Conifers are different:
Compared to deciduous trees, the leaves of conifers sit very close to the shoot. When pruning with shears, it is therefore almost impossible to avoid damaging these leaves. This results in unsightly brown needle tips that remain on the tree for a long time.
The earlier the better:
New shoots develop on conifers in spring. These light green and soft shoots can now be shortened very easily by pinching them off. However, you should not wait too long to do this, as the shoot hardens quickly and can then only be cut with scissors
Procedure:
As a rule, leave a finger's width of the new shoot. To do this, take the new shoot at the base between thumb and forefinger and pull off the remaining part of the shoot. Depending on the development and design objective, the remaining part of the shoot can also be longer.
Effect:
Pinching reduces the growth of the plant and at the same time stimulates branching. This is because new buds often form on the remaining shoots, which often sprout in the same year. As a result, regular pinching leads to a compact and well-branched bonsai.
Area of application:
Many coniferous bonsai are kept in shape and maintained by pinching. Typical species are spruces, larches, yews, junipers and cedars. Some species (e.g. larch) sprout several times a year and therefore need to be pinched more often.