The privet is ideal for getting started with the hobby of bonsai gardening. The fast-growing shrub is extremely easy to care for, rarely gets sick and therefore requires little attention. It also hardly causes any problems when cutting. How to Cut and Wire a Privet Bonsai.
When and how do you prune a privet bonsai?
Prune the privet bonsai before new growth in March and April by carrying out the basic cut after at least six pairs of leaves and shortening it to two pairs of leaves. Young specimens require more frequent pruning than older ones, while maintenance pruning is possible all year round.
Possible styles for the privet bonsai
Privet is a very easy-to-cut shrub that doesn't take offense easily. You can cut it on stick and into almost any shape you want.
When caring for privet as a bonsai, a free, upright design is preferred.
When do you need to prune a privet bonsai?
Young bonsais are shaped in winter. Remove any thicker branches that disrupt the shape of the bonsai. You have to cut younger specimens more often than older privets.
The basic cut is done when a shoot has formed at least six pairs of leaves. The shoot is then shortened to two pairs of leaves. For slightly older privet bonsai, it is sufficient to carry out basic pruning every two years.
Make sure that you leave at least three cm of the shoot on the trunk, otherwise the bonsai cannot sprout.
The best time to cut the bonsai
Carry out the basic cut before new growth in early spring, in March and April. You can do the maintenance cut all year round.
What do you have to consider when wiring the privet bonsai?
Opinions differ when it comes to the question of when is the best time to wire the privet. Some experts recommend doing wiring in June, right before leaf cutting.
Other bonsai lovers use the time in autumn to wire the bonsai. Then the privet has lost some of its leaves and the shape is easier to see.
In any case, you should not leave the wires on the shoots for longer than six months. Otherwise there is a risk that they will grow in.
Use shoots for reproduction
If sufficiently long shoots are obtained when cutting, you can use them as cuttings to grow new offshoots of the privet.
Tip
Privet likes a sunny to partially shaded location. If it is very dark, it reacts by losing its leaves. Therefore, make sure there is enough light, especially in winter.
