Let’s do some science – a very straight forward experiment. All other things being equal, what difference do a few weeks make in terms of when you choose to prune spring growth?
Bonsai teachings say we wait to prune new growth until the spring leaves are hardened off. This is a gray area at best for most species, so what is it that we are really waiting for? Or put another way, what does hardening off signal that makes this a good time to prune? Ryan Neil speaks in terms of the tree being energy positive, having regained the resources spent through the winter and the spring flush. If waiting to prune allows the tree to build energy, might waiting longer result in more energy stores that can be measured in stronger growth the following year?
The subject of the experiment will be two boxwood trees, genetically identical, very near…
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