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Rocky Mountain Gardening

bending branches

16 years ago

My 'Red Jewel' crabapple that I got last fall has three or four branches that are very "bendy." They go straight out from the tree a foot or so but then start spiraling backward. Maybe from being crammed in with others at the nursery? Anyway, it looks pretty weird.

I was going to cut them off where they start to bend, but my husband said something about bonsai artists using wire to train branches and he thought I could do something similar. Is that possible? And if I should just cut them off, is it too late to do it now, in the middle of leafing out? I guess I would prefer not to cut them if there's an alternative...it would leave the tree looking worse for quite a while. One of the bendy branches is one of the tree's main branches and pretty big already, although still quite flexible. The variety is very columnar to begin with, but I don't want it growing up looking like a candy cane! Thanks. :-)

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Comments (3)

digit
16 years ago
I have only a limited experience wiring branches, Tunny. But, until you get a more knowledgeable response (& you may find that on another forum ;o) here's my experience:

Wiring will indeed shape trees. I've used brass brazing rod. Welders may just call these bronze rods but it seemed a good idea to me to use the ones that aren't coated with flux.

Heavy copper wire and aluminum is what is used by the bonsai people. (I'm sure that bonsai wire can be ordered on the 'net.) Perhaps the heavy stuff available as electrical wiring would be suitable - I just don't know. Plastic insulation should actually help protect the branch and I see on Wikipedia that copper #3 wire is about 1/4" in diameter which is the heaviest gauge that is recommended in the primer on bonsai linked below.

The key for my use was realizing that "heaviness" was a very important factor. You need to be able to bend the wire, that's true, but a branch will put constant pressure on the wire. Using a lighter gauge wire means that the branch will go back to it's original shape fairly quickly. Brazing wire is stronger than copper and such a large gauge shouldn't be necessary.

Don't expect a quick fix if the branch is very strong. You may need to rewire a couple of times. And, of course, the branch may be too mature to even begin the process but you will know that soon enuf.

Now, until you have comments from someone with more knowledge . . .

digitS'

Here is a link that might be useful: bonsai wiring
tunnymowg
Original Author
16 years ago
Wooo thanks digit! Exactly what I needed to get started. I went to Lowe's and got some 12-gauge solid copper wire (wrapped in vinyl). It's not super heavy but the branches are fairly thin and it seems enough to do the job. How long should the wire stay on? Do we take it off after a week or two to check on the progress? Or is it something that will take a number of months?

Thanks again!
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digit
16 years ago
It took probably 6 months when I wired some branches, Tunny.

I think it has to do with the growing season. As the tree grows, it assumes a new shape. Without growth, nothing much changes.

Best of luck!

digitS'

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