How To Do Bonsai Wiring Perfectly

Bonsai wiring is key for shaping a bonsai tree. The wire guides the growth and form. Wrap it around the trunk or branches, then bend them where you want. Once the tree holds its shape, remove the wire.

Wiring a bonsai is, alongside pruning, a top technique for forming a bonsai. The aim is to make a young bonsai look aged and dignified.

Bonsai wire cutter

For top-notch bonsai wiring: use minimal wire, but don’t skimp.

Wire shapes the bonsai from the start. Almost every quality bonsai has been wired, often for years. Without wire, precise design is tough.

Bonsai wiring is an ongoing process, done gradually over many years. Special bonsai wire wraps around the trunk, branches, and shoots. Bend the wired areas as desired. Over months, the shape solidifies as the plant thickens and hardens. Then, you can remove the wire.

Unwiring bonsai

Once shaped, the parts usually stay put, especially in trees with quick-woody shoots like spindle trees, pepper trees, azaleas, boxwoods, and maples. Trees with softer wood, like pines and spruces, might spring back a bit. These bonsai may need re-wiring.

Mastering the Art

Bonsai wiring isn’t as tricky as it sounds. Once you grasp the basics, bonsai care and styling are straightforward. The real challenge? Wiring a bonsai. Perfecting this technique without harming the tree is tough and requires a lot of effort.

But here’s the deal: good wiring is crucial for a good bonsai. This technique offers precise control, from trunk movement to tiny shoots. If you’re serious about bonsai, mastering wiring is essential. The reward? Your bonsai looks just how you want it.

Bonsai Wiring Errors

At first, it seems easy: buy bonsai wire, wrap it around a branch, bend, wait, and remove the wire. But it’s not that simple. Beginners often find bonsai wiring frustrating. With practice, you’ll improve, and success will follow. Over time, you’ll find bonsai wiring relaxing, a great escape from everyday stress.

Why is Good Bonsai Wiring Technique Important?

Bonsai wiring is essential for shaping and styling.

If it’s done poorly, achieving the exact bend you want is impossible.

Good wiring means:

• Stress avoidance: It provides better stabilization when bending branches.
• Preventing damage: It helps avoid breaks and bark damage.
• Aesthetic value: Well-laid wire stays discreet and doesn’t disrupt the tree’s appearance.
• Exhibition readiness: A properly wired bonsai is accepted at exhibitions.

How is a Bonsai Wired Correctly?

Timing matters: Wire the bonsai at the right time of the year.

Health first: Only wire healthy and strong bonsai trees.

Choose wisely: Select the right bonsai wire (aluminum or copper).

Size it right: Determine the correct wire size for each branch.

Proper length: Cut the right length from the roll.

Secure the wire: Fix one end in the ground or on a branch.

Direction: Always start from bottom to top and inside to outside.

Pressure control: Wrap the wire tightly but not too tightly.

Angle: Wire branches at a 45° angle, with few exceptions.

No crossing: Avoid crossing wires, as it can squeeze the branch.

Wrap with care: Always wrap the wire in the direction you want to bend the branch.

Secure well: Use your fingers to fix the wire as you wrap.

Bend positioning: Place the wire on the outside of a bend.

Monitor growth: Watch the bonsai to ensure the wire doesn’t grow into the bark.

Unwire in time: When the wire starts pressing into the bark, it’s time to unwire.

Single use: Don’t reuse bonsai wire, especially copper.

Proper tools: Use a bonsai wire cutter to remove the wire.

When to Wire Your Bonsai: Season Matters

Bonsai wiring is a critical technique, but when you do it can make all the difference. Most bonsai tree species can be wired anytime, but each season has its perks and pitfalls for both the tree and the stylist. With many species and varying climates, it’s tough to give a one-size-fits-all rule.

Wiring and bending branches cause small cracks in the bark and cambium layer. In the growing season, these injuries heal quickly, solidifying the new branch position in deciduous trees in just a few weeks. Outside this period, it takes much longer.

Fast-growing species like redwood, most maples, and elms adapt quickly in the growing season. Slower growers like white pines, junipers, and spruces, or softwood trees like larch, take more time regardless of wiring season.

Spring

• Ideal for outdoor bonsai.
• Before budding, branches are visible, and leaves don’t interfere with wiring.
• Be careful with large leaf or flower buds.
• April-May brings rapid growth, quick healing, and solidification of the new shape.
• Regularly check wires to prevent them from cutting into branches.
• Many deciduous species like spindle trees and azaleas solidify their new positions quickly.

Summer

• Second best for deciduous bonsai.
• Leaves make branch structure analysis and wiring tricky.
• Main growth is over, so wires can stay longer without cutting in.
• Trees still grow enough to heal wounds and stabilize the new shape.
• Some enthusiasts remove all leaves before wiring.
• Careful wiring is needed as the cambium layer is active, making bark detach easily with strong bends.

Autumn

• Early autumn is good in warmer areas like Italy, southern France, Spain, and the UK.
• Growth slows, leaves fall or can be removed, making wiring easier.
• Wire can stay until next April-May.
• New buds are small, reducing the risk of damage during wiring.

Winter

• Worst for areas with heavy frost.
• Wounds heal poorly as trees are in resting phase.
• Indoor bonsai or those in frost-free, bright spots can be wired.
• Winter wiring for indoor bonsai in normal apartments is not ideal due to slow growth.
• Best to wait until spring.
• In warmer areas or greenhouses, wiring in winter is fine.

Indoor and Evergreen Conifers

• Indoor bonsai from subtropics like ficus, privet, and Podocarpus can be wired year-round if in bright greenhouses.
• Evergreen conifers like white pines can be wired from spring to early autumn.
• Regularly check wires to prevent them from cutting into branches in early summer.
• In winter, a frost-free location is advisable if wires remain on the tree.

Wire Types for Bonsai Wiring

Wire Comparison

When it comes to bonsai wiring, you have two main choices: anodised aluminium and annealed copper. Forget about using telephone or electric cables, and definitely steer clear of steel wire.

Selecting the Right Wire

Before diving in, pick the right type. Both aluminium and copper wires have their pros and cons.

Aluminium is perfect for beginners and for bonsai with thin bark. Copper is for the more advanced folks and trees with thick bark. It’s also the go-to for bonsai that need to be wired before an exhibition.

Choosing the Right Wire Size

For wiring a bonsai, the common sizes are 1.0mm, 1.5mm, 2.0mm, and 2.5mm aluminium wire.

• Small Trees: Use 100g per strength.
• Larger Trees: Go for 250g.

The wire must be thick enough to hold the branch in place but thin enough to work with. For aluminium wire, it should be about half the thickness of the branch. Copper wire should be about half as strong as aluminium.

Different branches need different wire thicknesses. If a wire is too weak, you can wrap a second wire around the branch.

One strength can handle two branches if they’re the same thickness. The wire length should be about a third longer than the branch.

Testing Wire Thickness

Here’s a quick test: Hold the wire in your fingers and let about 2-3cm stick out. Press the end against the branch. If it bends easily, it’s too thin.

If you use wire that’s too thin, the branch will snap back to its original position. In this case, replace it with a stronger wire or add a second wire between the gaps of the first one.

Tree Species and Wire Size

The wire size you need also depends on the tree species. Different trees have different requirements.

Step-by-Step Guide to Bonsai Wiring

1. Fix a Wire End

When starting, always anchor one end of the bonsai wire in the ground or around a branch. For ground anchoring, push the wire 4-5 cm into the soil, preferably behind the tree. However, wrapping it around a branch is more stable.

2. Wire from Strong to Weak

Apply the wire from the bottom to the top or inside to outside, starting with the stronger parts of the bonsai and moving to the weaker parts. Wrap clockwise or counterclockwise based on the desired bend direction. For example, anchor at point A, wrap upwards around the trunk (B), then wire branches C and D outwards.

3. Wrap the Wire Tight

Ensure the wire is wrapped tightly but not too forcefully.

Common Error: If the wire is too loose, it won’t hold the branch’s position after bending.

4. Wire at a 45° Angle

Wrap the wire at about a 45° angle. This uses less wire and provides high bending stability.

Common Error: Too many turns at a small angle won’t support the branch effectively.

5. Avoid Crossing the Wire

Never cross the wire, as this can damage the bark.

Common Error: Incorrect wire fixing and crossing can create pressure points and damage the tree.

6. Apply Wire in the Bending Direction

For counterclockwise bending, wrap the wire in that direction. For clockwise bending, wrap the wire clockwise.

Applications of Bonsai Wire

Bonsai Wiring: Mainly used for wrapping branches and forming shapes by bending.

Pull Down Technique: For downward bending, use thin wire (1mm aluminum) to pull the branch down and attach it to the pot or another branch/root.

Cover Nets Attachment: Use wire to secure cover nets over the water holes in bonsai pots, preventing them from slipping during potting.

Wire Corset for Stronger Branches: Before bending stronger branches, bandaging with wire reduces the risk of breaking.

Thickening Plant Parts: Wrap wire around thinner stems to promote thickening. Remove the wire before it grows in to avoid unsightly stripes. This technique is common with Japanese White Pines but requires timely wire removal to prevent damage.

Bracing of Branches: Use wire bandages for additional support when necessary.

Wire Bandage (Pine): A method for reinforcing branches.

Fastening the Cover Grille: Secure the cover grille in place using wire.

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