Bonsai Techniques

A light and easy introduction to the world of bonsai techniques — from wiring and pruning to grafting, fusion, air-layering, and plenty more. These are just the first steps; there’s a whole forest of methods waiting to be explored

Shari

Expose deadwood on trunk/branches to add age and contrast without harming sapflow

Uro

Carve former branch stubs to create natural-looking hollows and deadwood

Air Layer

Force a branch to root in place so it can be removed as a new tree

Ground Layer

Improve the nebari by layering at soil level

Ring Layer

Airlayer but with a metal ring (or wire) to constrict sap flow

Thread Graft

Create a branch or root

Approach Graft

Add a branch or root

Trunk Fusion

Bind multiple young trees so they grow into a single, thicker trunk

Guy Wire

Use tensioned wires to adjust branch angles when wrapping is difficult

Ebihara Board Technique

Train roots flat across a board to build radial nebari

Mark live veins and score the shari outline so cuts stay clear of sap flow. Peel bark in thin layers, let the surface dry, then carve grain with a knife or rotary burr while slightly undercutting the edges.

Brush clean, allow the deadwood to cure, and lime sulfur to seal while protecting the surrounding live bark for contrast.

Shari running along the trunk of a conifer bonsai — Finished treee with shari accentuating the aged look (bonsai empire)

Close-up of refined shari with smooth grain — Olive with deadwood carved back to show natural grain patterns

Deadwood strip extending from nebari toward a jin — Olive with deadwood carved back to show natural grain patterns

Freshly carved shari following the live vein on a juniper — Shari carved to highlight the vein movement before lime sulfur

Remove rot, drill or carve the center so the hollow tapers inward, and angle it for drainage. Texture the interior with a rotary wire brush and break up the rim so callus rolls irregularly instead of forming a donut.

Let the wood dry, apply lime sulfur, and revisit yearly to extend the rim and refresh protection.

Hollowed uro on a broadleaf trunk — Uro on a japanese maple

Detailed view of a carved uro with textured rim — Uro on a carpinus betulus

Select a vigorous branch, remove a ring of bark to sapwood, and scrape the cambium so it cannot bridge. Dust with hormone (or gel), pack moist sphagnum (or substrate), seal with plastic and foil (or other medium), and support the branch to prevent tearing.

Monitor for white roots through the wrap, then cut below the root ball once it fills with fine roots and lightly reduce foliage after separation.

Air layer with clear plastic wrap showing moss — Airlayer ready to be taken

Close-up of an air layer tied above a branch crotch — Cambium stripped ready for moss packing (or substrate) and sealing

Cutaway diagram of an air layer setup — Utility to ease the airlayer

Same process as air layering but done at soil level.

Ground layer with trunk secured above a mesh-covered mound

Wrap a metal ring or tight wire around the branch where roots are desired to pinch sap flow without removing bark. Apply hormone above the constriction, pack moist sphagnum, and seal with plastic and foil to keep it dark and humid.

Monitor for fine roots and cut below the new root mass once it fills the wrap.

Ring-barked branch wrapped with foil for air layering — Ringlayer with a cd to force the roots to grow horizontally

Drill or cut a tight channel through the trunk, thread a vigorous shoot through it, and align cambium at the entry and exit. Secure the donor with tape or screws so it cannot shift, sealing gaps to prevent drying.

After swelling shows a solid union, slowly reduce the donor’s root connection before the final separation.

Approach graft secured with screws and tape — A branch is inserted in the place you want a new branch (bonsai empire).

Remove a flat strip of bark on the scion and carve a matching notch on the host where the branch is needed. Fix them together with screws or tape, sealing edges so cambium stays in contact while both plants keep their roots.

After swelling shows a solid union, slowly reduce the donor’s root connection before the final separation.

Arrange young whips around a form or stake, scrape small contact patches where they touch, and bind them firmly so cambium stays pressed together. Use tape or soft wire loosened over time to avoid scars while staggering whip thicknesses for a natural trunk.

Rotate for even light, prune redundant shoots, and carve ridges as the bundle fuses into one.

Bundle of young trees taped together for fusion — Ficus tigerbark fusion by fixing the trunks tightly together.

Close-up of fused trunk section with bark swelling — Finished fusion on maples

Multiple saplings secured to a form for trunk fusion — multiple trunk fusion using a metal plate, mixing ringlayer and fusion techniques

Anchor a wire to the pot, trunk, or rebar, pad the contact on the branch, and set a low pull angle toward the desired direction. Twist the wire or use a turnbuckle to add tension gradually, checking often so it doesn’t bite or lift the root ball.

Once the wood sets, release or reposition the guy wire to avoid scarring while keeping the new angle.

Guy wire pulling a bonsai branch downward toward the pot rim — Single guy wire anchored to the pot to change branch angle

Multiple guy wires adjusting different branches on a bonsai — Multiple anchors fine-tuning branch positions

Guy wires set at different points to reposition several branches — Layered anchors providing controlled downward pressure

During early repotting, spread young roots across a perforated board and fix them lightly with staples or biodegradable ties. Dust cuts with hormone, cover with a shallow, airy mix, and secure a mesh so moisture stays near the surface while roots run flat.

Lift yearly to redirect coarse roots and widen the container as the radial plate expands.