Wiring a JBP sapling that's already planted in nursery pot?

[OrganicSeasonal]

Pipsqueak #1

• OrganicSeasonal
• Mar 14, 2017

Pipsqueak #2

• OrganicSeasonal
• Mar 14, 2017

Wire

• OrganicSeasonal
• Mar 14, 2017

Hello bonsai buddies. BonsaiNut told me to shape my JBP saplings or else I'll be growing telephone poles... Firstly I understand the concept of wiring when potting/repotting. What I don't understand is how to wire my saplings that are already situated in nursery pots. I really hope there's a way to do this. Thank you so much.

 

[petegreg]

Just anchor (stick) the wire deep into the soil close to the trunk if you want to wire the trunk. Use a wire pliers to hold the wire approx. one coil lower when wiring if you need.

 

[OrganicSeasonal]

Thank you Petegreg. What do you mean by "one coil lower"?

Also, my tiny wire cutter is NOT gonna cut this wire, I searched around this site and heard of the Kaneshen 511. Way too expensive for me right now. Is there a cheaper tool to cut this wire, in gonna buy on eBay tonight. Thank you!

 

[mrt1]

Nice pots there! Be sure to post pic of the wire job.

 

[petegreg]

Oh, not correct expression. When you make a spiral when you're wiring, you can hold the wire one turn back.
Kaneshin is a very good brand. But for cutting wire you can use a standard priers/ cutters.

 

[OrganicSeasonal]

Thank you. One more thing so sorry, probably the most important. Regarding the shape I choose. Do u just shape them all to be a generic S shape, or can I be creative. Like have one slanting sideways?

 

[CasAH]

Thank you. One more thing so sorry, probably the most important. Regarding the shape I choose. Do u just shape them all to be a generic S shape, or can I be creative. Like have one slanting sideways?

You can shape it any way you like as long as you do not damage the trunk or branches, or bark. Also do not wire any of the needles down.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

The younger the tree, the more aggressive you should be in your styling because:
(1) Older trees are hard / impossible to style the trunk
(2) As a tree ages, hard curves in the trunk will naturally soften

That's not to say - don't style an informal soft curvy tree or a slant - but understand that what you think might look like a slant today looks like a very soft bend later on.

 

[Tieball]

Thank you. One more thing so sorry, probably the most important. Regarding the shape I choose. Do u just shape them all to be a generic S shape, or can I be creative. Like have one slanting sideways?

Be creative....but first explore nature and Pine photos. Those extreme S shapes, those generic S shapes, aren't really natural, interesting or exciting....to me.....that is just my opinion. Nature demonstrates and provides a multitude of highly creative directions for tree shapes....best creative album of shapes.

Bending a tree early is good. Bend it with your vision and objective in mind for the future....so you achieve your goals.

 

[M. Frary]

Start the bends low as you can too.

 

[OrganicSeasonal]

1st wiring #5

• OrganicSeasonal
• Mar 15, 2017
• 2

1st wiring #4

• OrganicSeasonal
• Mar 15, 2017

1st wiring #3

• OrganicSeasonal
• Mar 15, 2017
• 1

1st wiring #2

• OrganicSeasonal
• Mar 15, 2017

1st wiring #1

• OrganicSeasonal
• Mar 15, 2017

This wasn't as easy as I thought it would be! I poked through the soil a lot to find my anchor hole(I hope I didnt kill the tree). The wiring at the base is REALY tight(again I hope I didn't hurt the tree). I tried not to wire over the little nubs(future branches??). I watered after, and I'm gonna keep him in the shade for next couple days. Please critique, did I do this correctly. I have 4 more bigger ones to do... thanks
I know, a lot Of I's sorry I have bad grammar.

 

[Ironbeaver]

Someone once posted some photos (here I think) of an exercise where you take a piece of wire and bend it as if it were a sapling, then add layers of clay/plastiscene/play-doh to build it up and it will give an idea of how the tree might look when it's at different trunk thicknesses.

 

[Tieball]

Examining the photos close-up......There's a lot of nice new buds on your tree. You'll have some nice opportunities as it grows.

 

[OrganicSeasonal]

Thanks for the feedback. My biggest concern is that I wired the base really tight. Will that hurt the tree, or is this proper procedure. I had to wire him tight, is was the only way I figured I could get those tight angles. This was complicated, maaan!

 

[OrganicSeasonal]

Hello, I was just wondering if anyone could critique my 1st wiring, so I don't mess up the other saplings I have. Thanks to any criticism!

 

[ConorDash]

Seems good to me. I imagine it'll grow and bite in to the wire fast though so keep an eye on it and replace wire as and when needed.

 

[OrganicSeasonal]

Hmm, yeah that's what I thought, too tight. Thank you so much!

 

[petegreg]

Good enough for the first wiring. Almost under 45°, wire going almost outside of bends. As Conor stated, watch the wires for biting in.
Your wire anchoring is more than necessary.