Sequoia trees grow up to a hundred meters high in the wild. This makes them not suitable for every garden. With a few clever moves, the giants can come in a completely different shape. Surprise neighbors and visitors with a sequoia tree in the shape of a bonsai.
How do I prune a sequoia bonsai?
To prune a sequoia bonsai, remove disturbing young shoots by hand or with secateurs in the spring or summer months. Wire the branches in autumn or winter using aluminum wire to get the desired shape - however, for young trees, we recommend tying down the branches without wire.
Different Bonsai Techniques
The cultivation of bonsai, which comes from Asia, is now so popular that there are several techniques:
- the freely upright form (Moyogi)
- the strictly upright form (Chokkan)
- the inclined shape (shakan)
- the broom shape (Hokidachi)
- the miniature form (Shohin or Mame Bonsai)
- the cascade (Kengai)
- the sinuous form (Nejikan)
- the raft form (Netsunagari)
- the half-cascade shape (Han-Kengai)
- the forest (Yose-Ue)
When it comes to sequoia as a bonsai, the free upright, the inclined shape and the forest shape are the easiest to implement.
The primeval sequoia tree is best suited
Usually all three sequoia tree species meet the requirements for a bonsai cutting form. However, it is best to choose the primeval sequoia tree for your project. Its suitable properties are not surprising, as it originally comes from China, the country of origin of the art of bonsai. Its rapid growth and the enormous flexibility of the branches make it easier for you to grow a bonsai form. In addition, the wounds resulting from the necessary pruning heal quickly.
Shaping a sequoia tree for bonsai
Just like other bonsai plants, you create the impressive shape by pruning and wiring the branches.
The pruning
It is best to remove annoying young shoots in the spring or summer months. You don't necessarily need secateurs (€6.00 on Amazon) for this. Young shoots in particular can easily be plucked off by hand.
The Wiring
Since aluminum wire is particularly easy to remove, this material is highly recommended. In autumn or winter, the sequoia tree produces relatively little resin and slows its growth, making the cold season ideal for wiring. If necessary, you can do the shaping all year round. After removing the wire after half a year. After a short break, rapid growth requires further intervention.
Be careful with young trees
The branches of young sequoia trees tend to break quickly. In this case, avoid using wire and tie the branches down instead.
Caring for the sequoia bonsai
The care of a sequoia tree, even in the form of a bonsai, hardly differs from that of natural growth. A sunny location with a lot of but not extreme heat is ideal. Make sure you water adequately, especially in the summer months. In winter you need to protect your mammoth bonsai tree from frost in a cool place. For rapid growth, you should fertilize it every three weeks for the first few months. After three years of cultivation, you can put your tree outside in the ground.´
