When all the leaves fall off in Winter and your tree is going dormant can be a good time to tweak those branches. Wiring is easier and you can see the “bones” of the tree much easier.
In this video, Mike wires a Japanese maple and discusses some of the techniques he uses. To quote Mike, “It may be ugly, but it gets the job done!”
Just remember, when you are wiring, be careful how hard you bend and press the tree when you are shaping it. Sometimes it seems like the tree will never break, then -snap- it breaks like a toothpick.
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Wow, Mike…. that was really helpful. I have a Japanese Maple sitting on my porch in dire need of shaping but I
didn’t know when to shape it. How much can I cut off ? Is it okay to cut off thick branches now ? I live in Louisiana.
Hi Rose,
Now is a great time. As Fred says, pruning, shaping, and cutting back your bonsai is like getting a haircut. You do it when it needs it. So, anytime you want to shape it, go for it. You can cut any size branch at any time. You can cut almost any amount off any bonsai, except conifers – stick to 20% or less with them, but otherwise, you can cut all you want, any time you want. Thanks for the question!