Wiring
Wiring is a great way to enhance the overall appearance of your bonsai. You can add the look of age, the effects of harsh weather, or simply maintain and refine new growth with proper wiring.
When to Wire
Wiring can be done at anytime, however some seasons are better than others. For example: it is best to wire conifers when they are dormant (fall-spring), deciduous before leaf buds unfold in spring or before they go dormant in fall, and evergreens can be wired throughout the year.
For How Long
You will need to check on a regular basis to make sure that the branches have not grown to the point that the wire is cutting into them as this produce scarring on the tree that may take years to disappear. Otherwise wiring will need to stay on for as long as it takes for that branch to stay in the position you desire. This greatly depends on the species of tree, quality of wood, and age. Young and flexible branches are more prone to holding their form than older thicker branches. If the desired result is not reached before your tree starts to outgrow the wiring, remove it and rewire later.
How to Remove Wire
Although it is possible to unwind the wire, it is best to cut it off in small pieces using wire cutters (see Tools page) as this minimizes the chances of causing bark damage.
Wire Types and Thickness (Gauges)
The most common wires are copper or aluminum. Copper is stronger and more attractive in color thus being better soothed for supporting flexible conifer wood. Aluminum wire is silver in color and unnatural looking but is lighter and softer thus better soothed for deciduous trees.
Wire comes in many different thicknesses, so be sure to use the correct thickness for your branches. Wire should be approximately between 1/6th and 1/3rd the diameter of the wood, but take into consideration the age and resistance of the wood you are working with.
Wiring techniques
Wiring is probably the most time consuming task for beginners and takes a lot of time and practice to master. This being said, it is very important that regardless of how long it takes, wiring must be done properly to ensure that it is effective and does not damage the tree.; speed will eventually come.
To start wiring, prepare various gauges of wire, wire cutters, and possibly pliers to hold the wire and finish off the ends. Cut wire 1 and a 1/3rd the length of the wood you plan on wiring. The extra 1/3rd will allow you to wrap the wire around at a 45 degree angle [best angle for wiring (See picture)].
Wiring the Trunk
To start wiring from the trunk, anchor the wire by inserting one end of the wire into the soil directly behind the tree and making one loop around the base of the trunk nearly parallel to the soil. Next make the first coil up the trunk and continue wiring at 45 degree angles. If you need to add a second wire for extra strength, wire close to the first wire, but never overlap wires as this is ineffective.
Wiring Branches
Always start wiring branches at the lowest level of the trunk first and wire up. To wire the branch lowest to the soil, anchor one end of the wire into the soil, wrap around the trunk (running parallel to trunk wire), and then bend out and wire the branch. Once the lowest branch is wired, wire the remaining branches by wrapping a single wire around the trunk for support and using it to wire two branches. To support branch tips or buds, wrap the remaining wire back on itself and wind around branch. Never cross two wires; if extra strength is needed, wrap a second wire parallel to first wire.
To start wiring, prepare various gauges of wire, wire cutters, and possibly pliers to hold the wire and finish off the ends. Cut wire 1 and a 1/3rd the length of the wood you plan on wiring. The extra 1/3rd will allow you to wrap the wire around at a 45 degree angle [best angle for wiring (See picture)].
Wiring the Trunk
To start wiring from the trunk, anchor the wire by inserting one end of the wire into the soil directly behind the tree and making one loop around the base of the trunk nearly parallel to the soil. Next make the first coil up the trunk and continue wiring at 45 degree angles. If you need to add a second wire for extra strength, wire close to the first wire, but never overlap wires as this is ineffective.
Wiring Branches
Always start wiring branches at the lowest level of the trunk first and wire up. To wire the branch lowest to the soil, anchor one end of the wire into the soil, wrap around the trunk (running parallel to trunk wire), and then bend out and wire the branch. Once the lowest branch is wired, wire the remaining branches by wrapping a single wire around the trunk for support and using it to wire two branches. To support branch tips or buds, wrap the remaining wire back on itself and wind around branch. Never cross two wires; if extra strength is needed, wrap a second wire parallel to first wire.
Branch injury
If at any point during wiring you hear cracking sounds coming from your tree, stop wiring and check for visible cracks. If there are no visible cracks, chances are wood under the bark cracked. If this is the case, stop wiring and let your tree heal for a season then try again next season. If you see visible cracks, but the branch is intact, carefully join the cracked wood together, apply tree paste, wrap the cracked wood with raffia or garden tape, and do not wire for a year .Most likely the tree should be able to heal itself over the course of a year. If the branch breaks off or the tree doesn’t heal, you can either prune the remainder of the branch off entirely or only until the last set of branching out branches.