Learn how to make an Apple bonsai tree! In this video we show you how to prune and wire an Apple tree (Malus domestica) of about 15 years old. The video was shot in autumn, so the tree was full of tiny apple trees.
This tree is an Apple tree. I think it is about 10 to 15 years old. As you can see right now it is fall, so it is full of fruits – tiny little apples. Today we will prune the tree, I think in this section we’ll do the most pruning. And perhaps a little bit of wiring as well, for example bringing this branch down a little bit. This is what the tree looked like, before it was styled. After pruning and wiring, this was the result. For styling this Apple tree, we’ll use a twig shear, a concave cutter and a wire cutter. The first branch that will be pruned is here at the apex. Right now there are two thick branches, so we will prune the one on the left. Here is another thick branch that needs to be removed to refine the silhouette of the tree. Make sure to keep rotating the tree when pruning, so you have a good 360 degrees image of the tree. The tree already has a clear shape and doesn’t need much wiring. This branch however will be wired, to be able to bend it downwards a bit. We also add some movement to this branch, to reduce its visual length. Alright we have pruned and wired the tree. The wiring was very limited, to only these two branches. And the pruning was mostly around the apex, to bring the shape back in the tree to a much more defined silhouette. After this fall pruning, the tree will react by growing a lot of new shoots in the next spring. By continuing to prune twice or three times a year, the ramification of the tree will get better and better. Learn how to create your own Bonsai trees, by enrolling in one of our online Bonsai courses. We explain techniques like pruning wiring and repotting, and you can ask questions to the teachers. For the curriculums and free lessons, go to: bonsaiempire.com/courses