Clip and Grow Appreciation Thread

[sorce]

A few clip and grow Loropetalum Penjing or maybe Bunjin style gets kind of blurry for me .

Truck looks clip and grow!

Sorce

 

[cmeg1]

Has anyone seen a Lingnan type clip and grow japanese black pine?

If my Bonsai Today memory serves me well…

I’m sure it can be done

 

[Blksmth88]

For me, I feel like you have to have a nice balance, and of course it depends on what look you want to go for. I can appreciate any tastefully manipulated tree. Be it CG or wired. I've seen both that I'd be honored to have had any part in. But for me I like the approach of using both as tools in the arsenal. I will say that I have a couple trees that if I didn't use wire to set some initial branch placements, then it would have been quite a long time before I got the look I was after. So wiring has been a real time saver for me in a few cases. (So much for the patients part) I'm still learning new things all the time so who knows! My opinion may change. For now though i try to keep wiring as a last resort.

 

[jerzyjerzy]

I use clip-and-grow a lot. It is not only about directionality, but also about much better, more natural taper. But it is just one of the tools to achieve the final look of the tree.

I watch some of Nigel's videos, and I just crunch my teeth sometimes when he cuts a branch off because it is not growing in a perfect direction, hoping that the next one (non-existing yet) will be better suited for his plan. I cannot stand it because it would be enough just to wire the branch to get the needed effect right now, instead of (maybe) in two more years.

I know - time, patience, etc. but wiring and CG are just tools, and refusing to use one for a dogmatic reason is like tying one leg. I can do it, sure, but why?

 

[Cajunrider]

I use clip-and-grow a lot. It is not only about directionality, but also about much better, more natural taper. But it is just one of the tools to achieve the final look of the tree.

I watch some of Nigel's videos, and I just crunch my teeth sometimes when he cuts a branch off because it is not growing in a perfect direction, hoping that the next one (non-existing yet) will be better suited for his plan. I cannot stand it because it would be enough just to wire the branch to get the needed effect right now, instead of (maybe) in two more years.

I know - time, patience, etc. but wiring and CG are just tools, and refusing to use one for a dogmatic reason is like tying one leg. I can do it, sure, but why?

Yep. Choosing between clip and grow only and wiring only like trying to select which arm to tie behind our back when heading into a fight with mother nature to make a tree grow the way we want.

 

[Maiden69]

I think it depends on what the vision for the tree is, and the growth characteristics of the species. If I tried clip and grow developing a ficus tiger bark that I want to look wide and powerful I will probably get nowhere. As every branch that I have cut on a ficus grows about 1/2" out then shoots straight up. All my elms tend to grow out so it would be a good candidate. On the ficus, once the silhouette and primary secondary branching is set, then yes, probably clip and grow will work.

 

[Lutonian]

clip and grow can make direction changes at the nodes and wire can make direction changes between nodes as well as repositioning whole branches, we should be thinking about directional pruning with each cut and using wire. why wouldnt you use both?

 

[Blksmth88]

I use clip-and-grow a lot. It is not only about directionality, but also about much better, more natural taper. But it is just one of the tools to achieve the final look of the tree.

I watch some of Nigel's videos, and I just crunch my teeth sometimes when he cuts a branch off because it is not growing in a perfect direction, hoping that the next one (non-existing yet) will be better suited for his plan. I cannot stand it because it would be enough just to wire the branch to get the needed effect right now, instead of (maybe) in two more years.

I know - time, patience, etc. but wiring and CG are just tools, and refusing to use one for a dogmatic reason is like tying one leg. I can do it, sure, but why?

Oh I agree lol. Plus with a ficus which is his usual tree he annoys me with on the subject. Wire for even a couple months would give him the result without bite in. Those branches set quick if they aren't huge. So It would literally be un noticable lol. But yea man this drives me nuts. Ill yell at the TV, just wire it over! Or pull it down with guy wire!!! Big cut coming up... CHOP! Just like that.... sighhh.. And generally what I've seen is it's not that much movement that he needs to get the branch where he wants. so it still prob wouldn't have left a wired look. But then he won't hesitate to use a rock or stick to hold a root in place or guide it to where he wants. As long as it isn't wire it's fair game. I still watch him though and I still enjoy his work and progress, as well as his presentation quality. But the anti wire approach and how he won't even entertain the idea is my only gripe.

 

[leatherback]

Big cut coming up... CHOP! Just like that.... sighhh..

do not forget the need to keep peoples attention when making video