Bonsai Nipping

Nipping, or 'pinching back,' is done to maintain the shape of the bonsai. Nipping not only can prevent a plant from becoming too dense, but also encourage a sparse plant into more foliage growth. Nipping is pinching buds of the plant with one's fingers. This enables the bud to be removed cleanly, whereas clipping with scissors would leave a brown mark on the trunk.

Nipping is a technique that will be done much more often than pruning.

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