AusBonsai

Just recently I received some great advice re my first literati attempt with a cedrus deodara. It was commented that with this style that the branches should sweep downwards from the trunk. Since one of my major branches has leaves the trunk with an arching curve upwards it was suggested to me that I undercut the branch. Can I have some advice how to go about doing this please.. Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers
Matt

When you do it do not do them all at once. It is a process that takes time as the sap flow has to find a new path. It is late here and dark.
So a picture of the results of undercutting all the branches at one time, will be taken and posted tomorrow.

If you do more than one at a time the risk is that some branches will die. In extreme cases the whole tree. The other thing to remember, is do it carefully as the cambium layers have to meet, for it to heal properly so you get the desired effect.

Cheers Pup

Presumably, this refers to taking out a V shaped section below a branch and closing up the gap, leaving a bridge of undamaged bark on the topside. I have done this on whole trunks even to correct a shape. I use superglue on the heartwood taking care to avoid the cambium layers. This avoids the necessity of wiring to hold the new shape without movement. A smear of grafting wax or wound sealant is useful to prevent any drying out at the new joint until it grows together again.

copper is better for this job as its stronger but if you don't have copper then use a strong gauge of aluminum, attach the wire to the branch and anchor it to the trunk or a drainage whole, wrap a piece of leather or something around the branch to stop the wire digging. You need a double strand of wire so you can twitch it, make sure the wire is as taut as possible before you start, just make one saw cut about 1/3 through the branch then twitch the wire until the cambium has joined. I reckon one cut will do the job for your tree but if you need more then just saw again in the same place as the first cut and twitch again, make sure when you have finished that the cambium is joined nice and tightly then seal with a thin layer of cut paste. Its a bit hard to describe this process in words so if my instructions are not clear then ask again.
Craigw

Good Morning All,

thanks for theinfo.. as a novice I am a bit confused as what is meant to twitching the wire and the process of undercuttting. If i got it right I am to make a V shapoe cut on the trunk, just and the branch and also expose the cadmium of the branch. I then bring these two together using wire?? sealing it with wound paste or the like?? Where do i leave the bridge of undamaged bark.. is this on the topside of the branch? (confused)

Cutting one thirs into the branch. This is on the underside I presume. Is this in addition to exposing the cadmium on the underside of the branch and if so is the cut made close to the branch. I know...alot of questions from a novice but I appreciate your patience and assistance.

Regards
Matt

This is a very hard technique to explain. All you need to do is put a saw cut in on the side you want to bend it towards. So in your case, the underside. Do this as close to the trunk as possible. Then when you pull the branch down the cambium layers rejoin. If the bend is not enough, once you've pulled it down, you put anothersaw cut in at exactly the same spot you did the first one, and pull itdown again. (twitching is pulling the branch down with the wire.) please note that we suggest using guy wires for this as normal wound wire gets in the way of the saw.

Also you do no damage to the cambium on the top of the branch. This needs to stay intact for the branch to survive.


Please not that I don't guarantee this working. (just a little disclaimer.

You don't cut a v just a saw cut. if the branch is going to crack it will do so at the top of the sawed section so thats the bit to watch.
Craigw

Hi all,

Just found this little bit of information.

Was looking at testdriving this technique on a practice tree before something i actually care about.

i understand the cutting of the branch as close to the trunk as possible - approx 1/3 through.

Do i then make a score or small cut on the trunk so that the cambium of both trunk and branch come together?

Or is the process merely making the exposed underside of the branch graft to the untouched trunk?

Dave

The cambium on either side of the saw cut will meet up when you pull the branch down

Ken

Of course it does...

That makes so much sense now.

Thanks Ken.

Doing this on an oak, would the process of healing take too long, because of their slow rate of growth?

You might like to check out this post too Correcting trunk direction.

Regards,
Steven