Can deciduous hevay bending be done

[Johnathan]

So I know most "heavy bending" is done on conifers.... AND i know the preferred method for deciduous is chops, and clipping....

But.... just wondering.... IS IT POSSIBLE?

Nothing really extreme. Just say maybe an or inch and half thick, wrapped with vet wrap or raffia, a backbone of wiring for support, and more wire for bending. Would it be possible?

The local box store has a sale on some live oaks and kanzan cherries. I didn't get them, Obviously much to tall... I didn't want to chop and start completing over, was wondering if there was a way to get some lower movement before chopping a bit higher, hope that makes sense

 

[penumbra]

Sure. But all deciduous trees are not the same. Some are quite flexible and some are not. Some bend young wood only. Try bending some branches on some local trees to get a feel for it.

 

[fredman]

I've done that many times. I use electrical insulation vape. I take two lengths and stick them together (glue sides facing). I wrap while stretching it around the branch. I've bent some that I clearly heard the cracking of the hard wood. A 3rd layer can even be used....sound base for wiring on.

 

[sorce]

I believe it's such a rare case that this would be necessary, or aesthetically correct in the end, that NOT doing it ever, wouldn't change the excellence of your collection.

Sorce

 

[BobbyLane]

 

[Dav4]

Ume. The lowest left branch went from this...






To this... Essentially applied the same technique used with conifers of hollowing out the branch and using wire internally and externally to stabilize and bend. Fwiw, I was prepared to lose that branch.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

As said, it depends on how hard the wood it.

For rapid growing species, doing the chops is easier than trying to bend. So for example, the Kanzan cherries, they grow quite rapidly when in large nursery containers. A chop might give better results than trying to bend a 2 inch diameter branch. You chop, then wire to the correct direction the new sprouts. Then remove the wire, let grow free until the desired diameter is achieved, then chop again, let back bud, wire new sprouts to correct directions, then let grow out. Repeat, repeat.

Fast growing I would consider: willows, bald cypress, dawn redwoods, elms, Amur maple, Trident maple, most cherries, ume, apricot, plum, and quite a few others.

For slow growing trees, and trees that are slow to trunk up, such as Amelanchier, Oaks, and others. Wire bending of branches is much more important.
Slow growing I would consider Oak, Beech, hornbeam, Amelanchier (service berries), Japanese maples, Malus - the apples can be fast, might be slow, depends on variety. There are many, many more slower growing trees. But you get the idea.

So, it is good to learn to bend deciduous. It is not always necessary to bend deciduous. Often best approach is if you are going the route of "Build a Tree", you would only be wiring 1 or 2 year old branches to correct their directions, or angle, or add some movement. Larger wood is shaped by prune and regrow.

 

[JoeR]

Don't think I saw anyone mention it yet, but there is also the splitting technique. The entire length of the branch or trunk is split completely down the middle, then wrapped and bent. This allows sliding action for sharper bends. There are a number of threads on this, ive seen it often with juniper material.

However, it sounds like chopping is much more effective for these trees you mentioned. Short cuts get you lame results, most often.