Thinning
From BonsaiWIKI
Thinning is the process of pruning the canopy of a bonsai
- 1. leaf pruning see defoliation
The goal of thinning is to allow light to penetrate the canopy and improve ventilation. From an aesthetic standpoint, thinning can be used to create open spaces that will suggest the individual boughs of a mature tree. Thinning will also reduce the foliage load on a branch and keep it more delicate for a longer period.
In the example above we thin the foliage of a Juniper by removing the central sprig of foliage at the point shown by the pencil. If you were instead to cut directly through one of the branches, the green end would probably die back.
| Types of Pruning |
| Pruning | Drastic pruning | Defoliation |Pinching | Trunk chop | Thinning | Trimming | Root pruning | Root trimming | Decandling |
| Tools for Pruning |
| Concave cutters | Shears | Thinning shears | Decandling shears | Leaf trimmers | Scythe | Root cutters | Branch cutters | Spherical cutters | Knob cutters |
