How to prune camellia bonsai? Pruning methods and techniques illustrated

Camellia bonsai pruning time

No matter which method is used to maintain camellia, it must be pruned after flowering. If it blooms in the same year, it should be pruned in winter. If it blooms in the second year, it can be pruned in late spring. If it is pruned before the flowers bloom, it will result in fewer or no flowers, which will also affect its growth.

Camellia bonsai pruning methods and steps

1. There are many varieties of camellia bonsai, some grow fast and some grow slowly. For fast-growing varieties, the length of the branches can be cut shorter when pruning, about half or one-third of the plant, which can promote the sprouting of side branches and make the crown fuller. If it grows slowly, just shorten the excessively long branches and do not prune them heavily.

2. If diseased branches appear in camellia bonsai, they should be cut off in time to reduce nutrient consumption, increase light transmission and ventilation, and promote faster growth of strong branches. If its crown is large, the weak branches inside can be cut off, and the long and dense branches should be thinned out. Note that when pruning dense branches, they should be cut from the base of the plant.

Tips for pruning camellia bonsai

If the camellia bonsai is pruned in spring, nitrogen fertilizer can be applied in time after pruning to promote its faster recovery. If it is pruned in winter, fertilizer should be added after the temperature stabilizes in spring. Note that the ambient temperature needs to be provided at 15-20 degrees after pruning so that it can resume growth faster.