Getting the Right Tools for Penjing

Before you can start creating penjing, you’ll need to collect the right set of tools for the job. There are many tools that you can use while you make your penjing displays, and this chapter will show you a few of the most important ones.
Small Hand Pruners
A small set of hand pruners is one of the most important tools you can have when creating penjing. As mentioned in earlier chapters, penjing involves the careful shaping and pruning of small trees and other plants. A sharp and sterile set of pruners is the best tool for that essential job.
Scissors
If you cannot access a set of hand pruners, the next-best option is a pair of scissors. Scissors can act in the same way as pruners to remove twigs and branches from your penjing plants. If you choose to use scissors, be sure to go with a pair that is sharp enough to make clean cuts to avoid harming your plant.
Root Rakes and Hooks
Anytime that you plant a tree or grow a tree in a container, such as in penjing, you may face the issue of root binding. Root binding occurs when your plant’s roots run out of growing space and begin to form large tangled root masses. These root masses are not beneficial to your plant’s health and should be managed right away. One of the best ways to fix root binding is to use a small root rake or a root hook. Both of those tools will allow you to gently tease your bound roots to ensure they can spread outward and absorb water and nutrients from the soil as much as they need.
Wire and Wire Cutters
Wires are a useful tool any time you want to train a plant into a specific form, such as is popular in penjing design. You can use wires to tie your plant’s stems in certain directions until the plant is able to hold that desired form on its own. To use wires, you’ll also need reliable wire cutters, which will make it much easier to cut and bend your wires, which you can then use to support and train your plants.
Earthenware Pot
The elements of your penjing display will need a place to live, and an earthenware pot is the ideal setting for that to take place. Earthenware is a special type of pottery, sometimes called terracotta, which is the go-to container material for a traditional penjing display.
Wound Sealant
While you train your penjing plants, you’ll likely need to make many pruning cuts. While these cuts are crucial for your design, each one is technically a small wound to your plant. In normal settings, these wounds are minor enough to heal on their own. However, training penjing plants often involves many cuts, to the point where your plant could be more vulnerable to disease and injury. As such, wound sealant is a vital part of your penjing tool kit. Wound sealant acts as you would expect based on its name. It seals the cuts made from pruning and keeps your plant healthy and safe while it heals those cuts.
Rock Carving Tools
In many penjing displays, rocks are as important as any other element. The stones used in penjing also tend to have special forms that require carving. To perform this carving, you’ll need a set of rock carving tools. These tools will allow you to make the shapes you desire out of your stones and let you achieve the overall appearance you’re striving for with your penjing.