Goal:
A bonsai in the sense of Japanese tradition should develop over time into a mature and expressive character. One characteristic of this maturity is, among other things, a very fine and differentiated branching. This is achieved in certain plants by pinching the shoots regularly in the spring.
Procedure:
Pinching involves removing the tip of the fresh shoot with fingers or tweezers as early as possible. To do this, grab the still tender shoot that lies between the new leaves and pluck it off. However, the first new pair of leaves is left standing.
Effect:
The direct shortening of the new shoot leads to a reduced shoot length and usually to shorter distances between the individual leaf buds in the further course of growth. In addition, the shoot will remain much thinner than if it is allowed to sprout too long.
Timing:
It is important to watch the plants closely in the spring so as not to miss the right time for pinching. The sooner the better, because within a very short time the growth in length begins and the shoot has quickly become too long.Field of application:
Especially for the Japanese fan maple, pinching is an important technique to avoid too long, straight and strong shoots in the tree crown. Also with Japanese zelkova this care measure is decisive for the development of the typical finely branched broom-shaped crown. In addition, many other bonsai species also benefit from timely pinching of new shoots (e.g., Norway maple, hornbeam, beech, juniper, pine).
