Junipers: Don’t Pinch Too Much!

Even if you’re one of those curmudgeons who complains about the overly sculpted look of some Japanese bonsai, you’ve got to admit that this powerhouse Shimpaku approaches perfection. That trunk draws your eye like few trunks anywhere, with its single living vein, mysterious hollow at its base and the spidery fingers and hole at the top. But it’s the tight lush foliage that I want to point out here; the result of some serious trimming and pinching. The photo is from our Juniper book. Artist unknown. Time for another Summer Rerun (this post originally appeared in 2010). This works because … Continue reading Junipers: Don’t Pinch Too Much!

Pinch! Don’t Pinch!

Was this tree pinched? Shimpaku juniper by Kunio Kobayashi from Bonsai Today issue 28. Never pinch junipers! I’ve been ripping off valuable tidbits from Michael Hagedorn’s Crataegus Bonsai for a long time (always attributed and linked of course). Micheal is a noted American bonsai artist, teacher and author and a voice for a common sense approach to bonsai. Michael’s latest post is titled ‘Never Pinch Junipers.’ In his own words… Basically, we don’t pinch junipers. We cut new long extensions with scissors…and I know that will raise some eyebrows. I think the idea of pinching junipers with fingers started long … Continue reading Pinch! Don’t Pinch!