How does my wiring look?

[Just Rosie]

Hey guys,

This is the first tree I've ever wired. It's a Ficus sp. I've grown from a cutting for about a year. This was mostly just for practice, but I wanted to see what others thought of my job, and any tips/advice they may be able to give me. I wasn't really sure how old the tree should be to wire the trunk, but it feels thick/firm enough to hold the shape. I'm horrible at angles, as I'm sure is apparent . Anyway, criticism/tips are welcome! Thanks!

 

[HorseloverFat]

Hey guys,

This is the first tree I've ever wired. It's a Ficus sp. I've grown from a cutting for about a year. This was mostly just for practice, but I wanted to see what others thought of my job, and any tips/advice they may be able to give me. I wasn't really sure how old the tree should beView attachment 355216 to wire the trunk, but it feels thick/firm enough to hold the shape. I'm horrible at angles, as I'm sure is apparent . Anyway, criticism/tips are welcome! Thanks!

Angles are fine.. seems tight enough....
That wire is heavy duty.... I would(carefully) put more drastic movement into it.

As far as the application goes.. that’ll work juuuust fine... in the beginning, one(At least I did) tends to place a lot of anxiety on “wiring procedures”... just gotta dive in.

So.. The technique is fine... no more anxiety about that.

Now I would carefully explore the parameters.. see what the wire, tree and myself was capable of.

 

[Zach Smith]

Good angles. Is that electrical wire? If so it's usually too stiff for normal bonsai use.

 

[Just Rosie]

Good angles. Is that electrical wire? If so it's usually too stiff for normal bonsai use.

Thank you ! It's aluminum alloy that I bought off amazon. It came in a kit with multiple rolls, and the next smallest size (1.5mm) seemed a little too flimsy. Do you think I should go with a smaller gauge?

 

[Adair M]

Thank you ! It's aluminum alloy that I bought off amazon. It came in a kit with multiple rolls, and the next smallest size (1.5mm) seemed a little too flimsy. Do you think I should go with a smaller gauge?

It’s better to use slightly too thick wire than too thin, so you did good. It’s a little bit too far between spirals at the bottom, but not much. Overall, good job. Cut off the excess at the end.

Now, for the bending...

 

[Just Rosie]

Angles are fine.. seems tight enough....
That wire is heavy duty.... I would(carefully) put more drastic movement into it.

As far as the application goes.. that’ll work juuuust fine... in the beginning, one(At least I did) tends to place a lot of anxiety on “wiring procedures”... just gotta dive in.

So.. The technique is fine... no more anxiety about that.

Now I would carefully explore the parameters.. see what the wire, tree and myself was capable of.

Yeah, application was definitely intimidating to me! You saying that makes me feel better, because I feel like in any tutorial I've read/watched, there's a ton of emphasis on application. I haven't sweat that much over angles since grade school haha. I'm excited to put some movement into it; I'm still trying to decide what shape I want to achieve

 

[Zach Smith]

Thank you ! It's aluminum alloy that I bought off amazon. It came in a kit with multiple rolls, and the next smallest size (1.5mm) seemed a little too flimsy. Do you think I should go with a smaller gauge?

The size is based on what is required to bend the trunk/branch. At this stage you can really only put some movement in the trunk. It needs to be a much bigger specimen for more detailed training techniques (setting branches). That requires unrestrained growth. You'll want to do all sorts of things to this tree every day, so make sure you gets lots of others so you don't love this one too much. After bending this one's trunk, except for watering and fertilizing and wire removal it shouldn't be given any training for about three to five years.

 

[Just Rosie]

Update, I wired the other 2 Ficus babies I had, and tried out bending them. These are the best "shapes" my feeble imagination could come up with I actually really like the way they look, but that might just be because I did them. I'm really bad at picturing what the mature tree will end up looking like. PS sorry for the crappy angles but hopefully you get the idea

 

[HorseloverFat]

Update, I wired the other 2 Ficus babies I had, and tried out bending them. These are the best "shapes" my feeble imagination could come up with I actually really like the way they look, but that might just be because I did them. I'm really bad at picturing what the mature tree will end up looking like. PS sorry for the crappy angles but hopefully you get the idea


View attachment 355237View attachment 355238View attachment 355239

There ya go!!! Nice shapes!

Now THAT was a fun/informative time you and your plants spent together, right?

 

[sorce]

This is relevant to what @luvinthemountains was talking about in this thread...

Thread 'Remember the story about cutting the ends off the ham? (wiring branch extensions)' https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/r...s-off-the-ham-wiring-branch-extensions.48159/

The 2 instructions...
Supporting the outside of the bend with wire.
Having branches Emerge at the outside of bends.

Has your application unsuccessful where it matters, near successful at the yellow, but with wire close to where the bud will grow, and perfect at the top, which will all be cut off the ham!



I think you should focus on getting your good application on the low buds you'll keep.

It's at this point though, to address your age of tree concern, that I don't think it makes sense to wire something so young. Since letting it grow vigorously without intervention, then cutting it back to one of those excellent and many low buds, will give you better and more lasting movement than wire, which will be cut off anyway. I'd also argue faster under similar average care.

I think the most efficient use of wire on such young material is to move sacrifice crap out of the way of keeper things. Like wiring everything above those many and excellent low buds.....the hell out the way!

Sorce

 

[Forsoothe!]

I make the final loop short and nearly 360° to close the gap at the end for two reasons: to capture the end of the branch so it can't escape as the branch is bent/twisted, and to prevent the sharp end from sticking me. If you expect to continue the rotation as the branch extends and leave extra wire for that beyond your last loop, still close the end loop making it touch itself in that nearly 360° small loop and form the wire to follow the branch straight back and close to the branch to park it temporarily but neatly.