AusBonsai

Raymond wrote:I seem to have developed a bad habit when wiring my trees. I consistently wire too tight and the wire bites into the bark before it has done what it was supposed to do. I'm very conscious of my habit, but I continue to make the same mistakes. Advice please...

Are you using 1/3 of the branch/trunk size?
Even if it bites into the bark but not too heavily, it will heal it self over the top. Apply less pressure when wiring

Andrew Legg wrote:Give up bonsai and become a hang-man.

RevoEvoS wrote:

John Henry wrote:Use copper wire and wire looser

wouldn't copper be harder to bend/twist compared to aluminum wire which is easier even if its heavier gauge?

Copper wire sets hard, but starts off quite soft. So is much easier to use... just not so easy to get hold of

Jason wrote:

RevoEvoS wrote:

John Henry wrote:Use copper wire and wire looser

wouldn't copper be harder to bend/twist compared to aluminum wire which is easier even if its heavier gauge?

Copper wire sets hard, but starts off quite soft. So is much easier to use... just not so easy to get hold of

I was told last weekend that it is now available in WA.
Though C.J. and Dianne.

I think the issue here without taking regard to your technique, which i cant comment on without seeing, is that if the wire starts to bite in over time after wiring is not because you are wiring too tight but simply because the branch has grown. This just means you take the wire off again and rewire if the branch has not set. wiring has to be snug to perform its purpose and left as long as it can stay on for before it cuts in then you take it off where it is cutting in... rewire if necessary.

Cutting in wire is not necessarily because of ill technique.

Regards,
Hugh

hugh grant wrote:I think the issue here without taking regard to your technique, which i cant comment on without seeing, is that if the wire starts to bite in over time after wiring is not because you are wiring too tight but simply because the branch has grown. This just means you take the wire off again and rewire if the branch has not set. wiring has to be snug to perform its purpose and left as long as it can stay on for before it cuts in then you take it off where it is cutting in... rewire if necessary.

Cutting in wire is not necessarily because of ill technique.

Regards,
Hugh

Cheers for the reply Hugh. Could I possibly be wiring at the wrong time (as in the middle of the growing season)...

My understanding is that the tree has to be held in position AND grow in that position for it to set. Therefore if the wire starts to cut in but it hasn't set in position yet, you may just have to rewire over another section of the bark (not the same place as the old wire)

That's my understanding anyway

Raymond wrote:

hugh grant wrote:I think the issue here without taking regard to your technique, which i cant comment on without seeing, is that if the wire starts to bite in over time after wiring is not because you are wiring too tight but simply because the branch has grown. This just means you take the wire off again and rewire if the branch has not set. wiring has to be snug to perform its purpose and left as long as it can stay on for before it cuts in then you take it off where it is cutting in... rewire if necessary.

Cutting in wire is not necessarily because of ill technique.

Regards,
Hugh

Cheers for the reply Hugh. Could I possibly be wiring at the wrong time (as in the middle of the growing season)...

From what I know and watching wiring videos, it could be a factor but a branch or tree won't go super crazy in thickening cause of bad wiring.
Depends on the specie you got, faster growth means it will have a tendency to bite in. Slow growth will take longer like a Juniper, wired my around November 2014 and its still hasn't bite in at this time.
You got to ask yourself whether its planted in the ground vs being in a pot, pot takes longer to grow whereas ground tends to be slighly faster in development. No expert but thats what I have read around forums and articles on the net, correct me if I'm wrong

Regards
Allen

I guess I should alter my technique, and see if this makes a difference... I'll let you guys know how I go. Thanks to all those who offered advice and chimed in with some comments.