Juniper Browning

[Japonicus]

What is wrong with wiring? Can you explain? The base of it was started by a teacher(s) and I did some of it on both trees.

Which juniper?

Congruency and accuracy are amiss, but we all have to start somewhere, and those videos
on craftsy will really really help. Play them over and over. bookmark them. Order extra wire to practice with
even on a tree branch you remove in nature can provide good stock to practice on.
Extra household solid wire can be used strictly for practice, but not so good for bonsai if it's
not annealed.

In 1st post there's very little that is correct and kind to the juniper in respect to the wiring.
When it is accurate (which involves more than placement), it is more kind to the branches.
When it is congruent, it works with the branch, anchoring it, and is visually more pleasing or incognito.
It takes a lot of practice, and after 25 years of bonsai, I'm still making mistakes wiring but not as bad.
When the wiring is accurate, then it is more kind, meaning you don't have to overwork the branches
which causes the cambium to fail, which results in death of the branch from that point out.
Enough fails on a single subject, and the subject will fail as a whole.
Both oversized and undersized wire can cause you to overwork a branch.

The shimpaku in post 14 has several wire crosses which creates gaps, but not a deal breaker.
This crossing causes damage to the wood quicker as the tree grows than it does otherwise.
The worst part are the eye pokers extending at the ends of wire. Well it looks bad too.
Also the 1st wire starts at base not big enough for the trunk till mid ways up or higher, and that's ok
but it is the wrong size for that 1st branch by the time you're mid ways out the branch. It is not secured at the
branch end either which looks incomplete. Also, it can come unravelled (branch separates from wire in wind).
Have you not played any of the videos in the link I provided? They will answer your questions about wiring.
Practice will solidify the endeavour. It will all come together with practice.
Try to think of laying the wire on the tree.
Use one hand at the wires outer end (when possible) to lay it on the tree.
Not always possible, but when it is, it makes it much easier to wire.

Wiring, can be considered as one insult if there's much to do.
Oftentimes you'll hear only to carry out one insult per year, and that can be especially good to
heed when learning a species. A teacher in a class may have much history with bonsai and be
able to or know what species is tolerable of both wiring and repotting, or other major work in a years time.
A year is not months 1-12 or a growing season always. You might wire Sept-Dec, then the following Spring
(3 or 4 months away) find yourself needing to repot. If the wiring has caused damage, and the tree needs more vigour
prior to repotting, yet you repot, that could also be a fatal mistake.
So just keep in mind, especially now early on, that wiring could possibly be considered one insult.
Also it bears in mind that it is advantageous to allow the tree to grow displaying vigour (even to bushy looking)
prior to repotting. This allows for more surface area to collect the Suns energy to speed recovery.
Solar panels they call the pads of a tree that needs Sun. Just don't get a bonsai so bushy through neglect
that it shades out interior growth for too long.

Remove foliage from the exterior inwards, more so than the opposite.
Outer ends do not compact the profile, but they do have their jobs as you will learn.
HTH hope that helps some.

 

[Japonicus]

Here is a JWP Adair Martin wired. I know he did not wire it for a prize or he'd done a little better.
But it exemplifies a good wiring job. Adair taught me that wiring at more of a 60º angle when possible
with the correct sized wire, will not only use less wire, but it has less spring to it. The tighter the coiling
(i.e. 45º or less) the more springy and less hold which means higher waste.
Also 60º is more kind to the tree, as you're wrapping much less number of coils = less handling.
Too big of wire and man, you really have to manhandle it = damage.
Too small a wire size, and you have to overwork the branch bending it overly much = damage.
Adair shared this picture when I showed him my JWP which had less accurate wiring done on it, by me

 

[nurvbonsai]

Here is a JWP Adair Martin wired. I know he did not wire it for a prize or he'd done a little better.
But it exemplifies a good wiring job. Adair taught me that wiring at more of a 60º angle when possible
with the correct sized wire, will not only use less wire, but it has less spring to it. The tighter the coiling
(i.e. 45º or less) the more springy and less hold which means higher waste.
Also 60º is more kind to the tree, as you're wrapping much less number of coils = less handling.
Too big of wire and man, you really have to manhandle it = damage.
Too small a wire size, and you have to overwork the branch bending it overly much = damage.
Adair shared this picture when I showed him my JWP which had less accurate wiring done on it, by me
View attachment 594600

Oh wow. Thank you for your responses.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Here is a JWP Adair Martin wired. I know he did not wire it for a prize or he'd done a little better.
But it exemplifies a good wiring job. Adair taught me that wiring at more of a 60º angle when possible
with the correct sized wire, will not only use less wire, but it has less spring to it. The tighter the coiling
(i.e. 45º or less) the more springy and less hold which means higher waste.
Also 60º is more kind to the tree, as you're wrapping much less number of coils = less handling.
Too big of wire and man, you really have to manhandle it = damage.
Too small a wire size, and you have to overwork the branch bending it overly much = damage.
Adair shared this picture when I showed him my JWP which had less accurate wiring done on it, by me

Dropping knowledge. Nice. I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter.