Tie down wire recommendation

K_10_G

Yamadori
Messages
64
Reaction score
189
Location
Titusville , NJ
USDA Zone
6b
I switched last year to using something like this galvanized steel but have noticed some starting to rust.


I assumed this galvanized would not rust but I was wrong. What exact product does every one else use ?
 
Last edited:

0soyoung

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
7,496
Reaction score
12,832
Location
Anacortes, WA (AHS heat zone 1)
USDA Zone
8b
Use 2 mm Al.

As for your galvanized wire rusting, the rust won't hurt anything AND I seriously doubt that it will rust through before your tree is due for a repot (in which it will likely be replaced, anyway).
 

Fegoat

Seedling
Messages
14
Reaction score
4
oxidizing copper is toxic tho
 

River's Edge

Masterpiece
Messages
4,709
Reaction score
12,608
Location
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
USDA Zone
8b
I switched last year to using something like this galvanized steel but have noticed some starting to rust.


I assumed this galvanized would not rust but I was wrong. What exact product does every one else use ?
Tie down inside pots. aluminum. Small trees 1.5 mm, medium 2 mm, large 2.5 mm. if protection over roots needed, aquarium airline tubing around the wire where it crosses the root.
Guy wire tie down, copper or stainless steel. I prefer stainless if high strength is required and I wish low profile, otherwise copper if strong enough for most requirements.
 

PaulH

Omono
Messages
1,807
Reaction score
4,433
Location
Rescue, CA
17 g. electric fence wire. Its high tensile. it does rust but by then the tree is set in the pot and gone by repotting time.
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
Messages
32,908
Reaction score
45,579
Location
Berwyn, Il
USDA Zone
6.2
I always like the jute twine idea that decomposes away. @bonhe

If you do the "jerk it straight between to pliers" trick, old wire works well cuz it's a little stiffer.

Small, still color coated wire, as left behind by the AT&T guy works well. It's easier to see to hide it (there's nothing worse IMO than a visible piece of copper.) and/or remove it.

Sticks wedged in the pot over the root mass works.

This thread may be the one that prompts my new invention sharing...

Sorce
 

Wires_Guy_wires

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,411
Reaction score
10,637
Location
Netherlands
Aluminium wire or plastic coated gardening wire, the latter is more rigid but has a higher tensile strength. Also the green plastic coating makes it less obvious.
 

Cable

Omono
Messages
1,371
Reaction score
2,188
Location
Sheffield Village, Ohio
USDA Zone
6a
Aluminum for small trees, galvanized steel for larger ones. Used to use aluminum for all but had too many wires break from tension.
 

Adair M

Pinus Envy
Messages
14,402
Reaction score
34,874
Location
NEGeorgia
USDA Zone
7a
Aluminum for small trees, galvanized steel for larger ones. Used to use aluminum for all but had too many wires break from tension.
Interesting...

I’ve tied down lots of trees, and have always been able to do it with aluminum.

That said, on occasion, I used to break aluminum wire while twisting it to tighten it. Until I learned the proper technique:

When tightening aluminum wire, using pliers, the trick is to NOT rely on twisting the two wires together to tighten. Use the twisting to take up slack. To tighten, pull the two wires taught. Once you have that, release the pulling pressure, and twist them. If you still want it tighter, pull back, create more gap, then release the pressure and twist. Repeat as necessary.

Twisting and twisting and twisting will cause the wire to break.

If you MUST use steel wire, use stainless steel wire rather than galvanized.
 

leatherback

The Treedeemer
Messages
13,937
Reaction score
26,880
Location
Northern Germany
USDA Zone
7
When tightening aluminum wire, using pliers, the trick is to NOT rely on twisting the two wires together to tighten. Use the twisting to take up slack. To tighten, pull the two wires taught. Once you have that, release the pulling pressure, and twist them. If you still want it tighter, pull back, create more gap, then release the pressure and twist. Repeat as necessary.
This, plus ensuring you put the wire through the wiring holes with a wire made to fit, so it is snug across the bottom of the pot to start with.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

The Professor
Messages
11,337
Reaction score
23,254
Location
on the IL-WI border, a mile from ''da Lake''
USDA Zone
5b
oxidizing copper is toxic tho

While it is true that copper oxides are somewhat toxic, Copper is a "self-protecting" metal. When the oxide forms, it forms a hard, dense layer that actually protects the wire from further oxidation. Essentially, only so much will form, then formation stops until the wire is flexed to crack the existing layer of oxides. Copper oxides are not very soluble in water, the amount leaching into soils is minimal, over the 2 to 10 years interval between repotting that most in the hobby schedule, so "copper poisoning" of our bonsai trees is simply a phenomena that has NOT been observed.

Do not worry about "copper poisoning" from copper wire. It is simply something that does not occur under the conditions normally encountered in bonsai.

Copper and iron are necessary plant nutrients. Both are needed in small amounts. Both copper wire, and rusting steel wire, and for that matter rusting galvanized wire are not likely to be an issue. Rusting wire is unsightly if exposed.

Galvanized wire contains zinc. Small amounts of zinc are also a required plant nutrient. There should be no serious issue with rusting galvanized wire as far as toxicity goes.

Rusting or corroding wire can pose a problem. We wire the trees into their pots to prevent jostling from breaking roots. Tall trees in shallow pots often are top heavy, and will flop out of their pots even if the roots have filled the pot. Rusted or corroded wire, when it breaks ceases to stabilize the tree in the pot. The next big wind, frolicking squirrel, stray cat or clumsy owner can knock the tree out of the pot. The wire is not just to hold the tree in place until the roots are established, but rather to hold the tree in place through the entire time it is in the pot. Even established trees, especially tall trees in shallow pots need to be wired into their pots. So as a general rule, corroding or rusting wire can lead to a tree flopping out of its pot, usually at the worst time of year for a repot.
 

Iconoclast

Seedling
Messages
18
Reaction score
20
I switched last year to using something like this galvanized steel but have noticed some starting to rust.


I assumed this galvanized would not rust but I was wrong. What exact product does every one else use ?
Please get rid of your iron wire. Use aluminum wire to tie your trees into the pots. It’s nonreactive and will hold well. You just need a heavy enough gauge, say around 3mm and up depending on the size of the tree. Steel wire can cull some evergreens.
 

Adair M

Pinus Envy
Messages
14,402
Reaction score
34,874
Location
NEGeorgia
USDA Zone
7a
Please get rid of your iron wire. Use aluminum wire to tie your trees into the pots. It’s nonreactive and will hold well. You just need a heavy enough gauge, say around 3mm and up depending on the size of the tree. Steel wire can cull some evergreens.
Steel wire can do what???

The gauge of wire necessary depends on the size of the tree.
 

Iconoclast

Seedling
Messages
18
Reaction score
20
Steel wire can do what???

The gauge of wire necessary depends on the size of the tree.
Kill. Not cull. Lol. And I mentioned size of the tree, starting with the size I did so as to avoid having to say 1 or 1.5 mm is probably not going to do any good for almost any size tree.
 
Top Bottom