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I\u2019ve noticed that some bonsai trees that are wrapped with wire and others aren\u2019t. I wondered if the unwired ones used to be wired, or if the wired ones started off unwired but weren\u2019t growing properly and needed some help. So here I\u2019m looking at why you might need to wire a bonsai tree to help me to understand why I’m doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So why do you wire a bonsai tree? One of the aims in bonsai is to create a miniature tree that looks like a full-sized tree when viewed from a distance. Wiring a bonsai tree lets you recreate the movement and shape of the full-sized tree, and it\u2019s an important part of the art of bonsai.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There are lots of forces and factors that naturally produce the shape of a full-sized that are difficult to replicate in the miniature bonsai tree. Wiring lets us recreate the look of the fill sized tree and there are a number of things to consider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By \u201cwhen to start\u201d I\u2019m thinking more of the stage in the life of the tree when you start to wire tree rather than the time year that you would do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the young tree develops from a sapling the classic bonsai tree shape can start to be achieved with careful pruning. The desired effect is for the trunk to be thick at the bottom, tapering evenly as you move upwards into the branches. This make the bonsai resemble a full-sized tree viewed from a distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Careful wiring enables you to introduce the appearance of movement into the bonsai tree. Before starting to wire your tree some decisions need to be made about the final design, or style, of the tree. So, the placement of the wiring will differ depending on whether the tree is intended for an upright or slanted style, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wiring lets you apply forces in various directions to the growing sapling, and this force can be maintained by leaving the wiring in place. Opinions seem to vary about when to start wiring bonsai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In my experience, which is still quite limited, the best time to start training the tree with wire is when the trunk and branches have been established but can still be bent fairly easily. At this stage they can be bent a little and return to their original shape when let go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This lets you hold the trunk or branch in the position you want while you apply the wire. The wire then holds the tree in the shape you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the tree grows the trunk and branches develop \u201csecondary thickening\u201d, which is a \u201cwoody\u201d layer around the outside layer of the trunk and branches. The \u201cnew wood\u201d thickens the trunk and branches and gradually hardens as lignin is produced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This secondary thickening supports the structure of the tree, and holds the trunk and branches in the position you chose with the wiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The main requirements for bonsai wire are that it is thick enough to hold the trunk and branches in the desired position as the tree grows, that it won\u2019t damage the bark of the tree, and that is can be repositioned or removed easily if required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The two main options for bonsai wire seem to be anodized aluminum and annealed copper. You probably know what aluminium and copper are, but what about the anodized and annealed parts?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anodizing applies an outer oxide covering to the aluminium, which is a bit like rust on iron. With aluminium this oxide covering helps the aluminium become more resistant to corrosion. Annealing of the copper wire seems to make it more useful for bonsai as it bends easily the first time (when you are wrapping it around the tree) then holds it\u2019s shape from that point on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The type of tree seems to help determine which type of wire to use: aluminium for deciduous trees and copper for evergreen conifer types of tree. This seems to be because the harder copper wire can hold the more flexible conifer trunks and branches more tightly. People also seem to recommend the softer aluminium wire for beginners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bonsai wire is available in various thicknesses, or gauges. I\u2019ve been trying different thicknesses of wire and the thing that seems to determine how thick the wire needs to be is whether it seems to be holding the branch or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the wire is too thin it\u2019s not going to be able to exert enough force. If it\u2019s too thick you might not be able to bend it to the required shape and not damage the tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A rule of thumb seems to be that for annealed copper wire the thickness should be around a quarter to a third of the thickness of the branch you are working with. For anodises aluminium wire it needs to be little thicker, around a third to a half of the diameter of the branch. This may be just a suggestion, but it appears to makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen Should You Start Wiring Your Bonsai Tree?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Type of Wire Should You Use?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How Thick Should the Wire Be?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t5 Roll Aluminum Bonsai Training Wire Tree 160 Feet Total with Bonsai Wire Cutter Anodized Wire 1\/1.5\/2.0 mm Training Wire for Holding Bonsai Branches Small Trunks<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t$14.99<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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