Vital Tools to Care for Your BONSAI

A Dwarf Japanese Juniper (Juniperus procumbens 'Nana') bonsai on display at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the United States National Arboretum. According to the tree's display placard, it has been in training since 1975. It was donated by Thomas Tecza. This is the "back" of the tree.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are many bonsai tools that are used when designing and caring for your bonsai trees. These tools are vital to encourage the good health of your tree and should be used as frequently as needed to prune any dead or dying branches, care for the roots, and maintain the soil for your tree. For the novice, selecting which tools you need can be difficult.

There are many basic bonsai tools used to care for a tree, and these are typically sold as beginner sets. The four basic tools include a bonsai shear/scissor, a broom, a rake and tweezers. Typically, the highest quality tools for bonsai care are from Japan, where there are companies dedicated to the building of these tools.

When selecting your bonsai tools, there are a few things that you will want to keep in mind. First, the quality of the tools you purchase may affect how well your bonsai turns out. Low-quality tools run the risk of damaging your tree and leaving unpleasant looking scars on the bark of the tee. Low-quality bonsai tools tend to be duller, lacking the ability to cleanly shear when needed.

A clean cut is required when you're wanting to hide evidence that the tree has had branches removed unnaturally. When setting wires, good tweezers can make the difference between a good placement and your branch being scarred from bad placement of wires.

You can buy bonsai tools from all across the world, although the vast majority of high quality, recommended bonsai tools come from Japan. When you are purchasing your bonsai tools, you can purchase low-quality tools that are extremely inexpensive, or you can purchase high-end tools that are designed to last for years.

The primary difference in these tools is how well they do the job, and how long they last. With proper care, high-quality tools will never need to be replaced, as they will hold their edge for years. Low-quality tools tend to go dull quickly and run the risk of breaking while being used.

For advanced users, it is recommended that high-quality bonsai tools are exclusively used. For those who have worked with bonsai for many years, their toolset will be far more extensive, ranging from eight to twenty or more different tools for working with the various types of bonsai.

Bonsai tools can be purchased online, imported from Japan, or found at local garden and hardware stores.

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