i have recently started a new job and on the estate they have a few large bonsai pine trees not sure on the exact species. not really sure how im suppose to be pruning it so i have left them for the time being
any advice will be much appreciated

Pine pruning techniques are very straightforward, however trying to learn them can be very confusing as there is so much contradictory advice offered in Bonsai publications and books. Unfortunately, different pine species require pruning at slightly different times of the year; different climates will also affect the advancement of Pine growth through the year and this also causes creates confusion when trying to follow advice that has been written for a different climate.

My personal opinion is that it easier to learn to prune pines by observation of the growth pattern of your own tree in your own environment. This ensures that your tree is pruned correctly, at the right time, when your tree is ready; and not simply because it is a certain time of the year.

Pines are extremely apically dominant. This means that their most vigorous area of growth is always towards the top or outer-reaches of the tree. If the tree is left unpruned, all growth will be centred on the apex/top of the tree at the expense of the lower branches and foliage, which, in time will weaken and dieback.

It is better to be conservative when hard-pruning and reducing Pines. Severe reduction without allowing for recovery time can be fatal particularly with old or large trees. Reduce large trunks and/or branches gradually over a number of seasons so that the tree is able to adjust.

it is necessary to start shaping pines from an early age, pines that have left unpruned whilst developing their trunks can have little or no branch structure that is suitable for use when it comes to styling the tree. Often, in these cases grafting is the only way of encouraging branches low down on the trunk.

Hey Eames,

The ideal time for pruning pine trees is the later part of the spring season/early summer, so you have some time to prepa

When the time is right, start by looking out for the dead or injured parts of the tree, remove them from the tree either with the help of a pruning saw or lopping shears and use a pole pruner to get to the higher branches.

Try tu prune the branches that are close the ground first aiming to give a desired shape for the trees.The new growth will come in the form of pine candles, where the center pgrows fast and most noticeably. It has to be pruned by as much as a half, with the help of sharp pruning shears when it is still soft and light green in color. This will result in new buds growing at that site next year.