WIRING

Wiring is the process of wrapping wire around the trunk or branches to bend the wood and have it stay there after it grows. Wiring modifies the shape of the tree, but it does not dwarf the tree. Use annealed copper wire or copper colored aluminum wire, which can be purchased though bonsai vendors. Basic wiring rules follow; but it would be best to read more in a good bonsai book and to practice wiring and bending branches on woody branches and twigs cut from yard trees. The best description of wiring I've seen is in the first issue of Bonsai Today magazine.

If you use copper wire, it should be about 1/3 the diameter of the branch. For the same strength, aluminum wire must be thicker than copper. The wire should be as long as the branches to be wired, plus 1/3 extra. Wire the trunk first, then the larger branches, then the smaller. As you wire smaller branches, use smaller wire. The wire must be anchored. To do so, wrap the wire around the trunk or a larger branch at least two times. When wiring the trunk, first shove the wire into the soil to anchor it. When wiring branches, the easiest way to anchor the wire is to wire two branches with the same piece. Select two branches that are the same diameter on different parts of the tree. Do not select two branches directly across from each other because when you move one branch, you will break the other. Between the bases of the two smaller branches to be wired, wrap the wire around the larger branch or trunk at least 1 1/2 times and anchor it to the base of one of the smaller branches. Next, wire the other small branch. Then go back and finish wiring the first small branch. The loops of wire should be at about a 45 degree angle to the branch or trunk (including the part of the wire that is the anchor) and should be evenly spaced. The wire should barely touch the branch but not press into it. Practice bending the wire around your finger, not pulling it against your finger.

As you wrap, hold the part of the branch you just wired to stabilize it. Only wrap woody branches, not green sprouts; and do not wire over leaves or needles. Do not cross wires; this takes some planning when you are anchoring wires to branches that are already wired. Wire should be applied so that when you move the branch into place the wire gets tighter instead of getting looser and creating gaps. Thus, you must wire the branch so that the loop of wire is on the outside of the planned bend. If you are lowering a branch, the first part of the wire where it touches the branch should be on top. If raising the branch, the wire should start underneath. If you want to twist a branch, make the wire spiral in the same direction as the twist so that it will get tighter when you twist.

After the wire is applied, move the branch into place. Do this by supporting both sides of the bend and then bending the wire. Use thumb pressure to stabilize the branch. Decide ahead of time where you want the branch, put it there and leave it. Do not bend it back and forth because you might damage the cambium layer all around and kill the branch. It is usually easier to bend branches when the tree is dry, so do not water the tree before you wire it. After you wire the tree, water it and protect it by keeping it out of the wind and direct sun for a couple days. Wiring may be done just about anytime, but it is probably best to wire in the late winter or early spring, perhaps when you prune. You should avoid wiring when the new leaf or flower buds are opening because it is easy to damage them. Also, do not wire if the tree isn't healthy because bending the branches will increase the stress to the tree. Don't wire or otherwise work on a tree that is frozen.