Sealing Cuts of Bonsai Trees

Most of us use bonsai pruning compound (or bonsai cut sealer) to seal the wound of the trunk or branch after we prune our bonsai tree with shears or cutters. Bonsai pruning sealer helps the cut area to retain the valuable moisture required to heal the cut properly and minimize the scar. And moreover, it prevents diseases and insects from affecting our bonsai tree after pruning. So, bonsai pruning sealer is great, a must-have for all bonsai growers.

But, what’s even better than pruning sealer in retaining moist and minimizing the scar of the cut area is aluminum foil tape. Unlike pruning sealer, aluminum foil doesn’t need any time to dry. Hence, we do not have to worry if it gets rainy right after we seal the cuts on our bonsai trees in the garden. In addition, since aluminum foil can protect the cut on the bonsai tree from the sun and keep more moist, the wound often heals faster and nicer than with bonsai pruning sealer.

We should use aluminum foil instead of pruning sealer especially when the cut wound on the bonsai tree is big. On the other hand, when the wound is very small, such as a cut on a small branch of a mini bonsai tree, we should use pruning sealer instead. Aluminum foil cannot stick on an area very well if it is cut into a piece too small (< 5mm).

This is a cut that has healed very nicely, with a flat, natural look.

And here are some ugly ones. People can easily tell that a cut has been made on the bonsai tree.