@Clicio, could you expound on rock thoughts? I am newly aware that over time rocks atop soil can contribute to soil compaction, especially with freeze thaws..but are there other elements at play with this?..perhaps, impeding gas exchange in roots or limiting O2 in soil??
You actually answered the rocks on soil question. Limits air penetration to roots, can create a dry pocket or region if tree is watered from above (rather than dunking the tree in a bucket of water) compacting soil, that's pretty much the list. Often no visible problems, but especially for a weak tree, can be the one little thing that causes failure to thrive.
That wiring tutorial is really good, do watch, then practice on a dead stick, then watch again. Colin Lewis is a good teacher.
We all started somewhere, I applaud your willingness to jump in and try, and bravery for posting your work. Well done.
There's a danger in over flexing, bending branches to frequently. This can happen even if you don't actually break the branches. You can break the fibers of the tree's "plumbing", tear the cambium layer. I would leave the tree as is for now. Give the tree at least a summer to recover, heal the cambium after the first wiring. Remove wire sometime in winter, and then rewire after practicing on a few dead branches cut from landscape trees.
Wiring is a skill I'm still working on after 30+ years of experience. It's not something you do right the first time. Welcome to a life long hobby.