Remove wire or leave longer?

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backuppedro

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The wires been on about 15 months, august 2024. In some areas it looks to have bitten it well. I think it hasnt bitten in much more because it hasn't fattened up a lot.
It was part of a twin trunk but had enough roots to be separated in aug 2024. It also had unnecssary branches removed. To improve light and air
 

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Take it off immediately, I was taught it should only stay on for 9 months max, then wait a month or so into the growing season to see if it needs to be reapplied.
 
I keep my wire on until it starts biting in; until the trunk or branch expands enough to start slightly enveloping the wire.
One growing season should be enough to set the shape in junipers. Spruce on the other hand tends to spring back, so I leave that for longer. Same with pines. Unless it starts to bite in.. Then I rewire, but as said by rudigger, you can use less wire. It's more about the final touch than it is about doing major bends at that point.

The choice of wire material makes a big difference too. I can use 6mm aluminium, but 4mm copper wire has similar "setting" strength. 4 is faster to dig in than 6mm because it's smaller and exerts more force on the wood per effective-touching-area. Copper is also more difficult to unwind because it hardens, alu doesn't often do that.
When in doubt, don't unwind and just cut it. A couple dollars worth of wire isn't worth losing a well shaped apex you worked on for a year.
 
Wires_Guy_wires said:
I keep my wire on until it starts biting in; until the trunk or branch expands enough to start slightly enveloping the wire.
One growing season should be enough to set the shape in junipers. Spruce on the other hand tends to spring back, so I leave that for longer. Same with pines. Unless it starts to bite in.. Then I rewire, but as said by rudigger, you can use less wire. It's more about the final touch than it is about doing major bends at that point.

The choice of wire material makes a big difference too. I can use 6mm aluminium, but 4mm copper wire has similar "setting" strength. 4 is faster to dig in than 6mm because it's smaller and exerts more force on the wood per effective-touching-area. Copper is also more difficult to unwind because it hardens, alu doesn't often do that.
When in doubt, don't unwind and just cut it. A couple dollars worth of wire isn't worth losing a well shaped apex you worked on for a year.
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Its the wire I had at the time and although not ideal to use 3 pieces its acceptable sometimes. Its the smaller tree here, it needed extreme bends.
Normally its obvious when to remove wire but this one has been odd.
Your right about cutting wire off instead of risking it
 

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RozendaalArts said:
Take it off immediately, I was taught it should only stay on for 9 months max, then wait a month or so into the growing season to see if it needs to be reapplied.
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I’d be looking for a new teacher. Wire isn’t removed in a schedule, it’s removed based on whether it is digging in or not. That can be a few weeks up to a few years.
 
Brian Van Fleet said:
I’d be looking for a new teacher. Wire isn’t removed in a schedule, it’s removed based on whether it is digging in or not. That can be a few weeks up to a few years.
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Agree!
Remove all wire at the slightest sign of bark growing around the wire. Before that if possible. Wire marks stay visible for a long time so much better to avoid.
When I notice wire digging in you can bet there are other spots where it's much worse - inside bends, etc so best to get it off early.
I was also taught to leave wire for as long as possible but reality is the bends are set much sooner. I unwired a number of trunks today. All set and that's only a couple of months since wiring (small trunks)
Converting wire marks to shari is not ideal. Natural dead wood does not spiral up the trunk as regular as wire marks. If you want shari make natural shari. Don't let wire marks force you to follow unnatural spirals.
 
Brian Van Fleet said:
I’d be looking for a new teacher. Wire isn’t removed in a schedule, it’s removed based on whether it is digging in or not. That can be a few weeks up to a few years.
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thx for making this point. I was very close to adding this.

For the OP: The wire seems to be biting especially in one of the pictures. I would consider removing it, and if the shape does not hold, rewire.
 
leatherback said:
thx for making this point. I was very close to adding this.

For the OP: The wire seems to be biting especially in one of the pictures. I would consider removing it, and if the shape does not hold, rewire.
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Thank you
 
Shibui said:
Agree!
Remove all wire at the slightest sign of bark growing around the wire. Before that if possible. Wire marks stay visible for a long time so much better to avoid.
When I notice wire digging in you can bet there are other spots where it's much worse - inside bends, etc so best to get it off early.
I was also taught to leave wire for as long as possible but reality is the bends are set much sooner. I unwired a number of trunks today. All set and that's only a couple of months since wiring (small trunks)
Converting wire marks to shari is not ideal. Natural dead wood does not spiral up the trunk as regular as wire marks. If you want shari make natural shari. Don't let wire marks force you to follow unnatural spirals.
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Thanks for taking time and the advice
 
Thanks for all opinions it waa the perfect time to remove wire @Shibui @leatherback
Just gotta clean up raffia now, the bugs poured out although im sure the just eat dead material
 

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leatherback said:
hm.. Looks a little late even.
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Way longer than I like to leave wire. No problem with the trunk straightening up after removing the wire? I'd bet it was actually set months ago.

Juniper can carry some trunk scars but those are going to take quite a few years to grow out. Unfortunately, the regular spiral rarely looks good.
 
Shibui said:
Way longer than I like to leave wire. No problem with the trunk straightening up after removing the wire? I'd bet it was actually set months ago.

Juniper can carry some trunk scars but those are going to take quite a few years to grow out. Unfortunately, the regular spiral rarely looks good.
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Yeh Im not a fan of the spiral, not sure why I did it at the time. Maybe just practicing big twists 🤔 the twin didnt get that. And i redid the jwp we discussed that had the spirals but straight base.

I will change the movement in this juniper at a later date
 

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