How to Prune a wintersweet Bonsai
Today's focus is on how to prune wintersweet bonsai and the introduction of the pruning time and methods for potted wintersweet, with the detailed introduction below.
Wintersweet, also known as gold plum, wax plum, wax flower, and fragrant plum, belongs to the genus Chimonanthus in the family Sinosaceae, a deciduous shrub distributed in mainland China, Korea, America, Japan, and Europe. Wintersweet symbolizes noble character, and it was deeply loved by ancient scholars and literati, as evidenced by the lines "A sharp sword is honed from grinding, and the plum's fragrance comes from the cold" in praise of wintersweet. People often place the old stems of wintersweet as ornamental bonsai in homes and offices, and pruning is very important for the old stems of wintersweet, usually carried out between March and June. Next, let me introduce the pruning methods for the old stems of wintersweet.
1. Pruning Time
Generally, pruning is done after the blooming period of wintersweet, that is, between March and June. After July, as the temperature gradually rises, it is no longer suitable to prune wintersweet, as it is not conducive to flowering and growth. In addition, wintersweet does not stop growing in winter, and pruning can also be done to the old stems at this time, with light pruning.
2. Pruning Method
The pruning of the old stems of wintersweet mainly involves pruning the branches. During cultivation, it is necessary to remove any diseased or weak branches, and these should be pruned promptly. Overlong branches and leaves on the plant should be cut, as well as any dead or old branches in the canopy. Pruning of old, weak, diseased, and dead branches helps to improve the lighting and ventilation conditions of the plant, reducing the loss of nutrients.
3. Post-Flowering Pruning
After the blooming period, withered flowers should be pruned in a timely manner. Wintersweet generally forms flower buds every other year, and new flower buds usually grow on new branches. Therefore, it is necessary to prune the old flowering branches promptly, which can reduce the waste of nutrients and promote flowering.
4. Precautions
In the early stage of growth, it is necessary to remove buds and pinch the tips of wintersweet. When the buds germinate to about 5 centimeters, it is necessary to remove dense, inward-facing, and close-to-the-ground extra buds. In the vigorous growth period, when the branches and leaves grow to over 40 centimeters, pinching should be done to promote branching.
The above details about how to prune wintersweet bonsai and the pruning time and methods for potted wintersweet should be helpful to you!