Bonsai Tools: To practice the art of Bonsai you must have the proper tools. I am going to list and describe the more common bonsai tools.

When you first start out you will not need all of the tools listed and depending on your level of involvement in Bonsai you may never need them all.

List of common used Bonsai Tools

1- Pruning & Cutting Bonsai Tools

Pruning and cutting tools are used for any cutting that is too heavy to be performed with scissors.

2- Concave Branch Cutter

These are heavy-duty cutters designed similar to bolt cutters. They are used to cleanly and smoothly remove fair sized branches

3- Spherical Knob Cutters

Are similar to the branch cutter except the cutting piece is spherical. These are designed to cut through heavy knobs or knots.

4 piece bonsai toolset: one TinyGreen High-Quality Japanese Butterfly Shear, one TinyGreen Long Handle High-Quality Japanese Ashinaga Shears, one TinyGreen Professional Grade Japanese Concave Cutters, and one TinyGreen Professional Grade Japanese Spherical Knob Cutters.

These tools are individually forged and adjusted to perfection by highly skilled craftsmen. They are widely used by Japanese bonsai club leaders and experts

4- Folding Pruning saw

This is a small rough cut saw that with a blade that folds back into the handle similar to a pocket knife.

They are used for cutting very heavy branches or when you need to cut down the trunk of your bonsai tree.

Read also Common Gardening Tools with Names, Use and Pictures and The Best Gardening Tools for Small Garden

5- Bonsai Tools : Shears

You use shears for many different media to do light-cutting jobs.

Ancient wisdom supports cutting and shaping bonsai trees for peace, stress relief, and creativity, but modern wisdom shows that you need the proper tools to enjoy the most out of the experience.

Whether you’re crafting bonsai branches or taking other cuttings, Hydrofarm’s bonsai shears offer exactly what you need. Reap the true meaning of a quick snip while still getting exact precision in each cut.

6- Woodworking Gouges

Gouges are used for multiple artistic purposes in bonsai.

They are frequently used to remove bark or to score the trunk to simulate natural damage to a tree.

7- Scissors

Scissors are a staple tool for all bonsai enthusiasts, they come in various shapes and sizes to handle various jobs.

8- Leaf Cutting Scissors

Just as the name implies these are used mainly for light work like pruning back or removing leaves.

9- Shoot Trimming Scissors

These are a heavier set of scissors designed for cut small to mid-sized shoots or branches.

10- Heavy Duty Shoot Scissors

These are an even heavier pair of scissors designed for all the shoots that are too large for the regular shoot scissors but too small for a pruner.

11- Potting Tools

The pot that you keep your bonsai in is very important for both its health and proper development.

Bonsai need frequent re-potting and root modification. These are the tools most useful for those tasks.

12- Root Hooks for Bonsai

These are used to separate the root ball into a more manageable form for trimming and pruning.

They are heavy wires bent at one end and usually sharpened to a fair point.

This bonsai root hook can be used to loosen the soil and get the root to unfold.

The root hook has an ergonomically designed wooden handle that fits comfortably in your hand.

13- Potting Trowel

This is just a small garden trowel that will be used to dig and manipulate the soil in your bonsai pot.

14- Soil Scoops

Are small metal or plastic cups with a handle and the open end is cut into a scoop shape. They are used to remove or add soil to the pot.

Brush: Soft brushes are used to lightly clean and maintain the trunk, branches, and leaves of the bonsai.

15- Wire Tools

Wires are frequently used to train the bonsai plant into the proper artistic form.

There is a multitude of tools used to work with wire most of these are available at any hardware or automotive store.

16- Common Wire Snips

These are common wire snips that are frequently used by electricians, they should be heavy enough to handle any of the aluminum wire used for bonsai.

17- Heavy Duty Wire Snips

These are just a heavier version of the snips listed above that might be needed if you are working with some heavier-than-average wire.

18- Pliers

Common household pliers are used for bending and twisting the wire into the proper shape and position.

19- Needle Nose Pliers

These are pliers that come to a fine point and are useful for working in tight confines around the trunk and branches.

Check also The Beginner Guide to Gardening Tools Maintenance

Other Miscellaneous Tools for Bonsai Trees

Some general tools do not fit in any of the other categories.

1- Chop Sticks

These are perfect for tamping and working the soil down around the roots of the tree.

2- Gardeners Knife

This is handy for many of the heavy non-delicate cutting you have to do.

3- Rake

A small rake just like a garden or yard rake except in miniature is used to clean and maintain the surface of the soil.

4- Tweezers

Tweezers are often necessary to work around the limited space on many bonsai.