tmjudd1
Mame
I'm curious if such an operation, as shown in the image, would work, or not work if I wished to 'abruptly' re-direct a branch?
Abrupt Re-Direction of branches
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Dav4
Drop Branch Murphy
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It can be done with conifers, and perhaps some tropicals. I wouldn't try this with a maple.
Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
There is a video of Ryan Neil doing that to a sylvestris pine somewhere.
But the pine did not survive the procedure (unless someone just forgot to post a follow up in +/-6 years of active youtube comments).
I think it could work, but I am not going to risk it. If the professionals fail sometimes, then I'll fail all of the times.
But the pine did not survive the procedure (unless someone just forgot to post a follow up in +/-6 years of active youtube comments).
I think it could work, but I am not going to risk it. If the professionals fail sometimes, then I'll fail all of the times.
tmjudd1
Mame
I'm thinking Chinese Elm for this one. I have one that has some really neat, evil, Halloween'ish character to some of it's naturally crazy branching. To be able to do this, artificially, to just one more branch, that mother nature failed to wickedly form, on her own, would make it just right! 
Dav4
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SNAPPP!I'm thinking Chinese Elm for this one. I have one that has some really neat, evil, Halloween'ish character to some of it's naturally crazy branching. To be able to do this, artificially, to just one more branch, that mother nature failed to wickedly form, on her own, would make it just right!
bonsaichile
Omono
Clip and grow is probably your best way to imitate the natural development of the other branchesI'm thinking Chinese Elm for this one. I have one that has some really neat, evil, Halloween'ish character to some of it's naturally crazy branching. To be able to do this, artificially, to just one more branch, that mother nature failed to wickedly form, on her own, would make it just right!
0soyoung
Imperial Masterpiece
It can be done because, as long as there is a continuous line of cambium, it can 'heal'. The union across the cut, however, will be mechanically weak for a long time, Hence, it is most suitable for redirecting a branch downward, where gravity will tend to hold the cut surfaces together. Conversely, it is not a good way to redirect a branch abruptly upward,
If you are going to try such stuff, I suggest that you wire the branch first, then make the cut. There is a lot of jiggling involved in wiring that all too easily damages what cambium is left.
Further, if you want to make such abrupt redirects, I think it works out better to just bend the wired branch to the point it snaps, then promptly cover the break with parafilm or saran (remove the saran after 15 days or so). Alternatively, wrap the branch with self-amalgamating silicone tape (from big box or auto parts stores), then wire, then bend to snap, if you are doing this by plan/expectation. These films will prevent desiccation of the exposed cambium by the break and, in a sense, promote rapid healing.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
I don't know if it works with pine. I will attempt and report the results. In my youth I saw a penjing master do V notch many times with ficus in multiple directions to branches up to 6 inch in diameter. He set up the cables and turnbuckles ahead of time. Then he cut the V and pull the branch to close. When the sides started to touch, he used a thin kerf pull saw to repeatedly cut right at the seam, cleaning the saw often. He told me that's the way to make a tight seam. When the seam was closed tight, he rubbed fresh sap from the rubber tree to seal and then he put on a steel splint and wrapped it tight with cloth. The branch was then kept kept in place for a year. Most of them survived but I also saw some died.
Les Lonsdale
Seedling
I have done many wedge cuts on many variety of trees with about 90% success rate. The largest was a chinese elm with a trunk with a 4 inch girth. I nailed a piece of leather in the back to support the remaining cambium, and after a year, counter-sunk several screws to hold both sections of trunk together. The screw holes heal over eventually.
chansen
Shohin
No need to cut a wedge, easier just to cut a kerf (a slit made by cutting with a saw) in the branch and bend. If you need more re-direction, cut more of them. You're more likely to get the cambium together and have it heal, vs. the wedge cut.
Les Lonsdale
Seedling
In my opinion that would take too long to get much of an angle. If I do a wedge cut, it's because I want a pretty decent angle. If you get the 2 cuts right (which takes practice), the cambiums meet well and it heals up without a large scar. I have trees that now I can't even see the scars from the cuts.
Melospiza
Shohin
I have seen plenty of blog posts about using notches to bend branches. Here is a good example done on hawthorn. http://bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATBendingThickBranchesTwo page2.html
James W.
Chumono
I wonder if this technique would work on a spruce? to but a bend in a 3 inch trunk?
Dav4
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yes
James W.
Chumono
Would it work to leave a branch on the outside of the bend? Or maybe just below or above would be better?
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Above for sure, below may be detrimental.
More important would be the next branch up on the inside, where healing is needed. Planning for a sac there would be best.
But ....
How will this look afterward anyhow?
I think it would be a very rare case this would help anything. Taking into account what this tree can be without it, and what another tree may be able to satiate, as far as your need for this bent style tree.
Sorce
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Yup, never seen one healed after such notching look good, except for downward bends
Rivka
Shohin
Does anyone have direct knowledge of the success of wedge cuts in mountain hemlock?
in my case its a 3” trunk, nursery stocked Ive had in a grow box for a year. i have lots of height leverage to work with that will be coming off later.
in my case its a 3” trunk, nursery stocked Ive had in a grow box for a year. i have lots of height leverage to work with that will be coming off later.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Personally, I would opt for working with a removal of the wood core through a small slit in the inside of the intended bend, keeping as much of the bark and the outer wood intact as possible
Rivka
Shohin
yeah i have a number of very clean cut off disk type rotary tools. Im a metal worker by training and a tool junkie by hobby. So my plan was likely to
•make a initial smaller angle wedge than needed (but close to as deep as needed) cut to set the direction and placement
• then rebar and block it up for bending
•Then plan on doing whatever needed kerf cuts to close tightly to the final angle
by using a thin sharp rotary cutter, i shake and wiggle a lot let when cutting and reduce wobble in the cut, or chipping off too much bark. I also appreciate how well they pull the sawdust out of the cut, in part due to consistent rotation in the same direction.
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