Can You Use Regular Pruning Shears On A Bonsai, Or Do You Need Bonsai Tools?

When it comes to pruning a bonsai, people often think you need the special bonsai tools to do the job, but the truth is you can pretty much use anything.

Of course bonsai tools will be better suited for the job but when you are just starting out you can use all sorts of different tools and it will be totally fine.

You Can Use “Normal” Tools On Bonsai

For a lot of the work we do in bonsai, the normal everyday gardening tools are going to me more than enough to get the job done.

When you look at what bonsai work is, it’s not much different to a lot of other types of gardening. We are just letting our trees grow and pruning it back when it gets too out of control.

The main difference between a well pruned hedge and a bonsai is that we take our time to look at our trees structure in extreme detail and we make a decision on every little branch, where a hedge you just blindly prune it …however, the pruning, and therefore the pruners can be the same.  

This is especially true when you are developing a tree, where you are basically growing the tree to get bigger (so you can reduce it later) so you can really use any normal tools for this.    

Bonsai Tools Still Have Their Place

While you can do 99% of bonsai work with normal tools, actual bonsai tools still have their place and you shouldn’t dismiss them.

The more refined your tree becomes, the more refined your work needs to be, which means you need more refined tools and this is exactly what bonsai tools are for.

You are going to get very clean cuts with bonsai tools and they are going to do much more precise work which is going to cause less damage to your tree and give you a better end result.

Normal tools can be great for making rough cuts and leaving stubs on your branches. You can leave these alone for a while and allow the tree to die back and compartmentalise itself below the stub, then you can come back later with bonsai tools and clean up the stubs.

(You can read more about – A Guide To Beginner Bonsai Tools)

Using Scissors On Bonsai

One of the most common bonsai tools are “bonsai scissors”, but are these any different to any other sort of scissor? The honest answer is both yes and no.

Some bonsai scissors are literally identical to any other type of scissor, while others may be shaped a little differently. You can get quit long ones and these can be useful. They allow you be able to reach deep into the tree, while your hands can stay far back and out of the way, but you can still find normal scissors that can do this too.

I will often hear “bonsai scissors are sharper, so you need to use them” I will agree that the scissors you use need to be sharp. That is important, but saying bonsai scissors are sharper is the stupidest thing I have ever head. Any type of scissor can be sharp or blunt …just make sure you are using sharp ones so it makes the cleanest cut and causes the least damage to your tree.

The only other thing to take into consideration with scissors is the size. Just use something that is appropriately sized that can cut cleanly through the branch you are cutting.

It really doesn’t matter what type of scissors you use, so long as they are sharp and are the right size for the job, it doesn’t matter what they are supposed to be for.

Using Garden Shears On Bonsai

Most people own a pair of garden shears and they are commonly used by beginners in bonsai. They are going to get the job in the majority of situations and are totally perfect if you are trying to prune something and leave a stub.

They are designed for cutting plants so shears are also usually quite sharp and will cut well.

The only problem you will have is that they can be quite big and bulky, so it can be hard to get in to certain places. Although as I said, if you are developing your tree and only making rough cuts and leaving stubs, shears are total fine.

You can come back later with bonsai tools and clean up the stubs. If the only tool you have access to now is shears, just use those for now.  

Using Loppers On Bonsai

Loppers are pretty hardcore, but they can have their place in bonsai.

You are probably going to find them very beneficial if you are growing your tree in the ground. You can easy prune the tree back and perform a trunk chop with loppers and you will also find that they help when you are digging the tree out of the ground.

Loppers can quickly reduce the size of the tree and also help you cut though any really thick roots that are making your life difficult when you are trying to remove the tree.

However, once your tree is in a pot, you probably won’t be using loppers very much. You may use them for an extreme trunk chop, but I would say you would probably just use a saw in this instance. 

Using Saws On Bonsai

You can get special saws for bonsai, but you can do a lot of the work with normal saws.

The real issue will be the size, you will struggle to get a full size saw into a lot of areas. If you are just making rough cuts that don’t need to be super precise, then a full size saw may be fine.  I often use them to remove air layers and its fine.

Once you want to get into a smaller, tighter area and be more precise, then you will need a smaller saw, which is when you would need a bonsai saw.

Don’t Use The Same Tools For Pruning And Root Work

While using regular tools on your bonsai is fine, just make sure you are not using the same tool for pruning both the branches and pruning the roots.

Pruning roots can really make your tools dull since they are usually going to be cutting through mud and dirt. This becomes more of a problem when you then use these dull and damaged tools on your branches and end up making really bad cuts.

It’s just easier to have a separate pair for any root work, then your pruners for the top of the tree can stay sharper for longer.

Basically it doesn’t matter what tools you use for your bonsai …just make they are sharp and can cut well.  

(You can read more about – Pruning Aftercare Advice For Your Bonsai)

Conclusion

As you can now see, using any normal garden tool is going to be totally fine for your bonsai, especially in the beginning. So long as they are sharp they will get the job done.

As your tree develops and becomes more refined you will of course need to start using bonsai tools to get more precise and refine cuts, but there is no real rush to make this transition. You can go pretty far with just normal tools.

(You can read more about – How To Prune A Bonsai Tree – A Beginners Guide)