When to use guy wiring vs. regular wiring techniques?

[Bonsai Noodles]

I don't think I see as much documentation about how to "guy wire" trees, and I think it's because the technique is on the more advanced side of things. So when should you use guy wiring techniques vs. regular wiring techniques? My impression is that you should use guy wires when the branches are already too hardened off/lignified such that regular wires would not be able to add movement to the branches. It seems like most guy wires are used to bring branches more horizontally, or else branches left untouched would continue growing upward.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

You use guy wires when you want to apply pulling pressure between two points. You can usually apply more pressure with a guy wire to perform a bend than you could with a standard wire wrapped around a branch or trunk - or else you would use a guy wire when the gauge of wire required to apply the pressure would be considered too thick. You can apply a guy wire between any two points, but it is most often seen between the ground (or pot) and a branch, between two branches, between a branch and the trunk, or even between two points on a trunk that you are trying to pull closer together. You can also combine a guy wire with a block to bend a very thick branch, or to bend a trunk. Guy wires also make it easier to gradually increase pressure when executing a difficult thick bend (over the course of days). By gradually increasing pressure (instead of applying it all at once) you can sometimes get a bend where a branch or trunk might otherwise break.

Guy wires cannot
(1) Create more than one bend in a branch or trunk - they pull together two points.
(2) Introduce up and down or side to side movement in a branch.

 

[Joe Dupre']

I use guy wires on newly collected material to initiate a bend close to the tree on a branch that I want to elongate and build diameter. Once the branch takes it's set, I remove the guy wire and clip back to a side branch to add movement. I feel that tends to look more natural that wrapping with wire and doing snakey bends on a long branch. My way works on some, and not all species. I also use them to pull branches sideways to get a radiating pattern from the top view.

 

[sorce]

Guy wires with Walter.
Traditional Wiring elsewhere.

I trust Ole Abe so I don't believe what

Guy wires cannot

It might take a little more Contraptionalization, and in most cases it would be downright stupid....
But guy wires can introduce sideways and up and down movement.

PC though...I use Gal wires, they're smarter and prettier.

Sorce

 

[Bonsai Nut]

It might take a little more Contraptionalization, and in most cases it would be downright stupid....
But guy wires can introduce sideways and up and down movement.

What I meant to say is a single guy wire can only introduce one single bend. You could use two guy wires to introduce two bends, but I can't recall seeing it done on anything other than a trunk, but it all depends on the material.

 

[Forsoothe!]

It works well for branches too heavy or stiff to move where you want them and/or branches that will creep back when unwired. When used with vinyl tubing padding under the wire (360° around the branch) for two years at a time. And, as mentioned above, you can continue to tighten every so often to get a little extra distance over time. I have several baskets made from wire mesh that gives me many points to connect to. It is more or less idiot-proof for heavy branches where you can't trust yourself to stop before you can hear it scream.

 

[Shibui]

All the above.
Guy wires can only pull in one direction so it needs more wires and appropriate tie down points to create bends.
If you just need to move an entire branch or trunk in one direction and have an appropriate tie down point then guy wire is often easier.
Spiral wiring allows for 3D bending and can bend in direction where tie down points are lacking. One drawback is the strength of wire so limited use with thicker/harder material (more advanced techniques of hollowing out some wood can be used)

Short answer is use whatever is appropriate and will work.

 

[Mycin]

Guy wires can help keep tall, top heavy trees secure, especially after repotting.

I've thought of incorporating a zip tie in my guy wire setup somewhere, to be able to tighten & adjust it click by click

 

[SeanS]

Guy wires can help keep tall, top heavy trees secure, especially after repotting.

I've thought of incorporating a zip tie in my guy wire setup somewhere, to be able to tighten & adjust it click by click

A zip tie in a loop somewhere along the guy wire would work nicely when you need to adjust/tighten more than just twisting the guy wire would allow

 

[penumbra]

Short answer is use whatever is appropriate and will work.

And we don't need permission to do this.

I've thought of incorporating a zip tie in my guy wire setup somewhere, to be able to tighten & adjust it click by click

They're not pretty but they work great and are very easy to use. I have posted pictures of my use of them in the past.

 

[leatherback]

A zip tie in a loop somewhere along the guy wire would work nicely when you need to adjust/tighten more than just twisting the guy wire would allow

I normally make a connection point on the branch with heavier wire & protection, and put a guy wire between them. The guy wire can then be adjusted

 

[HorseloverFat]

Guy wires with Walter.
Traditional Wiring elsewhere.

I trust Ole Abe so I don't believe what


It might take a little more Contraptionalization, and in most cases it would be downright stupid....
But guy wires can introduce sideways and up and down movement.

PC though...I use Gal wires, they're smarter and prettier.

Sorce

I’ve been using zip-ties for different angles of “guy-wire”...

Thug life.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Fine control and the ability to make multidirectional bends is the best use of wire. Guy wires are fine for simple single direction bends. Guy wires are good for helping to hold thick difficult bends. Where wire does some of the work, and the guy wires hold the rest of the tension.

You need both techniques in your skill set. One is not better than the other, they are different applications, with some over-lap as to where they can be applied.

 

[River's Edge]

One other time when Guy wires are particularly useful in old yamadori that have thick easily damaged bark on the trunk and primary branches! Less damaging than wire applied around the branch or trunk. A good example is collected Shore Pine. Also true for species with thinner bark that can be easily damaged.
One technique does not fully replace the other but simply another tool in the box as stated above.