Bonsai Trunk Chop Timing

Timing the best time for most trunk chops is in mid to late spring or early summer depending on your geographic location.

Bonsai trunk chop timing. After the new leaves have formed and begun to harden off. A rule of thumb is. Most often bonsai are grown in a style in which a solid old tree as seen from the ground is simulated. Avoid trunk chopping when your bonsai tree shows signs of slow development.

When this leader thickens to atleast 3 4 inch it will be chopped again. You may be a few days late for optimal but its still a good time. The diameter of the. The taper set by the lower trunk is then not matched by the upper trunk.

The exact timing necessary depends on your national local climate and the climate or conditions that your trees are subject to the health of individual trees and the actual species of tree. And here is the second chop around the end of summer 2010. It is not unusual to have trees of the same species and same position in a garden that require repotting maybe a month apart. Reduction is often needed in an older or finished bonsai.

The green arrow is the direction of the future sacrifice leader to grow. Careful monitoring and panning are required once the tree back buds because you have to pick another leader. Bonsai trees tend to grow most strongly at the apex and over time the top outgrows the bottom. This position normally causes a distorted view of the trunk where the tapering is extreme.

Hardwood deciduous trees respond quite well to trunk chopping. Good bonsai will not have inverse taper the trunk getting thicker when moving up in the tree. The red line is where the tree was originally chopped in spring 2010 and the original trunk continued along the green line.