Thank you for your question. First, as a premise: the current length of the old leaves (last year’s leaves) is in optimal balance with the size of this tree.
So, among the new shoots that grew out in spring, we pinch back the parts that extend beyond the outline of the old leaves, trimming them to match the length of the old leaves. This is called “midori-tsumi” (candle/bud pinching), and it allows us to maintain the silhouette of the tree. Small buds are left alone — the work is done while observing the overall condition of the tree.
The reason for doing this is a technique called “Tanyo-ho” (short-leaf method). Bonsai need to be cultivated in a compact form, and the smaller the leaves, the more the tree gives an impression of a mature, ancient tree. In addition, without bud pinching, branches tend to elongate and the strength between branches becomes uneven, making it difficult to maintain the tree’s form. Equalizing the vigor of each branch is another key purpose.
One small clarification: “cutting off all the buds in autumn” is a slight misunderstanding. By autumn, the buds have already developed into leaves. That said, for shoots that have grown too strong, we may remove them — similar to the bud-cutting technique used on Japanese black pine (kuromatsu no mekiri). But we don’t remove all of them.
Thank you very much for the clear and vivid explanation. I now understand the overall concept much better. I’m truly glad and grateful to have you as my teacher and for your great support.
Was bedeutet genau im
Herbst alle Knospen abzuschneiden?
Could you please explain to me in English what exactly it means to cut off all the buds on a tree? Why would someone do that?
Thank you for your question. First, as a premise: the current length of the old leaves (last year’s leaves) is in optimal balance with the size of this tree.
So, among the new shoots that grew out in spring, we pinch back the parts that extend beyond the outline of the old leaves, trimming them to match the length of the old leaves. This is called “midori-tsumi” (candle/bud pinching), and it allows us to maintain the silhouette of the tree. Small buds are left alone — the work is done while observing the overall condition of the tree.
The reason for doing this is a technique called “Tanyo-ho” (short-leaf method). Bonsai need to be cultivated in a compact form, and the smaller the leaves, the more the tree gives an impression of a mature, ancient tree. In addition, without bud pinching, branches tend to elongate and the strength between branches becomes uneven, making it difficult to maintain the tree’s form. Equalizing the vigor of each branch is another key purpose.
One small clarification: “cutting off all the buds in autumn” is a slight misunderstanding. By autumn, the buds have already developed into leaves. That said, for shoots that have grown too strong, we may remove them — similar to the bud-cutting technique used on Japanese black pine (kuromatsu no mekiri). But we don’t remove all of them.
Thank you very much for the clear and vivid explanation. I now understand the overall concept much better. I’m truly glad and grateful to have you as my teacher and for your great support.
Was bedeutet genau im
Herbst alle Knospen abzuschneiden?