Five habits that make you better

Here are five habits we repeat in the workshop, and that change a tree more surely than a new tool does.

1. Two wires rather than one thick one

Choose the wire according to how stiff the branch is, not according to a fixed rule. Two thin wires laid together allow tighter curves and protect the bark better. Aluminium for first styling, copper for finishing.

2. The curve that ages the tree

On a juniper, drop the branch with a clear curve at its base, then flatten it towards the front: the mass looks fuller, the tree older.

3. The hierarchy of trunks

In a forest or a multi-trunk, the thickest tree must be the tallest. Prefer naturally curved branches to straight ones.

4. Denser, without smothering

Tilting the shoots slightly upwards strengthens the visual density. Do not overdo it: the inner buds need light.

5. Aftercare once repotted

It counts more than the substrate. Shelter, controlled humidity, preventive treatment, feed suited to the season. Keep some of the old soil: the microbial life is already established in it.