Pruning is crucial in keeping trees miniaturised as well as to shape them. The aim is to create a bonsai that resembles nature as closely as possible. Bonsai, being living,growing plants, need to be pruned from time to time to maintain their shape and, more importantly, their health and vitality.

Pruning bonsai shoots lets in light and air,which helps strengthen and fortify the remaining leaves and branches and also encourages new growth; this in turn adds new and fresh sources of nourishment for the tree.

The first time you prune your tree, it is to ‘style’ it into the height and form you want your bonsai to take. Delay with repotting it until the tree has fully recovered from this stage. Subsequent pruning is to maintain and refine the shape of the tree you have created.

Trees will concentrate most growth on the top and outer parts. It is important to prune these areas regularly in order to encourage growth closer to the inner parts of the tree; a healthy tree will have no problem coping with pruning up to a third of its branches. Most experts agree that you only do this once