training new branches

[Joe Dupre']

I've not seen this done anywhere, but it seems to work on my bigger trees. I use leftover short pieces of wire to start newer, softer branches down and away from the trunk. I really don't want to wire softer branches for fear of damaging or breaking them. This method doesn't really impart any lateral curves, but keeps the branches from growing straight up the side of the tree.

Guy wires do basically the same thing, but this seems to be a safer, faster method.

 

[Eric Group]

It looks like you are propping them Against the trunk? Seems like that would be terribly unstable. A light breeze doesn't just make them fall off? Also, those branches look to me to be total,y ready for wire... Like REAL wiring... JMO

 

[Joe Dupre']

Eric, I cut the end of the wire at a really sharp angle and it makes a sharp point that really digs in. I might have one fall off a couple of times a month. They are big enough for wiring, but I'm letting them run long so they can thicken up faster. I'll cut them back and let them regrow to build better taper. No use wiring the stuff I'll cut off later.
If you let cypress branches just grow like they want, they'll just about all want to go straight up to try to be a central leader. Propping them out when really young, gets them coming off the tree at a more horizontal angle.

 

[sorce]

JohnG junior!

Sorce