OUCH...Guy wires can cut in

[Newish in Oregon]

I was fortunate to get Bill Valvanis' guidance [wire one branch up as a new apex; wire the other down to create a cascade] on what to do with this maple. Unfortunately, it was my hands doing the work...

New Apex
I started out trying to wire the branch and realized it would be easier using a guy wire. That worked nicely [mid-March 2023]. Checked it this weekend to see if I could get it more vertical and discovered significant biting in. OUCH I moved the wire higher but suspect it's going to take a loooong time to heal.

Cascade
I was too aggressive applying a guy wire and cracked the branch. Abandoned the guy wire and bound the cracked branch with twine. My 'splint' supported the branch nicely and it grew well. After seeing what my guy wire did to the new apex, I took a close look at the 'splint'- sure enough, significant biting in. I removed the twine and discovered the branch hadn't mended and now without the 'splint', it's sagging. Is that branch a lost cause or is there some way to rescue it? I'm thinking I'm going to need to try a thread graft in the spring but would love to hear there's a rescue available.

 

[Mikecheck123]

Velcro strips are your friend! They'll never bite in no matter how long you leave them on.

 

[Shibui]

Given the extent of the twine bite on that cascade branch I would abandon that idea. It will take so long to recover if it does that starting again will almost certainly be quicker and better. Maples are real good at growing new branches when one is lost so do not worry too much at this small set back.
Note that you will get much better budding at the old (lower) branch site if the upright branch is also pruned a bit at the same time.
Second advice is that Japanese maples do not do cascade very easy. I think that more upright will be far easier for a beginner but that's your call.

 

[Newish in Oregon]

Given the extent of the twine bite on that cascade branch I would abandon that idea. It will take so long to recover if it does that starting again will almost certainly be quicker and better. Maples are real good at growing new branches when one is lost so do not worry too much at this small set back.
Note that you will get much better budding at the old (lower) branch site if the upright branch is also pruned a bit at the same time.
Second advice is that Japanese maples do not do cascade very easy. I think that more upright will be far easier for a beginner but that's your call.

@Shibui Thanks for your guidance. If I decide to try a cascade, are you suggesting that I'd be better off with a budded new branch than trying a thread graft in the spring?

 

[Newish in Oregon]

Velcro strips are your friend! They'll never bite in no matter how long you leave them on.

@Mikecheck123 Interesting. Where do you get you velcro from? Any pictures showing an example in use?

 

[Shibui]

If I decide to try a cascade, are you suggesting that I'd be better off with a budded new branch than trying a thread graft in the spring?

I'm suggesting that any way you grow a maple it will be really difficult to keep a cascade Japanese maple because they always grow better when growing up and don't grow very well going downward. Junipers and a few other types are much better for cascade style. It is also much easier to maintain cascade if there's only a very small upright head on the tree. When a tree has both upward and down parts the upright section always wins and the cascade section does poorly. Maintaining any cascade takes very good skills so I don't advise cascade for beginners.

 

[Paradox]

@Mikecheck123 Interesting. Where do you get you velcro from? Any pictures showing an example in use?

I use fish tank airline tubing to prevent damage to the branch from a guy wire.

 

[Joe Dupre']

I would try guy wiring (with padding) to a HIIGHER branch. I would pull it up a bit past where it originally was. If it's still pulling nutrients, it just might be worth a try.

 

[Mikecheck123]

@Mikecheck123 Interesting. Where do you get you velcro from? Any pictures showing an example in use?

Just Google "Velcro strips". I use them on my willows because the wire cuts in so fast. Example here: https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/c...hard-chop-to-detail-wiring.44928/post-1020572

 

[dbonsaiw]

Velcro strips are your friend! They'll never bite in no matter how long you leave them on.

I second the use of velcro and use it if I can guy wire a branch to the trunk. I've never left them on long enough to bite, but they do cause indentations in my tomatoes stem/branches as the plants grow so fast. I used twine once and it bit in a great deal. I leave actual wire used as a guy wire for a few weeks in the growing season until the branch sets and haven't really had issues, other than snapping the branches if I'm too rough. To prevent this, I attach one side of the guy wire to the box, bend the branch and attach the other side to the box while holding the branch in place, as opposed to puling the branch with the wire. I can always bend it more at a later date.

 

[Newish in Oregon]

I use fish tank airline tubing to prevent damage to the branch from a guy wire.

@Paradox If you look carefully at the photo, you'll see that I threaded the guy wire thru a piece of airline tubing [in the photo, I've moved the guy wire to be higher on the branch]