller twigs near the trunk.